Glossary of Band Terms

(With Thanks to Pocono Mt.'s Band Page, and the "Drill Terms" page, by Leanne Johnson) A more serious (well - only slightly) version Band Parent's Dictionary.
Another version Leigh H.S. Band Dictionary.

A

AIR:
The driving force behind brass instruments, but generally lacks in woodwinds, therefore causing squeeks.
ADJUSTED STEP:
Means when a freshman band member takes a large step to the side after a section leader has already marked them off.
ALTO SAXOPHONE:
A musical instrument that either plays very loud or not at all between squeaks.
ARC:
A shape, with between one to five corners, and one open side.
ATTENTION:
Standing still while sticking out your butt. Can only talk in whispers so that no section leaders hear you.
2. Something drummers lack.
AUXILIARY:
See color-guard.

B

BAND-O:
Someone who is very enthusiastic and involved in band. Willing to give up all free time. A.K.A Band Geek, Nerd, etc.
BAND JACKET:
1. Status symbol.
2. Proclamation of true "Bando"
BAND PARENTS:
The only parents that a bandie sees between August and December.
The only reason the band is held together.
BARI-SAXOPHONE:
An instrument for woodwind players who want to play like a tuba.
BARITONE:
1. A device for doubling with trombones except using the right notes.
2. A device for playing during silence.
BEARING:
Something band directors do to their students one week before contest.
BELL-FRONT INSTRUMENT:
Always brass. Directional instruments designed to play extremely loud. (See also: Mellophone, Trombone, Sousaphone, Contra, Baritone.)
BLOCK BAND:
Something that poorly-made-floats in a parade, do well.
BRASS:
Devices designed to over-blow and blast. (See also: Trumpet, French Horn, Sousaphone, Trombone, and/or Baritone.)
BUS:
Changing area.

C

CADENCE:
A way of making the crowd forget the parade march the band just played, that impresses people. Good time for band section visuals.
CARRIAGE:
Means carrying your body plus your horn back to the bus after a parade in 90 degree weather.
CHAPTERS:
See "COMPETITION"
CHERRY COKE:
A liquid substance which is almost as important to Bando's as valve oil.
CIRCLE:
A closed shape, with definite corners and edges.
CLARINET:
A device which, when used properly, will cause the user's shoulders to point towards the end-zone. Often, more annoying than a saxophone.
COLOR-GUARD:
People who swing flags and toss rifles to distract the audience's attention away from the band. Makes the band seem better. Get extra credit if they hit (accidentally, of course) a band member, yet defied if they hit a field judge.
COMPANY FRONT:
A zigzag line within a certain area of the field, such as a hash: ~~~~~~
COMPETITION:
1. A general gathering of bands so everyone can prove that they're better than we are
2. A place where public displays of affection are appropriate.
CONCERT:
Extremely dangerous form of torture for both students and audience. Fatal if used in durations exceeding one hour.
CONDUCTOR:
The Drum Major's way of amusing the band to points of laughter at times.
CONTRA:
A tuba that is snapped onto and off of the player's shoulder. Designed to build-up arm muscles and decrease brain activity. A name that is sexier than "Sousaphone."
COVER DOWN:
An excuse to yell at the flutes in front of you.

D

DIAGONAL:
Something trumpets say if they dislike the idea of an angle in "their" show.
DIRECTOR:
The person who claims to be in charge when everything is going well and claims denial when things go wrong. Not applicable if last names are "Boandl", Tanzos", or "Felix". DOUBLE EMPHASIS if last name is "Bickhardt"
DISTANCE:
Is something you want to keep with the band director if you're a trombone player, a week before contest.
DOLLAR BILL:
A device for cleaning saxophone pads.
DRESS:
Something you wouldn't mind seeing your band director in.
DRESS LEFT/RIGHT/CENTER:
A wonderful way to break your neck.
DRILL:
Pages that show what a form is supposed to look like. Should be burned at year's end.
DRUM-TAP:
A snare beat loud enough for the judges to hear, and quiet enough so band doesn't hear.
DRUM MAJOR:
See conductor.
DRUM:
Round hollow devices with covering on the top and sometimes the bottom. Sometimes have some sort of attachment(s) on the bottom. Loud.
DYNAMICS:
Either loud or louder (volume).

E/F

EXECUTION:
What the band goes through at band camp.
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH:
The fact that when one flute graduates, two new freshmen take her place.
F.C.P.L.:
A brass dynamic marking that stands for "Forget Control - Play Loud!"
FIELD:
100 yards in length, this is a wide expanse of mud on which bands perform. Contained within the area of this expanse are frequent sprinklers with occasional patches of grass.
FILE:
a LINE...DUH!
FLOATING THE EYES:
Same as rolling the eyes.
FLUTE:
An un-tuned device, for people who want to be in the band, but have weak arms and don't wish to be heard.
FOOTBALL TEAM:
The main reason the band can't always use the marching field.
FORMER-BANDO:
A person who was in band, quit, and now returns (usually with food) to rehearsals to watch just for fun.
FORTE:
The lowest dynamic marking a brass instrument can play at.
FRENCH HORN:
The only brass instrument that is played with left hand. Involves strings in conjunction with valves and an impossibility to play fast or loud.
FRESHMEN:
A group of young bandos designed to make up half the size of the band.
FULL UNIFORM:
A form of torture consisting of "Urkel" pants, a heavy wool jacket, a choking ugly hat (with that strikingly beautiful plume), and circulation-stopping suspenders.
FUND-RAISERS:
Opportunities provided throughout the year for the adult staff to yell at band members while making a few extra bucks on the side.

