Atlantic Indoor Association

March 2010

I am living a dream. For me, this dream began in April 2005 when I first watched the Rhythm X battery warm up in the shade underneath a large tree outside the Nutter Center at Wright State University. I was a senior in high school, and I was marching my first year with United Percussion. Earlier that day we had earned a bronze medal in WGI Percussion Independent Open class, a medal that still hangs on my wall to this day.

Rewind. I started drumming in spring 2001 when my friends and I decided to start a punk band. I had never actually played an instrument other than recorder in the third grade. However, I bugged my parents enough that they bought me a drumset for my birthday and signed me up for lessons. In high school I outgrew my punk phase and started hanging out with some marching band kids. “Well I guess I should join the drumline then,” I thought. I made the snareline because I was one of only three drummers who knew what traditional grip was. That was the summer of 2002. I couldn’t read music, I had never done band in school, and for the life of me I could not get that direction change in the opener while playing.

Since then, I have worked my tail off and had many fortunate opportunities to play snare drum in several marching percussion ensembles. I did high school and college marching band, high school indoor drumline, Jersey Surf 2004-2005, United Percussion 2005-2006 and 2008, Cadets 2006, Bluecoats 2007-2008, and now I am aging out with Rhythm X in 2010. In addition to marching, I taught Chantilly High School in 2007, George Mason University in 2009, and the UVA Cavalier Marching Band in 2009.

I still remember my first high school marching band performance. It was a Friday night football game in the fall of 2001. We had a drum solo at the end of Chuck Mangione’s “Children of Sanchez” where we used a green and a yellow stick to do a drum-to-drum feature. I brought my sticks out incorrectly and played the feature with the butt ends and the wrong color in each hand. How embarrassing! If after that performance someone had shown me a video of the Bluecoats 2008 snareline or Rhythm X 2010’s show, I would’ve laughed in disbelief. No way would I, an inexperienced drummer and terrible performer, ever be able to get to that level.

So how did I end up moving out to Dayton, Ohio for five months to finish my marching career with the defending two-time WGI Independent World Gold Medalist Rhythm X? How did I go from missing direction changes in high school band to placing top three in percussion at DCI Finals for two years with the Bluecoats? And on top of these, how did I manage to earn my Bachelor’s Degree in philosophy and religious studies from the University of Virginia while marching or teaching every winter and summer?

First, I have been very fortunate to come across some fantastic opportunities throughout my life, and despite these I am still very far away from having it all figured out. However, I also have put in a fair amount of time into developing certain skills useful for my passions, and I like to think that my hard work (and smart work) has led me to where I am. In this vein I humbly offer some advice to anyone interested in the marching arts, especially young drummers who also one day hope to perform as a member of a world class ensemble.

• One-pointed focus: If you have a goal, whether it is playing fast flam drags or acing an upcoming biology exam, commit yourself towards achieving that goal with a clear, one-pointed focus. When I auditioned at Bluecoats I had to learn how to drum “like a Bluecoat.” During my practice time I focused on very specific techniques that were specific to the Bluecoat style, such as learning how to utilize more arm for fast rolls and how to incorporate a slow upstroke with a fast downstroke. While auditioning I consciously focused on learning this style so that I would make the line; being able to play The Ditty or backstick flam drags were not as important to me. Similarly, in college when I had a philosophy paper due, I went to the library and devoted hours to reading, forming arguments, and writing. No Facebook (well, almost no Facebook), no video games, and no distractions. This kind of focused effort has helped me achieve goals in drumming, school, athletics, and my personal life as well.

• Smart work: As utterly valuable as hard work is, it can be frustrating and useless if it is not accompanied by “smart work.” Want to play fast flam drags? Slow down first, playing perfect rhythms with great quality, then gradually increase the speed. Spending hours only playing fast is hard work, but it will not produce as wholesome and quality results as putting in some smart work too. Are you spinning your wheels trying to study for an economics final? Go outside and take a break, get some fresh air, and come back to the material with a calm mind and new perspective. Hard work is great, but working hard and smart can truly achieve incredible results.

• Simplicity: If you want to get better at drumming, drum more. If you want to do better in school, study more. If you want to teach, teach more. Chances are that playing video games will not help you achieve your goals in life. Allow there to be simplicity in your methods; it does not have to be complicated. Appreciate your “practice,” whether it is for indoor drumline, a college application, or a relationship. Cultivate patience while devoting time towards quality in all aspects of your life.

It is my earnest hope that something I have written will be of value and perhaps even “inspire” someone reading it. Happy practicing!

Do you have suggestions or submissions? War stories from the floor, questions or other interests? Email Michael Kirby at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .