Executive Summary

Tuscarora High School, a public high school in Leesburg, Virginia, found itself in need of a voice amplification system when on the football field during marching band practice. All band directors know the voice vs. instrument struggle – it’s time for band practice, you’re out on the field, you have to dictate instructions to your ensemble, but they can’t hear you over the sound of practice – no matter how loud you yell. While a public address system is not necessarily required to hold a marching band practice or rehearsal, it certainly makes it a lot easier on both the band director and the ensemble.

The Importance of Voice Amplification During Marching Band Practice

With any live show, it is necessary to display precision and skill during every performance. The struggle of using am inadequate or hand-me-down PA system can make band practice much more difficult when it should be fun and productive. Marching bands practice on football fields, most often leaving both instructors and students struggling with voice amplification and hearing the instruction over the beat of the metronome and the instruments themselves. Spending long days and nights on the field practicing songs over and over again and running back and forth from one side to another to instruct different groups of the band is not a desired task by anyone. Let’s face it, your voice can’t compete with a tuba.

How the MegaVox Helped Tuscarora High School

The Tuscarora High School Band found its voice amplification solution in Anchor Audio’s MegaVox portable PA system. It is battery powered, so there was no need to run cables across the football field to power it. Plus, with 119 dB of clear sound, the MegaVox impressively carries sound up to 300 feet (100 yards) away. With built-in Bluetooth, the band director and coach can easily and wirelessly connect the Dr. Beat to keep everyone - marching band and pageantry - on tempo during practice. Anchor Audio’s MegaVox continues to accommodate all of Tuscarora High School marching band and pageantry’s wants and needs with the ability to connect up to four wireless microphones for all instructors and coaches to be heard by the students.

Results & Review

Tuscarora High School Band was impressed by the Anchor’s 6-year warranty, as well as the fact that all of their products are made in the USA, so they know that they can depend on the quality and durability of their MegaVox to stand the test of time and being transported and roughed up by high school students and staff. With Anchor Audio’s MegaVox Pro portable PA system, Tuscarora High School and all of their band members were able to effortlessly hear direction and critique from their band director allowing the students the opportunity to evolve and become better and better throughout each one of their practices.

“Without the MegaVox, there is a high chance our band director would have lost her voice more than once trying to yell from one side of the field to the other. We are extremely satisfied with the Anchor Audio MegaVox. It has been a great addition to the band, worked extremely well for our program, and has helped us improve greatly over the past couple years. The MegaVox system is doing everything we want and need and more!” - Annika Pracher, Head of Fundraising at Tuscarora High School Band