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DCI membership votes overwhelmingly to allow ALL brass instruments in


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You say these are mild changes while not marching would be extreme. Others may not agree. Whenever this subject comes up, I ask my interlocutor to define what drum corps is, so we can decide what actually is extreme. Would woodwinds be extreme? Some regular participants in this forum, not to mention at least one leading corps director, would say no.

Woodwinds would be an extreme change depending on how its used (like anything else). If I saw LITERALLY 80 flute players on the field that would be extreme. But I saw a small woodwind ensemble, soloist or something along those lines that would not be that extreme to me. I mean if I saw 80 trumpets on the field and no other horns that would also be extreme I guess but that has technically been legal for a while yes? :)

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And lets not forget the sousaphones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STB7PsAHqj4

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I am just going ask a few questions...

What is the end game of all of this? What overarching vision do the leadership have for the activity? Who possess it, who articulates it?

It has been stated the the recent round of changes regrading instrumentation will....

1. Get more students involved.

Show me the proof, show me evidence that more people will be drawn to "drum corps" as a result of instrumentation changes. More students will come just because someone said they would? How many 10-15 more students trying out per unit? More students, more money. More money.

Would more students be involved if it did not require 3000-4000 dollars to march?

2. It would allow "drum corps" to utilize more colors.

I suppose that's true. Like the same colors found in orchestral and band music? Is it really going to be that earth-shattering and open up whole new vistas of color? What's going to be the cost on the staff side to hire a pro horn teacher? Are corps going to have to get new trucks or another truck to haul new equipment? You will need more money, allegedly from the hoards of new students to pay for these upgrades. But back to the creativity point...

Using these "new" sounds to be on the cutting edge. Is the cutting edge to sound more band like? Is it worth making people upset for some glissando effects or to have a chamber brass ensemble. Is the only way we can be creative is borrowing from other ensemble's sound and mixing them with a "drum corps"? How different does a sousaphone sound from a marching tuba anyway?

Drum Corps (without the quotes) used to be something unique. I believe in the value of that uniqueness. As a friend of mine said to me today, I have never gotten tired of the sound of brass and percussion. Never.

What is "drum corps" offering that is so different from what students get at a competitive band band in the fall. Touring? The experience of working with your fellow corps members and achieving as a group. Yes! Absolutely! I do question the touring model. 30 shows in 50 days, no real down time, no real time to recover, all night bus trips and a couple hours on the floor and right back at it. If you are lucky you might have a 3 or 4 (very rare) day period somewhere in the summer to do tweaks and changes, hopefully is does not rain. Other than that, 5 shows a week with lots of travel. I worry about the safety and the nightly gambles of 8 hours bus trips. I taught a group that did not tour properly, bad tires running lights that did not work, a straight up drum corps jalopy. I would like to think everybody is traveling safely, but I still see corps pulling into parking lots with windows propped open because the AC is out and because of the travel demands it can't be fixed properly. I digress....

Let me come back to where I started? What's the end game? What's the vision? Don Angelica had a vision. Gale Royer, Bobby Hoffmann, Jim Jones (my old corps director) just to name a few. Mr. Angelica's vision was rooted in music. Corps used to take way more musically risks, it may not have been as refined as today, but it was exciting. Check out the '82 Sky Ryders...check out the rifle line, check out the musical meat in that show....it was 10th place. There are "BOX 5" brass sections today who's tuba music consisted of a grand total of 28 bars of rhythm that were not whole notes, I know I counted. Before the end of the season those rhythms ended up being watered..."Box 5."

Who possess a vision now? Is that vision inclusive of the activity as a whole or a few? Does that vision include preserving the uniqueness of Drum Corps? Are we just surviving year to year?

If the end game is simply to get more students involved how many will fulfill the definition of success? Do we just keep making corps larger and larger?

Adding more and more "colors" not native to drum corps traditionally will put more people in the seats? Where's the evidence?

With electronics we can make ANY sound we want. The number one complaint of people surveyed at shows is they are getting blown out by speakers by the groups who do not do amplification well.

People act as though the activity had moved forward, it some ways it certainly has, but, when I see 40,000 people in the stands at Finals again I know we have stopped the slow steady erosion of a once unique activity.

