nukeme70

I happen to know Shadow, and despite his unique viewpoints that he posts here, he's a very nice, funny, and gracious guy in person. As far as being from our organization - it's been several years and at least 2 corps ago since he marched with us as a member, though he has sat in on several of our impromptu local gigs and ad hoc parades (even went with us to New Orleans to march in some Mardi Gras fundraising gigs). We have several former members that participate in this manner - ones that can't commit to marching the entire season due to family, financial, or other commitments. That is the nature of DCA. In summary: Shadow doesn't, nor ever has, speak for us, nor does he represent our corps in any way. As far as the other issues, as far as recruiting, there are other threads that talk about this...there is an inherent lack of interest for various reasons from the DCI marchers in continuing their hobby with a DCA corps. We have tried many of the obvious, and many not so obvious, methods of recruiting from those aforementioned HS programs, trying to build visibility in the community, etc. Heck, we did a standstill gig at a HS marching competition and had kids coming up afterwards begging for autographs...I actually signed shirts! We got a ton of names from there...not a one every showed up to a rehearsal. We've performed at the Houston DCI show...in all the years we've done that, we've gotten once again, pages of contact info...not more than 5 members total. One of the reasons that the TX Drum Corps Preview was organized was to promote visibility of all the drum corps in the state, and hopefully to be used as a recruitment tool. Our director has been in touch with both Revo and Forte, and maybe even Crossmen and Mystikal. I believe that their age-outs and their auditionees that don't make the corps for whatever reason are given information about us. Once again, no recruits. I don't spearhead the recruiting, so I don't know what other contacts have been made or efforts at recruiting, other than the performances we do, so I can't really say if we're doing all we can, or if we do a good job with what we have. What I can say, is that I enjoyed doing drum corps enough that I marched DCI for 7 years, and once I aged out, looked for an opportunity to continue doing an activity that I loved in some capacity. It just doesn't seem that anyone else in the area feels the same way. We're not hard to find.

Some groups still believe in this theory

I don't know if this is the case here, but I remember hearing something a year or two ago about a guy who has published hundreds or thousands of books - basically he had a program that would search the internet and compile enough information about unpublished topics to make a book, advertise in the niche market, and then publish on demand. I tried finding info on LLC publishers, but it's such a generic legal term that there's way too many results. <edit> found this after referencing the ISBN number. It sounds like they might do what I mentioned above, but in their FAQ, they only mention that they robotically scan existing out of print books and reset the type. Sounds like the quality isn't that good unless maybe the source material was. Here's the link to their FAQ.

Check out this site, they have cheap swords of all kinds. (On a side note, it's interesting to go to the local RenFest and see the same items from that site with like a 200-300% markup.) Cheap swords and such - budk.com

Very awesome! I just posted the link on our forums, for all the folks that haven't been following this saga - I figured it summed up everything very well.

I keep hearing about how the stands are empty at the beginning of shows, and only fill up once the big guys come on. I would guess that many of those empty seats get filled with the performers that just came off the field - at least that's how it was back when I marched. Being in A-60 and on the same tour as some of the Top-12 meant that we got to see their shows nearly every night. Once I aged out and started paying to attend these shows, I made sure to get my $$ worth and watch all the shows. I can see people hanging out or just not showing up until later if you have a regional or at Semis, but a typical show that has less than 10 corps is probably going to have most of the paying customers in the stadium if not their seats when the show starts. Yes there are exceptions. Yes there are the people that pay $25 for a ticket and go watch warm-ups for 2 hours until "their" corps goes on the field. My point is the fat part of the bell curve is already inside when the competition begins.

Anyone else see the irony in slide 23? "We need to be like our peers and stop insisting that we are different and better." I interpret that statement in context to mean that G7 has already thrown their lot in with the marching bands and have washed their hands of drum corps.

We were working on a Willy Wonka show in Expressions for the '92 season before we folded. I was going to get the Oompa-Loompa solo . We had worked up "Pure Imagination" and at least one other tune.

It sounds to me like the Saturday night G7 shows would be a free-for-all amongst the participants: not so much a competition between them but a "fully produced big stadium show". I envision an extra bus full of performers that precedes the Sun-Fri corps to the stadium, just chock full of woodwind players, alumni, professionals, roadies, etc. This would be accompanied by the equipment truck full of electronics, fireworks, soundboards, prancing dogs, ponies...you get the picture. The G7 guys get their DCI fix every day, then on Saturday, they meet up with their ancillary group and put on their 30 minute production. Heck, if they do it right, they can keep things going after finals, take their modified smaller show to Broadway or other venues, and keep the money rolling in. All the benefits of Blast/Brass Theater, none of the DCI abandonment issues.

Houston received it's first significant rainfall in a loooong time - at least 5" of rain fell Friday night prior to our Saturday rehearsal. There was a spot on our practice field where a light pole had been that was filled in with sand. Unfortunately, one of our members was so dedicated to marching to his dot that he didn't take field conditions into allowance. We managed to save the horn! On a completely different topic, Gulf Coast Sound has an immediate opening in the brass line. (Actually, we have a few openings in all sections - PM me if interested...)

