Music Sound

A drum and lyre corps is a marching ensemble consisting of percussion instruments and a color guard. The instrumentation of a drum and lyre corps consists of a typical marching drumline (snare, tenor, and bass drums, and cymbals) with the addition of a lyre section. Lyre sections consist of bell lyres, or glockenspiels, as well as vibraphones and marimbas.

The drum and lyre corps activity descends from other marching ensembles, including drum and bugle corps; drum and lyre corps are often parade ensembles, there is currently no competitive circuit for drum and lyre corps. One current DCI drum corps, the Mandarins, can trace its history to a drum and lyre corps.

Drum and lyre corps music arrangements are typically pitched in the key of C; this is likely another adopted quality of drum and bugle corps, as drum and bugle corps hornlines were traditionally pitched in G, and lyres in C, a compatible key.

Marching movement of drum and lyre corps is also pattered after parade and show bands. Feet are lifted to equal heights and drumlines make frequent use of a "crab step" marching style to move sideways.