Band Glossary

Director: The band director oversees and guides the entire instrumental music program, including the extensive administrative duties required to support band camp and marching season.

Band Board: The band members selected to organize the band. The Band Board plans band camp activities, leads students during band camp, organizes student-led fundraisers, ensures that information is timely conveyed to all band members, coordinates preparation of signs and artwork as needed, as well as many other tasks.

Drum Major/Assistant Drum Major: The drum majors are the musical student leaders of the marching band. The drum majors are responsible for leading the band during performances and ensuring that everyone stays in time and in step. A drum major leads the block during parades and provides visual interest by twirling their baton. The drum majors also work closely with Band Board and perform many of the same tasks.

Marching Season: The period of time for marching band rehearsals and performances. For SLOHS Tiger Band, marching season starts at Band Camp in early August and ends at the end of the first trimester (around the middle of November).

Uniform: During marching season, the uniform is the traditional marching band uniform (jacket, pants, hat, etc.). The marching band uniform is provided by the school except for a t-shirt and black socks. Students may have to change in or out of marching uniform before or after a performance, so it is beneficial to wear shorts or bike shorts under the marching uniform along with the t-shirt. During concert season, the uniform is black dress or black jacket and pants with white shirt. The dress and the jacket are provided by the school.

Travel Uniform: A black band t-shirt and a black band sweatshirt worn with band member’s own comfortable pants. The t-shirt and sweatshirt identify the SLOHS band on the front and typically include band sponsor logos on the back. Travel uniforms are worn for informal band events and during band events before or after changing into uniform.

Section: A group band members playing the same instrument or are part of a group of instruments. Each section has a section leader to organize the section and coordinate with Band Board and Drum Majors. Sections for SLOHS marching include flute, clarinet, trumpet, mellophone, saxophones, low brass, color guard, drumline, pit, and color guard.

Sectional: A sectional is the required weekly independent rehearsal for a section during marching season. Time, location, and duration is determined by the section leader based on the availability of the section members, but must be for at least one hour.

Call Time: The time by which a student is expected to be at the specified location and ready to prepare for an event or rehearsal. 

Info Sheet: A sheet of information received by band members prior to more complex events. Includes detailed instructions for that event. May include a schedule.

Field Show: This is the performance that the band puts on during halftime at football games or at competitions. The field show typically consists of several musical pieces centered around a theme, each with its own drill and choreography.

Field Props: Large items that add visual interest to the field show. The props are related to the theme of the field show music. Props may be platforms for soloists, backdrops, giant shapes, etc. Usually props for SLOHS Tiger Band are designed by the Drum Majors, Band Board, and the Director, and custom built by the SLOIMBA VP of Operations (aided by other parent and band member volunteers).

(TNR) Tuesday Night Rehearsal: During marching season, the band practices every Tuesday night, typically from 6-8:30pm. As the marching band is split up into different band classes in school, TNR allows the marching band to practice as a whole. There is also one TNR the Tuesday before the SLO Holiday Parade.

Drill: This refers to the precise formations and movements that the band members make while marching. The drill is carefully choreographed to the music and is designed to create a visual spectacle for the audience.

Drill Day: An additional rehearsal during marching season that takes place on a non-school day. Drill Days typically run from about 9am-4pm.

Set: This is the specific position that the band members are supposed to be in at a particular point in the drill.

Reset: A direction that tells the group to return to an early point and get ready to do the action again. Example: “Reset to the start of the show.”

The Pit (Front Ensemble): The pit is a non-marching stationary group of musicians who play percussion instruments that cannot be carried while marching. The pit instruments are set up at the front of the performing area. The pit typically consists of instruments like timpani, xylophone, drum kit, gong, and marimba.

Pit Crew: A group of parent volunteers who help the pit band members set up and take down the pit instruments for a field show performance. The band has only a very short amount of time to move all of the equipment on and off the field before and after football games and field show competitions.

Drumline (Battery): A percussion section of the marching band, usually consisting of snare drums, tenor drums “quads”, bass drums, and cymbals. The instruments are all worn or carried by the band members and the drumline moves around the field as part of the drill. The drumline also plays the cadence that the band marches to and has additional drumline-only cadence performances. Drumline has additional rehearsals outside of the usual marching band rehearsals.

Drumline Cadence: A drumline cadence is a musical arrangement for percussionists that is usually played to keep a drum corps or marching band in the correct rhythm. The tempo of the drumline cadence provides all performers with the speed at which they should be stepping in unison. The SLO Tiger Band has their own specific cadence that the drumline plays while marching. The band frequently marches to the SLOHS drumline cadence before and after playing their chosen pieces in both parades and field shows.

Color Guard: With synchronized movement, vibrant flags, and dynamic use of field props, the color guard adds emotion, energy, and drama that elevate the overall performance. Their expressive choreography and visual artistry help translate musical themes into captivating imagery, making complex concepts more accessible to the audience. By enhancing the mood, reinforcing the storyline, and providing visual contrast and excitement, color guard plays a crucial role in unifying the musical and visual elements into a cohesive, memorable production.

Toss: A move where the color guard throws a flag, rifle, etc. up into the air and (ideally) catches it.

Drum major/Assistant Drum Major: The drum majors are the student leader of the marching band. The drum majors are responsible for leading the band during performances and ensuring that everyone stays in time and in step. A drum major leads the block during parades and provides visual interest by twirling their baton.

Parade Performance: A parade performance may be competitive (e.g. Pismo Parade Competition) or non-competitive (e.g. Pinedorado). During a parade performance, the band marches in a block with the drum majors and color guard in front. For a competition, the band plays a specific musical piece while marching past the judges’ area. For non-competitive parades, the band marches the parade route in a block while playing pep tunes and cadences. 

Block: The formation of the marching band for parade marching. The files (columns) and ranks (rows) are evenly spaced setting the band up in a large rectangle formation. The size of the block is determined by the number of band members in the first rank. For example, a block with 6 band members in the front rank is a “six front block”.

Baton (Military Baton): The baton that is used by the Drum Major during parades for twirling and giving signals. It is usually between 36 to 42 inches long, with a hollow, chrome-steel head on one end and a tapered tip on the other.

Step Off: The command that tells the band to start marching forward.

Whistle Command: An instruction given to the band using a whistle, usually by the Drum Major. It has two parts, the preparation, which tells the band what to do, and the execution, which tells the band to do the command. It is usually done while giving a signal with a baton or mace.

Pep Band: The pep band is an ensemble of instrumentalists who sit in the stands and play at events, usually athletic, with the purpose of entertaining and creating enthusiasm in the crowd. The pep band may be the entire band (like at SLOHS football games) or a subset of the band.

Pep Tunes (Pep Songs): Songs played by the pep band. They are typically well-known, energetic pop or rock songs.

Wind Ensemble: The honors concert band class during concert season. Students must audition for Wind Ensemble each year. Freshmen are not allowed to join Wind Ensemble.

Symphonic Band: The concert season band class for students not in Wind Ensemble.

Stage Jazz Band: Entry-level Jazz Band.

Honors Jazz Band: Upper-level Jazz Band, requires audition. Usually takes place after school.