I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am SO TIRED of seeing rack setups be wimpy in high school front ensembles. It is essential to set your students up for success, and even more critical is to have a variety of timbres and colors to add to your ensemble. I've compiled a few of my "must have's" when creating my rack setups. I know that a cost is associated with filling out a rack and is often at the bottom of directors' radars. However, this is my mindset when designing accessory setups within the front ensemble. I usually aim to have two rack players per setup, and having a wide variety of tools at their and my disposal will ensure a range of timbral and color options.
Drums:
"What can they hit for impact moments?" With the purpose of the rack position being to add color to an ensemble, the first thought should be associated with making your big hits even bigger. Some considerations for impact moments should include
Concert Bass Drum
Tam-Tam (The bigger, the better)
Concert Toms
Impact Drum
Snare Drum
I usually aim to have two to three concert toms. If I must settle for two, I will select the lowest drums I have. I will mount a kick drum on its side for an impact drum to allow mallets to be used. For snare drums, I have always wanted to use multiple snare drums for different moments. However, the opportunity has yet to present itself.
Regarding drums in the front ensemble, PLEASE prioritize replacing the heads as much as you prioritize replacing the heads in the battery. You want all sounds to be of high quality; by doing this, you help ensure good sounds from your pit.
Cymbals:
My favorite addition to any rack. There are hundreds of options for cymbal types, colors, and brands, but for a rack setup, my philosophy is that the larger the variety, the better. Some of my "must have's" include:
Ride Cymbal(s)
Crash Cymbal(s)
Splash Cymbal(s)
China Cymbal(s)
Sizzle Cymbal(s)
Zil Bell(s)
Ozone Cymbal(s)
Stack(s)
Spiral Trash Cymbal(s)
Swish Knocker(s)
I have had racks with four cymbals (boring) and 14 cymbals (cool). Always ensure that the cymbals have quality hardware and clamps and that the students can set things up quickly and efficiently.
Accessories:
There are a lot of "random" instruments we ask students to play on the rack. Discussing proper techniques and maintenance responsibilities with students before asking them to play them is essential. This category has an endless amount of options. However, some examples include:
Tambourine (Headed or Mounted)
Woodblocks/Jam Blocks
Cowbell
Vibraslap
Flexatone
Claves
Finger Cymbals
Wind Chimes
Mark Tree
Bell Tree
Ensuring a quality storage solution for all of this equipment on the rack is extremely important. It will go missing first if it is loose and very little is mounted. Having a proper storage solution will help prevent many issues in the future.
Hand Drums:
This category is one that only some groups will delve into. Still, I have found it to be significant developmentally for players' timing and help to add a different timbre to groups. As with all other categories, ensure proper instruction to the students before they receive and work on music. The last thing you want is for a stick to go through a djembe head the week before State Finals...
Some hand drum options include:
Bongos
Djembe
Congas (A pain to transport, but consider using LP Practice Congas. They have no shell to them, but you can still get quality tones and slaps out of the heads)
Tabla
Cajon
Finding ways to mount these items can be a pain, but doing so will help broaden your students' perspectives and give your front ensemble a different timbre.
Electronics:
In recent years, there has been a push to expand electronics from just the electronics section into the rest of the pit. While this has some drawbacks, such as mounting, cabling, and power, the activity will continue to move in this direction. Some options you have for mounting include:
Electronic Drum Pad (Yamaha DTX, Alesis Strike, Etc.)
Pearl Malletstation
Ableton Push (Yes, I've done it, No I don't recommend it)
Theremin
If you include electronics in your setup, ensure your students know how to work and set up the electronics. This will save you many headaches when dealing with technical issues!
Mallets:
Personally speaking, every time I mounted a mallet instrument to a rack, I regretted it. It becomes a challenge regarding sub-sectionals and setup and takes away from other usable space on the rack. That being said, some mallet options include:
Glockenspiel
Crotales
Piccolo Xylophone
I'm sure I have missed many things people have mounted on marching racks over the years. The important thing is to ensure that students are given various tools to be successful and to help bring your show to a new level of design and success.
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