Editing Front ensemble (section)

== History ==
[[File:Marching bells.png|thumb|291x291px|A set of marching alto [[Glockenspiel|bells]] used by the [[Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps]] in 1976]]
The front ensemble was developed by member corps of [[Drum Corps International]] before being adopted by other marching ensembles.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Morrison |first=Robert |date=July 1985 |title=The Development of the Front Percussion Ensemble |journal=[[Percussive Notes]] |volume=23 |issue=5 |pages=32}}</ref> Under the original rules Drum Corps International used with its founding in 1972, all instruments had to be marched without exception. Originally, timpani were the only [[Pitched percussion instrument|pitched percussion instruments]] allowed to be marched. Later, [[Keyboard percussion instrument|keyboard percussion instruments]] were allowed to be marched: glockenspiels and xylophones were permitted in 1974, and marimbas and vibraphones were permitted in 1977.

Over time, people began to realize the physical strain of carrying these large, awkward instruments, and they were allowed to be placed on the ground in 1978. This allowed for the use of extended techniques (such as [[Stevens grip]]) and higher quality instruments (such as [[pedal timpani]] and extended range [[Marimba|marimbas]]). The last year marching pitched percussion instruments were commonly used in competition was 1982.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Summerlin |first=Lane |date=2016 |title=The History and Development of the Front Ensemble in Drum Corps International |type=DMA dissertation |url=https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1461167753 |website= |publisher=[[Ohio State University]] |pages=15–51 |oclc=968152092}}</ref>

The use of electronic instruments in marching band is controversial and divisive within the marching band community and was prohibited outright by Drum Corps International until 2008 when a proposal allowing them was passed.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Maher |first=Erin |date=2011 |title=The Amplification Controversy in Drum Corps International: Technological Change and the Meaning of Tradition |url=https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/concern/dissertations/dr26xz20w?locale=en |type= MA thesis |publisher=[[The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]] |page=20 |doi=10.17615/7jge-9e28}}</ref>