Editing Drum and bugle corps (modern) (section)

=== Instrumentation ===
==== Brass ====
{{Main|Marching brass}}
[[File:2007-Brigadiers-Contra-Line.jpg|thumb|Members of a [[Drum Corps Associates|DCA]] corps from [[Upstate New York]] shown performing in a parade. The lowest-pitched of the horns used in drum corps is the [[contrabass bugle]], or contra.]]

The exclusive use of bell-front [[brass instrument]]ation is a defining musical element of drum corps. Throughout the years, the horns used in drum corps have been changed from true, single-valved [[Bugle (instrument)|bugle]]s to B{{music|b}} brass instruments. While brass bugles in these competitive drum corps began as military signaling devices, successive modifications made them capable of greater ranges of music. These traditionally valveless, key-of-G bugles evolved to include pistons and rotors, gaining notes beyond a single harmonic series.<ref>Dostal, Jack. "A history of brass bugles in American drum and bugle corps." ''The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America'' 142, 2511 (2017). [https://asa-scitation-org.ezproxy2.library.colostate.edu/doi/abs/10.1121/1.5014171 https://asa-scitation-org.ezproxy2.library.colostate.edu/doi/abs/10.1121/1.5014171.]</ref> Until 1999, drum and bugle corps horn lines within DCI were required to be pitched in the key of G. That year, the DCI rules congress passed a rule change to allow "brass bell-front valve instruments in any key with the exception of sousaphones and trombones."<ref>Gibbs, Dave (1999-01-07). A few years later, trombones and concert French Horns were allowed completing the transition from Drum Corps to band.[http://bluedevils.org/news/index.php?newsID=14 "Multi-key Instrument Rule Change"]. Retrieved 2010-08-06.</ref> In World Class, the rule did not go into effect until the 2000 season, while Open Class opted for a two-year [[Moratorium (law)|moratorium]] prior to implementation in 2002; [[Drum Corps Associates|DCA]] followed suit in 2004. Hornlines are now most commonly pitched in B{{music|b}}, with mellophones pitched in F. In 2014, the DCI Board of Directors passed a rule change that changed their definition of a bugle to allow the entire brass family, including trombones and concert French horns.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0 auto;"
|+ Instrument names
|-
! scope="col" | Key of G
! scope="col" | Key of B{{music|b}}
! scope="col" | Key of F
|-
| Soprano/Flugelhorn
| [[Trumpet]]/[[Flugelhorn]]
|
|-
| [[Mellophone]] in G
| Marching [[French Horn]]
| Mellophone in F/French Horn
|-
| Baritone/Euphonium in G
| [[Baritone horn#Marching baritone horn|Baritone]]/[[Euphonium#Marching|Euphonium]] (written in C)
|
|-
| [[Contrabass bugle|Contrabass Bugle]]
| Contrabass (written in C)
|
|}

==== Percussion ====
{{Main|Marching percussion}}

[[File:Bluecoats drum corps 2007 pit.JPG|thumb|right|The [[Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps|Bluecoats]] pit used thematic vocal amplification in their 2007 performance, "Criminal."]]

The [[Percussion instrument|percussion]] section consists of two subsections: the [[front ensemble]] (also known as "pit") and the [[Marching percussion|battery]] (also known as the "drumline").

[[File:Music City Drum line.png|thumb|[[Music City Drum and Bugle Corps|Music City]] Drum Line working hard to perfect its 2024 program “Leave it at the River”]]

Front ensemble members perform on [[orchestral percussion]], [[electronic instruments]], and a wide variety of other auxiliary instruments such as [[hammered dulcimer]]. Since the [[Keyboard percussion instrument|keyboard instruments]] do not project as well as brass or marching percussion, they are often amplified to produce adequate sound. Due to the size of these instruments, the pit typically remains stationary, positioned directly in front of the field and centered on or around the 50-yard line. However, some groups use the front ensemble in creative ways by moving them around the field or putting them in different locations. A full-size front ensemble typically features 10 to 15 members.

Members of the battery perform on [[marching percussion]] instruments, including [[snare drum]]s, [[tenor drum]]s (also known as "quads", "quints", or "tenors"), tonal [[bass drum]]s, and cymbals.  A full-size battery typically features 7&ndash;10 snare drummers, 3&ndash;6 tenor drummers, 5-6 bass drummers, and sometimes cymbal players, which tends to be 4-6 players in size.