Welcome New LMB Members!

This page outlines all the information you will need for your summer preparation to the LMB band camp. Please read each section in its entirety and carefully. 

The sections cover the following topics:

1. Important Dates
2. Summer Orientation Date
3. Band Camp Registration and Information
4. Accessing the "Members Only" area on the LMB website
5. Pregame and Show Music
6. Pregame Music Pass Off Process
7. Color Guard Show 1 Pass Off
8. Marching Fundamental Preparation
9. GVSU Fight Song Lyrics and GVSU Alma Mater Lyrics and Parts

Summer Orientation Date

Registering for Marching Band and Uniform Fitting

1. Please call Dr. John Martin (616) 328-1500 if you have ANY Orientation Day questions!
2. Inform your summer orientation advisors that you ARE a member of the Laker Marching Band when planning your fall schedule.
3. Register for marching band (MUS 107 Section 01) for your fall schedule. Marching band is a 1 credit class. Those auditioning for Woodwind/Brass, Color Guard & Drumline after your Orientation date, please go ahead and register for marching band! You will still need to complete a successful audition.

*Please remember that MUS 107 is a tuition refund class, only if you register for more than 15 credits in the fall. After you pay for the additional credit(s) above 15, one of the credits above 15 becomes the marching band credit, and you will be refunded the full 1 credit tuition amount in November. Any questions concerning this policy, please contact Dr. Martin at [email protected] or call (616) 328-1500.

Band Camp Registration and Information

A. Band Camp Registration
 

1. The online Band Camp Registration Form will be open by July 1
2. All LMB members are requested to submit their registration on July 1. The registration form will close August 4.
3. Band Camp Registration Page

B. Band Camp Information

1. Check- In / Campus Housing Move-In

• Thursday, August 15 - New Color Guard an Drumline Members Arrive
  • LMB Band Camp Schedule
• Friday, August 16 - New Woodwind and Brass Members Arrive
  • LMB Band Camp Schedule

2. Housing

If are living in campus housing during the school year, arrangements have been made for you to move into your dorm or living center for band camp at no cost to you. Do not call the housing office. The band has informed them of your early move-in date. GV Housing will e-mail you with your specific move in time on your selected move in date.

Move - In Schedule:  

• Move - In Schedule:  

  • Thursday, August 15: New Color Guard and Drumline Members Arrive: Move in 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. All members MUST FIRST check in at the Band Room (room 1515, Haas Center for Performing Arts) before moving into your Living Center.
  • Friday, August 16: New Woodwind and Brass Members Arrive:  Move In 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. All members MUST FIRST check in at the Band Room (room 1515, Haas Center for Performing Arts) before moving into your Living Center.

• Please indicate your housing status on the online Band Camp Registration Form. If you are planning to live off-campus during the academic year, you should contact your individual landlord to make arrangements for early move-in. This is usually not a problem but if a conflict should occur, please contact us and we will assist you in finding accommodations during band camp.

   

3. Meals for Band Camp

• All meals are provided during Band Camp with the following exceptions:
  • Meals NOT provided during Band Camp:
    • Thursday, August 15 - Lunch 
    • Friday, August 16 - Lunch for New Woodwind and Brass Members
    • Sunday, August 20 - Breakfast & Lunch
• Members with a GVSU meal plan:
  • Members will use their meal cards for all meals beginning Tuesday, August 20.
• Members with no GVSU meal plan:
  • All meals are provided with the exceptions listed above.

4. Instruments / Equipment

The following school-owned marching instruments are available at no charge; however, the student is liable for any damage, or if the instrument is lost/stolen:

Baritones • Drumline • Mellophones • Sousaphones • Color Guard

*Arrangements can be made to pick up your instrument early by contacting Dr. Martin at [email protected] or by phone at (616) 328-1500.

5. Flip Folders and Lyres

• Lyres - All wind players and percussionists are required to have a lyre for your instrument (Piccolo players will need an arm lyre). GVSU provides lyres for the following university owned instruments: mellophones, baritones, and snare. Sousaphones do not use a lyre.
• Flip folders- ALL WIND AND PERCUSSION MEMBERS must provide your own flip folder with a minimum of 15 pages. 

