NEW MUSIC – 2025 Jams

Good evening!

Four new pieces of music has been added to the Music PDFs tab of the website. Listed below, they are:

  • Time and Change, our 2025 full length battery jam written by Joe Hobbs
  • Tidal Wave (Snare Jam)
  • Zone 6 (Tenor Jam)
  • Next Level (Bass Jam)

EDIT: Audio files have also been provided for all jams under the Music MP3s tab.

If you are planning on attending the OSUMB drumline camp this weekend, please have the sheet music for Time and Change and your respective section jam available through a printed copy or a charged tablet (tenor candidates, please have the Tenor 6 part available).

Go Bucks!

2025 Drumline Camp Signup (REQUIRED)

Good afternoon!

A quick update on the drumline camp: a signup sheet has been created in which all people who wish to participate must fill out. The link to the signup is shown below:

Drumline Camp 2025 | The Ohio State University Marching and Athletic Bands

Remember, in order to be eligible, you must be a candidate trying out for the 2025 season, a veteran member, or an incoming senior (HS Class of 2026). If you have questions, please reach out to your instrument’s Squad Leader listed under the Contact tab of the website.

Go Bucks!

UPCOMING: Drumline Camp this May!!

Good evening, Buckeyes!

We are happy to announce that, returning for the first time since 2021, we are hosting an official drumline camp! We’ll be running full battery and sub-sectional rehearsals to lock in our music and precision before summer sessions begin. Logistical information can be found below:

COST:

The drumline camp is FREE OF CHARGE! Meals will not be provided.

TIME AND DATES:

Friday, May 30th: 1:00pm-4:30pm, 6:00pm-9:00pm

Saturday, May 31st: 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:30pm-4:30pm

LOCATION:

Steinbrenner Band Center, Ohio Stadium, 1961 Tuttle Park Pl, Columbus, OH 43210

PARKING:

If you wish to park on campus while attending the drumline camp, there are a few options. All on-campus parking requires payment. You may also park in the surface lots around Ohio Stadium. There are pay-by-plate machines that will allow you to pay for a certain amount of time, or you can use the Parkmobile app. If you use the app, please be sure to enter the correct zone number. Zone numbers are also posted by lot entrances. The Ohio State Marching and Athletic Bands is not responsible for any parking citations or fines incurred.

ELIGIBILITY:

Open to all candidates and veteran members trying out for the 2025 season, as well as any high schoolers entering their senior year in the fall of 2025. If you are not eligible for the drumline camp but are a highschooler eligible for the OSUMB clinic, see the link for waitlist registration information: Ohio State Marching Band Clinic 2025 | School of Music

PREPARATION:

  • Drinking 8-12 ounces of water four hours before the beginning of block, then again two hours after block. We highly recommend bringing a water bottle of some sort, as we will have plenty of quick water breaks during block. Drink fluids early and as often as thirst and common-sense drive. Sports drinks might be helpful for heavy sweat situations.
  • Eat healthy carbohydrates and foods with lean protein in the meals before block (e.g. turkey sandwich on whole grain, quinoa with chicken, chicken marsala). Fruit is always a performance food for the carbs and electrolytes as you get closer to start time. Pretzels or similar low fat chips can help with fueling and hydration.
  • Wear comfortable athletic clothing and good athletic shoes.
  • Begin to become familiar with our exercises and jams (especially Bucks Tech 2025)!

We hope to see you there!

Go Bucks

Summer Sessions Registration

Registration for our 2025 Summer Sessions is now open!

Link: Summer Sessions | The Ohio State University Marching and Athletic Bands

Summer Sessions are optional practices that take place in June, July, and August and help both prospective and returning candidates prepare for tryouts. Summer Sessions provide instruction in marching and music fundamentals in a fun, informal setting. They are open to all high school students, Ohio State students, and students enrolled at a member college or university of the Higher Education Council of ColumbusA one-time advance registration is required for all students who wish to participate in Summer Sessions. 

