It’s difficult to be gloomy when you’re surrounded by a brass and drum corps playing Sousa at the volume of a jet turbine. Even a single snare being smacked in 4/4 time can take you out of your black mood and get you high-stepping to the rhythm.
Which leads us to wonder: Why should the joy of a marching band be relegated to high school pep rallies, college halftime shows and July 4th parades?
Depending on your affinity for music, we suggest you acquire a second-hand bass drum, then ask a few neighbors to take their trombones and tubas out of mothballs and join you as you launch into “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Among the many benefits you’ll accrue from taking up this practice:
Positive spirit and esprit de corps among band.
Meeting the challenge of marching at one tempo while playing at another, positively enhancing your neuronal connections and increasing your ability to multi-task in a variety of situations.
Heightened body awareness from marching backwards and sideways while facing straight ahead, ensuring you have a good sense of where you are in space, aiding your proprioception.