MALLET

Something that can only be thrown or dropped.

MARCHING BARITONE

A version of a baritone created based on enhancements over the successful design of a Marching French Horn. Heavier than the Mellophone.

MARCHING FRENCH HORN

1.An instrument designed to be unable to tune, kill all Sophomores who attempt to keep the horn up, and make it impossible to snap.

2. See Mellophone.

MARCHING SHOES

Ugly, comfy, relatively inexpensive footwear.

MARK-TIME

A time when people only move their feet (without changing location) to some tempo, usually "to the beat of a different drum."

MASSA, The

The voice from above during marching season; nickname for our director.

MELLOPHONE

An untunable version of a French horn (although there is no such thing as a French horn that is in tune) used by many schools. Based on a trumpet design.

MELODY

The loudest voice, usually carried by the trumpets or flutes.

MEMORIZATION

An action that is supposed to take place in conjunction with sets and music between band camp and the commencement of the regular year, but does not generally happen, except for the section leader, until playing tests are issued or the year is completed.

MESH

A field drill not favorable by those who have to pass through the percussion, sousaphones, trombones, or the bell front baritones.

MEZZO-FORTE

The highest dynamic marking of any woodwind excluding the piccolo.

MISTING

The meteorological term that the adult staff use for saying, "It's raining, but we don't give a $#!@."

MOUNTAIN DEW

The substance that is drank in substitution of water.

MOUTHPIECE

A critical piece to a brass instrument which is meant to be dropped or thrown onto grass, on stages, and/or sometimes mud if not forgotten.

MOVIES

The other way to keep busy on the bus, a major contributing factor to amusement at band parties along with band brawl.

MUD

A substance that the school wishes to grow and therefore waters the field every night in hopes of increasing.

MUSIC

1. Papers that contain little black lines and dots with strange symbols that somehow show what the music is to sound like.
2. The succession of these notes that, in theory, should sound good. Unfortunately, we're not all in Theory - we're in Marching Band.

MUSIC THEORY

Who cares!

NOTES

1. Little round dots on lines that show the approximate pitch that the instrument player tries to hit.
2. The language of music, similar to "BASIC," "Pascal," or "C" for computers.

OBOE

A double-reed instrument used for obtaining a clarinet sound in a piccolo range.

OHIO

Whats round in the ends and high in the middle?

ON TIME

To never be. See reasoning for early.

ORCHESTRA

A group of instruments that cant be marched with, HA HA sucks to be you!

PARADE-REST

A form of relaxation while standing up. Little talking, but some required keeping band geeks sane.

PEDAL

A low vibration tone produced by brass instruments when jaw is loosened. Noise is sometimes mistaken for the conventional brain fart.

PENCIL

A device that nobody has on his or her stands although we act like we do.

PEP BAND

An ensemble that goes to basketball (and Hockey) games with the sole purpose of embarrassing themselves. Slouching, sitting around, and eating is aloud. To be apart of jazz band is be apart of pep band.

PERCUSSION

1. The group of instruments that hit sticks or mallets to keep some beat or other.

2. Also see Irresponsible.

PERCUSSION SECTION LEADER

The leader of the percussion section whose main requirement for the job is to screw off and annoy the director.

PERCUSSION STORAGE ROOM

The room where all the marching percussion is stored (outfitted with a couch and a broken chair).

PERFECTIONIST

1. These are the sole members of the band who have nothing better to do than to be picky about everyone else in the band.

2. What is to be considered as a requirement instead of a goal.

PERFORMANCE

See concert.

PIANO

A form of "air-band" playing style. This feat hasn't actually been done.

PICCOLO

A high-pitched instrument similar to that of the flute, only you can actually hear that it's out of tune.

PICCOLO TRUMPET

An instrument designed to do the same job as a trumpet with some minor enhancements - since it's an octave higher.

PIT

Percussion instruments that have pitches (like a piano) that play either half a beat earlier or later than the band, opposite of the drum line.

PLUME

The most dangerous part of the full uniform because of its flammability: Takes 2 seconds to burn properly. Sometimes you just want to pet it.

POMS

The equivalent to cheerleader but they march.

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE

A painful form of obligation by every band geek during three of their four years in high school. An extremely useful and effective form of torture for underclassmen.

PRACTICE

The constant repetition of a sequence of notes in an unsuccessful attempt to become skilled. Usually drives family members either away from home or insane.

PSEUDO-GEEK

1. Somebody who isn't in band but thinks he is. Attends band parties, competitions, and rehearsals. This is not to be confused with a former band geek, or graduated band geek.

2. See also wannabe band geek.

PSYCHIATRIC HELP

What all band geeks need.

PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION (P.D.A.)

A touchy (literally), debatable subject among band geeks. Something that happens regardless of what rules exist or peer pressure is made on people. Something that happens on the bus, in the stands, during water breaks, before and after rehearsals, during lunch and dinner breaks, on the Band Table, at Band Parties, and just about anywhere else where the rest of the band is forced to watch a couple be disgustingly cutesy together.

PUSHUPS

The activity that is done when your birthday falls within the school year. One pushup for every year.