If you need to catch up on previous days, you can do so here:

Day Nine: One on One Pyware Session
Day Eight: FloMarching Subscription
Day Seven: Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing
Day Six: Marching Arts Education Membership
Day Five: Marching Step Guide
Day Four: Drill Paper
Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

Our last suggestion for gifting would be none other than us; Pyware! Here’s a few reasons why:

• It’s the best drill design software in the world
• We make it, and we also made this awesome list, so you know it’s good
• You can purchase online and have the license emailed (no shipping worries!)

So yeah, that’s it! If you’ve stuck with us all 10 days, we hope you’ve figured out your shopping by now. If not, you’re cutting it pretty close. Best of luck this weekend, and Merry Christmas!

The post Gift Guide Day 10: Pyware appeared first on Pyware.

Day Eight: FloMarching Subscription
Day Seven: Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing
Day Six: Marching Arts Education Membership
Day Five: Marching Step Guide
Day Four: Drill Paper
Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

Day Nine may appear similar in theme to Day Two, and maybe it is. But today we’re recommending a different kind of Pyware clinic – a one on one session with our Principal Consultant, Craig Harms.

Look at him! Who wouldn’t want to have Pyware taught to them from that mug?!

In addition to being the Principal Consultant for Pyware, Craig has hosted Pyware and drill design seminars throughout the country. He designs custom shows for national and international marching bands, universities, and is a staff designer for Marching Show Concepts.

Craig’s unique approach to consulting opens the door of possibilities for you. He’ll either host you at his office in beautiful Woodland Park, CO, or set up times to connect remotely and video conference. With Craig, you’re not just learning the “ins and outs” of Pyware; you’ll also be working on your own show design. As expected, there’s only a limited availability for these unique sessions, so be sure to head over to his website, BandFo, for more information (he’s also asked to bear with him while the site is under upgrade construction).

The post Gift Guide Day 9: One on One Pyware Session appeared first on Pyware.

Day Seven: Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing
Day Six: Marching Arts Education Membership
Day Five: Marching Step Guide
Day Four: Drill Paper
Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

The weather may not feel like it, but we’re days away from the start of winter. With the impending cold comes the desire to stay bundled up indoors.

For Day 8 of our Gift Guide, we humbly propose you spend that down time going through the back catalog of FloMarching.

FloMarching covers live BOA, DCI, and WGI events. In addition to live coverage, FloMarching also covers the latest rumblings in our activity, as well as creates a ton of original content featuring exclusive interviews from participants and instructors to company reps and everything in-between. Having a Pro subscription allows you to watch live events in addition to their other content, so the value is retained year round.

The post Gift Guide Day 8: FloMarching Subscription appeared first on Pyware.

If you need to catch up on previous days, you can do so here:

Day Six: Marching Arts Education Membership
Day Five: Marching Step Guide
Day Four: Drill Paper
Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

Our second book of the Gift Guide is Dan Ryder’s “Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing”. Yes, the same Dan Ryder that we posted about on day two.

If you’re unfamiliar with the name Dan Ryder, allow me to catch you up to speed. Dan has custom-designed over 1300 shows for high schools and universities over his 40+ year career. Prior to show design, Dan was a band director for 13 years in Pennsylvania and Texas. To say he’s cut his teeth on drill designing would be a vast understatement.

If you’ve got the tools (read: Pyware) but not a clue on where to start, get this book. The 6th Edition of “Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing” is over 600 pages covering transitions, planning shows, teaching shows, analyzing music, and even starting your own design business.

Beginner drill designer? This book is for you.

Advanced drill designer? This book is also for you.

Teaching a marching methods course? Get this book; it’s for you.

Need some inspiration for a rainy day? Guess what? You’re included.

To grab your copy, head over to Dan Ryder’s website.

The post Gift Guide Day 7: Techniques of Marching Band Show Designing appeared first on Pyware.

If you need to catch up on previous days, you can do so here:

Day Five: Marching Step Guide
Day Four: Drill Paper
Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

Day 6 is here. A new week, a new wealth of information.

Speaking of wealth of information, why not consider gifting a membership to Marching Arts Education?

When it comes to keeping an ear to the ground on our activity, I can’t think of anyone more in the know than Tim Hinton and Marching Arts Education. If there’s a topic to discuss in the marching arts, they’ve probably covered it on a podcast. Seriously; the catalog is huge, and yet they still find ways to create original content that’s both relative and informative.

Along with the podcasts are webinars interviewing all the rock stars in our little industry. It’s one thing to hear the perspective of the pros, but being able to put a face and personality with their information really is a treat.

A membership to Marching Arts Education has its benefits. Here’s everything you get immediate access to:

• Exclusive access to members-only webinars
• All live webinars
• All videos (including past webinars)
• Archives of the Marching Roundtable, over 750 podcasts
• Discounts on all courses
• Discounts on Virtual Clinics
• Discount on “The Dynamic Marching Band” Book
• Special discounts with Partner Businesses
• Watch anytime on any device

For the full details on membership benefits, click here.

