Key of B♭120 bpm
How to write the chart
- Strain: 1 4 5 1
- One line per section. The name before the colon is optional. Each chord is one bar.
- m · 7 · m7 · 6 · maj7 · sus4 · dim
- m or - for minor, then 6, 7, maj7, 9, sus4, add9, ♭9, ♯11, ♭13. Parentheses are fine. Marches are mostly plain chords.
- II · III7 · V
- Roman numerals: capitals are major. Use them for the chords marches lean on, like II heading to 5, or V in a minor key.
- bVII · bVI7 · #4dim
- Flat or sharp a scale degree. Borrowed chords play major unless marked m.
- (II 5)
- Split bar: both chords share one bar.
- 1/5 · 4/6
- Slash chord: the sousaphones play the second number.
- x2 · %
- Repeat the line, or repeat the previous bar.
- Key +5
- On its own line: everything after it moves up five half steps, the way a march's trio goes up a fourth. Key -2 goes down a whole step.
- Introduction · Strain · Trio · Break strain · Chorus · Groove · Chorale · Impact · Drum break · Tag
- Section names set each section's energy and how the band plays it when "Follow section names" is on. The trio comes down and the woodwinds take the tune, a chorale is held chords, an impact is the whole band at full, a drum break is the drumline alone.
- Solo (trumpet) · Feature (tenors)
- Name a player after a solo and they stand up while the band plays behind them: trumpet, alto, clarinet, trombone, mellophone or baritone. Name tenors, basses or snares in a feature and that part of the drumline shows off. With no name, the style's soloists take turns.
- Intro (drums) · Chorale (brass only) · Groove (no woodwinds)
- Only the parts named, or everyone but them: drums, snares, tenors, basses, cymbals, brass, low brass, high brass, woodwinds.
- Trio (soft) · Chorus (loud) · Trio (grandioso) · Hits (stop)
- Softer or louder than the name alone would play it; grandioso is the whole band full out, as a march's last trio. Stop is stop time: the band hits together, the drums fill the holes.
- Ending (rit) · Tag (fade)
- The last section slows down, or fades out instead of ending on the band's final hit. Several marks can share the parentheses: (soft, brass only).