HOW TO PICK A DRILL DESIGNER

by Bob Royall
royall marching designs


How do you find a good drill designer? Look at their work. The only proven method is spending some time with the marching shows they have already deigned and see if it fits your drill design tastes. It's also very important not to pick based on the latest trends in drill design just because that' what's "hot" at the time.

First, carefully evaluate the needs of your band. What are their marching proficiencies, tastes (yes, that should be a consideration), time commitment and, audience? Obviously if they cannot march or perform what is written you're fighting a losing battle for the 3-4 months! Be thorough and honest when evaluating your band. We've all been to a contest and witnessed a band trying to perform a marching show completely beyond their ability. Don't be that band!

Whether you like it or not your and students should drive the drill design to a certain degree. Get them involved in the creative process. Teach them about various music performance idioms from Nutcracker to Blast to Blue Man Group. The object here after all is to educate our students and what better way to teach them about music than to experience various styles of visual productions. Also, if they are part of the creative process they are more likely to "buy in" to the marching show your drill designer creates.

Check your rehearsal schedule and the physical limits of your students. If you have limited rehearsal time you may need to reduce marching and visual demands to accommodate. This also limits the level of music demand. You must make some decisions on music demand in the marching music and visual demand of the drill design. There should be careful consideration and planning in the early stages of developing the marching show to balance these demands. At times during the marching show the music should dictate the drill design difficulty and at others the drill design should take center stage.

Above all else - DON'T FORGET YOUR AUDIENCE! The top complaints I hear from parents (your audience for better or worse) is that they "just don't get what the band trying to do" and "I didn't like the music." I'm not saying that we should cater to their marching show tastes but, let's not think a crowd that usually boot-scoots to Johnny Cash is going to appreciate the intensity of Le Sacre or groove to Cirque du Soleil in your marching show. It's possible to expand your audience's drill design and marching show horizons but, do it in stages lest they revolt!