Marching band

Though most people see marching bands as exclusive to parades, they are rather versatile. Many high schools and universities in the United States have marching bands that provide free entertainment at American football games. In some cases, marching bands compete against each other, performing splendid productions that combine music with visuals and theatre.

Instrumentation

Wind instruments

Wind instruments are the most popular instruments in the marching band. A typical American marching band includes:

trumpets

mellophones

trombones

baritone horns

sousaphones

alto and tenor saxophones

clarinets

flutes

piccolos

Drumline

The drumline is the beating heart of the marching band. Most drumlines include:

snare drums

tenor drums that clump in groves of 4-6

bass drums of multiple pitches

cymbals

Front ensemble

On the sideline closest to the audience is the front ensemble or pit, which can include:

marimbas

vibraphones

xylophone

glockenspiel

timpani

concert bass drum

gong

drums

auxiliary percussion rack

synthesizers

Color guard

The color guard provides visual flair by twirling props like flags and rifles to the beat.