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2017 Programs: Direction to follow? Direction to abandon?


glory

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10 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

None of the above.  I do not want to see the entire direction of drum corps follow any single previous program idea.

Generally speaking, what I would like to see as a "direction" is less use of props and amplification, and more unison drill/guardwork and pure acoustic brass/percussion. 

That said, my opinions on the top six 2017 programs.  Boston was my clear favorite among the 2017 top six programs.  Their array of props and featured vocal soloist seemed like tastefully restrained use of props and amps compared to the other corps.  At the opposite extreme, I have no desire to cue up video of BD, SCV or Cavaliers.

I agree with the first two lines, but not the last two lines.

I really enjoyed SCV and Cavaliers. I do wish Cavaliers played more of the ending, but I know that's fixed for this year...  

I enjoyed Boston a little less, but that had to do with the brass arrangements and singing... I didn't care for the Blue Devils show as a whole.

 

So,

Blue Devils - Change direction.  I'd like to see more drill.

SCV - Good direction.  Maybe cut out the small group of brass, BUT after listening to a cam of one of those guy's, the rest of the hornline had mad notes too... These guys didn't play as much as the whole line.

Crown - Change direction.  No singer, no wooden planks.  They sound great already, so they'll be great this year.

Cavies - Slight change. It's an anniversary year, so it will be different direction.  Hornline much improved so far. Percussion vet laden. 

Bluecoats - Keep being you. Last year was a wonderful show, but that middle section was a little down. Clean up the individual technique. You guys are going to be awesome.

Boston - Keep on truckin'.  Maybe no singing this year?

Cadets - I enjoyed the show, but the singing wasn't my thing. I don't know what it is about the design. I liked some of it, disliked others. It ended up being meh with all the little cheesy things thrown in by the end of the season.

Blue Knights -  Keep on with this direction. LOVED it. Maybe tweak the guard program.

Phantom - Please switch directions.  Possibly my least favorite show from you ever.  Also, you need to learn how to mic your brassline, if that's what you're into...

Blue Stars - Different direction please. HATED the singing. I don't think I loved the way the show flowed, but keep that brassline.

Crossmen - Different direction, please. I wasn't a fan of the deconstructed/reconstructed arrangements. Didn't love the staging of the props.

Madison - Different direction.  I did love the visual improvements you made last year, but that type of show is something that should be done only once in a while. I heard you're going in a different direction anyway, so it was good enough to get you back into finals.

Mandarins - Keep going.  Just make everything tighter.

Academy - I bet you going to change directions.

Troopers - I think you really need to change directions.  The props were not a good idea. The music didn't work. The uniforms didn't work.

Spirit - Keep on keeping on.

Pacific Crest - Same. Just improve the execution

Seattle Cascades - Same

Oregon Crusaders - Great show.

Vanguard Cadets - Great direction

Music City - I didn't care for this direction.  It will be exciting to see how they do in World.

Pioneer - Great direction, just get some more members.

Blue Devils B - Good direction for them. 

Genesis - Great direction for them. I'd say just improve execution.

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, jjeffeory said:

Blue Devils - Change direction.  I'd like to see more drill.

Good chance more drill may not happen since the BD seem to do a great job writing a show based on the judges sheets.

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1 hour ago, Ghost said:

Good chance more drill may not happen since the BD seem to do a great job writing a show based on the judges sheets.

The one recent year BD tried incorporating more drill (2016), they finished 2nd.

Obviously, it was more than just the drill, but still.

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16 minutes ago, Cadevilina Crown said:

The one recent year BD tried incorporating more drill (2016), they finished 2nd.

Obviously, it was more than just the drill, but still.

Still finished first in visual.

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5 hours ago, Ghost said:

Good chance more drill may not happen since the BD seem to do a great job writing a show based on the judges sheets.

Yea, I know. Too bad about that too, but they're fully rewarded for what they do, so why change it?

 

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Would not mind seeing the Cavies continue with the cheese for another summer and do a show called "Science!"  It would be awesome to see some Thomas Dolby on the field...

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  • 1 month later...
On 2/20/2018 at 8:33 PM, glory said:

Of the top six finishers' programs in 2017, which would you like to see continue as a direction for drum corps? And which would you like to see abandoned?Of the top six finishers' programs in 2017, which would you like to see continue as a direction for drum corps? And which would you like to see abandoned?

The good: Pure brass moments (e.g. Crown's fugue).  SCV's minimalist props.  Bluecoats' fresh music, played while moving fast!  The pacing of Boston's show.  Crown's quality marching, plus their great drill.  

The bad: Sampling popular music... please play it and, if you absolutely must, sing it!  Don't upstage the stars of your show with anyone who hasn't (yet) earned stardom.  The horse has been beaten to dog food, but overuse/abuse of synth bass and amplification.  

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14 hours ago, Ediker said:

The good: Pure brass moments (e.g. Crown's fugue).  SCV's minimalist props.  Bluecoats' fresh music, played while moving fast!  The pacing of Boston's show.  Crown's quality marching, plus their great drill...

emphasis added

Boston's pacing? I watched that video recently for the first time since the summer and was struck by how slow they seemed to move. In that respect, it's one of the things I'd most like to change across the board. Hoping for more simultaneous demand in drill and music. 

Or maybe we're talking about two different things?

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1 hour ago, glory said:

Boston's pacing? I watched that video recently for the first time since the summer and was struck by how slow they seemed to move. In that respect, it's one of the things I'd most like to change across the board. Hoping for more simultaneous demand in drill and music. 

Or maybe we're talking about two different things?

Yes, I'm always for marchers moving faster.  Seems like a dying art.  What I meant by pacing was the design of the show's moments.  With the exception of some drum breaks that (to me) dragged the momentum down a bit, the show is always rocketing forward.  As an audience member, it goes by quickly and with little distraction or boredom on my part.  Compare to Boston's 2016 show, where there was a wonderful build up to the opening hit, which was good.  The hit felt a little long and predictable, with an enormous PAUSE after it.  By that point I was already playing on my phone.   Good pacing would have tightened that moment, and transitioned better into the next building moment.  Boston 2017's show kept the momentum going almost constantly.  

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