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 Memorization Process
7. Marching Fundamental Preparation
8. 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. 
4. Mandatory Uniform Fitting will occur after you finish registering for class on the day of your Summer Orientation. Uniform fittings will take place from 2:30-4:30pm at the Haas Center for Performing Arts, room 1300 (Music, Theatre, and Dance Main Office).

**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 3.
3. Band Camp Registration Page

B. Band Camp Information

1. Check- In / Campus Housing Move-In

• Friday, August 18 - New Members Report - Day 1 Move In 
  • 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Check In - Band Room (Haas Center for Performing Arts, room 1515)
    • ALL members MUST check in at Band Room before repotting to your on campus Living Center
    • Those commuting must check at some point between 8:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m.
  • 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Living Center Move In
    • ALL members MUST check in at Band Room before repotting to your on campus Living Center
  • 12:00pm Lunch – On Your Own
  • 1:00pm Welcome & Introductions / Guidelines – LAT
  • 1:30pm FUNdamentals (New Members & Color Guard) – HCPA Field
  • 1:45pm Drumline Sectional
  • 5:15pm Dinner (Jets Pizza, Breadsticks, Salad - Provided for New Members, Leadership, Color Guard & Drumline)
  • 6:15pm FUNdamentals
  • 8:00pm Indoor Music Rehearsal (FULL Band)
  • 8:30pm Social Activity
  • 9:00pm Fine!

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:  

  • August 18: All New Members / Returning Color Guard / Returning Drumline:  Move In 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

• 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:
    • Friday, August 18 - Lunch (New Members / Returning Color Guard members / Returning Drumline members)
    • Sunday, August 20 - Breakfast & Lunch
• Members with a GVSU meal plan:
  • Members will use their meal cards for all meals beginning Tuesday, August 22.
• 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 17 and closes August 15 at midnight). The deadline to order through Orefice with this special delivery option is August 15.
• 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. Band Camp Schedule

2023 Band Camp Schedule

Starting Monday, August 28, 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 and Download your music from the "Members Only" area under "Charts and Music," then "Pregame Music and Charts."
  • Pregame Music and Part Assignments
  • Pregame UDB Drill Assignments will be posted on August 11
• Begin memorization of the Pregame Show by following the Memorization Schedule listed in the next section: 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 Memorization Pass Off deadline is August 7.

Show Music and UDB app

• Half Time Shows are not memorized. Members will use their flip folder.
• Check your Show #1 Part Assignment from the "Members Only" area under "Charts and Music," then "2023 Show #1 Music and Charts."
  • Show 1 & 2 Part Assignments
  • 2023 Show #1 Music will be emailed to you
  • 2023 Show #1 Drill assignments for UDB app will be posted by August 14
• Show recordings for each song are located in the menu under "2023 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 Memorization Videos and Submission Process

Each wind & percussion member (including section leaders) are required to have your part to the Pregame Show memorized by August 7. Memorization MUST be 100% accurate.

• Those who do not meet the deadline will placed in the Pregame alternate pool only after you have memorized Pregame.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Beginning the week of June 18, send an email to [email protected] that contains either the recording or video OR contains a link to the recording/video that is due that week ONLY (see schedule below).
  • Identify the Pregame tune in the Subject Line of each email.
• The music must be memorized and 100% accurate with notes and rhythm. This is an honor system.
  • You may play along with the full band recording that is provided on the Pregame Rehearsal Track webpage, but your playing MUST be heard.
• You may submit early or late emails with the recordings or videos or links to the recordings or videos to any part of Pregame.
• Please submit one (1) recording or video per each tune of Pregame. If a week has two tunes of Pregame due, then you will submit two (2) recordings or videos.

Pregame Music Memorization Schedule:

• Week of June 18: Pregame E (Chromatic Spellout - mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
• Week of June 25: Pregame C (Let's Go Blue! - mm=104) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
• Week of July 2: Pregame F (Cheers - mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
• Week of July 9: Pregame D (Fight Song - mm=140 - This will satisfy Pregame G) & #38 GVSU Tag (mm=132) - 2 recordings or videos OR link to recordings or videos due
• Week of July 16: Alma Mater (mm=88), National Anthem (mm=96) - 2 recordings or videos OR link to recordings or videos due
• Week of July 23: Pregame B (Wabash Cannonball - mm=140) - 1 recording or video OR link to a recording or video due
• Week of July 30: 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.

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.