While a syllabus of fundamentals will be followed during the summer, missing a rehearsal will not put you behind. Squad leaders and veteran marching band members can help you with whatever fundamentals you may have missed. While Summer Sessions can be very beneficial in learning our fundamentals, we like to stress that attendance at Summer Sessions is not factored into the audition scoring process.

Summer Sessions will begin on June 10 and run from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at Lincoln Tower Field south of Ohio Stadium. We will typically meet for a sectional before Summer Sessions begin each day at 5:00 p.m at the Steinbrenner Band Center. For the first Summer Session on June 10th, there will be NO SECTIONAL. More information can be found above at the link.

Go Bucks!

New Music – Bucks Tech 2025

Good morning, Buckeyes!

Our newest edition of Bucks Tech has been uploaded to the Music PDFs tab on the website. Bucks Tech typically serves as a comprehensive exercise packet designed to refine our technique and fulfills as a foundational warm-up. It includes detailed individual drumline parts as well as a complete score. Click on the link above to go check it out!

REMINDER: Tonight is the first spring sectional of 2025. Here are some additional details about the event:

  • Cost: FREE!!!
  • When: April 1st, 6:30-8:30PM
  • Where: 1961 Tuttle Park Place Columbus, Ohio 43210 (Steinbrenner Band Center, between gates 10 and 12 at Ohio Stadium)
  • Park: Stadium Lots or Tuttle Park Place Garage (both require payment)

And here are a few essential items to bring:

  • Printed out Bucks Tech 2025 (some copies will be available at the sectional)
  • 3-Ring Binder with page protectors
  • Sticks/mallets

We are all very excited to get this season off to a rolling start. Hope to see you there! 

(Disclaimer: this is not an April Fools joke.)

!!SKCUB OG


 

2025 Summer Clinic

The 2025 Summer Clinic registration is now OPEN!

The Ohio State Marching Band Summer Clinic is an opportunity for high school marching band students (entering grades 10-12 for the 2025-26 school year, or 2025 high school graduates) to improve their musicianship and marching skills as they contemplate a potential audition for the Ohio State Marching Band. Every year, the clinic welcomes students from around the country.

Under the direction of marching band staff and student leaders, participants will learn the music and military style marching fundamentals used by The Best Damn Band in the Land in an encouraging, fun and interactive environment.

The OSUMB Summer Clinic will be held July 11-13, 2025, at the Steinbrenner Band Center. More info is available on the School of Music website.

Link to registration: Ohio State Marching Band Clinic 2025 | School of Music

Go Bucks

🚨 2025 Kickoff – Spring Sectionals and Squad Leader Announcement 🚨


Spring Sectionals 2025:

Good afternoon, Buckeyes! We are now beginning the process of preparing for the next edition of TBDBITL, and that begins for us with spring sectionals! We are very excited to announce our spring sectional dates below:

  • Tuesday, April 1st
  • Tuesday, April 15th
  • Tuesday, April 22nd
  • Tuesday, April 29th

All sectionals will take place from 6:30 – 8:30pm at the Steinbrenner Band Center.

These sectionals are free to attend, and we encourage EVERYBODY who is interested in our program to be there.

Whether you’re a returning veteran, or you’re looking to audition for the first time, these sessions will help you prepare and succeed for the upcoming season. If you aren’t planning on auditioning for the upcoming year (including high school students), we still welcome you to learn, gain experience, and have a good time playing with us.

For sectionals, please be prepared to bring the following items:

  • Sticks/mallets
  • A 3-ring binder with clear sleeves to put music in
  • Printouts of music (found under the “Music” tab on our website)

Address for the Steinbrenner Band Center (between gates 10 and 12 at Ohio Stadium): 1961 Tuttle Park Pl, Columbus, OH 43210

Parking: Paid parking is available in the stadium lots. There are pay stations in the lot, or you can park across the street at the Tuttle garage.

 


Squad Leader Announcement:

In addition, we are excited to announce the next generation of leadership for the Ohio State Drumline!

