Happy Thanksgiving!

McCormick's would like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! If you're traveling, we wish you safe travels, and if you're cooking, may your turkey be cooked to perfection. Just a note, we will be closed on Friday, November 27, but will reopen on Monday, November 30.

Holiday Gift Ideas from McCormick's

The holiday season is here, and we know how difficult it can be to get just the right gift for the guard member or musician on your list. To help get you started, we've compiled a short list of gift options that are sure to make this holiday season one to remember!

For guard...

• Rifles and Sabers
• Poles and Stock Flags
• Guard Gloves

For band...

• Samplers
• Yamaha Silent Brass
• The Mighty Mover

For music tech...

• Pocket Digital Recorders
• Notation Software
• USB Microphones

...and so much more! For every musician, for every budget, we have just the gift you're looking for. Stop by mccormicksnet.com to start your holiday shopping today.

A Note on Ordering Custom Costumes

It's that time of year! We know many of you are starting to design your costumes for winter guard season and we are here to help. If you are looking to order a custom-designed costume and need it before the end of January, time is running out! We are able to do custom costumes for you, but to ensure that you have them by the end of January you must place the order for your sample before Thanksgiving so that we have time to finish the sample and then complete the rest of your order.

Have questions before ordering? Call us at 1-800-323-5201 or send an email to guard@mccormicksnet.com.

All basics and made-to-order costumes featured in our catalog and website are at 3 weeks production time from the date the order is placed.

Music Theory Software: How Practical is it?

SBO (School Band and Orchestra) recently published an article about the practicality of music theory and ear training software is in a classroom setting. The verdict? Teachers at all educational levels are seeing the benefits of the structured lessons in a medium that students are very familiar with. Using music theory software in a classroom setting allows students to work on the same lesson at the same time and receive instant feedback from their work—all without the teacher having to watch each student individually. Covering software from Music Ace Maestro to Musica Practica, the article gives user testimonials as well as detailed product information, all in one convenient location. Read the article at SBOmagazine.com and see our full line of music theory software at mccormicksnet.com.

Congratulations to all BOA Competitors!

McCormick's would like to congratulate all who competed this past weekend at the BOA Grand National Championships. We saw many great performances and were happy to take part in the festivities as an Associate Sponsor. Congratulations to Avon High School (Avon, Indiana) for becoming the 2009 Bands of America Grand National Champions!

Check out the full results at musicforall.org.

New sounds from Native Instruments

Looking to expand your sound library? The updated Komplete 6 from Native Instruments includes 7 award-winning software products, giving you a total of 7,000 presets and over 60GB of professional samples. From hip-hop to film scores, pop to techno, rock to classical and beyond, this collection represents Native Instruments' most powerful software tools. New instruments and effects include Kontakt 4, Absynth 5 and Guitar Rig 4 Pro.


Included in Komplete 6, the all-new Kontakt 4 features 1,000 production-ready instruments in seven instrument collections: Choir, Band, Orchestral, World, Synth, Vintage and Urban Beats. With Kontakt 4 you can easily edit, loop, slice and time-stretch your sounds and pitch shift them in real time or tempo-sync them with the powerful Wave Editor.


See our full Virtual Instruments collection at mccormicksnet.com.

NEW: Liberty Platinum PA System

The new Liberty Platinum PA System features a built-in MP3 player and 16 user-selectable frequencies so you'll never have to compete for the same frequency with other wireless systems. McCormick's offers the Liberty in either one- or two-channel wireless systems.

• AC Mode=125W / DC Mode=100W
• Built-in MP3 player accepts SD card, USB flash drive or 3.5mm input for iPod
• Aux port for other music player devices
• "Voice Over" music ducking feature
• Two universal mic input jacks
• True AC/DC - 110/220V power supply
• 10" neodymium woofer
• Textured, UV-protected case is lightweight and scratch-resistant
• Ergonomically-designed handle for easy transport
• Backed by a six-year warranty

Learn all about the Liberty Platinum System at mccormicksnet.com.

Get exclusive email offers

If you aren't already signed up to receive emails from McCormick's, you might be missing out! We often advertise special promotions exclusively to our email subscribers. You'll also get to see new products so you can stay a step ahead of the competition.

Don't worry, we won't sell your information to any other company. Sign up at mccormicksnet.com to receive guard, band or technology emails, and then take a look at our most recent guard email.

Product Spotlight: Premium Presto Flags

If your winter guard budget is a little less than last year but you still want to add sophistication and drama to your show, look no further than McCormick's line of Premium Presto Flags. Priced between $18.95 and $23.95 per flag (for 12 or more flags), these flags are affordable but add elegance to any show. Choose from any of our 135 Aeroflo II colors, or make them in any of the other flag fabrics for a small additional fee. Premium Presto flags typically ship within one week (times may vary).

Sound Forge Pro 10 Webinar

Want to learn more about Sound Forge Pro 10 from the people who created it? Join Sony Creative Software on Wednesday, November 11 at 11:00 am CST for a free webinar on how Sound Forge Pro 10 can make your editing job easier and more efficient.

Hosted by Gary Rebholz, Training Manager for Sony Creative Software, this live, interactive event also includes a chat component, so you can ask questions and have them answered almost immediately. In addition to Gary, there will be experts on hand from both the marketing and software engineering teams so you know you'll be getting the information directly from the people who created the software.

Interested? Click here to register.