The post Gift Guide Day 6: Marching Arts Education Membership appeared first on Pyware.

A) We’re halfway there!
B) Christmas is ever inching closer. How’s the shopping going?

If you need to catch up on previous days, you can do so here:

Day Four: Drill Paper
Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

Before you head off for the weekend, let’s talk about the Marching Step Guide. This floor mat, put simply, is brilliant.

The Marching Step Guide is a training aid designed to assist your marching members in developing muscle memory for the main step sizes used by today’s marching programs. On the mat, you can find step size indicators for an 8 to 5, 6 to 5, 12 to 5, or 4 to 5. Hash marks are printed on the mat for reference points, and the mat can comfortably fit up to 6 marchers per exercise.

Forwards and backwards basics are a given on the mat, but the intuitive design of the Marching Step Guide also allows practice of slides, crab stepping, change of direction, and squaring corners.

For more information, go check out the Marching Step Guide website.

If anyone knows the girl in the middle, please tell her to bring close-toed shoes to rehearsal tomorrow.

Have a great weekend, and tune in Monday for week 2 of our Gift Guide!

The post Gift Guide Day Five: Marching Step Guide appeared first on Pyware.

If you need to catch up on previous days, you can do so here:

Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands
Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

Today we’re going to step in the time machine.

Once upon a time, Pyware didn’t exist. I know – let that sink in. Back in the day, you had to use pencil and paper to design a marching band show.

So if you need the perfect gag gift suggestion, may we present some good old-fashioned drill design paper. While you’re at it, be sure to include a set of french curves, a ruler, and plenty of erasers (aka the original undo button) for the full “experience.”

The post Gift Guide Day Four: Drill Paper appeared first on Pyware.

Day Two: Pyware Clinic
Day One: UDBapp

For day three, let’s talk GE.

Once the show is on the field, you’ll want to start adding in visual elements for effect.

Are you tired of using the same old poses year in and out? This is the book for you. Chock-full of  suggestions, the Performer’s Academy “Pose Book for Marching Bands” has plenty of ideas to give your ensemble an overhaul.

Beginning with balanced poses (easiest to achieve), the book progresses through off-balanced poses and layered poses to cover a range of pose that are suited for ensembles of varying skill levels.

“Pose Book for Marching Bands” is available for purchase from Dan Ryder Field Drills.

PS: Rumor has it the Performer’s Academy Horn Line Visuals DVD is being updated and scheduled to release early next year. Keep an eye out!

The post Gift Guide Day Three: Pose Book for Marching Bands appeared first on Pyware.

For those that missed it, we suggested getting your band on the UDBapp for day one.

Today, we’re making it all about us. Or at least your knowledge of us. So I guess still us? The point we’re trying to make is, day two is for a Pyware clinic.

Our User Guide is long.

Videos can answer questions, but maybe not your specific one.

If you prefer more of a classroom approach to learning, we strongly recommend attending one of the many Pyware clinics this year.

Hosted across the US, these clinics typically occur during the summer over the course of a few days. Information covered is often tailored towards the attendees prior knowledge (beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc.), and most offer time to work on your personal show for the season while in attendance.

Check out the times and locations below:

Spirit of America Visual Design Retreat
When: June 17-21, 2019
Where: Cape Cod, MA

Smith Walbridge Drill Design Clinic
When: July 12-14, 2019
Where: Charleston, IL (Eastern Illinois University)

Dan Ryder Marching Band Drill Designing Workshop
When: June 24-28, 2019
Where: Wylie, TX

Performer’s Academy Drill Design Workshop
When: June 24-28, 2019
Where: San Antonio, TX
Contact Richard Lopez for info: dance@performersacademy.com

University of Tennessee Chattanooga Drill Design Clinic
When: TBD
Contact Stuart Benkert for info: stuart-benkert@utc.edu

The post Gift Guide Day Two: Pyware Clinic appeared first on Pyware.

That’s why we’ve taken the liberty of curating probably the best gift guide ever (read: 2018) for that marching arts person in your life.

So here we go!

On the first day of Christmas, Pyware said to me, “go get a subscription to UDB.”

It’s almost 2019. Are you still printing out your drill? If so, make your New Year’s resolution to go paperless. Our friends at Ultimate Drill Book have created a fantastic app that makes both teaching and learning a show easy, fun, and best of all, efficient.

You get your drill (exported via yours truly, by the way):

You get your sheet music:

And rumor has it there’s some pretty awesome features on the horizon. UDBapp is quickly becoming the perfect rehearsal tool.

If it all sounds too good to be true, don’t take our word for it; swing by their website and checkout the ever-growing customer list (spoiler alert: many of the world’s top marching ensembles that trust their show with Pyware also depend on the UDBapp to get said show on the field).

The post Gift Guide Day One: UDBapp appeared first on Pyware.