Summer Sessions are a student run rehearsal taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays during June, July, and August. These sessions teach candidate members all of the marching and playing fundamentals and prepare incoming candidates and veterans for the Ohio State University Marching Band’s tryout process and the marching band season.
All Summer Session participants must complete a one-time online registration form before attending any Summer Sessions.
While Summer Sessions are an important tool that can be used for veteran members and candidates alike, attendance is not required to audition for the marching band.
Anyone unfamiliar with Ohio State’s campus can download this OSU Campus Map to help find their way around. There is visitor parking around Ohio Stadium that is Pay-and-Display and the rehearsals take place on the Lincoln Tower fields.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are outdoor rehearsals, including an outdoor drumline sectional and outdoor marching session. Students are expected to wear attire suited for physical activity (gym shorts, athletic shoes) and be prepared for a physically demanding night. Outdoor rehearsals will be used to teach playing technique and approach to marching while wearing the instrument. This is especially helpful for candidates that have never played Ohio State’s more traditional style (including snare drums on slings, flipping of cymbals, and tenors while high step marching). The marching section will consist of instruments breaking off into their own small groups so the squad leaders can teach and refine the fundamentals that the band is expected to learn that evening. The band will then return to a full block and march drill and play school songs while marching. After the session is over, attending members will receive feedback on their marching and playing performances. This enables members to work on their weaknesses outside of Summer Sessions, helping to refine their technique and ultimately improve their marching skill.
Fundamentals
The Ohio State University Marching Band utilizes 43 different marching fundamentals. While this may seem daunting at first, it should not discourage anyone from auditioning. The fundamentals are spread out over the course of two months, giving students ample time to learn and refine these fundamentals in preparation for tryouts. Summer Sessions also cover maneuvers that are not fundamentals, such as the Ramp Entrance and Hang On Sloopy. The band will also march and play school songs, oftentimes using to-the-rears to reverse face and play another song back down the field. This helps develop a candidate’s proficiency in marching and playing in the traditional style.
Below is a list of Summer Session dates and the fundamentals that will be covered and fundamental videos. It is the expectation of the Squad Leaders that candidates will look ahead to the upcoming session and watch the portion of the video that correlates to the fundamentals that will be covered. The videos below run through each and every one of these fundamental maneuvers. Each instrument has its own video posted below. These videos can be a valuable tool, allowing students unable to make it to Summer Sessions a certain evening, to still have the fundamentals explained and demonstrated to them, and other students to look ahead and learn the fundamentals for a night before the session starts. This allows these students to understand how the fundamental works and spend their time at Summer Sessions getting feedback and improving upon these marching moves.
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)
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.).
For more information regarding Summer Sessions visit the OSUMB’s website.
For more information regarding tryouts visit the OSUMB’s page on tryout information.
Snare Drum
Bass Drum
Tenor Drum