Drill Design for Young or Small Marching Bands

One of the questions I am often asked - especially by former students setting out to write their own drill for the first time -  is: "How do I write for my band when it's this small?" After good-naturedly reminding them that we discussed this very issue in our Marching Band Procedures courses "back in the day," I usually chat with them about strategies that have worked for me when designing for smaller, younger, or less experienced groups.

Over the years, I’ve written drill for ensembles as large as 400 members and as small as 26. Both ends of that spectrum come with their own unique challenges and rewards, but designing for smaller groups requires a completely different mindset, one that balances visual impact, musicality, and achievable staging for limited numbers.

Since drill-writing season is fast approaching, I thought I’d share a few insights and tips for those of you writing drill for small marching bands. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned designer working with a newer program, these ideas should help get the creative gears turning and help anyone who might be struggling to find a style that works with their own small/young groups.

And hey, if you’d rather not go it alone, I’m always available to write your drill for you. Check out my portfolio and send me a message.  I'll be happy to chat with you about writing your marching band's drill this season.

Now, let’s get into the tips for designing drill for smaller or younger bands…

The Basics of Drill Design

Simplicity Wins
This one took me a long time to really learn:  Keep. It. Simple.

Not every set has to be flashy or complex to make an impact. In fact, some of the most effective drill I have written uses simplicity as a strength. Clean, purposeful staging often lands harder than constant movement ever could.

When you are writing for a small or developing band, simplicity isn't just a stylistic choice, it's a strategic one. Giving your students a few moments of less demanding movement provides visual and musical “breathers” that help with performance quality. Not every set needs to be a big reveal. Sometimes, the smartest design move is to keep things readable, intentional, and (most importantly) achievable. Your band will execute better, and your audience will appreciate the clarity.

Shape and Form
Choosing the right types of forms can make or break your visual program, especially when you are writing for a small band. Each style of form carries its own strengths, challenges, and visual impact. Here’s a breakdown of the major types and how to use them effectively:

• Linear forms are high risk, high reward. Lines are visually powerful. They are also brutally honest. Linear forms are harder to align, but easier to space. Because they're so easy to recognize, even to someone with no marching band experience, any mistakes in alignment are immediately obvious. That is why linear forms are best saved for dramatic, high-impact moments when you want tension and precision to shine. Use them when the music calls for clarity or intensity, and make sure you give your performers the time and tools to clean them thoroughly.

• Block formations are old school...but still terrifically effective when done right. While block forms are not as common in today's modern drill styles, they are far from obsolete. These military-inspired shapes can create powerful moments, especially with smaller bands. Their simplicity and uniformity make them easy to clean and effective for staging impacts or unison movement. When used sparingly...and intentionally...block formations can bring a sense of tradition, order, and strength to your show. (We’ll talk more about how to space them for smaller bands in an upcoming section).

• Curvilinear drill is all about motion and musicality. These forms are more forgiving when it comes to visual exposure: slightly off intervals are less noticeable to the audience. But they're also deceptively tricky to set and clean, especially if the curves are symmetrical or tightly wound. Spacing is critical here. Without solid intervals, curvilinear drill can quickly turn into a mess. Use it for lyrical or flowing musical moments, and don't be afraid to simplify if things start looking muddy. Curvilinear forms are often used for reduced tension moments, as well as flowing musical ideas.

• Symmetrical drill used to dominate the field. These days, it's most common in college bands, show bands, and similar non-competitive ensembles. Symmetry is easier to design (you're often just mirroring across the 50 yard line), but it's also easier to mess up. Any flaw in the mirror image will stand out immediately. If you go this route, clean execution is everything. When done well, symmetrical forms feel satisfying and grounded. Just be sure your performers are ready for the pressure of high visual exposure.

• Asymmetry is the name of the game in most contemporary drill design. It offers more creative freedom and is generally less prone to visual exposure because there is no direct mirror image to compare against. However, that freedom can be a challenge for newer writers. Without the visual “template” that symmetry provides, designing sets that look intentional and structured can be tough. These forms can also be harder for audiences to latch onto, especially if they're expecting more traditional shapes. That said, with thoughtful spacing and staging, asymmetry can be incredibly effective, especially for musical moments that build or evolve over time.

With some of those basics of drill design out of the way, let's talk about issues encountered when writing specifically for smaller or younger bands.

