Ive seen many individual threads in individual forums, posted around. In fact it happens ALL THE FRIGGEN TIME!!! I figure we can create one resource with lots of information about the experience (not dates and crap that is easily found by google).

General tips and such are welcome, specifics better.
If you audition(ed), please post your experience with a group, give your age, instrument etc. then give us your thoughts, how it was run, what you think they were looking for, anything that will help another user.

here are things Ive posted in the past about auditioning






About a top level world class snare line:

on if its worth it (where the director wouldn't let the member participate in marching if DCI'd:


on what to know before going into a camp


on how to make money to pay for corps:


on marching while in high school/ conflicting scheduals






RE: auditioning for multiple competing groups









Here's a couple of good threads to read (please dont revive them):
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/176283/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/175328/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/174557/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/171216/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/167665/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/157124/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/156437/1.html
http://www.drumlines.org/threads/ubbthreads.php/topics/90842/1.html

If you want more, I guarantee its there. All you have to do is use the handy "search" feature.

Can we get a sticky for this?


Great thread I wish I could put it to use..maybe after I go to finals the spark will be there again

I guess I'll take the first shot and post my info about it. This past year I auditioned at Capital Regiment (Columbus, OH) originally on tenors. I felt good going into the auditions, beat the music to death every day since I got it back in early October. The first night was a good time, they threw us all in the GYM where everyone was hacking at pads, drums, the floor, anything. Meeting everyone and realizing that there are people just as a good as good and better then you (let's just face it, if your a BAMF at your highschool level, things start to get boring when people can't keep up) and are as passionate about drumming as you are. Anyhow, they took us into the sectionals the first night and we didn't do much of anything, just got an idea of basic things. (sticks out, rest, etc) We then got sent out to snack and into the GYM to hang out until lights out, everyone was padding it up, just having a good time.

The next day we played ALL day. My personal experience was not so great. I let nerves get a hold of me right away, and instantly looked like I had never touched a set of tenors before in my life. I was confused when licks were changed, and thrown off by switching from small to big block tenors, and I did the worst thing, panic. I only got worse, so I decided to go the bass room. Needless to say, I had no bass experience (just a general idea of how it worked) and just couldn't hack it with the other kids, so I was cut.

The staff was great, they were more concerned with looking to educate then they were concerned with looking to snag the best players right away and start building the line. Everyone was friendly, and in a good mood. One of the best experiences I have ever had, and I can't wait to go back this November. I know I won't freak out this time, and I can't wait to see what will happen.

Bottom line, audition for corps folks. Even if you don't want to march or don't plan to, just going to the audition is an amazing experience in it's own.

Just curious. Can someone explain to me the air mattress claim? I live by those things for WGI and just want to know if I should change my ways.

physically, they poorly support your lumbar region which can lead to back pain. same concept as when you sleep on a crappy regular mattress. a camping mat on the floor cushions ans supports.

logistically, you roll into a gym ,and lights out is in 15 minutes. people go to the bathroom, brush their teeth, and do other crap, by the time they do that, the lights are out. these people then proceed to inflate their air mattress which for everyone to do take an additional 10-15. at 4am they sound like jet engines. especially when there are 30 of them. some people have the auto-ons which re-inflate throughout the night. kids with leak drag them around to an outlet when they deflate, so you get run over by vinyl, or kicked by the dragger. they take forever to pack back up. I was on gym cleaning crew one year. the slowest people were those with air mattresses. so you kept me awake and now your slowing my down from my job. they take up too much room under the bus. there is a rule 2 bags. kids would completely ignore that, they would have their 2 bags AND a mattress.
I could have my entire area from wide open sleep and chill ready, to pack in a bag moving to a bus in under five minutes. I could unpack it in less. no noise no time wasted, no one pissed off.
I once to a my knove and slashed 15 holes in a kids airmatress 1/2 through tour because he was an offender of everything thats wrong with air matresses. AND he was that guy. in everything. complained all the time. he was a head case, and was the guy at the front of the bus that would yell every time he was gamed. I was given an extra mile of running after ensemble every day for a month. best decision of the year.

That's a good story
Do you have any specific models you think work best?

If you need one, get a Coleman.

Wait to buy one until you know if you need one. There are plenty of corps that don't even allow kids to take them on tour for the reasons already stated. I'm not planning on taking one next year. It really is too much of a hassle.

My aerobed has served me well for DCA weekends. It's pretty durable and fills up quickly, but it's one of the more expensive ones too.

but its completely different on tour. The beds are designed for intermittent use, not living on. Those dips and holes are terrible for support when sleeping. its not bad for a few nights becuase your body gets back to real beds fairly quickly, (a la DCA, WGI). on tour your on it 90 nights or more, straight.



http://www.rei.com/product/778147 + a sleeping bag, 1 mid weight blanket, and a pillow = win

Wait, are you saying corps don't let kids take air beds on tour? I'm talking camping mats.

