The Drum Major explained

A drum major in the military refers to someone who is the individual leading a military band or a field unit (corps of drums, fanfare band, pipe band or drum and bugle corps). It is an appointment, not a military rank. Military drum majors utilize a ceremonial mace for giving commands while marching. Many drum majors, particularly American- or British-influenced ones, wear a sash that can carry embroidered badges of their home unit and battle honors; a pair of ceremonial drum sticks are often attached.

The main task of a military drum major is to control the tempo that the band plays at as well as set the marching pace. A secondary role may be conducting the music of the appropriate music for the band. Another major task for drum majors is giving certain drill commands to the entire to denote whether to turn to the left or right, perform a counter march or mark time, or halt and cut off the music. Depending on the size of the band, there may be up to four drum majors on hand, with one serving as the senior drum major. In a massed bands formation which involves multiple bands, there may be 10-12 drum majors present, with either one or two bearing the duty as senior drum major. In the British Armed Forces, every band only has a single drum major; where massed bands are present, one will act as senior drum major. All drum majors use a ceremonial mace to give commands while marching and performing.