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Cleaner by Design

Write music that supports your students and staff - without sacrificing effect




Many ensembles struggle with timing, balance, coordination, impact, and clarity. But here's the truth:


Most of these problems can be solved before the first rehearsal.


After working with dozens of competitive marching arts programs over the years, I realized something important:


When I design music the right way:


  1. The performers will play better

  2. The staff will have an easier time teaching

  3. The entire ensemble becomes more confident


This blog breaks down the exact systems and considerations I use when designing and teaching shows for top indoor percussion ensembles.


My goal is simple:


To help you design and teach shows that clean themselves - so your rehearsals can focus on phrasing, artistry, and performance instead of fixing preventable problems.


Workflow: Prevent problems before the exist


Broad Strokes Discussions


Before anything is written, make sure the team has a clear vision for the production:

  • What’s the emotional arc of the show?

  • What are the moments of intensity or vulnerability?

  • What visual ideas are we going for?

  • What musical vocabulary supports this vision?


The Sketch Stage


I always start with a sketch - a piano sketch, a DAW session, or even a temp track


Why?


Because sketches are flexible.

They let the team make pacing, GE, and visual decisions early, while everything is still easy to move around.


If the team can understand the show from the sketch alone, you’re on the right track.


Detailed Plan


When we meet after the sketch, here’s what we lock in:


What section of the ensemble should be the musical focus for each phrase?

What does the visual designer need to highlight?

Does the visual designer need more or less time to execute those ideas?

Where are the musical and visual effect moments going to occur?


This meeting is crucial and will prevent 90% of rewrites later.


Battery Orchestration: Hidden Risk vs. Hidden Support


Battery scoring can either create successful alignment or weeks of frustration.

Here’s what I consider:


Balance and Timing from the Pit’s perspective


Snares - Easiest to follow and balance

Quads - Tricky to follow and balance

Basses - Difficult to follow and balance

Full Ensemble - Easy to follow and balance


Visual Considerations


Where is this section coming from?

Where are they going next?

What are their feet going to be doing?

  • Fast feet

  • Slow feet

  • Hybrid

  • Choreography

  • Park and Play


Battery orchestration must support - not fight - the visual design


Punctuations and Landmarks


It’s easy for the battery to sound like a constant stream of notes.


This makes life harder for:

  • The front ensemble to follow

  • The judges to remember

  • The audience to connect

  • The staff to teach

  • The students to memorize


This is why I build in:

  • Visual Accents the choreographer can latch onto

  • Ensemble Accents that frame big moments

  • Landmark rhythms that the pit can adjust to


These small decisions dramatically improve everyone’s experience.


Front Ensemble Orchestration: Your secret weapon


The battery and visual orchestration have created some degree of risk.

The pit can either multiply that risk

Or solve it.


The front ensemble orchestration determines:

  • Clarity

  • Verticality

  • Blend

  • Impact


Reinforcement


I often write the drum, cymbal, and sound design material before the mallets because I want to focus on what the pit can reinforce.


Examples:

  • Bass Drums → Kicks, Concert Bass, Timpani, Booms, Guitar chugs, Spicatto Strings

  • Rim shots → Chokes, Zil-bells, Stings

  • Moments → Cymbal rolls, Roll chokes, Risers


Planning the Listening Point


Always have a plan for who is in charge of tempo for the pit AND a backup


Usually:

  • Drum set

  • Timpani

  • Xylophone

  • Glock

  • Center Marimba


Everyone in the pit must be able to follow that part clearly.


The listening point can change from phrase to phrase.


Texture Considerations


Battery Orchestration → Front Ensemble Textures.

  • Snares - Most front textures will work

  • Quads - Leave physical space for readability

  • Basses - Leave musical space for clarity

  • Full Ensemble - Maximize verticality and impact


These choices determine how “cleanable” the show is.


Reducing Risk


This is where the magic happens.


1. Leave space

If the battery shifts the tempo, does the pit have open rhythms so they can adjust?


2. Avoid rhythmic rubs

16ths vs triplets is a classic “works in the MP3 but not in person” issue. Match the battery’s base subdivision.


3. Double tricky rhythms

If a rhythm takes time to teach, someone in the pit should double it. This lets them learn the rhythm in sectionals, not full ensemble.


4. Skip risky releases

Long battery rolls tend to speed up or slow down. Doubling the release in the pit is a recipe for frustration. Instead. Have them come back in after the release.


When to Edit: My Personal Rules


I teach some of my own shows, I teach shows written by my heroes, and I send shows off to programs that I’ll never get to see in person.


I apply the same rules to every scenario.


Rule 1:

If a moment keeps me up at night, it needs a rewrite


Rule 2:

If we fight the same issue for 2-3 rehearsals, it needs a rewrite


Rule 3:

If the audience can’t hear what they’re supposed to, it needs a rewrite


Rule 4:

If the ensemble sound loses professionalism for a moment, it needs a rewrite


Recap: 3 Most Important Takeaways


  1. Proper planning saves rehearsal time
  2. Front ensemble orchestration is your secret weapon
  3. Most timing issues can be prevented with small, smart edits

Want my Cleaner by Design Tools?


I put everything from this blog - plus an annotated score into my:


PDF + Annotated Score

 
 
 

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