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You sound like a political pundit... geez! The way your discussing this is just excruciating to read. Facts without any context what so ever like DCI and corps are in this little bubble and that the only thing that effects corps is DCI. when you say "we have lost more fans, more annual marchers, more corps, under DCI's watch than any other time of history" it's incredibly misleading as it infers causation where there is really only correlation. And lets be honest, when you discuss things in that way, you aren't really having a discussion...

Nice job Charlie! Calling out Brasso for not supporting his statements with any cited research....that sounds familiar???

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Interesting point about Gail Royer's feelings concerning instrumentation changes...after all, he was also a band director I believe? Perhaps the "current" change defenders feel his dino ways of thinking aren't relevant anyway? I would love to see a vote by the founding fathers today on this rule. It seems to me that the real argument comes down to a fairly clear line. Either you think that drum corps being more and more like marching band is ok, or you don't. It would seem the artists in charge have no issue deciding. I wonder sometimes if they have trouble distinguishing one from the other.

I second that. i wish we could here Cos speak on the matter :(

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Why don't all of you dinosaurs just get over yourselves? The people who are actually PARTICIPATING in the activity rather than just posting on DCP want this. The change will correct and adjust itself for utilization. Most baritone players are trombonists by nature. Oh, how awful it would be to have a section of them show us what they could REALLY do! Same with French Horn players who switch to mellophone. Oh no! We might actually hear what these talented individuals can give us on their NATURAL instruments? Puh-lease! We are a niche activity with niche fan base that changes very little over time. And if you claim that THIS will keep you away, you are not fans in the first place. Be a fan of the kids. It is not about the instruments, the rules, the judging system, the electronics, or anything else. It has always been and always will be about the kids!

Nice try. It's like mentioning single moms, children and Christmas. Here's the reality, just because you're a kid doesn't make you special or us adults who were once kids should idealize you because your biology hasn't peaked. Drum Corps is not about kids for me. But, for your argument, let's make it about kids. How about learning something new - like a bugle. How about respecting tradition. How about respecting alumni which laid the history for you to associate yourself with. How about realizing it's not about you, it's about the ### in the seat and/or something beyond yourself (it's all about me generation). There's nothing niche about marching band. A fan of kids? How about you become a fan of adults. What a crap society we live in. Everybody and everything is disposable. Wal-Mart attitude.

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No, they spent countless, thankless, low-paid hours promoting the activity to anyone that would listen. They tirelessly did whatever they could to keep some poorly-run organizations afloat, worked in the interests of the member corps (which they are responsible for helping succeed), and tried to staunch the effects of the decline in interest and priority on music education over the years had on the activity.

More than anything, I'm tired of the tinfoil hat crowd trying to accuse DCI of padding coffers and sitting in an ivory tower, making decisions in their personal interests rather than the interests of the activity. Here's what I know about DCI as an organization, and of most of the staff and administration of member corps: they care about the experience of the marching members, and that includes the growth and sustainability of the activity so that countless students can continue to participate. The put in long hours for very little (or NO) money because they love drum corps, they love music education and they want to see it succeed.

If you care about young people, music and this activity, you'll get off the high horse and support it as it grows and changes - something it has done and will continue to do for the duration of its existence. Drum corps is a living, breathing entity. It's not a historical record - we have DVDs for that. I recommend you buy them and support DCI and the growth of the activity so that others may enjoy it in the future.

Going on the assumption that all of this is true...

Why hasn't DCI commissioned a marketing study to properly identify their niche market and the demographics of the market? Even though it is 'non-profit' drum corps is still a business driven by the fans buying power. If the fans do not feel the price is worth the experience, they won't spend their disposable income on it.

If ill-informed decisions are made that alienate your niche market, they will stop buying the product. When they stop buying the product, there will be no money to produce the product.

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The key to getting a person interested in anything is to MARKET to them. MARKETING is the major thing that gets people interested in something. Marketing is probably the major problem with Drum Corps.

and knowing what your niche market is willing to pay for and how much.

In my educated opinion, I feel lower ticket prices would have drawn larger crowds to a drum corps show over adding electronics and other 'toys'.

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