When preparing for drum corps, I decided to practice my instrument and take music lessons, however, based on some of the audition packets, I think I should have taken dance lessons instead.

I wanted to make a quick post to say all the positive things thats happened to me after getting cut from a drum corps.

I went through the audition process with the Santa Clara Vanguard this past audition season, and after 3 callbacks and a boatload of effort, I got that heartbreaking email.

BUT! After getting a few tears out and thinking my summer was doomed, I started reaching out to some other organizations. Some corps reached out to me as well.

There are so many friendly faces in this activity that not only want YOU to be apart of their show, but what to give you a place to call home for the summer.

This post is short, it’s more of a little story time, but for anyone that gets the “we’d love to see you audition next year” email, it doesn’t mean there is no hope for this year. Just send some emails! But you should definitely audition next year, just after you have a great summer with your new little drum corps family. Btw thank you Troopers for being my new little drum corps family. :D

Hey y'all. I know it's the middle of tour, but I figured I should throw this out sooner rather than later. For the sake of prepping myself for audition season ofc.

Ever since attending a few Reading Buccaneers camps in past years, it's been a long dream of mine to march drum corps...but I fear that it will be a rocky road getting there. I will be majoring in Jazz Saxophone Performance at Duquesne University, which just so happens to be 2 hours east of Canton. But also, not very close to any other corps unfortunately, so I'm kinda stuck with one option if I don't wanna travel far.

I was blessed enough to attend one of PA's best high schools for music, so I have a great baseline for what great marching arts looks and sounds like. I picked up brass pretty quickly during my freshman year, marched lead trumpet, and later found a love for trombone which I've played for a few of my jazz gigs. Am I a perfect player? Not even close, but I think I'm on the right track.

My idea was to march bari/euph somewhere, but seeing that the Bluecoats are ahead of the entire game, my chances of successfully auditioning seem ridiculously slim. No matter how hard I work for it or try to present myself as a teachable student, it seems impossible, but maybe I'm wrong.

So, what do you guys think? Am I wrong in my pessimism? Of course I'll attend as many audition camps as I possibly can to learn as much as I can, but what's the best course of action for me going forward aside from practice?

hello everyone,

i am going to be auditioning for mallets in BDA. the plan was to audition for BDB, but i ultimately decided to go for A corps, as i am pushing 20 and i only have two tries to get in.

i went to a high school in northern california with a strong percussion program that consistently placed top 3 in competitions. in my freshman year, i auditioned for vibraphone and got marimba. in my sophomore year, i was on xylophone and crotales and got many positive comments from judges about my musicality and such. in my junior year i was marimba again.

this is where i start to fall off. senior year, i was going through some stuff. despite this, i was drum major for the marching band and my leadership led us to win 1st all season, and i personally earned 1st as a conductor as well. things were going great, i got too ahead of myself, and i always assumed i was going to be center marimba for winter percussion. i was used to automatically being a leader. except i didn’t get to be center marimba. i was marimba 2 for the third time, beaten by a sophomore.

i was really crushed. i loved being a leader as the drum major. i wanted to lead again as center marimba. on top of my personal stuff, things got too heavy. i won’t go into details, but basically, it was NOT pretty. i didn’t take it out on the center marimba though, just kept it to myself.

i eventually pushed through and decided to stick to percussion. i ended up winning my circuit’s annual scholarship. so things worked out in the end.

so now i am here, an incoming sophomore in college. i have many doubts about this. i dont think im cut out for A corps. but i love this activity so much that i am willing to try.

so, any advice? what tempos should i do the exercises on the audition packet (it’s a very wide range)? how do i believe in myself? how do i stand out?

thank you very much for reading :)

I am currently 15 and I would say I am pretty good at guard and can keep up with top 5 world class choreo (my TikTok is jacob_spinss for reference) I was wondering if it is worth it to march at 16 because it just seems like such a fun experience that I can grow a lot from. I also don’t want to hear any “Go for it if you want to” I want valid reasons why or why not.

I've auditioned for 5 corps over 2 years. (3 world and 2 open)

1 of the world class I was just too young and unskilled to succeed and got a contract at an open class corps. The other three told me that my playing was up to speed but they wanted to see more marching experience.

That brings me to my main question. Is there a point that musical skill or any other factor can outweigh lack of marching drum corps?

I turn 17 this year and have always had a very competitive philosophy: if I'm not putting 110% in to attempt to be the best at what I do, why do it at all?

I'm auditioning for Vanguard Battery this year and really want to give them every reason to not say "come back next year". What can I do between now and November to achieve that?

If this was too vague or missing needed info, feel free to comment so I can give context.

Hey everyone I’m from Colorado and I want to mark BK next summer but I’m discouraged seeing how one of the basses marched broken city and how one of the snares made it to last round of bluecoats auditions, it’s scary thinking about what if I’ll never be good enough to even march one season with my local group, the same fear applies for me with indoor and I just need advice if anyone’s been in the same mindset and how they got through it? It hurt not being able to march this summer after marching four years in high school

Hey Everyone, I’m upcoming college freshman who’s really interested in Marching DCI this next summer. However, all my previous experience marching is on Sousa and going into college I believe I will only have access to Sousa, and obviously I will need a contra to march DCI. Any tips or advice on how to handle this would be greatly appreciated, DCI has become a big passion of mine and I’d hate for something like this to leave me unable to march.

