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Pretentious? I don't think so. They're not lying about being DCI's most honored drum corps. They're certainly not acting more talented than they really are. Words I'd use to describe it......professional. Well put together. Well thought out. Clear in its purpose and intent. Informative. Did I say professional? I don't know, to each their own. But pretentious isn't what I thought when I read it. Sounds like an announcement should sound to me.

2017: Musicals 2018: Drum Corps shows... Leading to the single most tautological show in the history of DCI.

Wow, I loved how they used it all throughout their show. It was tasteful and I thought masterfully done. I would absolutely disagree 100% with calling their usage lazy, gross, worn-out, crammed, inappropriate, out of place and overused. Have you emailed their design team and shared their thoughts and how you could have done it better? I believe Blue Devils also used it a very high level as well. I can't wait to hear how they utilize it with "Ink" I absolutely love the use of electronics as a new layer within these shows and can't wait for more corps to push the envelope with it.

Count me as one who despised electronics in all forms when introduced. I've come around to where there are some things I like and some I don't. I don't mind straight amplification of the mallet instruments or brass soloists. I think some of effects are nice and can add to the flavor of the show. I LOVED the bend at the end of TILT. What I despise and don't think I will ever like is the use of synthesizers to fatten the bottom end. I want to hear low brass, not electronic bass. It has gotten to the point where it seems every time there are lows that designers want to emphasize all you can hear are the synths completely drowning out the low brass rather than supporting or embellishing it.

Still here, still opposed to electronics and amplification on principle,* and still tolerate them when used well. *Particularly when--as often--what they contribute would be more interesting if done acoustically or live.

The use of electronics between pieces is the only reason why the transitions weren't awkward. Plus they were part of the original source music. But then again, you're going to hate electronics no matter what so I guess it's pointless to bother.

Sounds like a fun program! Maybe it's my fault for the way my brain functions, though, but that line break on "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" is pretty unfortunate.

Because the Blue Devils announced their show on May 5, does that make today Inko de Mayo?

Between the Stanley Cup playoff games last night, if you switched to see American Idol semi-finals you might have seen the hometown parade for Nick Fradiani at the Guilford green and seen the very short snippet of the parade led by the St. Mary's Catholic School fife and drum corps of Branford, Nick's alma mater for K-8. The unit is instructed by members of the faculty of the 7th Regt who have done wonders in the young unit's three years.

lol

"The Blue Devils are proud to present their 2017 show, App!"

I think you're speaking from a more technical POV. I'd have answered the question Bluecoats as well. To me at least it seems they're more creative in their use of the electronics. Crown, Cavies and BD all seem to do amplication pretty well (in that it doesn't reach out and scratch the blackboard) -- it's unobtrusive. And Crown still has one of my favorite uses of electronics ever -- ballad in 09 where Nick Starr played the celeste patch in the middle. Always was breathtaking how quiet an entire stadium could be in that moment. In fact Nick was a pretty much beast at everything he played for Crown. He's playing for Uncle Sam in "Pershings Own" now:

2014: movies 2015: books 2016: tv shows?

A shame that you're missing out on good drum corps.

This is a topic that deserves it's own thread, and is drum corps biggest anathema. You can tacit the brass or battery as long as you want, but god forbid the pit ever takes a single note off....

I'm still the old fart when it comes to electronics. They should have stopped at the pit instruments. There hasn't been one single use of synthesizers or amplified voice/brass by any corps that I have enjoyed. Pretty much the reason I've stopped going to live shows.

The use of synthetic, artificially produced effects, does turn the corner for Drum Corps in performance competition however ( without taking a position here on whether this is neccessarily a " good " thing or a " bad " thing, here ). This is because a single " adult sound engineer " is now more important and worth more points to be had in performance competition than a single youth performer, performing on their brass, percussion, or with their Guard equipment. Anybody here disagree with this observation ?..... and if so, could you explain to us why you do not share this assessment ?

