Field Electronics - How much is too much?

[Bruckner8]

Answer: anytime the electronics cover something else up. (i.e., the definition of BAD ENSEMBLE)

PS: For Bloo-haters, the electronics never covered a single thing. (certainly not the tubas!)

[corpsband]

almost zero purely acoustic brass moments from bloo this year.

that's not being subjective, it's stating a fact.

it got rewarded big time, and i expect it to be the trend for most corps if they want to compete in the future. hoping klesch and a few other brass arrangers can continue to write brass books that can compete without going the full bloo "percussion ensemble with brass accompaniment" route. we'll see.

As some one earlier said, I'm sure this will be discussed in winter meetings. Objectively I want to say "percussion ensemble with brass accompaniment" is just as valid as "brass ensemble with percussion accompaniment" but subjectively I just can't seem to do it. I guess we all find the line we can't cross eventually. I liked what Bluecoats did this year. I'm just not sure I want to see 80 brass players relegated to support roles. To me drum corps has always been about glorious brass ensembles.

[corpsband]

Answer: anytime the electronics cover something else up. (i.e., the definition of BAD ENSEMBLE)

PS: For Bloo-haters, the electronics never covered a single thing. (certainly not the tubas!)

First -- love the fact you're rolling out the Bloo-haters tag. Nothing could be further from the truth for me. I LOVE what Bloo has done in the past several years. I don't think you're contributing to the discussion by throwing that out there.

I hope the semis run surfaces somewhere. I'll take the finals run and the semis run and put them in the left and right channels of a track. It will be very interesting to see if my memory is deceiving me.

Edited August 16, 2016 by corpsband

[Lance]

That would mean that a brass soloist would be playing into a microphone, or synthesized brass would be playing, the entire show. Was that the case?

Nothing I said was subjective.

Bloo deserved the win, and I'm curious to see what follows not only from them, but from other corps. Sorry if that offends the irrational.

[Lance]

Anti A&E folks argued that spending would become exponential and that trying it would mean keeping it. The toothpaste won't go back into the tube.

Also, folks put Bluecoats as an exception to a lot of the blending problems. But the reason they blend and balance better us their willingness to commit to a professional setup and team.

I agree with Lance. Not changing. Got to make the best of it.

well put

besides the electronic integration, bloo's whole show was seamlessly desgined and performed amazingly well

i think it's possible for great brass arrangers to keep putting out musical brass books while keeping up with the electronic toys that are required to get big GE scores. so i'm onboard with electronics, though i wish it was just a little less overall. :)

[CrownBariDad]

That can actually be done now, and it's not nearly as expensive to do so as you'd think.

You are probably right. My objection to the existing technology is it's still a bit hit-or-miss.

I want the audio tech to get to the point where it can all but be ignored while we gripe on DCP about the MM safety on those new fangled aerial hover boards -- who needs to hear a trumpet solo from 30' in the air?

[HockeyDad]

If I recall, somewhat ironically, it wasn't Bluecoat's director who was the driving force pushing for amps and electronics. We know who it was. Bluecoats just happened to be the corps that embraced it more and ultimately raced ahead of everyone else. Tilt. Kinetic Noise. And then Downside Up. The directors wanted this. Bluecoats ran with it, came up with something new and fresh, and won a championship. DCI judges like the new and shiny things.

Edited August 16, 2016 by HockeyDad

[C.Holland]

The cool thing about having mics and effects to play with, is that a solo no longer has to be blown to a point where the tone changes to be heard.

My favorite parts of Bloo's soloists were when they were allowed to play bebop style, at bebop levels. Light, quick, or with the harmon mute in. Or when Legend's have a trumpet solo with an effect added onto it. Great stuff. Not having to be blasted out to be heard.

Just good tone, great articulation, and an awesome soft sound, that could be heard everywhere.

You'd never have heard either of these moments without a mic.

[PamahoNow]

I disagree. I do believe the financial implications are going to spur some serious conversation at the DCI meetings this year.

As much as 20 trombones?

[PamahoNow]

my thoughts:

- soloists shouldn't be playing downward and away from the crowd... put them back up front... I understand mic'ing certain things but when it comes to the soloists overpowering the entire hornline (like Bluecoats did in the closer in Atlanta), that is too much

- when we are trying to figure out if what we are hearing is recorded or being played live, that crosses the line. The one section at the end of the opener bluecoats had going down the line and back up again used to be all played... they cut out the part going back up the line and just played a recording... I thought that went too far personally

I'm pretty sure it was never played from Indy to Indy.