Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
From recreating a giant, moonwalking Michael Jackson to forming a walking Tyrannosaurus rex, there's seemingly nothing Ohio State University's marching band can't do. But how, exactly, do they pull off these amazing performances? Incredibly, there's an app for that.
"Today" show correspondent Dylan Dreyer investigated the inner workings of the OSU band's choreography and found iPads aplenty on the field.
A specialized app helps marchers perfect every detail -- from timing to their exact positions on the field. It's apparently so much more efficient than using paper-based routines that players can learn complex new formations seemingly on a weekly basis.
"It's been a really tremendous opportunity to use technology in what is really an old medium, and that's the marching band," band director Jonathan Waters told "Today."
At the beginning of the season, iPads were delivered to 45 OSU band squad leaders, staff and directors, with a plan to eventually loan iPads to all 225 band members, reports Bloomberg.
In addition to upping their on-field performance, the move is expected to help OSU cut down on paper costs. Until now, every student and band staffer would have received a 30- to 40-page packet for each show. With around eight shows a season, adds Bloomberg, costs could reach $24,000 a year, just for paper and printing.
Watch the "Today" segment, above. Check out one of the band's stunning performances, below.
Related
Before You Go
