Learn to march and march near perfectly. You will be out in front of the band or corps marching solo, all eyes will be on you on you, so you must exemplify your group's marching style. Posture and form are key. Your technique will set the example for the whole group. Pay particular attention to being able to march backwards confidently if you will face the group to conduct in parades. Work on maintaining a full stride, and trust that the ground is not going anywhere. If you will march backwards to conduct, also practice turning to march forwards for your salute. Remember to figure in about four steps before your flourish for your turn. Do not advertise your errors. If you do make a mistake during a performance, recover as quickly as possible and proceed as though nothing had happened. Maintaining your poise and confidence will go a long way toward lessening the impact of a mishap.
Play your instrument well. Pay special attention to dynamics and timing, since these are the elements you will be called upon to interpret and set for the group. It is essential that you know how to follow a conductor before you can be one. You don't necessarily have to be first-chair of your section. Unless a solo is required for your drum major audition, you don't need to worry about how well you perform on your instrument. Focus only on reading, explaining, and conducting the score clearly.
Learn to conduct. Two- and four- beat patterns are essential and cover most marches, but if you will have to conduct the Star Spangled Banner, you will need to be comfortable conducting in three. Depending on the complexity of your show, other meters may be necessary. Ask your band or corps director or a previous drum major for instruction. You can practice conducting to a recording of your band's music or other recorded music. Unlike conducting an orchestra, conducting as a drum major is generally done with a flat or slightly-curved hand, fingers together. You may even wish to try taping your middle, ring, and pinky fingers together loosely with white surgical tape or black electrical tape to match your gloves (you'll need your index finger for pointing). Whatever conducting style you use, remember that it will need to have a clean appearance and be visible from a distance. Once you have mastered the basic patterns for different meters, work on giving dynamics and cues. Bigger, more emphatic gestures indicate louder, heavier playing. Only subdivide when the band needs a cue for each eighth note. Otherwise, subdivision of the beat can confuse the band as to where the count is. Work on stops and starts, both by yourself and with the group. Give a pick-up or lead-in beat, followed by a downbeat to start. Give a cut gesture to stop. When working with the group, ensure that they interpret your gestures correctly and that attacks and releases are clean. Before beginning each new song or stepping off, get the tempo in your mind by mentally singing the song. Ask the director for guidance on appropriate waits between songs in a field show. Make sure that color guards, drill teams, and others have time to reset and change equipment if they need to. Be expressive. You will cue your group to get louder or softer, faster or slower, more legato or more staccato. Let that come through in your gestures. Conduct all sections, not just your own. If you have spent the past 3 years playing trombone, you may tend to zero in on the low brass parts, facing them more often, giving them more cues. Practice listening and conducting to the entire group as a whole. (This includes the percussion and color guard or drill team. They are important parts of your group, too.) When you first get the position as drum major, stick with conducting styles that your band is used to seeing. A sudden change from the previous drum major may make it difficult to follow. Once your band gets a hang of the show, you can begin to add in individual styles and cues that make your conducting unique.
Learn your show by heart. Just as with memorizing the music to play your part, you must know when the music will start and stop, when to cue for entrances, cuts and dynamics, when any measures change meter, and so on. Get a recording of your song or show and practice to that. Learn to read a score, too.
Learn how to salute. The style varies between Scottish/British and American groups. Make sure you get yours right. Whatever your salute, practice it in front of a mirror or reflective glass window or door. Aim for crisp, clean, and confident motions. Get so you can feel when your wrists are straight and your positioning and angles are correct. If your salute will be accompanied by a flourish, rehearse it and create a routine that you can do easily and consistently. A simple flourish done cleanly is better than a fancy flourish that is fumbled or dropped. Don't forget the hand that's not saluting. Whatever its position (holding a baton or mace, straight by your side, or bent) make sure that is deliberate and firm, not dangling absently. The hand, too, should be firmly and precisely positioned. Watch your drill team, color guard, and even cheerleaders for presents and flourishes you can incorporate. All these groups have visual elements that you can use for inspiration, and restyle into something that is your own. Take into account your distance from the audience and the judges. Perform larger, more visible elements when at a distance and smaller, more detailed elements when close up. Don't make your salute too long or too short. Also, don't perform it too fast or too slow. Make sure your motions can easily be seen, but don't seem lazy or unenthusiastic by going too slow.
