Show Design, Show Concept, Design Team, Staging, Team Development, Show programming,Interview, Tommy Keenum, Show effects, General Effect, Drill,  Marching Band,



I had a conversation with designer Tommy Keenum.  Tommy has created some very special shows in my opinion.  He has an amazing way of generating a variety of effects that are not only memorable but unique. Tommy is a full time design consultant living in Nashville TN, and is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. (tommykeenum.com)


Tommy, there are so many programs that can truly play their horns and march well.  Unfortunately, I only remember a couple of programs because they were different.  I felt like they all played a lot of notes and ended up being lost when it was all over.

How can design be used to remedy this problem for a program and effect the overall outcome of the product competitively?Tommy, there are so many



It really all comes down to communication.If you want to connect with your audience, the first step is to be clear in your own head or as a design team about what you want to say.



How should a design team approach their product?


Shows can have an obvious theme where you are telling a story ( i.e. Romeo and Juliet or presenting images that revolve around a certain subject.   ( America, The Seasons, Movies, etc ). With these shows I make   an outline of the most important parts of the story, or an outline of all of the different visual and musical imagery that fits the subject. Then I use this outline to plan the show. You will have a few definite ideas right away about how to bring some parts of the outline across (i.e. color guard effect, musical impact, drill move, percussion effect, props) I start with those and then with the help of the rest of the team we begin to fill in ideas for every section. These will be the "moments" that you build the show around so it is important that they be solid and achievable and varied so that you are not relying on one section of the band for too many of the effects. Even if the show is not theme oriented you still need to create a
"storyline" or outline of effects so that the team can be inspired and have a clear picture of what they are trying to create.


What are some things that a band director can do to achieve a well designed product when working with a designer that is new to the staff?  What should communication be like? What expectations should be set?  What deliverables should be exchanged?"


Most important is to let that person know what is important to you and your program. They need to understand and respect what has been working for you.  Let them know the things that you want to retain about the way you have been doing things and also be open to the fresh ideas that they bring to the table. It is a balance. I am always a bit skeptical of designers that want to come in and totally revamp a program. They tend to be more concerned with getting "their" vision out there. What you want is someone who is out to make you the best "you". To take what you already have going for your program and push it forward.


If a director wants to develop his/her own design team, what things can he/she  can do to nurture and develop one?


This goes along with the above question. The two things to avoid as you develop your team are the extremes of either micro managing them or giving them too little direction. It is important for there to be a strong leader who "bangs the gavel" so to speak when a decision needs to be made but also for the design team to feel that they have some freedom to create and invest some of themselves into the show. I am most creative when I have clear boundaries that leave room for me to work.


How should a director go about hiring a designer for his/her program?"


Start by asking people with programs you respect who they use or have used in the past successfully. Designers who are well know have earned that reputation and do amazing jobs, but more important to me is finding someone who has time to devote to the job and who you feel comfortable working with. An organized designer who shows up on time with a plan and a work ethic trumps the wacky artistic genius every time.


Tommy is a full time design consultant. He lives in Nashville TN, and is also an accomplished singer/songwriter. (tommykeenum.com)

My discussion with Tommy shed some light on areas that could vastly improve your fall show.  When thinking about your next fall show, ask yourself.  How effective is the design from a composition standpoint?  Am I getting the most out of the team who is producing it? How do I go about hiring a good designer?

I would like to thank Tommy for sharing his expertise with all of us at MyBandStaff  Thank you!

Marching Band Drill DesignTitle: Marching Drill Desig is the orchestrated composition of elements in a marching band show.  The drill will designate a specific point in space and time for each performer to be.  Putting a strong marching band drill design is a challenging task with many components.  For a band to be successful, a marching band drill design must be tailored to fit the bands specific strengths and weaknesses.  From music to marching, everything must be considered before programming can take place.

Marching band drill uses a variety of techniques that are used for desired effects. 

Band Drill can be designed with lots of negative space between individual performers; this will be a softer and lighter effect.  Closing down your interval spaces can bring emphasis and have a stronger appearance.  Your band can perform a scatter drill and create lots of liquid fluid motion with varying speeds.

Marching band drill uses geometric shapes such as lines, circles and parade style blocks to develop the overall drill design.  Any combination of these can produce different textures and look to be used in the overall programing.

In order to connect the creative ideas transitions are used.  Transitions will tie the ideas together creating a smooth consistency and flow.

A strong marching band drill design is a seamless presentation with a good sense of pacing and planned effects.


A strong marching band drill design will provide musicians with point to point travel and can be optimized based on their musical responsibilities.  A well designed drill sets the stage for the music.  The drill is designed so that the performer's point to point motion does not support the musical excellence demanded by the musical score.  Holding in place and taking smaller steps, or any combination thereof are suitable choices.  Placement on the field is considered in an effort to maintain a consistent meter, intonation , and coordination.

Design competencies such as balance, texture, weight, and speed are explored in an effort to provide dynamic and expressive movements that speak the musical lines in the music.

Marching Band Drill Design is the orchestrated composition of elements in a marching band show.  The drill will designate a specific point in space and time for each performer to be.  Putting a strong marching band drill design is a challenging task with many components.  For a band to be successful, a marching band drill design must be tailored to fit the bands specific strengths and weaknesses.  From music to marching, everything must be considered before programming can take place.

Marching band drill uses a variety of techniques that are used for desired effects.

Band Drill can be designed with lots of negative space between individual performers; this will be a softer and lighter effect.  Closing down your interval spaces can bring emphasis and have a stronger appearance.  Your band can perform a scatter drill and create lots of liquid fluid motion with varying speeds.

Marching band drill uses geometric shapes such as lines, circles and parade style blocks to develop the overall drill design.  Any combination of these can produce different textures and look to be used in the overall programing.

In order to connect the creative ideas transitions are used.  Transitions will tie the ideas together creating a smooth consistency and flow.

A strong marching band drill design is a seamless presentation with a good sense of pacing and planned effects.

A strong marching band drill design will provide musicians with point to point travel and can be optimized based on their musical responsibilities.  A well designed drill sets the stage for the music.  The drill is designed so that the performer's point to point motion does not hindure the musical excellence demanded by the musical score.  Holding in place and taking smaller steps, or any combination thereof are suitable choices.  Placement on the field is considered in an effort to maintain a consistent meter, intonation , and coordination.

Design competencies such as balance, texture, weight, and speed are explored in an effort to provide dynamic and expressive movements that speak the musical lines in the music.