Frequently Asked Questions
Is a custom percussion score worth it?
Percussion holds an important place in the marching band. A non-functional percussion book = a show that will never work. Writing a percussion book has a surprising amount of constraints: instrumentation, the skill level of players, size of winds, size of the battery, size of the front, drill requirements, etc. I consider this all and can write a competitive, functional, and creative percussion score. Marching percussion scores must empower the wind section to play their best (serve the overall arrangement!) and be pedagogically relevant enough to lift your percussion section to new heights for future seasons.
Do you write for all battery and front?
Most frequently, I write front and battery percussion parts together. This way, the parts are integrated and musically cohesive. However, I’m happy to write only battery or only front. More elaborate electronic set ups are best suited for a designated electronics designer. I have several I can recommend. I can also recommend wind arrangers.
How much do you charge?
My range is generally $600 - $2500 for a whole show, with some outliers. Most commonly, I charge a flat $2000. Smaller schools with less involved parts tend to be less expensive, with some exceptions for specific requests.
The sooner I receive your wind scores and program coordinator information, the better I can make your rate. I have much more open time in the summer and can knock it out! Any project needing delivery in less than 2 weeks will have an automatic rush fee of 30%. We’ll make a calendar for due dates of all your movements as they come in, so expectations from both ends are clear. I want to be able to do my best work and take the quality of my delivered music very seriously.
I’m happy to do revisions. However, changes that accommodate new music (let’s say, you get a new movement 3) or changes are radical enough to completely change the setting (take this woodwind moment and put it entirely in the front) are additionally charged at the same rate per minute.
Generally it is relatively easy for me to create piano reductions/bassline doubles, but patch choices and MainStage programming is more suited for a separate electronics designer. I’d be happy to recommend people!
Payment
Contracts can be very flexible, but must be signed on both ends before I start the show.
Typical terms (this can be negotiated based on your district’s policies):
25% down payment.
100% of payment complete required for the delivery of the closer.
What files do I need to get started?
Sibelius files or XML files. Any notation software can export XML. Pre-written shows often have XMLs available from publishing companies/specific composers, but you will need to contact them. For example, for Jay Bocook’s scores through Hal Leonard, you may be able to contact Jay Bocook. All of this must be completed from client’s end. I can transcribe physical scores into Sibelius but at an added price. I’m happy to adjust wind arrangements, create transition material, or at the most extreme, write your show’s wind arrangement.
Selections must be cleared for arrangement (through Tresona, Composer’s personal publishing company, etc). This is the sole responsibility of the director.
What will I receive upon completion?
PDFs of:
A full score (this may not be fully formatted, depending on the wind arranger’s templates). The full score will be 11 x 17 so that it may be bound. I can also reduce percussion parts upon request for a full score.
A battery score for battery tech/student leadership
A front ensemble score for front tech/student leadership
A full percussion score with all percussion parts. Each part is formatted individually to facilitate page turns and spacing. All sticking is included, and all auxiliary instruments are labeled. For complex set ups at larger schools, I can provide a set up diagram for rack parts and cymbal assignments on each keyboard.
An mp3/wav/aiff with all parts. Wind playback is generated by Note Performer, Vienna Symphonic Ensemble, Caspian Brass, and various other VSTs. Percussion parts are generated by Virtual Drumline, and specific instruments may use other VSTs (Synths, solo instruments, stylistically unique instruments). All recordings are lightly “mastered” with EQ/compression/etc to make listening experience more informative/detailed (you can hear all parts well, you can rock out in your car and envision your group’s impending glory, your drill writer has something to plug in to pyware, you don’t have to constantly adjust volume, etc).
Sibelius files and XMLs with some exceptions. I may not be able to send notation files depending on copyright. These file types may be necessary if you have someone designing MainStage files and/or doing sound design. All notation will not play back from my sample libraries (unless you have them), but will be editable. Please use discretion with sharing these files, as portions of the arrangement may be under different legal terms depending on preferences of other arrangers/designers. However, having your techs re-write percussion problem spots is encouraged and recommended! I also love to know what ends up being changed/any impressions you have- this helps me to create multi-year notes that make future shows even better.
Extras
These are not included but can be added at an extra cost.
Click Tracks
Set by Set Mp3s/Logic Files with all sets as markers (all sets must be marked on score for me)
Individual Instrument practice tracks with metronome
Instrument Score videos with metronome and full audio or solo audio. Example: The bassline with the click only or bassline with full percussion audio only. These can be uploaded into streaming services with variable speed playback (YouTube/Microsoft Stream/downloaded to VLC where you can adjust playback speed).
Consulting
I’d love to come in, observe your rehearsal, and offer feedback. Because marching band is competitive, re-writes can be healthy. While any of my percussion parts should stand on their own for a season, I may be able to be more flexible than wind writers for adding additional transitions, creating situations for more obvious backfield timing, etc. I can be an on-call member of your design team, making tweaks after each competition, giving regular comments on rehearsal videos, sending videos demonstrating different techniques, recommending materials/mallets/sticks, sharing exercise packets, tuning schemes, depending on what you are looking for.
