ADVICE FOR WGI // DCI AUDITIONS
PREPARATION
Learn the packet like the back of your hand
Take a dance class / be able to march - this gets a lot of good drummers cut
Learn to play in a line, not just by yourself - find a buddy and learn to play clean with them (they must be as good as you are or better) - if you get cut for not being able to play in a line BUT they told you that you can play well individually, there’s probably a lower group you can go to to learn to play in a line (such as Open Class)
WHAT IT’S GONNA BE LIKE
This depends heavily on the group you’re auditioning for. Testing your beats to feet (moving and playing at the same time, could be either only marching, or maybe some choreo) and the packet is standard fare at every group. Besides that, expect hella grids, primers, and playing by yourself “down the line.” A lot.
There’s an invisible mental game at every audition, don’t fall for it. Where I come from we call it “getting in your head.” It’s where you’re so distracted by the comparison of yourself to others that you end up using all of your mental bandwidth on sussing out if you’re gonna make it or not. Grasping for feedback where there is none. Just hold your horses till the end of the weekend, or the end of the next month, or the month after, when the final callbacks are. Just focus on one rep at a time, crushing all the small details.
DO NOT worry about who’s gonna make it and who’s not. It will consume you and get you cut. Happened to me many times, I’ve seen it happen to my peers as well when I was auditioning, and I can tell who’s in their head when I run auditions. I can’t say I just cut anyone on sight when I suspect they’re struggling mentally, but I do cut people when they can’t play what I’m requiring of them. And there is no possible way to grasp at feedback that doesn’t exist and play well at the same time.
Besides this, the audition plain and simple is gonna test the skills you’ve built so far. If you have them already, you’ll make it, and if you don’t, you won’t. Most people’s first auditions are very eye opening because many skills are tested that they didn’t know they’d need. That’s why it’s nearly impossible to make a group, especially a world class or top group, at your first audition. You can’t clutch up and rise the occasion, you’re gonna be stress tested and fall back onto your training. For this reason, if you have aspirations of high up groups, it’s essential that you get out there and audition for those groups ASAP to have as many tries at it before you age out as possible. You’re likely not gonna make it the first few rounds. I made RCC my 3rd try, Blue Devils my 3rd try as well. (Sh)It takes time.
NEXT STEPS
Congratulations or sorry that happened. Making a group is dope and getting cut fkn sucks. Your staff will tell you what to do next if you make it. A down payment is sometimes required upon signing a contract. If you’re not paying for it yourself (good luck btw) make sure to let your parents know of this as well as the cost of the whole season beforehand, duh. Most groups will work with you if you ask for some sort of extension on your payment plan for both the down payment and the tour fee installments if need be. I don’t know man. Ask the group you just made the cut for.
If you got cut, stick around and ask for feedback from the techs if you don’t have a flight to catch or some other reason to immediately leave. Depending on the group and the staff present at the audition, they may or may not have some feedback for you as an auditionee to help you better audition next time, which is a whole ass skill in itself. Even if they don’t have anything for you, still ask for it and make yourself known. It’s just a good habit for the principle of the thing. There will usually be a line you needa stand in to await your feedback from the tech staff. Go find that line and stand in it, or ask a staff member where the hell that line is so that you can find it and stand in it.
From there, use the info you got to improve, probably a good idea to take private lessons if you aren’t already, but you probably already are and this went without saying long ago. Just wanted to have that in writing just in case. It’s a no brainer that private lessons with a good instructor are a cheat code cuz they get you there faster, and this whole thing is kind of a race to see who can get the best before they turn 21. Good luck out there. Be sure to check out the packing list if you made it somewhere, and I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for out of marching.