JimF-LowBari Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 (edited) A major motivation for the move to allow Bb instruments was financial. One of the best moves ever, and one that was about 30 years overdue. Had this and other changes been made back in the 70's or even 80's... maybe a few of those corps that had folded due to financial pressures might still be around. Didn't have the sweetheart deals back then. Thank goodness for corps there were enough more established corps that sold off their old stuff to the ones with less deep pockets. Of the corps that I know why they folded, none were because they couldn't afford the equipment... increasing travel expenses - yes... equipment - no.... One idea I saw for going to Bb (that I actaully agreed with) was the idea that it would be easier to form a new corps as members could bring their own horns. Saw that a few started out that way but don't think any made it past a year or two. Edited August 10, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuriousMe Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Survey of current DCI marching members. http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=ba483a6c-c8d5-4a39-91ac-6fd5ddb9ac3f http://www.dci.org/news/pdf/2010/2010_persona_factoids.pdf Mike Right but I don't think that is saying that kids want to march in alumni style corps. I would have answered the bolded answers as well....and I would march Cadets in a heartbeat if I wasn't so darn old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 (edited) Right but I don't think that is saying that kids want to march in alumni style corps. I would have answered the bolded answers as well....and I would march Cadets in a heartbeat if I wasn't so darn old. No, but it does say that the members themselves don't want to stray too far into band territory. And that also implies that for all the times we have someone or another trying to shove the "drum corps is marching band" mantra down our throats here on DCP, the actual marching members understand that there is a difference, and they like it. Yeah - if I could take 5,000 or so years off my birth certificate - SCV for me! Edited August 10, 2011 by Grandpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuriousMe Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 <snip> (I have to agree with Daniel on one point; I've done lots of surveys and focus groups over the years, but some of these questions, if that's how they were asked, are next to meaningless. Which "traditions" are important? Guarding the colors was vital at one point, inspection was a thing we all sweated, horns had one valve - what, exactly, does 'tradition' mean, and from WHICH era is the tradition being pulled? Maybe they think that the shows being denser and the guard being more dance oriented is traditional....) <snip> Exactly, I love tradition in drum coprs, it's one of the thing I treasure with the Cadets....however, to me that's not talking about the show. It's talking about how the corps carries themselves and how they act among other things. The survey is a great idea, but it was poorly executed, so it doesn't support either side of this conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 The "tenor" of the thread? You took an entire multi-paragraph post by Garry, and ignored the entire context and "tenor" of the post/thread to go off on this Jester-bashing tangent. No. Only saw them in July (both '05 and '06). But if I remember correctly, what I saw in '05 was probably much like what you are commenting on. But again: 1. What's that got to do with this thread? 2. There are hundreds of competitive marching bands whose performances (and designs) are on the same level of what Jester showed you; hundreds of others at lower levels. Just finding it curious why you (and others) are suddenly so quick to demonize smaller corps, while having not one word of criticism for marching band programs. If it was just garden-variety elitism, that would be one thing....but when the same people are extolling the virtues of marching band, and aligning DCI with marching band, it does seem puzzling. Ah, you pick and choose here. No one ever asked my opinion about the marching bands. Yeah, I could fill pages with the marching bands with horrible sounds and bad movement and body positions and always that one clarinet player with her shako tilted so far back on her head to look ridiculous. I can give you tons of band performances I will never force myself to witness again. Bad teaching, bad learning, lack of discipline, I could go on for hours. I guess, overall, I see a smaller proportion of it in my drum corps' memories. But, it is much more glaring because the instruction is SUPPOSED to be better and more focused and so much more time and such a better student to instructor ratio...so, when I see a bad corps performance (no matter the size of the corps) and a corps with same kids, same time for rehearsal, same basic show concept, who are so much better than another corps, it begs the question...why does that corps even bother. Why do I, as a paying fan have to be part of their train wreck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 One of my basic rules (learned from Statistics 101 in college) is, "never trust statistics". However, if DCI wants to go through all of the trouble to publish results of a poll that proves I'm wrong, I'll submit to it. Because either they are so deadset on what they're doing that they're willing to fake a poll despite the facts or the truth is that I'm really in the minority. Either way, I'm not going to win the argument. Until then, though, I'm not giving up. Paranoid much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuriousMe Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 (edited) No, but it does say that the members themselves don't want to stray too far into band territory. And that also implies that for all the times we have someone or another trying to shove the "drum corps is marching band" mantra down our throats here on DCP, the actual marching members understand that there is a difference, and they like it. Yeah - if I could take 5,000 or so years off my birth certificate - SCV for me! Actually what it says is that 50% strong disagreely and 30% disagree with the statement "Drum corps should be more reflective of marching band." My old high school marching band was terrible, as a trumpet player I stuck out of the ensemble consistently because I actually held my horn up level. As far as marching, what they considered a great job was if most folks were in step most of the time...and folks were generally staying in line during the painfully simplistic, symmetrical drill. So no, I don't want drum corps to be "reflective of marching band." and it has nothing to do with instrumentation. The questions are poorly worded and vague. They shed no light on the topic. Oh, and SCV could be a second choice for me! They've had some great shows! Edited August 10, 2011 by CuriousMe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesBry Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Paranoid much? Insulting much? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesBry Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Actually what it says is that 50% strong disagreely and 30% disagree with the statement "Drum corps should be more reflective of marching band." My old high school marching band was terrible, as a trumpet player I stuck out of the ensemble consistently because I actually held my horn up level. As far as marching, what they considered a great job was if most folks were in step most of the time...and folks were generally staying in line during the painfully simplistic, symmetrical drill. So no, I don't want drum corps to be "reflective of marching band." and it has nothing to do with instrumentation. The questions are poorly worded and vague. They shed no light on the topic. Oh, and SCV could be a second choice for me! They've had some great shows! I think this is a fair point. However, it seems to add more ammunition to those who want to maintain differentiation between Drum Corps and Marching Band. Regardless of the reasons, it doesn't make sense to look for more and more ways to make the two unique activities more similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I'll take a stab. Stop doubting that the worst is going to happen and try to cope with the changes. Changes happened, not gonna change, get over it. /end rant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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