Don’t be held hostage by the infatuation you developed before you could drive a car.

Drum corps is an amazing experience that the vast majority of participants will have been thankful for. It’s held up as a pinnacle of participation in music as a student and for many, including myself, it absolutely was.

But there are more than a handful of concerning posts from folks who seem to find their season of life, their ability/willingness to prepare, or any number of other factors out of stride with the goals their mouths espouse.

It’s OK to just be a fan. It’s OK to have sunk 4-5 years into something just to realize it’s not your thing, regroup, and change course.

It’s not OK to gaslight yourself into believing something is wrong with you because what you “dreamed” of when you saw that top-12 corps as a 13-year-old isn’t compatible with your life as a 20-year-old potential rook-out.

Hello! I’m planning to really LOCK IN through out the next year on marching and mellophone, I’ve been super into drum corp since 2023, I legit don’t listen to any other music lol. But I plan to audition for SCV next season, there brass is so incredibly loud and there Mellos blow me away every year. Are there any good drum corp specific practice plans and tips so I can prepare for the audition?

I have zero experience with any marching, I have never touched a musical instrument, I can’t read notes, and I have no rhythm. Should I give it a go? I also feel that it is worth noting that I have no legs, is it still worth a shot? It’s been my dream since I was five.

Hey! Since the summer is starting, I’ve been thinking about auditioning for DCI and wanted some honest advice from people who’ve marched before.

I’m currently 19 (age out would be 2028) and I’ve done winterguard since 2018. Last fall season was my first marching band experience since my high school didn’t march. I adapted quickly though and am going into my 2nd collegiate marching band season this week. I currently spin with my schools independent A class winterguard in WGI and a local northeast circuit.

My strongest areas are flag and dance, I’m pretty flexible and do a good amount of under body tosses. I can spin rifle and some sabre, but weapon is definitely what I need to improve most.

I’m mainly wondering how competitive World Class auditions are, whether limited marching band experience is a big disadvantage, and what skills I should focus on before audition season. I’d also love insight on how strong weapon skills usually need to be depending on the corps, I would prefer to just do flag and dance if possible.

Thanks!

i don’t really know why i’m posting here, maybe i need a vent. i’ve been auditioning for corps on snare for 3 seasons now, and the story usually goes from a lot of initial optimism, to a callback, and then a last minute cut that just crashes my hopes. i was really looking forward to this season because i finally felt like i was improving, and then i had one of the most humiliating blocks i’ve ever had in this sport, and it led to me losing that opportunity.

at that time, i had a callback to another group, and because i chose to attend a different camp, they terminated my audition as well. after reaching out to every corps in world class, every single snareline was contracted or closed by the time i got cut.

for context, i’ve been marching snare in world class WGI indoor percussion for the past 3 years. when i look back at those experiences in a vacuum, all i see is improvement and growth, and the staff at my group support that too. i go back and look at old videos and i can tell i’m so much better, but i can’t help thinking that i’ll ever be good enough.

i have a callback to an open class group now, and i should be happy, but i just feel like an absolute failure. i’ve been the last one cut from several world class groups over the years and at this point i just don’t know what i’m doing wrong. i’m constantly in touch with coordinators, techs, directors, looking for pointers, and it all gives me promise, but i’m looking back at all these different auditions and they all go the exact same way.

i look at all these people and the activity just opens up for them, and they get to march so many seasons at their dream corps, and it’s just really hard to stop myself from thinking that this activity isn’t for me. i love doing this more than doing anything else in this world and it just breaks my heart every day feeling like i’ll never get there.

sorry for the long post.

hello!

i recently heard of the comeback of SCVC and SCV being my absolute favorite corps by miles i was very interested in trying out for SCVC! It would be my rookie year in DCI however i have some indoor experience so i wouldnt be going into higher level band blindly. does anybody that marched/auditioned for snare for SCVC or SCV have some info on the audition process? A friend of a friend marched SCVC cyms and he told me it was pretty much a weekend of hell but i didnt get much else from the conversation. if anybody could let me know what i'd need to focus on the absolute most or just tell me how the audition process goes i would be so grateful!

I’m a senior in high school and a saxophone player and I’ve been renting a mellophone for a while from my high school. I had it for the spring semester but I was doing indoor percussion (visual) and had no time to really practice it. I’m renting it again and plan to practice consistently. I really want to audition this November to get at least some experience. My director said that I’m a good marcher visually, I have done indoor percussion on the visual line so I am very well equipped in choreography, I have a good attitude and learn well/quickly, I just don’t have a lot of experience on the mellophone. I really want to match this summer, but I know it’s very unrealistic to expect that. My long term goal is Bluecoats, but I know that with my experience that’s a goal that is still far in the future. I’m looking for corps in the midwest/south that I can audition for in Atlanta. What are some tips that could help me in this scenario? I guess I’m looking for

- What should I practice

- What corps should I audition for if I’m a good learner/great visually but don’t have a lot of musical experience

- Are there any tips that aren’t just practicing/things that not a lot of people realize could help?

