A drum and lyre corps is a marching ensemble consisting of strictly percussion instruments and a color guard section. The Drum and Lyre corps originated in the Philippines, as it is easier to finance than brass bands or a drum and bugle corps. The instrumentation of a drum and lyre corps consists of a typical marching band (snare, tenor, and bass drums, and cymbals) with the addition of a lyre section. Lyre sections consist of bell lyres,the glockenspiels,is a set of tuned metal bars arranged on a tray or in a frame in keyboard fashion for marching band. as well as vibraphones and marimbas. During competitions, drum and lyre corps usually include a pit section which consists of the typical pit instruments used by drum and bugle corps.
The Philippine Drum & Lyre Corps Associates (PDLCA) is non-profit organization dedicated to the uplifting of Filipino Drum & Lyre(Bell) corps all over the country as well as raising the standards of excellence on the grounds of musicianship, sportsmanship, choreography, discipline, and camaraderie.
The drum and lyre corps activity descended from other marching ensembles, including drum and bugle corps; Drum and Lyre corps are often parade ensembles. Aside from the regular Drum and Lyre corps competitions held during town fiestas, there is only one competitive circuit for Drum and Lyre corps which is the Philippine Drum and Lyre Corps Associates. It is a national association that has membership in various regions of the Philippines. Two current Drum Corps International drum corps, the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps and Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, can each 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. However, several drum and lyre corps are now experimenting with the key of Bb as the modern drum and bugle corps has incorporated modern playing techniques in brass as well as in percussion (modern drum rudiments).
Marching movement of drum and lyre corps is also patterned after drum and bugle corps. Feet are lifted to equal heights and Marching band make frequent use of a "crab walk" marching style to move sideways, marching forward would have the heels hit the ground first and marching backwards will have the player on "tip-toe". Both are intended for quick body transition during fancy marching drills and in order to avoid accidents during parades and fancy drills.
Drum & Lyre corps Drill formations have also evolved from standard military style drill formations to a more artistic form which made full use of the field. These were introduced as of 1999 along with fancy choreography and unorthodox musical arrangements.
Drill formations which were not fully utilized until 1999:
- Block formations
- Hollow formations
- Angular formations
- Rotating formations
- Follow the leader or snake formation
- Abstract formations
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