Glossary

Air Grams – personalized PA announcements/fundraisers that parents and friends may purchase at competitions to support band members- these are read over the PA just before the band performs

Band camp – a week + of intense daily Marching Band practice; the first portion is completed at Shawnee, the second portion is overnight in PA

Band Cards – Discount cards sold by band members as a fundraiser

Battery – Marching Band percussion section that carries drums and marches; is comprised of snare drums, bass drums, and tenors.

Bibbers – Marching Band pants; part of the standard uniform; provided by the band

Candy Grams – candy and accompanying personalized notes that can be purchased at competitions to send to band members for after their performance (fundraiser for host band)

Caption awards – various awards a marching band can win at competitions, such as  “Best Visual” and “Best Music.”

Class – Open schools tend to be the more competitive schools within the group. A are less experienced

Color guard – see Guard.

Competitions – held on Saturdays or Sundays, band will compete against multiple other schools

Craft Show – Along with the Home Show, the December and March Craft Shows are our biggest fundraisers. Parents and students are expected to volunteer

Dinkle – brand of marching band shoe- students may receive a used pair with uniform or may need to purchase a new pair through the band

Dot Sheets – printed sheets that show students where to march during each song

Drill – the steps and positions that make up the Marching Band show.

Drum major(s) – student leaders of the band who conduct, help run practices, and represent the band at school and competitons. The guard is led by the guard captain and assistant. 

Drumline – see Battery

Flags – flags used by the Guard during a Marching Band show, designed each year to fit theme.

Front – see Pit

Group – Bands are placed in competition groups according to the size of the band.

Guard – a group of students who add color and style to marching-band performances through dance, flags, weapons and other props

Guard Costume – outfit designed each year to reflect band theme, and sewn to fit individual color guard members

Home Show – The competition hosted by Shawnee each year- parents are expected to volunteer

Instructor – personnel hired to help out with various sections of the band, as in clarinet instructor or drumline instructor.

Leadership – all captains, section leaders, drum majors, etc

Low Brass – trombones, euphoniums, sousaphones, tubas, bari saxes, and baritones

Lyre – the clip on music holder used for stands’ tunes and parades

Pep Band – band that plays for the basketball games; members vary- may or may not exist for 2015-2016).

Percussion – Pit and battery/drumline taken together

Pit – Marching Band percussion section that does not march (plays on the sidelines), comprised of instruments such as tympani, xylophones, gongs, etc.

Pizza – As students typically stay afterschool on Friday until practice and the football game, students have the option to prepurchase pizza  and water for dinner.

Plumes – the feathered portion of the Marching Band hats (very fragile); provided by band- handed to each student just before each performance.

Podium – raised platform upon which conductors stand

Prop Parents – parent volunteers are needed to design and build props, as well as move them on and off the field each week

Prop Bus – A retrofitted school bus that transports the props to each competition

Rifles – fake rifles the Guard using in a Marching Band show. (They’re heavy!)

Run-through – practicing the Marching Band show.

Sabers – fake swords the Guard using in a Marching Band show.

Section leader – band student who is in charge of a Marching Band instrument section; such as “woodwinds section leader.”

Shako – official name of band hats

Soli – When a section has a feature in the show and plays together

Stands’ Tunes/Music – the music played in the bleachers at football games

States – competition for state championship

Student account – financial account that holds funds designated for the student; source of funds can be from fundraising or parent/student payments.

Tenor (drums) – set of 4 connected drums carried by member of the battery.

Tour Shirt– t-shirt designed specifically with the theme of the year’s show and the competition dates

Towers – parents who volunteer to tow the Ranger (golf cart used for towing pit instruments) or the instrument trailer with the instruments

Trailer (AKA Big Blue, even though it is black) – carries the instruments for each away game and competition

Uniforms – assigned jacket, bibbers, shako, and dinkles. Black socks and tour shirt should be worn underneath. Bibbers may be washed, jackets should be dry-cleaned.

Woodwinds – clarinets, saxophones, flutes, piccolos

Yamaha Cup – a National Competition the band will compete in