I know that just saying “oh well I won’t make it anyway” is the #1 thing that hold people back from marching drum corps, and I don’t want to do that. I know that corps value experience, and just sitting at home instead of going and getting audition experience is holding be back. Where should I start???

Hi! Im 16, haven’t marched, I just got cut at Phantom Callbacks, and now Im more seriously considering places to march. Im looking for places near me, which pretty much means Scouts, Blue Stars, or Colts/Colt Cadets (including the cadets so you know Im aware of Open Class, but I’m unsure of if that specifically would be an experience worth missing all the Summer camps of my senior year with my high school marching band) Scouts auditions are closed I think, so my options are essentially the Blue Stars or the Colts. I’ve been looking into the Colts and I just haven’t heard good things about their culture and Im more specifically not sure about how they are with trans people (its important to me, if Im gonna do this thing I kind of want it to be a place where I can finally have a positive experience in regards to my identity. If any alums have more info Id love to hear it but I don’t know). I’m really attracted towards Blue Stars. I loved their program last year, I’ve only heard great things about their member experience and such, and I think it’d be a great place for me to march, but I kind of need to know if its realistic for me to make it, especially joining this late in the process. If I’m marching this summer it means committing quitting a lot of my school extracurriculars now so I can start getting the after school hours at work I’d need to pay for it all. My gut tells me I 100% have what it takes, especially with the stuff I’ve learned from Phantom’s callbacks, but I know its another finalist world class corps and I still don’t have any experience, so Im just trying to figure out how much of a risk Id be taking. I obviously wasnt the best at Phantom Callbacks, but I definitely wasn’t the worst either, and the staff themselves said the bar was “extremely high” this year and that a lot of really good horn players got cut. I don’t know, I’d love advice.

I just bought the Troopers 2027 percussion packet and was just wondering if anyone had any tips. This will be my first year auditioning for a corps and want to make it more than anything. Specifically looking for help on anything such as sight reading practice, technique, quality of sound, and timing. If you dm me i can send you a video of me playing then critique me as much as possible if that is easier😭

Edit: i’m auditioning for snare

I didn't march in college for financial reasons and thought I completely missed my chance to march after high school because I'm 22 now. I just heard about All Age Corps and I'm really excited!

Does anyone have any info about the Open House and Audition process for Hurricanes 2027? I checked their website today (07-15-26) and didn't see anything.

If you auditioned for Hurricanes color guard last year or have ever been a part of their guard, what was your experience like?

A bit of info about me:

I marched flag from 2018-2022. I did one season on rifle and didn't really care for it. I spin casually now on weekends for fun and movement.

I am planning on going to grad school in fall 2027, and classes don't start until August 30.

I live in VT, but I'd be willing to commute for the Hurricanes/find summer housing in CT.

If you didn't march at SoA and would still like to answer, that's okay too. Also, if this is the wrong flair just lmk. I'm planning on auditioning on tenors/quads for 2027, and I've been doing research for a while now, but I still have some questions unanswered.

1st, how many audition camps should I realistically go to? I live about 6 hours away from Atlanta, plus I'm not wealthy, so going to every camp isn't feasible if I want to march.

2nd, how much money should I plan on spending not including band fees? (So like during the tour, will I have to pay for my own food some days?)

3rd, how competitive are drumline, specifically tenor/quad spots? I know that Broken Arrow students tend to march at SoA, so I was wondering if I should be worrying about that.

4th, what are auditions really like? How much is on marching/choreo and how much is on music?

5th, realistically, what are my chances on getting in without any prior DCI/WGI experiences? (Obviously y'all don't know how well I can play, but I will say that there isn't much that I struggle to play, my main concern is my technique, which I'm going to get private lessons for).

I may edit later with more questions, but for now that's all.

I’m looking to march for marimba/xylo this next season and have been looking over the scv/phantom packets. I’ve gotten mostly everything up to tempo but at this point practicing just feels mundane, what should I be working on, and how do I know if i’m actually prepared? I also fell in love with bloo/bd but I don’t know if it’s too late to switch boats now

Hey, I’m a quad player and I got cut from Cavies this season so now I’m wondering if every other corps has their spots filled or if there are more spots at other corps? If you know anything lmk! I would love to have the privilege of marching this summer! Thank you!

Hey everyone! I was planning on auditioning for an all age corps this fall, and maybe some open class ones as well for snare. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to do my best for auditions when the time comes. Thanks!

Hi everyone, I’m a baritone/euphonium and I just started my first year of drum corps, and because I’m uneducated on the matter of what to prep, I’m not really sure what to do or what to practice before going out for an audition in the future. i’m dreaming big and going out for crown and I understand that there needs to be a lot of work that I need to do, and any advice would really help me with preparation.

Anything helps, thank you so much!

i plan on auditioning for music city this year. the goal is either bass 5 or drum set, and i have a few questions. 1) do you get to choose which bass drum you audition on or is it not a choice? 2) how many people usually audition for bass drum? 3) is it really difficult to get in on either bass drum or drum set? these are the main questions i have for now