In the
British Army, bandmasters of the
Royal Corps of Army Music now hold the rank of
staff sergeant,
warrant officer class 2 or warrant officer class 1. A
commissioned officer who leads a band is known as the director of music. Directors of music are all former bandmasters who have been commissioned. All bandmasters initially joined the Army as musicians and were selected for bandmaster training from non-commissioned rank (usually having reached the rank of at least
corporal). However, unlike most NCOs, bandmasters are promoted directly to staff sergeant on completion of their bandmaster training and have not necessarily worked their way through all the intervening ranks. British Army line
infantry and
cavalry regimental bands were led by bandmasters until the reorganisation of bands and the creation of the Corps of Army Music in 1994. The larger
corps bands, as well as those of the
Foot Guards and
Household Cavalry, were known as staff bands, and were led by a commissioned director of music with a bandmaster as his deputy. In 1994, the number of bands was reduced and all bands became staff bands, effectively putting an end to the rank of 'bandsman' used in regimental line bands (the rank in staff bands being known as 'musician'). Bandmasters qualified before the reorganisation in 2014 were always immediately promoted to the rank of
warrant officer class 1, with the designation of WO1(BM). They wear a unique appointment badge of a
crowned lyre in a
wreath underneath the WO1's badge (the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom). The senior playing musician of the band is normally the
band sergeant major (or band corporal major in the Household Cavalry), a warrant officer class 2, although bandmasters (who are also appointed as training instructors) are expected to play within sections as and when required.
Royal Marines Bands have been led by commissioned directors of music for many years. Bandmaster is an appointment which may be held by a warrant officer class 1 (WO1 BDMR), who is equivalent to an Army bandmaster, or a warrant officer class 2 (WO2 BDMR), who is equivalent to an Army band sergeant major. The Corps Bandmaster is the senior bandmaster of the Royal Marines and the chief non-commissioned adviser to the Principal Director of Music, Royal Marines. Until the introduction of warrant officers to the Royal Marines in 1973, the rank of bandmaster was equivalent to
colour sergeant and that of staff bandmaster to
quartermaster sergeant (equivalent to a warrant officer class 2), and there were no warrant officer class 1 equivalents in the Band Service, although in 1969 the rank of band colour sergeant replaced bandmaster.
Royal Air Force bands have also traditionally been led by commissioned directors of music. The bandmaster is a warrant officer and fills the same position as the Army equivalent (RAF WOs do not hold appointments as do those in the other services and the RAF only has a single WO rank, equivalent to WO1 in the other services). The senior playing musician, the band sergeant, is a
flight sergeant. ==United States Army==