A military band is a group of soldiers assigned to musical duties. A typical military band consists mostly of string and wind instruments (typically kept in rugged travel cases). The military band should be capable of playing ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs of not only their own nation but others as well, both while stationary and as a marching band.
Military bands also play a part in military funeral ceremonies.
In historical times, commanders maintained control over their units by use of signals such as bells, trumpets, horns and particularly drums. The modern-day military band is a hold-over from this period.
It has been said by some musicians that "Military music is to music what marching is to walking."
In the United States Army, the band is attached to the headquarters element and one of its duties is to provide security for the command post. British Army bandsmen are trained as combat medical technicians.
Modern-day military musicians often perform a variety of other styles of music in different ensembles, from chamber music to rock and roll.
Some police forces also maintain military-style marching bands.
The militaryband should be capable of playing ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs of not only their own nation but others as well, both while stationary and as a marchingband.
Following the development of instruments such as the keyed trumpet or the saxhorn family of brass instruments, a second tradition of the all brass militaryband was formed.
In the United States, these bands were increased in instrumentation to include woodwinds, which gives us the modern militaryband in the United States, as well as the basis for high school and collegemarchingbands and concert bands.
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