Ethan Strohacker (Snare, SL)

Faris Matus (Snare, ASL)

Alex Burlison (Tenor, SL)

Jason Shuman (Bass, ASL)

Jillian Kumfer (Cymbal, ASL)

Please reach out to these people if you have questions regarding the drumline or the upcoming season (found under the “Contact” tab on the website).

GO BUCKS!

Recap: Week of 6/17

Music

Changes:

  • Panoptic, Snares and Tenors – m. 21, we have removed the accents on the “a” of beats 1 and 3.
  • Building Blocks – Exercise now ends at letter F on a downbeat, no more buzzes.

Upcoming:

  • We will be working through all of Natty Jam this coming week.
  • Buckeye Battle Cry and Across the Field are now memorized to be played on the field.
  • Take the next two weeks to get the Cadence under your hands, as we will be touching this in the next 2-3 weeks.
  • All of Bucks Tech 10, Flam Demand, Rip Rolls, Panoptic, and Gumball.
  • Get through the drum cheers, as these will ned memorized before the football season for use in the stands.

GO BUCKS!

Summer 2024 Schedule

Summer Sessions will begin on June 4 and run from 6:30-9 pm at Lincoln Tower Field south of Ohio Stadium. On June 4, all Summer Sessions attendees will meet inside the Steinbrenner Band Center at 6:30 pm. For the rest of the summer, the drumline will meet at 5 pm for a sectional outside the band doors (between gates 10 & 12). Arrive early to get a drum and to set up in preparation for the 5 o’clock downbeat. 

Tuesdays: Sectionals from 5:00 – 6:30 pm and full band from 6:30 – 9:00 pm (excluding June 4th when all attendees will meet in the band center at 6:30 pm)

Thursdays: Sectionals from 5:00 – 6:30 pm and full band from 6:30 – 9:00 pm

2024 Summer Session Schedule (subject to change)

June: 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27
July: 2, 9*,10*, 11*, 16, 18, 23, 24, 30*, 31*
August: 1*, 5, 6, 7

*-Denotes Focus Week

 

Detailed Schedule

 

Week One:

June 4: Posture / Attention / At Ease / Chair Step / Instruments Up & Down / In Place Movements (right face, left face, about face, step forward about-face)
June 6: Mark Time Drill / Mark Time / 8 to 5 Forward / Flanks / Regular TTR / Halt Kick Down

Week Two:

June 11: Slow Turns / Box Drills / Backward Marching / Box TTR
June 13: Step Sides and Side Steps / Lateral Slides / Slide TTR / Countdowns

Week Three:

June 18: Up Step Turns / Forward Adjusted Step (6, 12, 16) / Backward Adjusted Step (12, 16)
June 20:  Review / “Horn Slides and Backwards Lateral Slides Translation”

“Fight the Team” and “Buckeye Battle Cry” memorized

Week Four:

June 25: Obliques / Hats Off
Short “Beautiful Ohio” memorized (m. 13, optional cut to m.61)
June 27: Step Kicks

Week Five:

July 2: Flex Day (weeks 1-4)

Long “Beautiful Ohio” memorized – Mock-Tryout Song
Short “Beautiful Ohio” memorized (m. 13, optional cut to m. 61)

Week Six (Focus Week 1):

July 9: Review fundamentals (week 1)

July 10:Review fundamentals (week 2)

July 11: Review fundamentals (weeks 3-4)

“I Wanna Go Back” memorized

Week Seven:

July 16: Ramp entrance

“Buckeye Battle Cry” verse lyrics memorized

July 18: Ramp review, review fundamentals


Week Eight:

July 23: Hang on Sloopy, review fundamentals
“Hang on Sloopy” memorized

July 24: Hats off-OHIO/Hats off-R123, step kicks, Hang on Sloopy review

Week Nine (Focus Week 2):

July 30: Review fundamentals (weeks 1-2)

“Down by the Ohio” memorized – Tryout Song

July 31: Review fundamentals (weeks 3-4)

