A drum major is the person in charge of a marching, military, or regimental band, and a drum major mace is a long object that represents the drum major’s authority over the members of the band. It’s also known as a baton, and it’s a key piece of equipment for a drum major to use when leading a marching band in parades. A drum major mace serves as the drum major’s badge of office to the parade audience, as well as assisting the drum major in keeping time for the musicians marching behind him or her and as an instrument for the drum major’s virtuoso display before the band begins to play.
The crown, shaft, and ferrule are the three major structural components of a drum major mace. The wooden cylinder to which the metallic ferrule attaches as a metal casing for the staff’s end point is referred to as the staff. The drum major mace is topped with the crown, a bell-shaped piece of metal that sits at the other end of the staff. The bell-shaped base and the detachable dome-shaped top make up the crown. Drum majors can attach various domes that are topped with various metal ornaments known as finials, which come in a variety of shapes. Royal crowns, shamrocks, and imperial eagles are examples of these shapes, but the mace can also have a plain tip.
On different occasions, drum majors use different maces and crown domes. A drum major will typically use a plain dome atop the mace when practicing the routine that he or she will perform before the band begins to play. The drum major twirls the mace, throws it up into the air to spin, and catches it before it hits the ground during these performance routines. Drum majors who are still working on their routines are prone to letting their maces slip from their grasp or failing to catch spinning maces before they hit the ground. Drum majors typically use a plain practice dome to collect accidental damage during practice and replace it with a more ornate dome for actual performances.
Drum majors typically save the most ornate maces for having photographs taken of themselves as drum majors of their bands. Drum majors may make a mistake during their actual performances and drop their maces, even if they have meticulously practiced their routines. These are the most expensive drum major maces, and they are usually reserved for photo shoots or similar events because they are too expensive to risk damaging during a performance.
Drum majors will signal their bands to march forward and begin playing once their performances are completed. Drum majors will move their maces in time with the paces they set for their entire bands as they march. For the parade audience, this enhances the bands’ military appearance and regimented feel. It also allows each drum major’s mace to serve as a conductor’s baton, as the band behind the drum major can use the rhythm of the mace to ensure that they are marching and playing at the proper pace.