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Cymbal Lines are Officially Dead


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Soccerguy315 said it better than in my original OP.

I LOVE the plate lines. Cymbals add wonderful visual effect (so does guard) and GREAT accent hits (total 5 seconds / 13 minute program) but it is a competitive disadvantage to carry the line. We don't carry a piccolo line for the same reasons.

Cymbals will always be part of Open Class Corps. Great for training and filling ranks.

yeah that plate line really held back SCV 04 in what is considered one the top 2 lines in DCI in the last 10 years

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Since the majority of you die hard drum corps fans come into the stadium just to watch the last few corps, you are never around to see the Academy, if you came in earlier, I'm sure you would notice their cymbal line.

Edited by Suviduvi
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Since the majority of you die hard drum corps fans come into the stadium just to watch the last few corps, you are never around to see the Academy, if you came in earlier, I'm sure you would notice their cymbal line.

I've seen them a few times. . . I would consider them right up there near/with SCV! Very cool cymbal line!

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I didn't read the whole thread, but here's my input.

Cymbal lines don't exist because there aren't quality instructors out there. I'm not sure who work with SCV, but whoever it is, is a GOD. Pepper from Madison/Pioneer do really good things. Colts have a pretty consistent cymbal line, but I think it's has lacked in the last few years. All the cymbals players now-a-days have a indoor background, which isn't bad, but outdoor and indoor cymbal playing is different. Indoor you can get away with more textures that will speak because of acoustics. Out door writers limit the cymbal book to crashes and chokes with very few other colors. You can get a lot from an well staged cymbal line. I like flash and ripples, but there are a variety of textures you can get outdoors that I don't think they are explored much.

This is my thoughts, take them as you may.

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did no one notice bones' cymbal line this year? i thought they were pretty kick ***.

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Cymbal lines don't exist because there aren't quality instructors out there.

VERY true statement... There are VERY few people that actually know what a cymbal line is capable of and what they can offer a show.

I won't lie and say I know anything about it, and that's a major part of why I choose not to have marching cymbal lines with the groups I work with.

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VERY true statement... There are VERY few people that actually know what a cymbal line is capable of and what they can offer a show.

I won't lie and say I know anything about it, and that's a major part of why I choose not to have marching cymbal lines with the groups I work with.

It really doesn't take much. Check out an indoor line, sit in on sectionals. Go home, grab some cymbals and just mess around with it. You work about 3 students and mess around with textures, find out what work and what doesn't. That's all I did, except I taught and marched on a indoor cymbal line.

And I think another problem is....too many students look at cymbals as the "not being good enough to drum" section, when it's really not. When the book is written effectively with some meat, it can be just as challenged as a bass line.

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Indoor you can get away with more textures that will speak because of acoustics. Out door writers limit the cymbal book to crashes and chokes with very few other colors. You can get a lot from an well staged cymbal line. I like flash and ripples, but there are a variety of textures you can get outdoors that I don't think they are explored much.

This is my thoughts, take them as you may.

Actually you can hear all the textures ( all 8 -19 depending on where you march and who taught you ) just fine in the stands. Now obviously no one would write " zings " or " zischens " when the horns are playing FFF......

Many writers write way more than just crashes and chokes. There are people out there though that just don't know how and what to write for a cymbal line as well as some don't understand the basic cymbal techniques. Without at least an understanding of techniques/sounds there's no way for great parts to be written unless they are done by the cymbal tech ( which has happened in one of my experiences).

To drummer79 if you do eventually have a cymbal then take many opportunities to teach them how to drum basics. You know be able to play 16'ths/8'ths/triplet timing, accent tap, basic grid, drags all the non " hybrid" rudiments. The better they can do that the easier it will be to play split parts and count for split visuals and they will be ready to move up next year if they decide to. It will also give them more opportunity to be fully involved with concert band,jazz band and they can actually teach the other students some basic cymbal technique for whoever trades off in concert.

Also you could look at using a cymbal line as " world percussionist " playing what ever on the field/court/sideline and not just cymbals the whole show. There are soo many examples of that.

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cymbal lines aren't dead.... better than ever actually...zildjian.com

A reason why there aren't a lot of outdoor lines on the circuit is cause it's one of the most physically challenging instruments on the field. Problem with cymbal lines are your cymbal line is either smokin clean or a polished warm turd that just can't get there. There is no in between.

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