MARCHING BAND COMMANDS Whistle Commands We only use whistle commands for two purposes: When the drums are playing the streetbeat, a long whistle tells them to finish that cadence of the street beat and then go back to the single beat pattern. During the single beat pattern, a long whistle tells the wind players to get their instruments up and get ready for the roll off. The lead snare will do one more round of the single beat pattern and then give a four beat roll off. On the next beat one, the band begins the march. Voice Commands Fall in! Get in line in your correct place. Band, Ten'hut!  Come to attention. Heels together, toes slightly apart. Instrument up in front of you, head up, shoulders back, look proud! (Oh yeah, and mouth shut!) Check your rank, file and diagonal and make sure you are in line. (The numbers above the following commands are the beats - 1, 2, 3, 4) 1      2      3    4 Mark time ----- mark (and). Pick up left foot on "and" and bring it down on the next beat (beat 1). You may only go forward, turn or halt from here; you can't go to parade rest. In our band, the following group of commands can only be done from marking time. You can't do them from attention or when you are moving forward. 1       2     3    4 Right face ----- face (and). Turn in 4 beats, but don't begin until the next beat 1. 1       2    3    4 Left face ----- face (and). Turn in 4 beats, but don't begin until the next beat 1. 1       2      3    4 About face ----- face (and). Turn in 4 beats, but don't begin until the next beat 1. (Turn to the right!) 1      2     3     4 Forward ----- march (and). On "and" bring down right foot in the same place (don't step forward yet), come up on the toe and prepare left foot to step off on beat 1. Mark time is the command to stop going forward. When stopping, bring the right foot down on the "and" then, on the next beat one, bring the left foot down right next to it and mark time. 1    2    3   4    1 Band ----- Halt one, two! Right foot down on "one" and left foot down on "two" with a small kick to bring heels together. The whole band hollers, "One, Two!" 1     2    3     4 Parade ----- Rest (move). On beat four, the right foot moves out (sideways) to shoulder width and left hand comes behind the back. In our band, you can only do a parade rest from an attention position and the only moves you can do from parade rest are ten'hut, at ease and dismissed 1       2      3     4 Dress right ----- dress (move). On beat four, snap elbows up and both hands on your instrument, or hands together -- make sure arms are straight and parallel to the ground. Look to the right -- except the far right person looks straight ahead. This command may be given at any time, except parade rest, and you may be asked to forward march, turn, mark time or halt while doing it! 1     2    3     4 Ready ----- Front (move). Snap back to attention from dress position (eyes front and hands down). At ease. Relax and stand as you wish, but stay in place. You may talk quietly. Dismissed! Bye!

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