August 1: Review fundamentals (weeks 7-8)

Week Ten (Focus Week 3):

August 5: Mock Tryouts

August 6: Mock Tryouts

August 7: Mock Tryouts

Focus Weeks

Two weeks of Summer Sessions will be designated as “Focus Weeks,” which will provide a review of music and marching fundamentals covered to that point over three rehearsals. If you’re an out-of-state student or simply unavailable to attend as many Summer Sessions as you’d like, these Focus Weeks are specifically designed to bring you up to speed over a short period of time. The first Focus Week will be July 9-11, and the second will be July 30-August 1. We unfortunately are not able to provide housing during Focus Weeks.

Instrument Check-Out

For those registered for auditions in August 2024: After agreeing to our instrument policies, brass players can sign out an instrument (and mouthpiece if necessary) to keep through the end of tryouts. Due to high demand, sousaphone and percussion players can only check out instruments on a per-session basis against some form of collateral (e.g. state-issued identification, car keys); however, after attending four consecutive Summer Session rehearsals, they may check out an instrument via a bond card for the remainder of the summer through tryouts.

For those not registered for auditions in August 2024: High school students who are not eligible to try out in August can sign out an instrument and a mouthpiece on a per-session basis against some form of collateral (e.g. state-issued identification, car keys).

Parking

If you wish to park on campus while attending Summer Sessions, there are a few options. All on-campus parking requires payment.

You may also park in the surface lots around Ohio Stadium. There are pay-by-plate machines that will allow you to pay for a certain amount of time, or you can use the Parkmobile app. If you use the app, please be sure to enter the correct zone number.  The West Stadium Lot is 69344, the Northeast Stadium Lot is 69323, the Southeast Stadium Lot is 69331 and the Midtower Lot is 69322. Zone numbers are also posted by lot entrances.

If you plan on attending multiple sessions, you might want to consider getting a visitor permit or, if you are an Ohio State affiliate, a campus pass. 

After 4 p.m., any campus pass holder (including West Campus passes) can park in a non-reserved central campus parking space in surface lots.

The Ohio State Marching and Athletic Bands is not responsible for any parking citations or fines incurred.

Out-of-State or Unable To Attend

Don’t worry about being left behind! Our veteran marching band members will help get you caught up on the fundamentals taught throughout the summer. This summer, we are offering two Focus Weeks (July 2-3 and July 23-24) that each will provide a review of music and marching fundamentals, so you can catch up without having to attend sessions over multiple weeks. Get in touch with us at osumb@osu.edu to let us know how we can best help you. 

Our virtual Summer Sessions, returning in 2024, are also a tremendous opportunity to learn our marching and playing style from anywhere in the world. You can also upload a video of yourself marching to YouTube and our squad leaders will review it and give you feedback.

Incoming First-Year Students*

As an incoming first-year student, you may attend Summer Sessions during your summer orientation! Check the schedule and see if there are any sessions during your time on campus. Often, students will schedule a Wednesday/Thursday orientation to be able to attend Summer Sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Tryouts

Tryouts will be held on August 11-12, with Candidate Days on August 9-10 being required for all who have not been members of The Ohio State University Marching Band before. 

Preparing for Summer Sessions

  • Drinking 8-12 ounces of water four hours before the beginning of practice, then again two hours before practice. During practice, drink fluids early and as often as thirst and common sense drive. Sports drinks might be helpful for heavy sweat situations.
  • Eat healthy carbohydrates and foods with lean protein in the meals before practice (e.g. turkey sandwich on whole grain, quinoa with chicken, chicken marsala). Fruit is always a performance food for the carbs and electrolytes as you get closer to start time. Pretzels or similar low fat chips can help with fueling and hydration.
  • Wear comfortable athletic clothing and good athletic shoes.
  • Warm-up before marching by stretching.
  • Be familiar with musical scales.
  • Start becoming familiar with our school songs (Across the Field, Buckeye Battle Cry, etc.).