Learn to manipulate a baton or mace, if you will use one. Again, the key is practice, and the style varies. The most important part is timekeeping. When keeping time, make sure that the angle of the baton or mace stays consistent throughout the range of motion. If you will use a baton or mace, practice in your uniform before you perform. This goes double for any uniform involving a kilt, cape, or other feature that could interfere with your motions. Knocking off your hat or mooning the judges will not impress anybody.
Learn to teach marching basics. Attend a beginning band camp if you don't remember how to explain basics for your group. Try to remember how it felt to you to learn marching, and lead your new members through practice patiently.
Learn drill notation if your group performs field shows. Drum majors are often called upon to help teach the drill. Practice a standard stride if you need it to measure positions.
Project your voice and learn to give commands. Shout from the diaphragm. Find a pitch that is comfortable for you. If you change the pitch of your voice to give commands, it should be to lower it somewhat. Remember that the rhythm of the command gives the group the cadence for executing the command. Give commands at a moderate, consistent tempo. Step off at a tempo that leads into the music. If you're having trouble with shouting from the diaphragm, put your hand on your stomach and breathe in. If it is expanding, you're breathing correctly. You should be able to take a large, full breath. When you shout, you should feel your abdomen tightening as it pushes the air out. Don't cut each word off early, and don't drag each word out too long. You'll know when you do this, and so will the band.
Learn whistle commands and practice them with your group. Especially in parades, the group may be too spread out or the crowd may be too noisy for vocal commands to carry adequately. In these cases, you'll need to start the group with your whistle. Whistle commands work on rhythm. Practice these rhythms. Whistle commands should be fortissimo. Use plenty of air and support from the diaphragm. Whistle commands should be crisp. Articulate and tongue as though you were playing a wind instrument. Stop the air just as abruptly. Lanyards and rubber whistle covers are available in a variety of common pageantry colors. The former will keep your whistle from falling; the latter will make it more comfortable to bite down a bit. Invest in a proper whistle. They are not that expensive, and a good one will carry much more loudly and cleanly than a poor one. Never spit out your whistle or let it drop to your chest. Rather, make a deliberate and controlled gesture of lifting your whistle with your hand and setting it down. Do the reverse to place the whistle back in your mouth. Close the door or go somewhere far from others. Plug your ears, and actually practice. Your whistle is also an excellent tool for regaining attention and order should a rehearsal get out of hand. Practice with the group. The group also needs to know how to respond to whistle commands. Practice any hand or baton gestures that go with whistle commands.
Be exacting about your uniform. Besides looking your best, you set the standard for your group. Make sure that you know and can explain the correct arrangement of hats, epaulets, citation cords, cummerbunds, and any other pieces of your uniform. Corral loose hair under your hat and spray, braid, or trim it as necessary. Keep shoes, gloves, and gauntlets polished and all uniform parts clean. Dry clean your uniform at regular intervals. Wash your gloves with bleach and replace them if necessary. The drum major may shed his or her hat during a field show. If you choose to do this, make sure the hair underneath it is trim and tidy. Do not set it where it will fall off a podium or get marched over.
Learn to mount and dismount your podium with decorum, if you will be performing on one. Practice in your uniform, especially it has elements you're not used to wearing, such as a cape. Use a step stool or ladder if you need to. Make sure anybody who erects your podium for you knows how to do so securely. Practice marking time without drifting around on your podium.
Learn the "shake and take". If you will be accepting awards on behalf of your group, do it properly. When your group is announced, approach the presenter(s). March in step with your entourage, if you have one. Perform a short salute, flourish or present (awards ceremonies are long and tedious enough as it is), then leave formation. Shake the presenter's hand with your right hand while accepting the award with your left. Pause and pose for photos if anyone is taking them. Then, return to your entourage and return to your station, placing the award on the ground beside you.
