DAvery

Question one: Can the brass judge distinguish which ensembles are mic-ing select players? While full field mic's are obvious, is this more recent phenomenon of the full time mic-ing select players within the ensemble even detectable? Question two:. If there are two brass ensembles that are performing at the same level and one is mic-ed, who should be rewarded with a higher score?

So what you are saying is a judge standing in front of a speaker cannot tell if the 20 strongest players in the brass ensemble are mic-ed?

I would think (hope?) the brass judges would score a brass ensemble that relies on ensemble amplification (or select players) a lower achievement score.

You may not be forced to mic the entire field or just the best players, but if others do and that is being rewarded - then you are kind of forced into it to remain competitive. And for the record, I do not have an issue with soloist or small ensemble amplification. What I do have an issue with is the deceitfulness of mic-ing the entire or select members of the brass ensemble. No longer does the best brass ensemble win the Ott. The best brass ensemble with money to buy mics for the strongest players and a soundboard specialist to mix the sound to give the impression the brass sound is acoustic is who wins the Ott. It's a slippery slope when we don't reward the best players with the highest score.

It may not be cheating, but amplifying only the strong players in an ensemble is dishonest and deceitful.

I don't have an issue with this specific amplification. It is obvious they are amplified, as they are positioned right in front of a mic.

But probably not cheaper than 12-16 wireless mics with the sound system to hear them. It's just the easy way, which should not be rewarded.

Did you know the entire tuba section of PR is mic'ed?

I understand, but I think with technology this has become more prevalent and hidden.

Or why not do the hard work and teach the players to play louder with a good sound.

Which is what I believe some corps are doing.

Perhaps cheating was the incorrect word, maybe dishonest. Do you think most audience members know this is going on? Judging by the comments on the other thread (which I would consider to be more informed than average) I would guess not. But what about my hypothetical question about scoring?

This came up in another thread on the Austin show and I was thinking maybe it deserves a thread of it's own. It appears several brass lines either use sideline mics to amplify the entire brass ensemble or are mic-ing specific players in the brass ensemble to attain a better overall brass sound. Someone even said the entire Phantom tuba section was mic-ed. I don't know if that it true. I know BOA passed a rule limiting this practice, but DCI did not pass the proposal to limit the use of microphones in these situations. Amplification was initially justified to enable the front ensemble players to play with proper technique. Now we have progressed to this. It seams a little like cheating, to me. It would seem to me the judges should award a higher score to a unamplified brass ensemble that performs at the same level as an amplified brass ensemble. Thoughts?

I suspect a lot of things are mic'd that we do not know about.

Where is the rule that forbids this? The following was a rule proposal from this past year that was defeated. 5. | Brass Amplification Parameters Proposed by: Jason Robb, Chris Komnick (Madison Scouts), Jim Coates, Michael Klesch (Carolina Crown), Monte Mast, David Starnes (The Cavaliers) Summary: This proposal stipulates that short-range personal microphones cannot be used for ensemble reinforcement of the horn line. Such microphones would only be used to amplify musical content that is "soloistic or soli-istic" in nature. This proposal would not place limits on the number of performers that may perform such content at one time or through the duration of that ensemble’s performance. Noted is that amplified solo content should not reinforce non-amplified ensemble content. On the record: “This honest approach protects the level playing field that DCI has historically fostered and promoted, and it ensures that students leave our corps as musically-educated people who are able to rely on their own abilities to strive and accomplish and who value the act of doing so, understanding the value of true musical achievement modeled through the approach of those that instruct them and DCI as an organization.”

I have heard Cadets are mic-ing the strong brass players and mixing it into the sound. I also heard that most corps do this. I am not anti-electronics, but this isn't right. Using area mic's at the front of the field is admitting your brass line is weak. Mic-ing only the strong brass players is admitting your brass line is weak. Why are judges rewarding this?

Corps song.

They were very good but kind of curious why they used area mics. I don’t think a wind group that size on a gym floor really needs to be louder.

I had a couple of students march Star 93 and lived about 30 miles south. I went to several spring rehearsals and could tell right away this was something special. I remember watching the hornline work on body movement under the stands at IU stadium. It was truly a stunning musical and visual program

It’s never been like that in DCI.

BOA started as summer band.

True, but proper technique doesn't. Proper technique on a trumpet is the same no matter the surroundings. Do you have to change your technique in some surroundings? Sure, but then it is not exactly proper technique.

I did a band transcription of Cage's 4'22" a few years ago. Personally, I don't think it would transcribe well for all brass.

Weren’t bugles in the key of G because that was the key of the official Army bugle?

And I have always wanted to do this. I big white box at the back of the field labeled "prop", white flags with "flag" printed on them and generic costumes with "costumes" printed on them. .