What are the top 3 "trends" in Drum Corps

[Brent]

I'm looking for some objective topics that are trends you see in the marching activity.

To get us started: use of electronics has been around since the 80s in marching bands, but sound support and the use of electronics in our field shows is a huge trend these days with the use of computers and narration. electronics used to be the bass guitar marching up and down the 50 with one person playing the guitar and one person pushing the cart with the amp, car battary, etc. Bands have been using narration and even choirs in their field shows since the mid 1990s. Now there is the advent of the computer sounds into the field shows.

please rank your top 3 trends in drum corps and the marching arts.

here are mine:

1) use of computers and electronics in field shows

2) theme shows attached to a visual idea or theme outside of the music. the marching arts look for musical snippets to match their visual concepts throughout their show: Le Tour, Pandemonium, Pop!, 3hree, etc.

2) costuming: most colorguards, drumlines, and now bands are changing their uniform almost on a yearly basis to match their themed shows.

I'm not really looking for a debate, but your opinion on the top 3 trends in the marching arts.

create peace,

Brent

[jjeffeory]

Good topic. In regards to your comments:

1) I this it's obvious that electronics will be used in shows starting next year. I've seen very good uses by bands ( Stargate show from some Southern California band a decade ago), and I've seen BAD uses. I think we're going to see some bad tries soon in DCI.

2) The theme show idea is a recent trend, but we've had "titled" shows for a very long time, and I don't think it's that big of a change. It's just that everything that each part of the corps do is now "more" integrated and matches the title a little better. It's more of a refinement than a difference really.

3) I've seen most colorguards in drum corps and marching band change their uniforms yearly since the mid 1980's. I wouldn't think that was a trend.

Edited July 29, 2008 by jjeffeory

[Harmonious Cacophony]

Eh, I don't really have a list, but whatever.

-Hybridization

Everyone wants to put composition X on top of composition Y.

[BigSnareline]

"Prancing", unrecognizable music, and snare drums that sound like floor tiles.

[ouooga]

1) Geometric drill is a growing trend and is starting to bleed its way out of drum corps into marching band too

2).....

ya, I only got one. I'll think of more later

[Brent]

through composition

staging vs. drill

colorguard as a huge emphasis on scoring and placement

color palettes

running while playing (phantom and blue devils)

[The Other Mike]

"Prancing", unrecognizable music, and snare drums that sound like floor tiles.

Prancing........floor tiles, unrecognizable music

I seem to remember someone on RAMD talking about all three in just that tone of voice.................

[mad_scotty]

I'll add one, and I think it's a pretty disturbing trend: the trend to add more and more unadjudicated content to shows. As much as I dislike the system of judging and affixing scores to corps, and as much as i feel the system is broken badly, and frequently misses, the underlying logic behind scoring is drum corps long term commitment to the pursuit of excellence, and rewarding those who excel. well, at least thats how it was in the old days of 3-5 years ago. i've noticed that in recent years it seems that every year dci "allows" a new creative element to enhance design, and every year they decline to build the new design elements into scoring.

can't get your pit amplification and hornline volume levels to line up? or worse yet, get a delay or echo in the amps that causes the hornline to fall out of sequence? no problem, the audience might not enjoy it, but your score will be unaffected. want your hornline to spend a third of your show either tacet or just plain buried beneath narration? no problem, you'll be scored alongside a corps who keeps their hornline playing and exposed for a full show with no risk of penalty. want o mic up a dozen "solo and small ensemble" players and amp them so hot your 15th place corps is louder than a top 6 corps who recruits top talent and works to develop power? no problem, the judges will remain as faithfully deaf and blind as always.

you guys can talk all you want about electronics, or narration, or design, or gas prices, or the ever shrinking tour and audience, but to me the single biggest trend in dci over the last 5 years has been dci's consistent efforts to undermine its own system of scoring. the system is now so fundamentally broken that its gotten to the point there is no fair or even rational way to adjudicate a show like this years phantom or devs next to a show like this years cadets, because a third of this years cadets content from an audience perspective falls into the category of unjudged design elements.

[jonnyboy]

Call it flame bait or what ever you want, but I am disturbed by the trend of wasting money. I get ill when a corps needs donations for its third set of uniforms in five years. Or $5000 for a new set of flags (WTF!). Or a school needs cash for a prop or accessory that they will use for a few shows, with the explanation "these new hats/belts/flags/props will be worth 5 points!" Hogwash.

Spend money sure, but please be smart about it. That is all I am saying. $$$ doesn't = points.

[Brent]

what does it take to be a top level performing ensemble in the marching arts? what are the top 3 positive trends?