G/H

GEEKDOM:
The state of a band member who is willing to give up all free time during season.
GENERAL AFFECT:
What you call when everyone in the band gradually gets sick.
GLIDE STEP:
Wheee!
GONG:
A loud, large cymbal-like device. It is the goal of all good percussionists to break or crack this instrument in any way possible.
GRADUATED BAND):
Someone who no longer attends the school or is over-age for a drum corp, so he is no longer in the band or corp So he becomes part of the staff
HALT:
A time when everyone is theoretically stopped.
HARMONY:
All voices except the melody and percussion.
HIT:
Wham!
HORN-POP:
A method the keep the pit from going completely deaf when brass instruments pass directly behind them by pointing bells toward the sky. Not recommended for flutes or clarinets.

I/O

INSTRUCTOR:
Person who tells you when you're screwing up.
INSTRUMENT:
A device used for torture.
INTERVAL:
A space between two band members that is as random as "Shostakovich's" tempo.
2. The space between you and your band director one week before contest.
IQ:
A constant, combined number that does not change as the size of the band does.
KEYBOARD:
The layout of most pit instruments.
MARCHING BARITONE:
A version of a baritone based on the design of a Mellophone
MARK TIME:
Something you ask Mark.
MELLOPHONE:
instrument designed to be unable to tune, kill all freshman who attempt to keep the horn up, and make it impossible to snap.
MARCHING SHOES:
Ugly, comfy, relatively inexpensive. Coincidence?
MARK-TIME:
A time when people only move their heels (without changing location) to some tempo, usually "to the beat of a different drum."
MELODY:
The loudest voice, usually carried by the trumpets or piccolos.
MEMORIZATION:
An action that is supposed to take place in conjunction with sets and music between band camp and the commencement of the regular year, but does not generally happen until "Chapters" (which see)
MEZZO-FORTE:
The highest dynamic marking of any woodwind excluding the piccolo.
MUSIC:
1. Papers which contain little black lines and dots with strange symbols that somehow show what the music is to sound like.
2. The succession of these notes that, in theory, should sound good. Unfortunately, we're not all in "Theory" - we're in "Marching Band".
NOTES:
1. Little round dots on lines that show the approximate pitch that the instrument player tries to hit.
2. The language of music, similar to "BASIC," "Pascal," or "C" for computer geeks.
ON TIME:
To never be. See reasoning for early.

P

PERCUSSION:
The group of instruments hit by sticks or mallets that keeps some beat or other.
PERFORMANCE:
See concert.
PHASING:
That noise you always hear 0.5 seconds after the band plays something.
PIANO:
A form of "air-band" playing style.
PICCOLO:
A high-pitched instrument similar to that of the flute, only you can actually hear that it's out of tune.
PIT:
Percussion instruments that have pitches (like a piano) that play either half a beat earlier or later than the band, opposite of the drum line.
PRACTICE:
The constant repetition of a sequence of notes in an unsuccessful attempt to become skilled. Usually drives family members either away from home or insane.
PRECISION:
Ha!!!
PSEUDO-BANDO:
Somebody who isn't in band but thinks he is. Attends competitions, and rehearsals. This is not to be confused with a "former bando", equipment manager, or "graduated bando" (See: "Bickhardt").
PUSH:
See "TO THE BOX"

R/S

RAIN:
Nature's way of telling the band to go inside and practice music.
REED:
A piece of wood that makes a great excuse for not playing well (particularly for brass instruments) if broken or brand new.
Usages: "Sorry...new reed", or "I broke my reed".
RIFLE*:
1. A white-colored piece of wood used by the color guard that is intended for injury of band or other color guard members and breakage of nails.
2 (Not *). An impressive show of arm strength and coordination by the guard, it's just a pity they don't give them live ammunition! (See also color-guard).
SABRE:
A piece of color-guard equipment which the guard prefers over rifles and is also more dangerous. Concidence?
SENIOR:
A source of constant guilt trips.
SFZ-PIANO-CRESCENDO:
The act of blatting, stopping, then blasting.
SMOOTH:
Something saxophone players think they are.
SOUSAPHONE:
An instrument that adds bass to the band. Can play any note (as long as it's a low G).
SQUEAK:
The only indication that the woodwind reeds give that they are actually playing.
SUSPENDERS:
The only way to strangle a bando while still keeping their pants up.

T-Z

TEMPO:
The correct beat, usually (but not always) carried by the conductor (which see).
TENOR-SAXOPHONE:
An instrument similar to the bari-saxophone, except it matches the pitch of a trombone or baritone.
TO THE BOX:
See "Push"
TRUMPET:
An instrument that is designed to make a band sound better. The idea is that if the trumpets play loud enough, you can't hear the rest of the band, so only the trumpets' mistakes are heard, not everyone else's.
TROMBONE:
A device with the same pitch as a baritone, except that it uses a slide instead of valves, so it's easier to forget the position(s).
TUBA:
A concert sousaphone (which see).
TUNE:
What the condition when all instruments are within half a step of each other is called.
VALVE:
A key object on most brass instruments that sticks only during important performances.
VALVE OIL:
A form of currency for brass players.
WATER BREAK:
An excuse for doing headstands on the field.

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