Writing Specifics for Smaller Bands

GroupThink
When you are designing drill for a smaller ensemble, section cohesion is everything. Keeping sections together - winds, percussion, and color guard - helps reinforce musical confidence and visual clarity. Even within those groups, keeping similar instruments close can make a noticeable difference, both musically and visually.

Yes, we all know to keep high brass near high brass, low brass near low brass...but don’t stop there. If you are familiar with the score (and you should be), you can group instruments that play similar musical roles, even if they aren't technically in the same section. For example, you can combine mellophones with alto saxophones, or low brass with tenor saxes, or trumpets with piccolos/flutes/clarinets if they share similar musical material at any given point.

When instruments playing the same material are staged near each other, you boost ensemble confidence and clean up the sound. Plus, it gives you a more visually homogenous look, which is always a win for small bands trying to maximize their on-field presence. Careful drill writing that reinforces the score? That's where small bands can really shine.

​The Power Zone
If there's one drill design principle that matters most for smaller or less experienced bands, it’s this: Stay in the (Power) Zone. Top-tier BOA bands and DCI corps can spread coast-to-coast across the field and still deliver musical impact, ensemble cohesion, and clean visuals. Smaller groups? Not so much. The wider you spread them, the more you risk losing projection, clarity, and control.

The Power Zone (roughly the middle 30 yards of the field, centered around the front hash and the 50-yard line) is your best friend. It's where your band will sound fullest, stay together most easily, and connect visually with the audience. Pulling too far outside this zone usually results in watered-down sound and shaky ensemble timing.

Don't mistake the “power zone” for a “boring box.” A creative drill designer can still work plenty of magic within this area. You can create dynamic staging, layered impact points, and strong visual moments, all while keeping the band positioned for success. Plus, by keeping performers in the audience's primary sight lines, your best moments won't get lost in the corners of the field. It's all about doing more with less, and making sure your band always plays (and looks) bigger than it is.

The Power Zone

Intervals
When designing for a small band, interval size matters more than you might think. Too tight, and your band looks cramped, too wide, and you risk losing musical cohesion. So what's the magic number? Three.

2-step intervals often make the group look smaller than it actually is. 2-step is visually compact, but not exactly impressive from the stands. 4-step intervals can make your band look larger, but can spread your winds too far apart, especially in curvilinear or symmetrical forms. That often leads to phasing, lack of ensemble confidence, and weaker musical impact.

3-step intervals hit the sweet spot. They give your drill a more expansive, open look while keeping your players close enough to stay together musically. This interval works wonderfully in curvilinear forms, where flow and spacing are key. It offers the best of both worlds: a bigger visual footprint without sacrificing cohesion (or power).

In short? If you want your small band to look and sound stronger, 3-step interval spacing is the way to go. You can experiment with using other intervals: I've used a 2.5-step interval in the past, to mixed results. Check out the examples below:

2-step curve

3-step curve

4-step curve

While 3-step intervals are great for curvilinear forms and keeping smaller bands tight without looking cramped, they don't work quite as well in geometric shapes or traditional fronts. Why? Simple: they break the natural flow of the “On, 2 Off, or In Between” (O2OIB) alignment method that we've taught students forever. This simple spacing system has made it easy for decades of performers to find their place on the standard 8-to-5 grid, and 3-step intervals throw that off just enough to cause problems in fronts and precise forms.

Instead, when writing geometric shapes, fronts, or linear forms, go with 2-step intervals for tight, powerful formations that maintain cohesion, or 4-step intervals for broader coverage and a more expansive visual look (provided it does not spread your band too far apart). Both of these options align naturally with the 8-to-5 grid, making it easier for students to clean and easier for designers to build around.

As mentioned earlier, block formations can pack a punch. Even a simple block can convey message and meaning. But your blocks will have more impact if they are "windowed." In a standard block (for example, 4-step spacing left-right and front-back), you run the risk of looking smaller due to the negative space created between columns. You also have the issue of directional brass instruments playing directly into the back of the person that is 4 steps in front of them (an even bigger issue for trombone players if your block is smaller than 4-step intervals).

With windowed blocks, each row is offset, allowing all performers to be visible, helping project the sound without any obstructions (i.e., every spot will have more free space in front of them), and making the group look larger by visually filling the negative space. The offset rows create depth and visual interest in a way that the standard block does not. See the images below for an example.

Standard Block

Windowed Block

The Color Guard
 If you have a small marching band, you probably have a small color guard. And if you are working with a small color guard, you have probably faced the temptation to spread them across the field to make them look bigger. In my experience, that is usually a mistake. 

