The Morning Block

Virtual Arts came into existence April of 2020. The world was uncertain but the passion to find a way to perform and connect through the marching arts was not. In this episode you hear from the founders themselves, Jake, Bryan, Chris, Thomas, and Chelsea. What did we learn? What did we love? What did we hate? Enjoy this episode of all the behind the scenes details of what made Virtual Arts come and go. Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guests: Chelsea Levine, Thomas, Claesen, and Bryan Harmsen The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. To become a member of Virtual Indoor, go to virtualartsinc.org/join. Registration opens December 1st! This week, The Morning Block is brought to you by Apex Percussion! Apex Percussion is a project our hosts Jake and Chris started. They make fun percussion entertainment videos like learning famous snare breaks in under 10 minutes, electronic music arrangements and more. Check our their YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/apexpercussion and give them a follow on instagram at http://instagram.com/apexpercussion.

Is this episode we bring on Rachel Lyons, host Jake's wife, to see how many band vocabulary words she knows! The band world has its own jargon that people on the inside know but those not involved think sound like its own language. Play along and see how many words you know! Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guest, Rachel Lyons To check out Rachel's photography go to: https://www.instagram.com/flintphoto/

This episode is for the listeners. Jake and Chris sit down and answer your questions about the marching arts. From judging to auditions, we cover a lot in this episode! Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. Check out our website at http://virtualartsinc.org!

Are you one of those people that absolutely loves marching band? You eat, sleep and breathe band and wish your hobby could become your career that pays your bills? In this episode of The Morning Block we dive into 4 different ways you can pay your bills with just marching band. We interview Kali Ridal, professional snare drummer from Odesza, Kendra Wendeln, full time designer, and Eric Carr, Marine DBC quad drummer and YouTuber. Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guests, Kali Ridal, Kendra Wendln, and Eric Carr To listen to Odesza's music go to: https://open.spotify.com/artist/21mKp7DqtSNHhCAU2ugvUw?si=EeUoVXS1T2WnvPOq8uKY9Q To contact Kendra about designing your never marching band show go to: https://wmusicworks.com/ To check out Eric Carr's YouTube Channel, EMCproductions go to: https://www.youtube.com/user/underwatrdrummr This week, The Morning Block is brought to you by the WGI commUNITY Project Powered by Virtual Arts!The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. To become a member of Virtual Indoor, go to virtualartsinc.org/join. Registration closes January 1st!

When you audition for and make an independent world WGI group it's easy to take for granted the amazing instruments you get to play in. Chances are if that group is in the top 10 they didn't pay for it either. In this episode we learn about how top WGI groups get MORE free stuff than mainstream artists like Beyoncé. We get to hear from a Crossmen alum and current Sennheiser rep, Brian Dougherty about crazy stories of delivering mics to J-Lo and Beyonce about how brand deals work. Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guest, Brian Dougherty The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. To become a member of Virtual Indoor, go to virtualartsinc.org/join. Registration opens December 1st! This week, The Morning Block is brought to you by Apex Percussion! Apex Percussion is a project our hosts Jake and Chris started. They make fun percussion entertainment videos like learning famous snare breaks in under 10 minutes, electronic music arrangements and more. Check our their YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/apexpercussion and give them a follow on instagram at http://instagram.com/apexpercussion.

We all know a drum corps or indoor age out who's always moaning and groaning about their achy body. Are they being dramatic or is drum corps really that bad for you? In this episode we run down the list of all possible aspects that could be bad for you and potential solution. We also interview Dr. Elliot Cleveland of Marching Health to get down to the real science of band and how we can all facilitate a safer season for the staff and members. Link for the best shoes to march in as referenced in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiPUudHSY-o Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guest, Dr. Elliot Cleveland The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. To become a member of Virtual Indoor, go to virtualartsinc.org/join. Registration opens December 1st! This week, The Morning Block is brought to you by Designs by King! King is the leading Manufacturer in color guard rifles and sabres. 98% of all world and open class WGI finalists use their products! They have been "The choice of Champions" since 1988, capturing over 200 WGI and DCI medals. Use Discount code DBK10 for 10% off of your purchase and join the King family at https://www.designsbyking.com/

It's been a crazy time since the world shut down back in March. With the DCI 2020 tour getting cancelled and the coronavirus at its peak, it leaves us wondering if a DCI 2021 tour will happen or worse yet if Drum Corps International as a non-profit will survive. In this episode we discuss the gritty roots of drum corps and some of the positives that have transpired in this strange year. We also interview Joe Roach, Corps Director of Music City Drum Corps for some insight on the DCI 2021 season and what's in store for the members. Have an idea for an episode? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guest, Joe Roach The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. To become a member of Virtual Indoor, go to virtualartsinc.org/join. Registration opens December 1st! This week, The Morning Block is brought to you by Dorico! Dorico is the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg. It’s designed to save you time – full of smart automation so that you have to spend less time in front of your computer, leaving you more time for making music. Dorico is full of unique features you won’t find in any other music notation software: built-in sequencer-style piano roll view, desktop publishing-style page layout control, automatic condensed conductor’s scores, smart divisi, linked cues, and many more. For the pageantry arts, Dorico’s unique approach to percussion allows you to quickly and easily build kits of untuned instruments and display them in the full score and parts differently: single line instruments in the part, and a more compact five-line display in the score, for example. It’s super easy to use the industry standard Virtual Drumline sound library, with a custom template developed in collaboration with experienced arrangers Dorico is available in a version to suit every budget and every experience level: Dorico SE is completely free to download and use, and ideal for writing exercises or teaching materials for one or two instruments; Dorico Elements allows you to write for ensembles of up to 12 players; and Dorico Pro provides everything you need to write for ensembles of any size. You can try all of the features of Dorico for yourself for 30 days by downloading a free trial. If you’re already using Finale or Sibelius, you can add Dorico to your toolbox at a special cross grade price of 50% during their cyber deals between now and December 7th. See new.steinberg.net/promotion for details, and use coupon code CYBERDEALS at checkout to save.

What if DCI had an NFL style draft? This is an idea that has interested hosts Jake Lyons and Chris Parker for nearly a decade. The NFL and DCI share the same stage, a dedicated fan base, and extremely high performing people, so why shouldn't they share the same style draft? Learn how we would structure a combine, draft, and try to level the playing field amongst all of the drum corps. Have an idea for an episode or the DCI draft? Hit us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @VirtualArtsInc or via email at themorningblock@gmail.com The Morning Block Team: Co-Host, Jake Lyons Co-Host, Chris Parker Executive Producer, Chelsea Levine Recording Engineer, Rosa Westfall Audio Mixing/Editing, Caleb Lee Logo Design, Bryan Harmsen Original Theme Music by, Jordan Toran & Josh Russell, Special Guest, TJ Choquette This week, The Morning Block is brought to you by: Visaudio - a provider of cutting edge shows for the marching arts including marching band, indoor, and drum corps shows. Have a show programmed by leading designers in the activity or choose from their extensive list of shows that suits your students and program. Go to http://visaud.io to listen and explore! The Morning Block is a podcast by Virtual Arts. Virtual Arts’ goal is to connect the marching arts community through virtual performances. To become a member go to virtualartsinc.org/join