From Screen to Field: 5 Rules for Writing Playable Drumline Parts
- Spencer Perilloux
- Nov 30, 2025
- 3 min read
Every young arranger eventually runs into the same problem: The Playback Lie.
You write something in MuseScore or Sibelius, hit the spacebar, and it sounds incredible. The computer plays every 32nd note perfectly evenly. The midi-cymbals crash and choke instantly. It sounds clean. It sounds exciting.
Then you hand the music to actual high school students, and it falls apart.
Why? Because computer playback doesn't have to deal with physics, gravity, or arm fatigue. Humans do.
I recently reviewed a stack of arrangements for a student, and we kept coming back to the same core lesson: Your job isn't just to write cool notes; it's to communicate clearly so your players can succeed.
Whether you are a band director writing for your drumline or a student trying your hand at arranging, here are 5 rules to ensure your music works on the field, not just on the screen.
1. The "Confused Freshman" Test (Visual Clarity)
Before you print your parts, look at them through the eyes of a panicked 9th grader sight-reading on the field. Barriers to reading are barriers to playing.
Fix Your Beaming: Notation software often defaults to beaming 8th notes in groups of three (mimicking triplets) or across beats. This is a disaster for rhythm reading. Always break beams on the beat so the pulse is visible.
The Scare Factor: Does the tempo need to be Quarter Note = 200? Even if the math is the same, writing in Cut Time (Half Note = 100) lowers the anxiety level of the performers. If the page looks frantic, they will play frantically.
2. Physics vs. Playback (Ergonomics)
This is where non-percussionists struggle the most. Just because the computer plays the note, doesn't mean a hand can get there in time.
Tenor Crossovers: Mime the sticking in the air. If you are asking a player to cross their left hand over their right to hit Drum 4 at 160bpm, you are risking sticks flying into the bleachers. Keep fast runs ergonomic—centered on drums 1 and 2, moving outward logically.
Cymbal Physics: A "Sizzle-Suck" (crash and choke) takes physical time. A single player cannot crash, open, and vacuum-seal the plates shut on back-to-back quarter notes. If you want rapid-fire effects, split the part between two players.
3. Treat the Battery Like a Choir (Tonal Balance)
When writing big impact moments, think of your drumline as a full-range piano chord.
Snares/Spock: Soprano/Piccolo (Highs)
Tenors 3 & 4: Alto/Tenor (Mids)
Bass Drums: Bass (Lows)
A common mistake is ending a fast tenor run on the "Spock" (the highest drum) right on the downbeat of a big chord. This leaves a "hole" in the mid-range frequencies. Anchor your big impacts on Tenor Drums 3 and 4 to ensure the sound is full and powerful.
4. Define the Stickings
In marching percussion, sticking is orchestration. If you leave a run of 32nd notes without sticking, you are leaving the sound up to chance.
Implied Singles: A run of notes without markings implies single strokes (R L R L). This sounds aggressive and intense but is very hard to clean.
Implied Doubles: If you want a smoother, warmer sound (or if the tempo is fast), you probably want double strokes (RR LL).
Don't make your students guess. Write the R and L under the notes. It saves rehearsal time and unifies the sound immediately.
5. Risk vs. Reward (The Bass Drum Philosophy)
Writing for bass drums requires a "Risk vs. Reward" analysis.
Complex splits sound amazing when clean, but they sound like tennis shoes in a dryer when dirty. If you are writing a quick stand tune with limited rehearsal time, ask yourself: Is this split worth the risk?
I follow an "All or Nothing" rule. If a bass part is 90% unison, the players get into a "unison mindset." If you suddenly throw in one measure of complex splits, they will likely miss it. Either commit to a split part (like in a competition show) or keep it unison and powerful. Clean beats dirty every time.
Watch these concepts in action
Below is a scrolling score video of the percussion writing I did for the Garden City High School show. Watch specifically for how the tenor parts flow comfortably and how the bass drum parts prioritize power over complexity.
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