shawn craig

Coprs not announcing doesn't bother me at all. Especially when they just announce a concept and no actually music. I was apprehensive about Glassmen's treatment of "New World Symphony," a great piece but overdone by bands and corps, but really enjoyed it. Other shows were muched hyped but the reality was disapointing, or at least didn't quite live up to expectations. In the meantime I can hope they aren't using amped voices and look forward to their show.

NO! I don't want those things officially on the sheets! That means everyone will HAVE to use them, at which point I'll spend less on DCI and more on DCA. I don't have a problem with them hiring a vocal coach per se. If they insist on using voacals, then at least they can use them better than anyone has to date. But here is another example of how a seemingly harmless rule change can add costs to budgets already escalating and skyrocketing. I know one vocal coach won't break any one corps, but all the extra costs of amps, electronics, training to use them correctly, especially the newer wireless mics for the vocalist. All this on top of skyrocketing gas prices (which really could kill some corps).

To hear great horn and drum lines! To watch great color guards spin and dance! To watch the music come to life through drill!

That's alright Stef, I'm not that disapointed about the beating, however if it had been a guy

And I was all excited about having someone to heckle with and then getting mercilessly beat. Oh well I stlle have FAUST ^0^ to look foward too!

I know your asking Bawker, but I'm going to give my answer here also. That is the problem I have!!! I really don't like the way the amplified aspects are out of balance and don't blend with a basicly accoustic ensemble. I also don't like the tone quality of many pit instruments when they are amped. I DON"T LIKE THEM IN MARCHING BAND ANY BETTER THAN DRUM CORPS! Vocals especially stick out and do not blend with the ensemble when they are amped. They sound like they are coming from another place then on the field. (I also have a problem with this in most indoor settings, especially when the hall/room isn't very big to begin with.)

This is so true and a really big problem, especially in the large stadiums. I've experienced this in Denver 04 (sitting high in the upper deck) and Allentown 05 (sitting just outside the 20's one night). In both cases the sound the next night when I had better seats was very different. Especially noticable in Denver as it I was hearing the same corps/shows from the previous evening. If you sit high in an upper deck or outside the 30's you lose most if not all of the amped effects. You may lose some accoustic sound, but certainly not all or most of it like you do the amped parts.

There have been many ties from the very beginning of DCI in 72 in many of the lower positions. Phantom and BD had the first tie for the championship in 1996

I have to wonder why you would need narration for a story 500+ years old that everyone knows?

Colts Capital Regiment Blue Stars Southwind Mandarins

Madison: 74, 75, 76; 95, 96, 97 SCV: 99, 00 Garfield: 83, 84, 85 Cavalier: 00, 01, 02 27 Lancers: 80, 81 PHANTOM REGIMENT: 78, 79; 81, 82; 91, 93, 94, (So I have 3 years in a row several places :P 2 is such a limiting number )

I personally don't use BOA all that much. I've try to be generic and just say marching band, especially since where I currently live BOA isn't very big. The last band show I saw was USSBA. And just like in drum corps, there were show designs that were cool, interesting and fun, and some that I didn't care for.

I'll go with 81 and 82. The Spartacus shows are two of my all time favorites from any corps. Otherwise I'd have to say Phantom almost any year is a favorite, if not the favorite of mine!!!

I think some of the multi choir brass pieces by Gabrielli would make great openers. Brass and percussion choirs entering from different parts of the field and coming together for the ending.

As others have said, I come to drum corps to hear brass and percussion. IMO no vocals in drum coprs (or the few I've heard in band) have done the ensemble real justice. Granted, going out and recruiting talent is a step in the right direction if you are going to use it. I just don't think an amped voice with an accoustic ensemble sounds right (I feel the same at symphony pops concerts where the vocalist are usually miced :( the natural unmiced vocalist for the regular concerts sound so much better).

OSU doesn't use "bell front" brass as designated in DCI rules except for trumpets and flugle horns. They use alto horns, tromboniums, euphoniums, and sousaphones for the middle and low brass. Their style is deffinatly not drum corps. BUT THEY'RE GRRRRREAT!!!!!

Me too! I don't miss the public school system at all!

I think Drums and Bugles are the first thing. Most people I know, and I think most people on DCP, joined a corps because it was exciting, different/more than band, or because they couldn't participate in a band program (in the old days). We are drawn to the activity because of the unique sound and power of all brass and percussion and the great guards. The family and people aspect of the activity comes after you are involved! Most of us were in bands, dance teams, or sports of one kind or another. We didn't realize the connections you make and education you receive in corps are so much more than those other activities (for many/most of us) until you're in the middle of your first summer of marching. It's not usually what draws people first. The outstanding performances and pagentry do that.

I would like there to be no amps. I really don't like the tone quality and balance problems I've heard so far. I will have to deal with the fact that it wil not go away. I still love the activity and most of what I do see and hear so at this point I'm not ready or willing to give it up and go away. Some corps don't amp everything in the pit, only a few things they feel need it. Those pits sound much better in terms of tone and clarity of sound, they also don't over balance nearly as much. If I (we) complain about specific problems like balance etc. then maybe amps will be used better, less, or maybe individual corps will decide it's not worth the money and effort and not use them.

Another different aspect to vocals is the unique sound each voice has. If you take 100 reasonably talented college trumpet players, the tone quality of most will sound about the same. Only a few of the best at the top and the worst at the bottom will stand out. If you listen to 100 sopranos voices, you are going to get a much wider range in the basic tone and character of voices: from light to heavy, culatura to dramatic mezzo etc. You not only need some one with true talent, but the right type of voice for the part.

It does take time to properly train. I once heard that the female voice matures (physical development) at about age 30. Never heard a statistic for the male voice.

Good thread, some very good posts. I know we need to progress. I haven't been against most changes over the years. I do believe that part of the experience is the people, education, and proving yourself. I also beleive that the power of the all brass and percussion ensemble best personifies the level of excellence and hard work drum corps demands.

I won't say there isn't room for some innovation and creativty, but another poster in anther thread (I think Bawker) stated that there is only so much further to go. The football field inevitably has its limitations no matter how many instruments/technology you add. Most of you watch sporting events of all types. As some others have said on different threads, football, basketball, baseball, etc. have not really changed that much over the years but folks still love playing and watching. I'm not sure how much technology really adds to drum corps, for me it doesn't. I think the keyboards and most pit instruments sound better when accoustic. IMO the tone quality is better. We have a great unique product. The power of all brass and percussion offers us something different then marching band (not that they don't do some great things also). We need to be sure we balance what is already great about our activity with these new toys.

I hope you and your friends continue to have fun. I loved most of the shows and there were many very cool ones; most of which did not use amped voice or gimmicks but relied on drum corps long time draw: great brass and percussion playing.

When I go to the symphony I personally love to hear current compositions, or a nice combination of current and standards. Unfortunatly many of my fellow symphony goers make negative comments when the current peices are performed. Many want to hear only the old "war horses." The biggest turnouts and money makers for professional orchestras are not the regular season concerts, most especially not the new peices but the pops concerts. New and innovative does not always have the appeal you may think.