Yea i agree with r123moore back of the field watch the drum majors and the front listen to the back or both. but i think you should go with the drum major for time, all the time sog3...just do whatever works best thats all i had to said.

Well if the drumline is in front, you may have to adjust and anticapt and listen forward. I experience this first hand at Brigadiers this year. We (front ensemble) had a section at the end of the show where we ran out on the field and played bass drums on the field (for a better visual concept go here...http://www.corpsreps.com/pics2004/picshow.cfm?x=CM090404_00488.jpg

Anyways, I had to start out the section...so the major and drumline had to listen back (everyone else too but the brass weren't playing)...later towards the end the drumline floats toward the the center of the field and well that means I had to change listening responabilties and had to listen forward since it was me vs. the line. It was easier for me to us my head and adjust than to fight them. I thought I'd add this experience to the topic.

Yeah,,, sound is slower than light... but if you got crap DM like we do, it dont work:P

I dont really think anyone is wrong,maybe listening to horns alot a lot, but still they all have their uses. This is just for sake of everyone getting a word in about what they think.

In my opinion it SHOULD be all three but in my marching band the drum major is terrible so the band and battery rely on eachother. It's actually worked out quite nicely...I have tried watching the drum major before and it did not go well at all.

I actually believe it depends on how the drill is done guys. I've always followed the rule of listening back, and the way that the drill is presented. For me, the battery is always about from midfield to the front hash this year, so I can actually play while watching the drum major.

My advice is to 1st locate where the battery is through out the entire show, and listen to them for timing. If there is a part where it's only pit playing that leads into a band entrance, i would say to have the pit to lay back some (keep with the drum major but when you hit beat one the drum major is on the and of one). It's in my best opinion to have the pit attack a bit late on the same beat of the band instead of having them come in at the same time as band because of timing issues (by having the pit attack late, it would emphesis the sound of what the band as a whole is trying to make).

that's my 2 cents...now you can choose whether you want to take it or leave it

It really depends on the situation. I know that some people say to watch the drum major when there are horns and pit playing only but that is not true. This would cause the horns to have a delayed timing unless the pit is on the field. In ballads when the woodwinds and brass are playing you should listen to them. The drum major will do its job of maintaining the tempo there. Once the drumline comes in they can get the tempo straightened out if needed and push the whole band. Once is pit only you should always look at the drum major no matter if there is a tempo change or not. Sometimes the drum major may be keying from the back field drum major in some points. In the event of the battery playing then listen back to them wherever they are. If the horns are playing a part with you during the ballad then play with them, if not then you should ask your instructor or band director who to listen to in that situation. You could always borrow the drill and pick out a certain section during that time, a section you can rely on and know that they are for good timing, usually the section farthest back.

you should listen to the battery since they are the ones who will keep time the best. the drum major should only be watched if youget lost in time or are very far away from the band and you shouldn't listen to the band since they are generally going to be listening to the battery or watching the drum major.

This is the thing. If you watch the drum majors when the band is way back in the field then you are going to be early. Trust me, you are. There are points in the show where you just have to listen back since the sound delay.

most times you have to listen back. if the pit is solo, watching the dm is crucial. other than that i agree the situation is a major determining factor.