Be the best leader you can for your group. Lead by example, then by instruction. The drum major is also a leader. Demonstrate your dedication to the group and to the performance. Show up early and stay late. Help set things up and take things down before and after rehearsals. Respect the chain of command. While it's perfectly all right to bring a problem or concern to the attention of the director or other staff, try to resolve any major disagreements privately and discreetly. You undermine your authority and that of your director, otherwise. Likewise, listen to your group members and any section leaders or assistant drum majors. If somebody approaches you with a problem, do your best to address it. Be responsive to peoples' needs and accommodate what you can. If something is beyond your control, explain to the group what you know about the situation and ask their assistance and forbearance, as appropriate. If there are band members that are not giving you respect for whatever reason, keep your temper and do not give them a personal reason to not like you. Many upperclassmen may not want to listen to a drum major that is younger than them, or there may be unresolved differences between you and that person outside of band practice. Remember that you have some dominance over them, but you must also remain calm and in control. If you need to, calmly remind them that a band must work together to be successful, and they are preventing that from happening by not listening and not being respectful towards you. If needed, get help from your band director, and they can take action in a much more efficient way. Provide constructive criticism. Try whenever possible to direct comments at the whole group rather than at individuals: "Everybody, chins up and watch your horn angles." Favor positive statements ("lift your chest") over negative ones ("don't slouch"). If you must single somebody out, do so discreetly and don't make a big deal out of it. Make comments as detached and neutral as possible. Then, give people an opportunity to practice and learn. Be generous with compliments. Compliments are often more powerful than criticism. If somebody is doing something well, or has improved, say so. It's okay to single somebody out for the good news, or tell the whole group. It will help everybody be more confident and it will encourage people to try harder. It will also improve morale. Avoid marginalizing anyone or playing favorites. It's fine, even healthy, to have friends in the group, but when you are acting in the capacity of drum major, hold them to the same standards as everyone else. Make an effort to learn the names of everybody in your group. Trust and respect work best when they go both ways. Explaining things clearly. Go step-by-step, literally if need be. If you are getting blank looks or a lot of questions, try again. Be specific and give demonstrations. Notice or recall what you like and dislike about directors and drum majors you have worked with. Analyze their styles. What was effective? What wasn't? What was fun? What was miserable? Your priorities should be first to do your job and second to please people. While you can't possibly please everyone, your group will be easiest to lead and it will perform its best if the people in it are generally satisfied and confident about your performance. Be a part of your group as much as possible. There will be times when you do act independently as part of your duties, but make an effort to do what they do. Rehearse and perform when they do. Eat when and what they eat, and if you are traveling, sleep where they sleep. Most importantly, don't carry on as though you are above them or apart from them. Take control when necessary. Keep your temper, but act for the good of the group, and don't be overly concerned about being everybody's friend.
Learn the rules for any competitions you will attend. Practice timing and have somebody time you if necessary. For field shows, there is typically a given amount of time to set up. Listen to the announcer for the cue to salute (typically "Drum Major, is the band/corps ready?"). Salute, then begin the show promptly. For parades and parade competitions, aim to salute while passing the judges' stand. Practice starting any flourishes or embellishments so that the salute itself happens right in front of the judges. A good rule of thumb, if none is given, is to salute for a given number of paces (perhaps eight to twelve) preceding and following the center of the judges' stand. If you have the opportunity before a performance, scout the parade route or venue in advance. Pass on any relevant warnings (obstructions, terrain, etc.) to your group.
Get feedback. Ask your director or others to critique your performance. Read judging sheets and listen to judging tapes if they are available, both for you and for your group. They will tell you what needs improvement. Pay particular attention to any comment you get repeatedly. There will be times when you should take judges' comments with a grain of salt. Parades, especially, may be judged by volunteers or local VIPs who know as much about marching bands as they do about horses, floats, and classic cars, which is to say very little. All judging is somewhat qualitative, and most of it is rushed. Don't take it too personally; do work to improve whatever you can.
Before you graduate, age out, or otherwise move on, train your successor and give him or her an opportunity to practice. Let him or her lead a late-season parade or two, or conduct a segment of a field show when the group is facing backfield. Pass on what you have learned.
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