Join the Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe!
By: Catherine Chen ‘24
Have you ever wanted to learn to play a new instrument?
Or, perhaps, be a part of the Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe?
PC: Ben Chua
There are so many benefits, ranging from social to monetary, and you don’t even need to know how to read sheet music to join -- you’ll be taught how to play during band camp! The only requirements for joining band are:
you must attend band camp, which takes place for about a week (a week and a half for Silks and Drumline), right before the beginning of every fall semester
you need to know how to (and be willing to) work hard and play hard!
Most members join as freshmen when they first enter USC, but others join as transfers (like me!), grad students, or about-to-graduate seniors who decided they wanted to have fun during their last year at USC.
In the rest of this article are some pros, cons, and fun traditions that come as being a part of the Spirit of Troy. If you happen to decide to join this year, be sure to stop by the Tuba section to say “hi” to me (and the other Tubas) during band camp in August!
Band camp, August 2021. PC: Ben Chua
1 - Kickstart your USC social life with a bang
When current band members are asked about the main reasons why students should join the Trojan Marching Band, almost all mention friendship as one of their primary points.
Bethany, a Tenor Sax player, says: “The community is actually amazing! I’ve never been in a community that is as welcoming [and] accepting (especially so quickly) as the TMB is. I came into college super worried about making friends, but literally by the end of band camp, I had so many good friends that I hope to stay close with for a very long time!”
Derek from the Tuba section adds, “All of my closest friends have been made in marching bands. Including my fiancé. The amount of time we spend together leads to great friendships for a lifetime.”
Band culture varies from section to section, but there is a wide diversity of people and majors in every single one. USC Silks, for example, includes people from theatre, pre-med, pre-law, and engineering. (In fact, engineers made up about 25% of the entire band in 2020.)
Meet someone from the band in one of your classes? You automatically become friends, since you have that amazing common ground to start off from.
The USC Silks, September 2021. PC: Ben Chua
2 - Get great perks and benefits
So what are some of the other reasons you should consider joining the TMB?
Here are a few to start you off:
Free access to home football games (since you play at them! it’s definitely a unique view from the stands)
2 free tickets to each home football game (to give away to friends and family)
Free trips to select away games during the fall season (most notably the NorCal trip to Stanford or Berkeley, the once-every-two-years trip to Notre Dame, and class trips for sophomore / junior / senior band members)
A small stipend during basketball season or when playing for gigs
Free “gear” (like two red band t-shirts and a duffel / drawstring bag -- or backpack, if you’re in Silks)
Song Girls and the TMB ready to perform at Navy Pier, 2021. PC: Ben Chua
Armin, part of the band’s Clarinet section, gives four additional, compelling reasons why you shouldn’t pass up a chance to join the TMB:
You get to sit with your friends at every game
People cheer everywhere you go (whenever you’re in uniform)
[You get to p]erform with famous people (like T-Pain or the LA Philharmonic)
Ben Chua will take your picture
In addition, both fall and spring band can count for credit if you happen to need an extra unit or two to graduate! But you don’t need to take the extra credit if you don’t need it. :)
3 - Participate in some of the funnest traditions at USC
Ever heard of how the band plays in front of Leavey Library during finals week? It takes place late at night and is exceedingly fun . . . shhhhhh . . .
One of the last halftime shows of the 2021 season. PC: Ben Chua
The cons: reasons you should think twice
So we’ve gone over the pros; now what about the cons? What are reasons you might not want to join the marching band?
First up: the heavy time commitment required during the fall semester.
During the fall, practices are two hours from 3:45-5:45pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. (If you have class conflicts, you just need to let your section leaders know ahead of time which days you’ll be late, or won’t make it at all.) On Saturday mornings, rehearsals are usually 2-3 hours from 7am on. For gamedays, your entire Saturday is full - morning practice, getting into uniform 2-3 hours before kickoff, marching back from the Coliseum after the game - it can be a good 10 hours in total, not to mention the complete exhaustion you feel after every game.
(The exhaustion is real. Believe me. Some instruments, like bass drums and sousaphones, are said to cause more pain than others. But no one can completely escape this horror.)
On the other hand, you don’t need to play at all during the spring semester if you don’t feel like it! But you’ll be missing out on some things like stipends, or potential trips to Las Vegas if our basketball team does really well. :)
The TMB at the 2022 Rams playoff game. PC: Ben Chua
How to join the band :)
It’s very easy to join the TMB! All you need to do is head over to this webpage and fill out the form you find there: https://uscband.usc.edu/join-now/. No auditions are required, although there are auditions for twirler positions and placement in drumline. A few sections will also hold “auditions” to determine what musical parts each member will play (e.g. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trombone). Nearly everyone gets to participate in pregame and halftime shows, so generally your musical ability won’t affect your chance to march very much.
Not sure which instrument you should pick up? Below is a list of all the sections in the Trojan Marching Band (all of percussion belongs to one big section, while the other instruments are separate):
Woodwinds: Flute/Piccolo, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone and Tenor Saxophone
Brass: Mellophone (French Horn), Trumpet, Trombone, and Sousaphone (Tuba)
Percussion: Snare, Quad, Bass, and Cymbals
Auxiliary: Silks (Tall Flags)
I suggest choosing an instrument that speaks to you, and that you want to learn to play. If you don’t want to learn to play music, join the Silks! Note that it is also possible to switch instruments during band camp and later on in the season, although it is harder to switch the longer you wait.
Last but not least, be sure to check out the main TMB website and their page on FAQs!
USC vs. Notre Dame 2021. PC: Ben Chua
My personal experience
I’m one of those people who didn’t have much music experience growing up. Before USC, I wasn’t even entirely sure what marching bands did during football games.
I first learned about the Spirit of Troy after I saw a post on Reddit asking if it was really true that no experience is required to join the TMB. That piqued my interest! I did a bit of research on USC’s band, then decided I was going to give it a try.
In August 2021, I went through my first band camp as a Silk, then switched to Tuba about two weeks later. Although I had very basic experience in piano and violin, I’d never even touched a brass instrument before in my life. The TAs and more experienced members of the Tuba section did a lot to help get me started on playing and marching, as well as adjusting to the weight of the instrument. The one thing I wish I’d done is spent more time out of rehearsal practicing music, since I was (and still am) quite a bit behind in terms of playing skill. I’ll definitely be coming back for the 2022 football season though!
Me marching out of the Coliseum tunnel before pregame. PC: Ben Chua
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