I'm wary of a self inflating pad, in the couple of hours I spent looking at them, I saw a lot of negative reviews just because they wouldn't inflate. Do the self inflating beds work solely on pressure laws and not have any form of pumping required?

Just curious, why'd I get negative carma for that post? It was a simple question.

Yes. The two right off of the top of my head tonight are Revolution and Carolina Crown. You can take a camping mat or a foam mat to supplement a sleeping bag but no air mattresses.

yes, you un-plug and the pressure vacuum sucks in air to a point, if you want more, blow into it. I used that specific one for 3 years and was great. the three years before I just used a sleeping bag. no mat.


who knows, some people do quite use the feature correctly. there a post of mine because some one asked a yes or no question, and I answered "no". I guess some people feel that a post needs to be long to be worth anything. I wouldn't worry to much about it. I took off a good chunk for you, as the system is weighted to the top.

Well the years I was in DCI the aerobed was my best friend and I had never had back pains at all

Couldn't imagine not having an air mattress on tour.

Back to auditioning:

Don't be a jerk/know it all. If asked, give a polite suggestion or if asked by staff, a brief, to the point answer. If you don't know, admit it and don't try to make stuff up.

Smile, be polite and socialble. Listen closely. Don't hack unless you're in free time - even then, work on what you need to and no showing off. If you've got the part down, how about helping someone who dosen't? But again, don't be pushy - someone else's pride may be hurt.

Be prepared for any weather - you may be going outside to march in some pretty cold weather.

Bring and wear earplugs, indoors and out. If you can, bring some extra pairs and share them - it's only a couple of bucks and you'll be remembered for it.

Learn names, shake hands and look people in the eye. Use good grammar skills and good grooming - no one wants to stand next to the guy in line that hasn't showered the whole weekend.

Bring a binder with plastic sheet protector pages and a pencil for any new music/changes. Binder clips/clothespins are a good idea too, especially if you're going outside. If you have a fold up music stand, bring it. Put your name label on everything you bring.

Don't expect to get an outlet to charge phones/laptops. Leave them at home and no gaming devices - it makes you look like a distractable kid that would rather be at home or the arcade.

I got this message in a facebook group from Kristen Richard, thought it was very well written and should share with you all.

Last year I auditioned the Teal sound 09 tenor line. I was a HS junior at the time. I had no experience, it was my first corps experience.

I came as prepared as I knew how to. I could play all the music perfectly with my garbage technique and could march perfectly with my high school experience. I went to three camps (I think) and made every cut. Then the next camp came around and they turned it up. I saw I wasn't keeping up and heard that the cymbal line was almost completely open. Later 3 or 4 more people began jumping in to audition cymbals.

I went and auditioned for the cymbal line and made that thing. And for people who brush that off as easy to do, I brush you off as ignorant and challenge you to check out some drum corps cymbal lines.

The point of my story is if you get cut audition for the cymbal line, that way you get the experience of drum corps on your instrument for a couple weekends and experience of drum corps for a whole summer. I learned a world about tenors and drumming in general from playing cymbals for Teal, and I didn't even get to go on tour before I went home (asthma sucks!), imagine how much you can learn from a whole season surrounded by pros at your instrument.

If a corps has a cymbal line, audition for it.

I highly agree.

I was cut in 2005 from Surf's snare line, and auditioned for cymbals. I put my time in there that summer, learning how to march better and hanging with the drumline members. People made fun of me for it, but since then I believe I've had the last laugh. After that year on cymbals, I went on to march snare at surf for 06, 07 (high drums), Blue Stars 08 and Spirit 09, with one more year to go.

I've also had a successful indoor career on snare drum at United Percussion 07 (PIO Gold) and 09 (captain, PIW 6th place).

So, to toot my own horn a little...cymbals are definitely a way to go!!!

Just wish there would be a place around Indiana that has a cymbal line: can't think of any right now (nor would it matter: have decided not to audition this year, due to insufficient funds and future events).

What I can add, for sure, is that, if you have experience on ANY of the instruments at auditions, and you are dead-set on marching, Audition for one or two of the others before calling it quits, should you not make your first. It never hurts to give yourself that chance.

you mean like the madison scouts?

hey guys I have a questioned and figured this would be the thread to post it in:

I am going to make The Bluecoats in a week and I live in Florida. I have my own drum that i'm traveling with and have an issue. I have a harness and a snare stand but can't bring both. I was wondering for people who have auditioned before if would it be more beneficial to bring the harness or the stand? I don't know if there will be any marching with the drum on.