6. Band Camp Costs / Fees / Travel Expenses

• The Band Camp Registration Fee is $50 (Breakdown: $40 for food during Band camp / $10 for end-of-year uniform dry cleaning). 
• If you are not able to pay the $50 Band Camp Registration Fee, please contact Dr. Martin ([email protected])
• New members are provided: LMB Baseball Cap, Winter Knit Cap, LMB T-shirt, marching gloves, and LMB Scarf.
• Returners are provided with the LMB T-Shirt, gloves, 3^rd Year Hoodie or 4^th Year Jacket
• Returners can order a replacement clothing on the Band camp Registration Form. Payment for replacement clothing item will be made at Band Camp Check In. (Winter Knit Hat - $5.00 / LMB Baseball cap - $23.00 / LMB Scarf - $22.00 / Hoodie - $32.00 / Jacket - $43.00)
• Marching Shoes
  • ​​All wind and percussion members are responsible for black marching shoes (i.e. Drillmasters, Dingles, etc.), lyre, and flip folder expenses. 
  • Color Guard members are responsible for your shoes; Mrs. Sikkema will provide information.
  • All shoes (Winds, Percussion, & Color Guard) can be bought at a Music Store or Orefice LTD. If you choose to order from Orefice, they will deliver the shoes to the Haas Center for Performing Arts and will be distributed when they arrive on campus. To order through Orefice, use their separate order form (Link activates on July 18 and closes August 11 at midnight). The deadline to order through Orefice with this special delivery option is August 11.
• All travel expenses are covered by GVSU Bands and each student will be given a per diem (cash) for meals while traveling. 

7. Items Needed For Band Camp

• Comfortable, loose fitting clothes • Suntan lotion • Flip folder • Music lyre

• Tennis shoes with socks • Sunglasses • Pencil • Baseball cap • Water Bottle/Camelback • Valve oil, cork grease, etc. SANDALS / FLIPFLOPS ARE NOT PERMITTED! • Spending Money

8. Uniform Check Out Schedule

• Color Guard: Check out on Thursday, August 15
• Drumline: Check Out and Fittings on Thursday, August 15
• New Woodwind and Brass Members: Fittings on Friday, August 23

9. Band Camp Schedule

2024 Band Camp Schedule

Starting Monday, August 26, we will begin normal marching band rehearsal time M,W,F 4:00 p.m. to 5:50 p.m. and Tuesday 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Accessing the "Members Only" area on the LMB Website

The "Members Only" of the Laker Marching Band (LMB) website contains all of your music (Pregame), drill charts (Pregame & Shows), Pregame & Alma Mater audio tracks, and other important documents for the LMB members.

To Access the "Members Only" area:

1. Enter the first part of your GVSU e-mail (example - [email protected], then my username = marjohnt)
2. Enter your password for your GVSU e-mail account

**If you have not activated your GVSU e-mail, then you will need to use the default username and password listed below:
username = louie 
password = golakers

Pregame and Show Music and Charts

Pregame Music and Charts

• Check your Pregame Part Assignment or access from the "Members Only" area under "Charts and Music," then "Pregame Music and Charts."
  • Download your Pregame Part Music or access from the "Members Only" area under "Charts and Music," then "Pregame Music and Charts."
  • Pregame UDB Drill Assignments will be posted on August 11
• Begin work on the Pregame Show by following the Schedule listed in the next section: Bounce Step Cadence (Drumline Only), Page A, Alma Mater, Star Spangled Banner, Page B, Page C, Page D, Page E, Page F, Page G, and #38 GVSU Tag.
• Pregame Rehearsal Tracks for each part for each Pregame tune are located in the "Members Only" area under "Charts and Music," then "Pregame Music and Charts."
  • Pregame Rehearsal Tracks
• Pregame Pass Off (memorized or not memorized) deadline is August 12.

Show Music and UDB app

• Half Time Shows are not memorized. Members will use their flip folder.
• Check your Show #1 Part Assignment or access from the "Members Only" area under "Charts and Music," then "2023 Show #1 Music and Charts."
  • Show 1 & Show 2 Part Assignments will be posted on July 15
  • 2024 Show #1 and Show 2 Music will be emailed to you
  • 2024 Show #1 Drill assignments for UDB app will be posted by August 14
• Show recordings for each song are located in the menu under "2024 Season", then "Halftime shows"
• The Laker Marching Band uses the Ultimate Drill Book (UDB) app to learn drill for Pregame and all Halftime Shows.
  • The UDB app is provided for you and instructions will be emailed to you in August on how to download the app to your phone
  • The UDB app is our "textbook" for MUS 107 and is required for all members. 
  • A UDB training Zoom session will be held in early August for all members.

Pregame Music Videos and Submission Process (memorized of not memorized)

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

1. Non-Leadership Winds and Percussion members must submit a video either memorized or not (See #2 below) for each song of Pregame for pass off.

• Non-Leadership Wind and Percussion members must be passed off on their Pregame music by the Monday before Band Camp (Monday, August 19 for 2024) to be eligible to march in Pregame.
  • Leadership members must submit their videos to [email protected] by July 1.
• Pregame Pass Off Songs: Bounce Step Cadence (Drumline Only); Pregame A, Alma Mater, National Anthem, Pregame B, Pregame C, Pregame D, Pregame E, Pregame F, Pregame G, #38 Tag
• One (1) Video or link to a video for each song of Pregame that state either memorized or not memorized must be emailed to [email protected] during the week it is due (see schedule below) or by the Monday before Band Camp (Monday, August 19 for 2024).
  • Members must either play along with the provided Pregame song recording located on the Pregame Rehearsal Track webpage or have a metronome playing at the required tempo for each Pregame song (see schedule below).
  • Videos will either be passed off for memorization or for playing the song with 95% accuracy (note placement, rhythm, tempo, articulation, dynamics, etc.).
  • Member’s videos not passed off will be notified by their section leader and provided feedback for the non-pass with in 48 hours of receiving the video or video link. Members are encouraged to resubmit as soon as possible. Section Leaders will be available for any help needed. 
• Section Leaders will evaluate their section member’s videos.
• Directors will evaluate Section Leader videos.