It wasn’t until I heard the CD that I caught what was really going on with Bluecoats and it was gross, out of place and overused. They did a much better job in some of their past years. The choral sounds in the ballad steps on the brass tones in a very bad way, worse than your normal Goo. I heard it live too. Before I saw or heard Coats this year someone on this board asked about it which, was met by the experts here with' their brass was so good it sounded like a choir', So yeah, how many of you have actually heard what was going on? Perhaps I should go searching for that thread to see who has the ears the backing synth on some of the lead horn parts sounds rushed, wimps out the horn playing by over-riding it with support, it’s not needed, it’s a diaper…can’t the brass do it on their own? Guess not, ‘Coats over use this gimmick year after year, it’s their live Dr Beats, show me a brass player that likes that done to their parts or even likes hearing it. Also something they’ve beat to death but it fell on it’s face this year, little synth riffs to lead into a big brass hit, they try to sneak it in at the end of the build, it’s musically unsound and a distraction. There is no need and no place for it. Bluecoats are in a lazy usage for usage rut, falling back on old tricks that are worn out and become inappropriate; same ideas crammed into different compensation become out of context and a crutch Blue Devils did a better job this year; their 2012 show is still the overall best example of heavy electronic usage that adds to the show. Musically, 2014 was a lean year for me, only 4 corps got ripped, so listened to enough for me to have a good read on and of those, it was BD...others may have done it better but I missed it

The questions to ask are: 1. Is everything in the mix audible at all times? 2. If not, why not? 3. What's to be done? These are the issues addressed in professional live sound situations. Technology changes, but musical principles remain. Balance and blend continue to be sub-par for most corps as they attempt to integrate synthetic sound with acoustic instruments. There are signs of improvement, however, as both designers and adjudicators become better informed.

It took a while for corps to learn how to do it properly and in a way that wasn't very intrusive. The poor Cadets are still trying to learn.

Liahona's back in da house !!... Welcome back, my Man !

I'm surprised this thread is still going after this reply, as the OPs questions have been answered.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HEAT WAVE OF FLORIDA DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS Heat Wave Of Florida Drum and Bugle Corps from Inverness, Florida has completed their DCI evaluations, and has been approved to participate in DCI's Open Class competitions in the 2015 season. Details of our show, and show locations will be announced shortly. Heat Wave Of Florida would like to thank everyone in the organization for their hard work and commitment in making the return of a DCI Drum and Bugle Corps to Florida a reality. Please keep watching for further news and information!!

intense laughter is an emotion.

Eventually SCV is going to break back into the medal spots, and this year is as good as any. I believe that we're going to get to the point that the top 5 or 6 corps are going to rotate in placements from one year to the next, and that's going to include the Blue Devils. All it's going to take is for SCV ( and Cavaliers) to get back to their previous levels. Bluecoats are up and down in recent years. Cadets are up and down but have the ability to pop a win at any time if they're ticked off at something or to prove a point. Crown is up and down ( within the top echelon). Blue Devils has been mostly up the last decade. SCV has been down to middle of the pack of the top echelon of corps these last many years, but they're on the up swing; Cavaliers have been mostly "down" the last several years, but they're gaining a place every year and they have several decades of higher placements and history which should help the get back up there. Then there's Phantom, who has been at the top of the game a couple of times, but is currently down as of this past year. They could be a surprise to get into this top group too. Other corps haven't won or are currently too far down in the placing to be considered to be put in the rotation. Basically, I'm thinking that SCV is going to be a "Vanguard" this year with their almost self-referential "the Spark of Invention" show...