If your guard has fewer than 12 members, keep them together. Splitting a group of eight guard members into two groups of 4 on either side of the field might seem balanced, but it severely weakens their visual impact. Their strength lies in motion, color, and ensemble effect, and that is amplified when they move as one. A unified color guard enhances clarity, power, and contributes more significantly to the visual package, especially in small-band settings.

One of the most effective ways to feature your guard is to integrate them into the band itself (especially in blocks). It adds visual interest and gives the impression of a larger, more coordinated ensemble. Although there are obvious size and ability level differences, think of the moment in the 1993 Phantom Regiment show when the guard pops out from behind the horn players in Fire of Eternal Glory. How could you do something similar with your guard? Moments like this are simple, but highly dramatic and visually unforgettable.

Of course, you need always be mindful of intervals with guard staging. Depending on the choreography, it is always advisable to keep the guard at a minimum 6-step interval, with 7- or 8-step intervals (or larger) being better for complex choreography. 

All the World's a Stage

A football field is a massive stage. Large university and high school marching bands make that stage appear smaller through sheer size. Smaller bands operate at a disadvantage in this particular area, but...what can we do about it? Luckily, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Bands of all sizes have been experimenting with redefining the field boundaries for decades.

One of the best ways to "shrink" the field and make your band seem larger in the process is to use props or other backdrop devices to help focus the audience's attention on the perceived field, instead of the actual field dimensions. This creates visual boundaries that frame your band, and reduces negative space. Check out the two examples below. Even simple props like the ones pictured on the right can help to reduce the field and make the ensemble look bigger.

Cutting off the Field

Jackson Academy from Mississippi has been doing this for 30+ years. As far back as I can remember, they have had successful marching bands (especially relative to the size of the institution), and they were one of the earliest bands to show the power of making the field look smaller.

Jackson Academy, 2011

However, keep in mind: Props can be difficult and finicky. If you are going to use them to help change the field boundaries, make sure they look polished (well-painted, not held together by duct tape, etc.), make sure they are easily transported and can be set up/broken down in an easy manner that doesn't take long, and make sure they can withstand outdoor conditions. Especially wind. I'm sure every band director and drill designer has horror stories they can relate about props that have made sudden, wind-assisted dashes for "freedom."

​Even simple elements like sideline banners, wing props, or minimalist backdrops can create a more intimate, focused stage. The key is making them intentional and functional. Props that are fully integrated with your show theme allows for your performers to interact with them more organically throughout the show.

Artistry in Motion

At the end of the day, you are still writing drill that comes to life only when in motion. When writing for small or developing bands, that often means striking a balance between musical integrity and visual energy. Here are a few techniques that can help maximize your show’s effect, without burning out your performers.

Counter-Motion
One of the easiest ways to make your show feel more dynamic, without increasing tempo or step size, is to use counter-motion. When different sections move in opposing directions, it creates the illusion of speed and complexity, even at a moderate temp, standard 8-to-5 pace. This technique can simulate higher velocity and inject excitement and energy into transitions and impact moments. It can also make small bands look larger by  filling more of the field visually, even if overall movement is limited.

Staggering Responsibilities
You don't need to have everyone moving all of the time. Instead of making everyone march during every phrase, stage the band's movement in layers. When one group is playing a complex or expressive line, let them hold position while others move around them. This adds visual contrast, without a sacrifice in sound.

You know who has absolutely MASTERED this, even though they could probably jazz run at 180bpm and still play most of their music flawlessly? The Blue Devils. Go watch any of their shows from the past several decades, and you'll see plenty of examples of intelligent drill design and staging, especially the staggering of musical and visual responsibilities. This has the added benefit of helping prevent fatigue/giving certain sections of the ensemble a break from movement.
​
Size Matters
Large step sizes and complex, intricate musical passages simply do not mix. You want to make sure your members are at their most confident during their most difficult or expressive musical moments. Having them moving backwards at a 6-to-5, or doing jazz runs of 4-to-5 across the field, completely upends that maxim.

Save the larger step sizes for percussion features, or for sections that accompany the main melodic motives. This will result in a more confident and polished musical AND visual performance.

What say you? Did I miss any obvious design tips for smaller or less-experience groups? Feel free to chime in with tips or tricks that have worked for you.

And as mentioned earlier, check out my services if you find yourself in need of a drill writer or music arranger for your marching band this season (or check out my existing stock of marching band music arrangements).