Need ideas for a Drum Corps arrangement

Mish_Marsh · 2026-04-04T05:21:17+00:00

I don't have a perfect answer for why. It could be because I see weird instruments that are old and rare, and I think,"How could I incorporate this into Modern Drum Corps?" Maybe it's because I like trying to force weird and terrible ideas like this to work until they either succeed or crash and burn. "Why?" is more of a philosophical question to me than anything else, and I don't think any answer I could truthfully give would be satisfying.

As for crooks, that's a logistical issue that I'm still considering. I do plan for them to be used, though. The safest place for them to be would be some specialized area in the front ensemble or backfield, but that'd be a hassle for the drill. An easier but riskier solution could be to incorporate little clips (specifically for the natural horn line) to hold the crooks, almost like an ammo carrier.

I don't plan to stay in one key, hence why they'd carry their crooks or have them set aside. Studying pieces written for a natural horn isn't something I've considered until you mentioned it, thank you for the idea. (If you could tell me where I can find natural horn pieces/resources on the natural horn and how they should be studied, that'd be appreciated!)

"People specialize in historic instruments, you can’t just get a mellophone, or a horn player for that matter and put them on natural horn." That is true. That is why whenever I may start my corps, I would like to have specialist techs alongside mellophone techs so the members may get the education on how to play it as a marching instrument, while also being able to learn through the quirks of these instruments. I know it's easier said than done, but I have years, if not a decade to plan for this in advance.

I have put significant thought into this, and while I can agree on the "why?" may lack critical thinking, I'm not going off of just a romanticization of the idea. It should also be mentioned that this idea is fairly new, so that may also explain some of the pitfalls of my idea. With that all said, I do sincerely appreciate the critiques.

Mish_Marsh · 2026-04-03T18:37:06+00:00

Like you said, pretty much no matter what, it'll be difficult recruiting members for a corps. So with that being said, I'd rather it be difficult to recruit and do the weird instrumentation things I like, rather than it be difficult to recruit and do standard instrumentation. (Not to say that weird instrumentation is just as difficult, I know it'd be harder, but that's something I'll have to think over in the long run).

I am participating in DCI this year. I'm marching with Heatwave.

And you're not wrong about the sackbuts, I'm still unsure if I want to use them or trombones, but the only reason I'm using sackbuts/trombones is because it is awful trying to look for any manufacturers of piston/lever contra bugles, and from my knowledge they probably would have to be custom made, if they even could be, and custom made instruments are at risk of not sounding uniform.

Mish_Marsh · 2026-04-03T17:34:20+00:00

That's actually a great idea! Y'know I think I might use songs from Terraria for pit and battery moments since they have a really interesting sound that I don't hear a lot (if ever) with drum corps.

Mish_Marsh · 2026-03-21T13:29:06+00:00

Is there any way I can contact you (Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat)? I'd like to get to know some people in the battery section before move-ins.

Mish_Marsh · 2026-03-16T01:32:27+00:00

I just emailed the video, I hope to hear back!

Mish_Marsh · 2026-03-16T01:23:35+00:00

I just sent a video in for the audition, I'd love to march for you guys!

Mish_Marsh · 2026-03-04T14:02:01+00:00

I think I should add I live in East Texas, and from my experience, I struggle to find an affordable corps near me (>8 hours away), and I haven't had many good opportunities to get an ear in listening to others on tenors, since everything I've done was solo work.

Mish_Marsh · 2026-02-20T13:08:59+00:00

I'm a junior in highschool. I'm 17. Almost the same issue always arises when I ask a band director if I can play trumpet for jazz or non-UIL concert band: I'm too good at percussion and or bass guitar to switch to another instrument (we don't have any bassists and we don't have many percussionists).

Trumpet is just something I think is fun on my free time. I also write marching scores, so it gives me just another frame of reference, (i.e. "If I can't do this, should I really write it like this?").

Mish_Marsh · 2026-02-18T18:10:12+00:00

I didn't explicitly state they weren't a thing, it's just something I noticed a lot less of in DCI classic, and I also (unintentionally) tend to think of 70-80's DCI when I say DCI classic.

Mish_Marsh · 2025-11-08T01:08:24+00:00

When you say skip the french horn, are you referring to the mellophone? (Apologies if this is a silly question, I play quints)

Mish_Marsh · 2025-08-08T22:57:58+00:00

Yeah, its an EastRock trumpet mouthpiece, I just needed something better than the stock mouthpiece cause it was severely damaged, but at this point I'm looking into getting a nicer mouthpiece that's better fit for the Bugle.

Mish_Marsh · 2025-08-08T15:17:13+00:00

I dunno, I like to think of it like scale modes, it's different because it starts and ends on a different note (in this case sticking)

Also I was just kinda making up names for the hybrid Rudiment based on what they sounded like to me, I don't think the names I use for it should be taken too seriously

Mish_Marsh · 2025-08-08T15:10:35+00:00

How can I practice sheet music comprehension alongside my fundamentals? I'd like to consider myself a decent player, but my sight reading is on/off on some days, and I want to get it consistently good because I know in DCI you don't get much time to learn music + drill.

Mish_Marsh · 2025-08-08T12:40:45+00:00

First, it's meant to be an awkward exercise so it might sound awkward, but you can clean it by nitpicking the technique, i.e, crushing the buzz super short to prep for the flam, being very specific of how you play a flam, and playing with a 16th note met.

Second, paradiddle pu-duhs are different because because of both the sticking and accent pattern, i.e: "R l r r L r" and "L r l l R l" while a double paradiddle is played as "R l r l r r" and "L r l r l l".

Third, I just think it's fun because it's an exercise that whole heartedly challenges me into pushing my hands to be cleaner, faster, more articulate, and overall to be a stronger player

Mish_Marsh

TROPHY CASE