I know I said I was done but now that most of the shows have been released (plus I have info about those that haven't) I will make a final (I promise this time) prediction for the season. These are my opinions based on what I've heard from the corps 1. Crown - They will come back strong with a dark, ###### show that will blow the audience away and take back 1st. The fresh design is the key for their rise. 2. Cadets - Very technical and powerful but will not have the same effect as Crown. 3. Blue Devils - Low spot (for BD) but I believe they will do something they haven't done in a while. Be the fan favorite. At this point I believe these 3 are locks to medal. Any of these corps can take 1st, this is just the order I have them in right now. 4. Cavaliers - Exciting, fast paced show that fans will love but they just can't unseat the top 3 5. SCV - Beautiful music, powerful brass, and still great percussion but won't be able to unseat the top 3 6. Blue Knights - People keep predicting a drop but they will rise 2 spots thanks to their music selections. I get chills just listening to them 7. Bluecoats - Will be a great show but too similar to last year's causing them to fall 8. Boston - 75th Anniversary and a show that is perfect for them equates to moving up 9. Phantom - Things get worse before they get better and this is one of those times. Next year they should rise thanks to staff continuity (hopefully) 10. Bluestars - My only wildcard as they have kept very quiet about this show. Just can't see them dropping out of finals 11. Troopers - this corps will take a lot of people by surprise this year. fantastic music choice and some tricks up their sleeves 12. Colts - love the concept and love the music. If they want to stick with narration, a Noir show is the way to go. 13. Madison 14. Crossmen 15. Spirit 16. OC 17. Pacific 18. Mandarins 19. Jersey Surf 20. Academy 21. Cascades 22. Pioneer Random Predictions - top 3 score within 2 points of each other - top 10 break 90 - no narration in the top 5 - less electronic use than last year - most competitive year of drum corps ever - best year of drum corps ever

Bluecoats nailed synth this year better than anyone else in terms of usage and execution, and not just the obvious pitch bend moment in the closer. It was seemlessly integrated throughout.

BK's use of recorded voice was nice.

Some would say that it's based in drum corps getting better and more competitive. That could be right. Or, as someone inevitably points out, it could mean nothing, because scores can't be compared across years. Even so, I'd say that the most impressive score of all may be Star of Indiana's sixth-place score of 95.300 in 1989. Though 25 years have passed, that record still stands. No other sixth-place corps has even come within a point of that score. Only three sixth-place corps have managed to come within one-and-one-half points of that score (94.150--Crown '07, 94.100--Spirit '86, and 94.000--SCV '90). Of fifth-place corps, only the three we've already mentioned have ever had a higher score than Star '89 got in sixth-place.

Eh idk I think the Bluecoats did it better personally. But there definitely was nothing bad about the way BD used electronics last year.

Well, in 2014, the answer to just about every "who did it best" question is Blue Devils in pretty much any category you can come up with.

Can't wait to hear the "5 Variants" by Vaughan-Williams!!!

Game of Thrones has me excited. When I read "The Battle" by Hans Zimmer, I got extremely excited because I thought this was the piece from the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack. Then I realized Hans Zimmer didn't write that score :(

BAC Presenting our 2015 Program....CONQUEST. Musical selections include: Game of Thrones Main Title- Ramin Djawadi Conquest- Alfred Newman Palladio- Karl Jenkins Take What is Ours- Brian Tyler 5 Variants From Dives & Lazarus- Ralph Vaughan Williams The Battle- Hans Zimmer Original Music by Ryan George and Ellis Hampton https://www.youtube....h?v=1cloDhcK8Lc

What were your other predictions based on? A crystal ball from the moon?

Actually, some say it's under this world.

One man's "hearsay" is another man's "heresy," John. And sometimes, the fine line is awfully hard to distinguish. As such, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes as the sole determiner. "All is well....(bass) all is well...(high voice) with my soul....(bass) with my soul..."

Didn't they also play this in 2008? I'm 99% sure they did. EDIT: Come to think of it, Crown played a snippet of it in their show that same year as well.

