amysnook Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Thank you for revealing yourself to me at Downingtown. I've enjoyed reading your unbiased reviews and appreciate your comments. Thank you also for being so courteous to my mother (the ticket seller) with the ticket mix-up. Glad it was fairly easily resolved. As anyone who has tried to start up a new show can attest, the stress factor is very high: will we have good weather; if you build it, will they come; is the American flag anywhere to be seen (Doh!). Can't say enough about my volunteers; Ed Otto, Downingtown East's band director; and the Downingtown Parents Music Association; and especially the corps that performed and the Downingtown East-West Marching Band. We worked together nicely. As always, I appreciate any criticism, suggestions and kudos :-). Thank you all for coming to the show. Hope to see you next year, and I'm looking forward to Big W's next review. Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Now back to your regularly scheduled posts. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 One of these days, one of you needs to show me how to tune a drum. I'm serious. It's a skill I always felt I should know more about and have tried, and failed miserably on my own. All I know is that there were some really fine Bass lines out there setting up a lot of things for the corps, and setting them up perfectly last night. Without them doing what they did at the level they did it--- things would not have gone well for those corps. well...some of the best bass tuning is done by feel, not trying to tune to 3rds, 5ths etc....which is what many brass people try to do. Knowing your venue helps. if we were able to hold a show at lackawana again, I'd know exactly how I wanted the drums to sound before I even pulled in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 well...some of the best bass tuning is done by feel, not trying to tune to 3rds, 5ths etc....which is what many brass people try to do. Knowing your venue helps. if we were able to hold a show at lackawana again, I'd know exactly how I wanted the drums to sound before I even pulled in. I'm not even worried about individual pitches, more trying to get rid of the bad overtones and getting both heads right. One of those things- the more I understand and know, the better I will be kind of thing. The second I stop learning about the activity, well you get the drift.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I'm not even worried about individual pitches, more trying to get rid of the bad overtones and getting both heads right. One of those things- the more I understand and know, the better I will be kind of thing. The second I stop learning about the activity, well you get the drift.... not to hijack your review ( which was good), but you have to know your book and players too. if it's a predominantly right handed book, then go higher with the right, as the more they hit that head, the faster that side will drop. as for tones....foam/padding, and try to balance lug by lug. Don't tune around the drum, do a lug, then go across the head to the lug across from it. rinse repeat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 not to hijack your review ( which was good), but you have to know your book and players too. if it's a predominantly right handed book, then go higher with the right, as the more they hit that head, the faster that side will drop. as for tones....foam/padding, and try to balance lug by lug. Don't tune around the drum, do a lug, then go across the head to the lug across from it. rinse repeat AHHAH! You should have seen me in Upstate NY BITD spending my planning periods between lessons with the drum key trying to do it. Not for a lack of trying, but had I known this... it woulda helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 W, terrific review as usual!!! You certainly have a way with words... like "Dolly Parton Syndrome." Great stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabalumnidrummer Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Great review, W. If you don't already submit material to Drum Corps World, I think you seriously ought to consider doing so. Your reviews are balanced, fair, unbiased, thorough, and entertaining. I hope you continue to do more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBones Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Excellent review. I was there and totally agree with everything said. I've never been to a drum corps show where a football game is played during intermission (Halftime?). How ironic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Excellent review. I was there and totally agree with everything said. I've never been to a drum corps show where a football game is played during intermission (Halftime?). How ironic. A couple of those young ladies really did well kicking the field goals and put the guys to shame. We DID need Fran. Or, next time, someone needs to help the annoucer with "Saint-Saens", "Tchaikovsky", "Shostakovich", etc. The poor guy was toungue twisted on those composers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) A couple of those young ladies really did well kicking the field goals and put the guys to shame. We DID need Fran. Or, next time, someone needs to help the annoucer with "Saint-Saens", "Tchaikovsky", "Shostakovich", etc. The poor guy was toungue twisted on those composers. hey it could have been the guy at Lewisburg Edited July 24, 2012 by Jeff Ream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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