Martybucs Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 I recently challenged someone on their definition of drum corps as being essentially, marching band. I pointed out that the person was flatly wrong. I proceeded to point out said wrongness. Inadvertently, that person was offended by my method of pointing out the error. The error being that drum corps and marching band are the same. There are many aspects to drum corps, including the tangible aspects of equipment used, to the more ethereal qualities of the experience, good or bad, derived from being in a drum corps. The latter, probably having much in common with the ethereal qualities of belonging to any kind of challenging activity. So, opinion and conjecture of the future aside, define drum corps. I say it is percussion, brass, and visual performers, executing a show on a football field in competition, but also the same said components performing in either concert or parade venues. For the purpose of this definition here - no woodwinds, amplification, or electronics included. However, there are "drum corps" made up of exclusively woodwind and percussion, typically referred to as fife and drum corps. I do not include marching band as a drum corps, although I do concede that drum corps is a band, of sorts, that marches. Keeping it as down to earth and simple as possible. Define the term, as it is used now - 2009, "Drum Corps". Quote
brown55061 Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 A few bus loads full of crazy kids willing to sleep on the floor and eat PB&J all summer. Anything I missed? Quote
bhs alumni Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 (edited) drum corps is: marching musicians using various and specific brass (to include for bell-front and valved horns) and percussion instruments (since pit members still consider themselves to have "marched" my definition is all inclusive) and colorguard performers using various types of equipment to put together a show on a field. basically what seperates us from marching band? woodwinds, in some cases number of performers, time available to allow us to pay more attention to detail, and living conditions. considering all types and levels of high school programs and including college marching band to my example, there's my boiled down definition and difference. of course these definition are very general and can be narrowed based on your audience and experiences, but i believe i have covered the very basics. Edited January 6, 2009 by bhs alumni Quote
Martybucs Posted January 6, 2009 Author Posted January 6, 2009 drum corps is: marching musicians using various and specific brass (to include for bell-front and valved horns) and percussion instruments (since pit members still consider themselves to have "marched" my definition is all inclusive) and colorguard performers using various types of equipment to put together a show on a field.basically what seperates us from marching band? woodwinds, in some cases number of performers, time available to allow us to pay more attention to detail, and living conditions. considering all types and levels of high school programs and including college marching band to my example, there's my boiled down definition and difference. of course these definition are very general and can be narrowed based on your audience and experiences, but i believe i have covered the very basics. Do you agree with a definition that would say that drum corps is marching band? Quote
Lance Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 Drum corps is anything that falls within a particular drum corps circuit's rules. That's right, a microphoned vocalist with 120 dancers on the field at a DCI competition is a drum corps because it falls within the rules. Quote
Lance Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 Also, all drum corps are marching bands. But not all marching bands are drum corps. Unless it's in the rules of course. Quote
bawker Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 Do you agree with a definition that would say that drum corps is marching band? Drum corps is a form of marching band; that is to say it's a subset of it. There's nothing wrong with that to me. However, when you attempt to make drum corps the same thing as any other "marching band" (that is, to take away the uniqueness that establishes the subset, which as of 2009 is only the fact that woodwinds aren't in it), it's a problem. Quote
bawker Posted January 6, 2009 Posted January 6, 2009 Drum corps is the people. So, that means that a synchonized swimming team is a drum corps, a basketball team is a drum corps, and pretty much anything under the sun that has "people" in it is a "drum corps". Hell, I'm going to go tell all the people in my department I manage that we're a drum corps. I hope we can file as a non-profit, that'll help out the ol' 1040 next year! Quote
Martybucs Posted January 6, 2009 Author Posted January 6, 2009 I agree with the last several posts. Then, are drum corps and marching band the same or the same thing? Quote
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