2. Wind and Percussion Members will have the option to either memorize (highly encouraged) or not their Pregame Music.

• Members who have passed off all Pregame music memorized will not use their flip folder during the Pregame Show performance.
  • Those who pass off all Pregame Music memorized will be recognized at the Laker Marching Band Banquet with a “Certificate of Memorization Excellence.”
• Members who have not been passed off on any part of the Pregame music memorized will use their flip folder during the Pregame Show performance.
  • Members can continue to pass off Pregame game music memorized at any time during the season.
  • Once all Pregame music is passed off memorized, the member will not use their flip folder during the Pregame Show performance for the remainder of the season and recognized at the Laker Marching Band Banquet with a “Certificate of Memorization Excellence.”

Though we highly encourage everyone to have their Pregame Music memorized, it does not define who we are! Whether using or not using a flip folder, the “Pride of the Midwest”  Pregame Show states, through energetic school spirit, pageantry, and performance excellence, our unwavering support for our University, GVSU Lakers, and Laker Nation.

Pregame Music Pass Off Schedule:

• Week of July 1: 
  • Pregame E (Chromatic Spellout - mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
  • Pregame C (Let's Go Blue! - mm=104) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
• Week of July 8: 
  • Pregame F (Cheers - mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
  • Pregame D (Fight Song - mm=140 - This will satisfy Pregame G) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
  • #38 GVSU Tag (mm=132) - 1 recordings or video OR link to recording or video due
• Week of July 15: 
  • Alma Mater (mm=88) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
  • National Anthem (mm=96) - 1 recording or video OR link to recording or video due
• Week of July 22: 
  • Pregame B (Wabash Cannonball - mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
• Week of July 29: 
  • Pregame A (mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
     

** If you need a GVSU marching instrument for the rest of the summer, please contact Dr. Martin at [email protected] or call (616) 328-1500.

Color Guard - Show 1 Pass Off

All Color Guard are required to submit selected Show 1 Pass Off videos.

• Show 1 Pass Off Songs: Mr. Brightside, Backstreet's back, YMCA, and Country Roads.
  • Narco is not included in this process
• One (1) Video or link to a video for each song of the Show 1 Pass Off must be emailed to [email protected] by the Monday before Band Camp (Saturday, August 18 for 2024).
  • Members must either display their work while the song recording is playing. The correct song recordings with cuts are located at 2024 LMB Halftime Shows or on the the LMB Website / 2024 Season / 2024 Halftime Shows.
  • The Notes and Videos for Show 1 songs can be found on the 2024 LMB Color Guard Section message platform/group.
  • Videos will be passed off at 95% accuracy (correct flag work, tempo, flow, choreography, etc.).
  • Member’s videos not passed off will be notified by their section leader and provided feedback for the non-pass with in 48 hours of receiving the video or video link. Members are encouraged to resubmit as soon as possible. Section Leaders will be available for any help needed. 
• Section Leaders will evaluate their section member’s videos.
• Directors will evaluate Section Leader videos.

Suggested Pass Off Schedule:

• Week of July 15: Mr. Brightside
• Week of July 22: Backstreet's Back
• Week of July 29: YMCA
• Week of August 5: Country Roads

Marching Fundamental Preparation

• The GVSU LMB uses an 8 to 5 step (glide step) as the basis for our marching fundamentals.
• The LMB Marching Fundamental Handbooks and Videos are located in the "Members Only" area under "LMB Documents."

While all LMB members march the half time shows, Pregame is an alternate based show where the best marchers and players are chosen at band camp. All members should  prepare by studying the marching fundamental handbook and videos. 

GVSU Fight Song Lyrics and GVSU Alma Mater Lyrics and Parts

GVSU Fight Song - All members are required to memorize the lyrics to GVSU Victory

"We want a Grand Valley Victory,
as Lakers we have pride,
Our team will lead us on,
Blue and White we're at your side!

We want a Grand Valley victory,
as our foes will quickly see.
Raise! Your! Voices and cheer,
for a Victory!
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

GVSU Alma Mater - All members are required to memorize the lyrics and able to sing a part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, or Bass)

Music & Audio tracks for each part (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) are on the LMB website in the "Members Only" area under "Music and Charts."

Please look over the parts and memorize the lyrics before band camp. We will either sing or play the Alma Mater in our Pregame show.