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. Selected Music Memorization
7. Marching Fundamental Preparation
8. GVSU Fight Song Lyrics and GVSU Alma Mater Lyrics and Parts

2025 LMB Townhall Meeting - Thursday, July 10

There will be 2 identical LMB Zoom Townhall Meetings on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 7:00pm and 8:00pm.

All LMB members or a parent/guardian are required to attend 1 of the 2 identical meetings.

The Zoom Links are located on the LMB Website in the Virtual Meetings.

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 14 - New Color Guard an Drumline Members Arrive
  • LMB Band Camp Schedule
• Friday, August 15 - 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 14: 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 15: 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 14 - Lunch 
    • Friday, August 15 - Lunch for New Woodwind and Brass Members
    • Sunday, August 17 - Breakfast & Lunch
• Members with a GVSU meal plan:
  • Members will use their meal cards for all meals beginning Tuesday, August 19.
• 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 is activated!). 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 14
• Drumline: Check Out and Fittings on Thursday, August 14
• New Woodwind and Brass Members: Fittings on Friday, August 22

9. Band Camp Schedule

2025 Band Camp Schedule

Starting Monday, August 25, 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

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 "2025 Show #1 Music and Charts."
  • Show 1 & Show 2 Part Assignments will be posted on July 15
  • Show #1 and Show 2 Music will be emailed to you
  • Show #1 Drill assignments for UDB app will be posted by August 14
• Show recordings for each song are located in the menu under "2025 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.

Selected Music Memorization

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

1. Pregame

Pregame Music Memorization will be required by the Piccolo and Drumline sections ONLY. 

• Piccolo and Drumline Pregame Memorization pass offs will be held in person at band camp.
• All pass offs must be completed by Monday, August 25.

2. "March to the Stadium"

All Woodwind, Brass, and Drumline members are required to memorize the "March to Stadium" songs: 

• GVSU Fight Song (Full)
  • Music located in Members Only / Music and Charts / Warms Ups & School Songs
• Warm Up Chorale (You'll Never Walk Alone)
  • Music located in Members Only / Music and Charts / Warms Ups & School Songs
• #38 Tag
  • Located in Pregame Music
• Tuning Sequence
  • Music located in Members Only / Music and Charts / Warm Ups & School Songs

3. Halftime

There is no memorization requirement for halftime music.

• Piccolos and Drumline sections must be able to perform halftime music with a flipfolder or will be required to memorize. 
•  

** 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.