George Dixon Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 (edited) 12 minutes ago, BRASSO said: How many brass are the Cadets going out with this summer, George Dixon ?... are you at liberty to say ? I was thinking perhaps 76, but with the choir and the FE, wasn't sure. 70 brass with 12 tuba and they are using euphoniums They have a nice warm sound with a good lower end. It's not as powerful as last years line but really nice tone. With the repertory a symphonic sound is perfect 8 vocalist will be singing mostly notes and mostly in Latin. Mostly being blended into the brass choir rather than a standalone element. If they can get the balance right it might be really special. Not something for many programs... but for Mass it is ideal if they can get it just right. The brass doesn't sound like a Gino line. It sounds more like an 80s 90s balance from the Cadets but with the Bb tone quality The solos and features sound great so far. Small percussion features during the prelude Chaos and then a backfield mello solo beginning Simple Song The line had a very pretty ensemble sound and it will great to listen to it develop over the course of the season. It's sound fits well with Bernstein Edited May 29, 2017 by George Dixon 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 1 minute ago, George Dixon said: 70 brass with 12 tuba and euphoniums They have a nice warm sound with a good lower end. It's not as powerful as last years line but really nice tone. With the repertory a symphonic sound is perfect 8 vocalist will be singing mostly notes and mostly in Latin. Mostly being blended into the brass choir rather than a standalone element. If they can get the balance right it might be really special. Not something for many programs... but for Mass it is ideal if they can get it just right. The brass doesn't sound like a Gino line. It sounds more like an 80s 90s balance from the Cadets but with the Bb tone quality The solos and features sound great so far. Small percussion features during the prelude Chaos and then a backfield mello solo beginning Simple Song The line had a very pretty ensemble sound and it will great to listen to it develop over the course of the season. It's sound fits well with Bernstein Cool!.. thanks for that update.. appreciated ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbass598 Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 5 hours ago, jwillis35 said: Or they could have 1/4 playing marimba 1, 1/4 playing marimba 2, 1/4 playing vibe 1, and 1/4 playing vibe 2 or an aux perc. instrument. I think that is my point. All of that requires less instruments to do. 5 marimbas and 5 vibes. Having 10 of each where many of them are unused for large portions of the shows is excessive if they are only going to have them playing all 10 for specific moments. Its a visual attention grabber more than it serves a musical purpose. At that point I will reserve judgement on the scoring of 10 marimbas when they are probably only playing 3 individual parts or otherwise the scoring for the instrument is too thick. I disagree on the vibraphone as the pedaling that can be done allows for a much more lyrical and sustainable sound than a marimba. Do I expect a vibraphone to play for all 11 minutes of a show? No. But I think it serves an important voice in the ensemble. Not using it is like not marching mellophones in my opinion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 11 minutes ago, gbass598 said: I think that is my point. All of that requires less instruments to do. 5 marimbas and 5 vibes. Having 10 of each where many of them are unused for large portions of the shows is excessive if they are only going to have them playing all 10 for specific moments. Its a visual attention grabber more than it serves a musical purpose. At that point I will reserve judgement on the scoring of 10 marimbas when they are probably only playing 3 individual parts or otherwise the scoring for the instrument is too thick. I disagree on the vibraphone as the pedaling that can be done allows for a much more lyrical and sustainable sound than a marimba. Do I expect a vibraphone to play for all 11 minutes of a show? No. But I think it serves an important voice in the ensemble. Not using it is like not marching mellophones in my opinion. you're both right there is a keyboard feature in the show and it definitely makes a "wow" statement both visually AND muscially with the 10 marimbas -they also go back and forth playing off each other a bit I think the crowd will enjoy it and yes, an "excess" - but they do utilize them for a specific purpose. Pit sounds great - Cadets have a phenomenal group of keyboard players (even in C2 which is also loaded in the pit). I think some of the decision was due to their great # of fantastic keyboard players this year 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 3 minutes ago, George Dixon said: you're both right there is a keyboard feature in the show and it definitely makes a "wow" statement both visually AND muscially with the 10 marimbas -they also go back and forth playing off each other a bit I think the crowd will enjoy it and yes, an "excess" - but they do utilize them for a specific purpose. Pit sounds great - Cadets have a phenomenal group of keyboard players (even in C2 which is also loaded in the pit). I think some of the decision was due to their great # of fantastic keyboard players this year as in go with your strengths. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Just now, xandandl said: as in go with your strengths. YUP. They are doing the same thing with the rest of the corps. Brass is a little younger = blend with the choir. Guard is more experienced = up front and featured a lot more with more dance. Percussion / pit extremely strong = lots of features and a percussive score for the most part 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbass598 Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 10 minutes ago, George Dixon said: Pit sounds great - Cadets have a phenomenal group of keyboard players (even in C2 which is also loaded in the pit). I think some of the decision was due to their great # of fantastic keyboard players this year As they typically do every year so I'm not surprised. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 More pics at Cadets FB https://www.facebook.com/cadets.org/ Cadets trumpet Tom Eder playing Taps today at a Johnstown remembrance 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppycock Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 On 5/28/2017 at 10:38 AM, George Dixon said: from George Hopkins' FB page: "(last night) working through Agnus Dei" Check out the 10 marimba and the pit stationed from the 45 to the 25 side 2 Oh those things look big to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppycock Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 22 hours ago, gbass598 said: I can't say I'm a fan of this new trend where a single player has both vibes and a marimba. All it does is cost more money and make your pit look bigger when it doesn't really add much of anything musically. Bigger is better for some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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