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Snare Drum Audition Instructions

Please perform the audition with a concert or marching snare drum. If you do not own one, please contact your current band director to see if you might be able to utilize one for the audition. Otherwise, please email the drumline instructor in order to schedule a live audition (at which point you can use one of our instruments.)

To audition on snare drum, please submit a video recording of the following:

1. Record Eights TWICE: once at 130 bpm and then again at 160 bpm.
   • Be sure to observe all dynamics; all crescendo/diminuendo figures should move between piano and fortissimo. Please use the stick height definitions with which you are most comfortable.
   • Each section will have the same sticking as the first eight bars until rehearsal mark F.
2. Record Good Beat TWICE: once at 148 bpm and then again at 160 bpm.
3. Record Mr. P's TWICE: once at 156 bpm and then again at 170 bpm.
4. Record Rolls on Rolls TWICE: once at 150 bpm and then again at 168 bpm, marking time to the dotted quarter note.
5. Record Spree TWICE: once at 128 bpm and then again at 138 bpm.
6. Record Musty Mambo at 120 bpm. (Reference Recording)
7. Record an excerpt of your choice to showcase your skill level. It may be a cadence, an excerpt of a high school show, a drum corps piece, etc.
   • Please indicate what your excerpt is.
   • Please use a metronome/recording if appropriate.
   • The excerpt should include a variety of vocabulary.
   • The excerpt should be about 15-30 seconds and no longer than 1 minute.

Guidelines:

• Be sure to save your audition video with the following naming scheme:
  [Academic Years]_[Academic Term]_[Instrument]_[Your Name]_[Part]-of-[Total Parts].mp4
  For example: "2024-2025_Fall_Horn_BruceWayne_1-of-2.mp4"
• At the beginning of your video, state the following information for the camera:
  • Your first and last name
  • The current Date and Time
• Stand and Mark Time during and throughout each audition excerpt.
• Please use traditional grip throughout your video.
• Play each requirement, as written, at the specified tempo with a metronome which can be heard on the recording.
• Please use the technique and stick height definitions most familiar and comfortable to you.
• Any notes with a tenuto marking should be played at a height that is halfway between the tap and accent heights.
• Ensure that your face, hands, feet and instrument are all clearly visible on the recording.
• If possible, please perform your audition on a flat drum/practice pad. There is no need to be exact, but as a rule of thumb, the left side of the drum should be roughly three fingers' space above the right side.
• Remember that left hand stick heights will remain the same in relation to the angled surface (i.e. at a full "vertical" height, the left stick will be perpendicular to the playing surface, not the ground).
• Only edit video BETWEEN excerpts, but not WITHIN excerpts.
• Use a snare drum with wood-tipped marching snare sticks, if at all possible.
• If a snare drum is not available, use a pad with an articulate surface (idealy laminated) with wood-tipped marching snare sticks -- DO NOT use a soft gum rubber pad.

Final Thoughts

If you have not done so already, please be sure to fill out our Online Interest Form. Also, please review our Band Camp Information, Marching Shoes Ordering Information, and our list of Frequently Asked Questions.

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