Pit Placement

[jonathanbagley]

Hello everyone, I am a band director in South Georgia. I know, South

Georgia isn't Texas, but I figured if I have a marching band question,

where better to get the answer than a Texas band forum? This past Fall

we mic'ed the pit for the first time. It went well and was exactly what
our program needed. However, this year I am thinking about putting the
pit in the back of the field (not the back sideline, but behind the
band). I have seen some groups in the past that have put some or all of
their pit behind the band and I believe it would solve many timing
issues by having a stationary tempo source that everyone could listen
back for.

My question is this, what issues am I going to run into
that may make this change more trouble than it is worth? I am trying to
troubleshoot before making my final decision. I already know that I
will need a generator, as I won't have access to the power sources at
the front sidelines anymore, but we are planning on having one of those
anyway due to power problems we ran into at some venues last year.

Thank you for any advice and pros/cons you may have.

[LeanderMomma]

I can’t wait to see the responses to this one. You’ve come to the right place!

[SamuelCulper]

I suggest reaching out directly to the director at Glenn High School in Leander. She is an experienced director but did this with Glenn the last couple of years as they have started up the new school. I'm assuming it was a strategy as they are growing the program.

[jonathanbagley]

Thank you very much. I have reached out to her and am waiting for a reply.

[Danpod]

I'm very late on this, but this topic intrigued me!  I love when programs put their pit behind the band.  Not only can it help with timing for smaller programs, but having that backfield pit as a "barrier" creates a natural stage for the visual program.  The audience and judges can now focus on a specific area of the field to look at which can have many advantages.  I am not a percussion player by any means, unless you count the drumming I do at my work desk, but these are some of the issues I have witnessed/heard on the field with backfield pit percussion.

 

 

Power
Generators are everything.  I once ran a contest where a backfield pit tried to run power from the front sideline to the back hash.  They didn't have an extension cord long enough.  They were able to make it work, but there was a significant contest delay.  Make sure that thing is charged up fully for EVERY performance.  True Story: The power source for our synth during my Sophomore year show gave out on the final note of our State Finals performance.  Very awkward.

 

Set-Up
Rehearsing HOW to get on the field is just as important as rehearsing WHAT you do during the show.  The second you step on the field, you are performing. I'm sure the kiddos will feel weird putting all their gear on the field instead of the sideline for the first few shows.  The more comfortable they are with equipment placement before the show, the better.  If parents are needed to help with equipment, run them through what needs to be done well in advance.  You'd be surprised how often programs try to delegate tasks to people for the first time seconds before stepping on the field.  Plus, the quicker you can get everything in place, the more time you will have to troubleshoot any issues if they come up.  Cable management and organization will make things way easier.

Balance
Too often, I see the pit in the back but cannot hear them.  Play around with speaker and mic placement to see what works.  I love hearing this stuff!!  The band isn't going to be used to hearing the pit in the back. It'll be loud at field level. They will adjust, but just be ready for the inevitable push-back!

Honestly, I wish more programs did this!  Let us know how it goes!!