I'll bite: Bluecoats have never won DCI; they have won silver only once in their history, and have placed Top 3 only twice in the history. The last time Bluecoats placed 3rd, they dropped all the way to 7th the following year; in the last ten competitive season, Bluecoats have averaged placing 5th. That is awesome, and they are always an interesting corps for me: even if I don't really like their production, I always like aspects of what they do, and I think they have a good design team that isn't afraid to take risks. That all being said, to put Bluecoats in Top 3, or even in 1st, as a prediction preseason that means someone has to drop out: not just "someone," but a DCI Champion who knows what it takes to win. Corps like: * Blue Devils: they have not placed lower than 4th since 1991; haven't placed lower than 2nd since their Bronze medal in 2006; have won DCI 16 times, including 5/8 seasons. They've averaged 1.8th place the last decade, and betting against them is not logical * The Cadets: 10 Time DCI Champion, including 2 of the last 10 seasons. Bluecoats did a great job beating Cadets last year at Finals, but historically Cadets have been consistently better averaging 3rd place in 10 seasons. They haven't placed lower than 5th since 1991. VERY strong contender, and while not as consistent as BD, clearly knows how to compete for Championship annually and is formidable at the top. * SCV: 6 Time DCI Champion, though not since 1999; has been rising up the ranks the last several years, in particular the last couple; while they have had some issues over the last decade (including an all-time worst 8th place in 2005), they have still averaged 5.7 - not too far behind Bluecoats; While I think they are obviously more 'beatable' than Cadets & BD, they are still a threat * Crown: only two seasons removed from their first DCI Championship; their 5th place finish last season was their worst since 2007; they've finished Top 2 3/6 previous seasons, meaning (IMO), they have proven more consistent recently, their last season's misstep withstanding * Cavaliers: have struggled ever since staff turnover after their 2006 Championship, but seem to be on the uptick; they have momentum going for them (as do Bluecoats), and have staff that has won DCI multiple times & know what it takes design-wise and instruction wise to win. * Phantom Regiment: up-and-down but 2-time DCI Champion with their last win less than a decade ago. Phantom, IMO, is a wild-card that could be Top 3 or 7th place in any given year; to be honest so are Bluecoats (though Bluecoats have been more consistent recently). If we want to break this down even further to captions: * Brass: BD and Crown are consistently amazing with everyone else obviously/noticeably beneath those two. It would take gargantuan strides for any corps to outscore either one of these two programs in Brass in the last several seasons, and nothing is likely to change with that * Percussion: Rennick at SCV brings huge talent pool on both ends of the caption (performance & design). BD, Cadets are often in the hunt recently. Bluecoats also have outstanding percussion (and brass), but it's TOUGH to beat all of those proven Championship-winning programs * Visual: this is Bluecoats weakest caption, and seemingly has been consistently. Last year they were 4th in proficiency and 5th in Guard. So Bluecoats have been close in brass and percussion without being able to get over the hump of 3rd (at least recently I think): they've certainly never won, but have been close in both caption. Visual, they are not in the ballpark of winning and they would have to make HUGE strides there (would that come at the expense of music captions? Doesn't have to, but you never know if you put everything into one caption others could slip in quality). Breaking down just captions Bluecoats are kind of close but have major obstacles in their way: not the least of which are amazing corps competing against them! So really what I'm saying is DCI is pretty stacked with talent. It's easy for a fan to give the benefit of the doubt to a corps that has already won DCI (something all six corps have done, with 5/6 winning a DCI Championship since 2006!) rather than a corps that has not. I think realistically it's not crazy to think Bluecoats can be Top 3 again. Bluecoats won 0 sub-captions last season, and IIRC Bluecoats have NEVER won any captions at DCI Finals before. Crown had won High Brass a few times before winning DCI, so at least they had a very recent history of Championship brass that helped propel the corps to the Gold: Bluecoats do not. For them to win, EVERYONE ELSE needs to be worse than Bluecoats, and with the consistency of Blue Devils I personally find that implausible at this time. I think it's more like Cadets will come out VERY strong with a chip on their shoulder, and they will be duking it out for the Gold with BD. I think Crown placing 5th last year was more an anomaly (i.e. a misstep of a show design) and they will be fighting others for a Top 3 spot. I think Bluecoats could be Top 3, but I think it's easier to guess that: 1/2 - Blue Devils & Cadets 3/4/5/6 - Crown, SCV, Bluecoats, Cavaliers - REAL fun competition for us fans! I think Cavaliers will likely be on the lower end of this 'tier,' but you never know. I think Bluecoats can be as high as 3rd or as low as 6th because this is such an incredibly talented and competitive group of corps. Phantom could also duke it out for Top 6 obviously. Really, DCI has an incredibly consistent, amazing Top 7, with 8th-14 also being very good! But the short answer to the OP's question is TONS of consistent, DCI Champion talent and Bluecoats are just amazing w/no Championships. Even Crown, with their show/placement last year likely gets the benefit of the doubt because A) they're won DCI very recently and B) they have a Championship caliber brass program that has contended/won the Ott trophy a TON the last several years.