re: The Marching Bands of the Southeastern Conference

Aggies have the best band in the SEC.

That was their “Crossing Swords” formation.

I heard they were only going to admit band members who knew more than three notes this year.

At least they are trying to improve.

A guy in the redcoat marching band started this for the final game of 2015....now it’s a tradition.




LINK

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TA&M isn't bad except for those "weird moves" when they turn around (like their legs are stuck in mud & they yank them loose). Ohio State (or is it Penn State) does it too.

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That's a military D&C marching command called "Rear, March". (Left foot plants, 180 degree pivot, then resume marching in opposite direction)

Or are you referring to the 2 or 4 step counter march? (Variation of the counter column D&C command)

That's called a flank. Also a D&C command.

Left flank = plant right foot, turn 90°

Right flank = plant left foot, turn 90°

If you're talking about the 45° turn, the command is either "column half-left" or "column half-right".

The Aggie Band Right Turn is not a proper D&C command because all commands of execution in the drills that change direction require the right foot to be the plant foot. During an Aggie Band right turn, the left leg crosses over the right when turning. A proper right flank would mess up the drill.

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I get that. However the "tubas" are the only 1's who do that. The bass drums, at times, seem to remove them & scrape the ground when they turn (as seen in other videos).

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You should have clarified. The bass horns only exaggerate the movements during a 4-step countermarch. During a 2-step countermarch, they rotate normally.

4-step countermarch = plant left foot, pivot, slide right foot forward, plant left foot, pivot, slide right foot forward, resume marching cadence.

2-step countermarch = plant left foot, step right with right foot, then rotate into new direction and resume marching cadence.

The bass drums have to hunch over in order to stay in the column and not collide with the one next to them. The columns are at a 2-pace interval at most apart from each other.

While we’re talking about UGA songs. What is the story behind the one that sounds like “I’ve been working on the railroad”.

Funny story about POTS and TSIO:

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on the morning of October 15, 1949, as they stood around on the sidelines at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama awaiting a chance to practice for the afternoon game. They were waiting for Alabama's Million Dollar Band, under the direction of "Colonel" Butler, to finish its practice. That afternoon as the band came out on the field and paused for introduction, for the first time "Presenting The University of Tennessee's Pride of the Southland Band under the direction of 'Major' Walter M. Ryba" was heard over the loudspeakers by the 44,000 fans present and listeners on the radio. It was generally felt that Ryba did not know ahead of time that he was receiving a "commission".

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