So in my experiences with auditions, it's would be better to bring a stand to auditions. Now I have not been at a camp for Bluecoats, but that's just a generalized idea. You are more likely going to drum longer than you would march, so I'd bring a stand. Just my opinion though.

take the stand

I'd take both. I mean it's not that much more of a hassle. You might as well. That way if you do marching, you'll be prepared.

stand for sure.

thanks everyone. Aaronicus I can't bring both because I am already paying for my drum and a suitcase as check in bags. I'm putting my sleeping bag in the drum case to pad the drum(everyone knows how brutal air baggage handlers are) and I was going to either fold up my stand and put it in my suitcase or take apart the harness and tuck it in there. If I brought both I would have to check one in as another bag and if you have more than two checked bags they charge you like another $75-$100.

Hey everyone. I'm currently planning on auditioning for bass drum in one of the "top ten" World Class drum corps (i'm basing this off of finals placements) later this year. I've never marched drum corps before so i was a little worried that my lack of experience might be a problem. Obviously i know that if i show up to the audition less prepared than the other guys with experience then I have every right to get cut, but if show up as prepared, if not more prepared than than the other guys, will my lack of experience affect my placement? I'm really not trying to say that i plan on showing up out of the blue and beating everyone, i was just curious how the audition placements worked for new guys. I have confidence in my abilities and I plan on showing up to this audition eating, sleeping, and breathing my audition materials. Any advice or information any of you have would be great, thanks!

Hey drummer dude. Honestly just go out and give it your all. If your good enough and prepared enough you will make it. The experience is what they look at last most of the time. If you are the best bass drummer there and you don't have any experience they will still take you. The only problem I see you facing is if it comes down to like two or three people. If they are equally as prepared and talented as you and they have also marched for 3 years the instructors might be more inclined to take them. Yet, some great advise that can really help you is this:

Don't give them a reason to cut you and you will be fine.

This means everything: Talent, preparation, Attitude, personality, confidence and anything else that even minutely can affect your audition.

I am also auditioning at The Bluecoats and Teal Sound this winter and I'm going to make both of them and decide which one I would rather march. I have also never marched DCI (although I marched in 2009 with The Sun Devils, an up and coming DCA corps). So just don't shot yourself in the foot by saying:

"I'm really not trying to say that i plan on showing up out of the blue and beating everyone"

Why not?! That is exactly what you should be doing if you want to make a top ten bassline. Why be the 5th best drummer out there when you could be THE BEST. Talent doesn't just come from experience.

I've never marched DCI but that doesn't mean I suck. It just means I haven't. I can still rip paradiddles faster than a lot of people out there, and my roll quality is really awesome. Not to mention I have confidence in myself while still being relaxed and not a jerk about it. Basically, Just go out there and show them who's boss.

That is what they want.

This is the same attitude I have both seen and experienced. Insomniac couldn't have said it any better. I'd actually say that most of the great drumlines you see have that attitude. Maybe not so much partying with some, but the knowing how good they are. Work hard, play hard.


By the way, I marched 3 summers on a 32" bass and I was fine without a mattress or camping mat

The biggest thing I can say is if you make a mistake it is ok. Don't let it get you down. Everyone makes a mistake and don't get sucked into the idea that if you do you are going to get cut. That will only lead to more mistakes and a much bigger chance of getting cut.

Here's something I share with every single person who asks me for auditioning advice, so I'll share it here too.

I auditioned for the 2009 and 2010 Troopers before making it in 2011. When I finally made the corps, I realized a big part of the reason that I didn't make it the years before (as well as the playing issues, maturity issues, etc...). This realization came after finding out very quickly that I simply had no time to enjoy the accomplishment of making the corps, because it was harder work catching up to the vets than it was getting a contract. It was without a doubt a sense of urgency that drove me as I realized that nothing mattered more than making sure the show was as perfect as possible (or else why would you even march?) and I simply HAD to do my part. This is the point of my drum corps experience that I lost the drive to be better than any other individual, because EVERYONE had to be at the same level: perfection.

It's also great to embrace this when auditioning as well. Auditioning I've found is very much like a trial: you are innocent until proven guilty or in this case a corps member until proven cut. The staff is going to critique you just as they do any of the vets, and you simply can't waste time worrying about anyone's playing besides yours. This is why I can't think of how silly it was for me to always be worried about how many other people were auditioning and things such as that. You shouldn't worry about it either, because no one besides yourself is going to affect YOU getting in to the corps. If you decide someone else is better than you, you're right.

Hey guys, I just posted some great Drum Corps Audition Tip videos on my blog here: http://clean-beats.com

Hope it helps