I don't THINK these are secret or anything, at least when I marched they weren't...so if they've moved into the realm of myth and someone wants me to remove this, just let me know... The pennies started in '92, hanging from a blue shoelace, because that year we played Penny Lane, and had just switched from the white pants/powder blue tops to full blue, from the shoes to the jacket. Ted had pennies silver-plated with the year the member marched on them, retroactive to all in the corps at the time. The crowbar is named Gunther and started a year or two before I marched ('92). Not sure exactly why, but one of the contras had a full-sized construction crowbar that was painted fluorescent orange. Gunther was traditionally taken out onto the field at retreat carried on one of the bass drum harnesses, then after the retreat block was formed, there was the ceremonial handing off of Gunther from the drummer to one of the selected contra players, who would then return to the arc-ed contras, who would then pay proper homage, then (if natural turf), Gunther would be spiked into the center of the arc. Other than the contras and some/most of the drummers, I'm not sure if anyone else in the corps was even aware of Gunther, as contras were always at the very back of the field. We were lined up one time getting ready to march in for retreat, when our drummers found out that they were playing all the corps onto the field. Couldn't run Gunther back to the trailer, so one of the contras dropped him down his bibbers, hooked over the top. Keep in mind that Gunther is nearly 3' long, so went down almost to Bobby's knee. We marched out en masse with all the other corps, with our contras at attention...every step that Bobby took, Gunther clanged into the contra bell. Needless to say, we were nearly in tears by the time we formed the retreat block...and then we had to extricate Gunther from Bobby's bibbers without being too obvious. We (low brass) had another one in '92, not sure if it lasted past the season. Someone picked up a brick from one of the housing sites and put it in one of the other LB guys luggage with no one knowing. It got passed around the rest of the season, nobody knowing who had it, you would just get to a new housing site, open up your suitcase, and find a brick under your skivvies.

I did jr. corps because I liked it. I do all-age corps because I like it. I played tuba in college because I liked it. I played tuba in community bands because I liked it. I never did any of these activities because I wanted to show that I could jazz run to my left while being blinded by 30lbs of brass, I do things like this because I like to do them. I typically don't even watch the shows that I'm at, because that's not the reason I march. For the most part, I'm indifferent to the competition aspect. I enjoy playing my G horn and marching drum corps. Since the rules say that I'm too old to march jr. corps anymore, I will continue doing the activity that I enjoy in whatever forum it is available. I respect ya'lls opinions, but I think they are somewhat misguided when statements along the lines of us old guys just trying to imitate or relive jr. corps - I think we do this because we enjoy the activity. Look at the old guys in softball leagues and such...are they just trying to relive their HS/College days? Nope...they like to play softball/baseball, but they aren't in college or HS anymore. Same with the community bands - for the most part, that is the only opportunity for adults to continue playing an instrument, at least in an ensemble. Same with drum corps - if you want to keep playing after 21, you don't have too many choices other than going DCA. I think it is kind of sad that so many people in the jr's get so burned out on doing this activity that they never want to do it again.

4 years with my first corps...they folded 2 years with my 2nd corps...they folded 1 year with my 3rd corps...aged out 6 years with my 4th (1st DCA), they folded (technically, they've just been inactive since '01) 9 years with my 5th (and current) corps, still going. This doesn't count the throwdown corps that we threw together to march one parade, though I suppose that would be considered inactive...

I know people like to riff on Dynasty horns, but I've never understood that prejudice. Granted the high brass is a whole other animal than the low brass, so I can only speak of the contras, but I have nothing but respect for the horns. I started off playing on a chrome Dynasty II 2V, played for a season on a Dynasty P/R, then the first set of 3V 5/4 Dynasty's with Bluecoats. In DCA, I went back to my 2V DEG, then moved on to King K-90, then to the 3V Kanstul Grande (the good ones, not the first gen with the teeny-tiny back bow and a monstrous flare...), finally finished on my favorite of all, DEG 4V 5/4. Never played on that particular version you now own, but I can't imagine that they totally flubbed on any contra they would make. With that in mind, I'd say that there's probably nothing inherently wrong with the horn, so start checking the things you would check on any horn: make sure there are no leaks anywhere in the tubing, spit valves, valves, etc. Make sure that the pistons line up with the valves - I had a very stuffy Conn in college that turned out the piston was off the valve by almost 1/4"...new felts to line it all up, and it was great. Check the braces as well...possible that vibrating tubing could disrupt the harmonics of the horn, especially at those low frequencies. Might be obvious, but make sure there's nothing stuck down in the horn itself...we had a guy start with us that hadn't played anything for 10-12 years, so thought that the stuffy tone was just his lack of practice. 3rd rehearsal in, something in his horn starts rattling something fierce, so we spun it, and out fell a beer can! Good luck with the horn, and keep us posted on what you come up with! edit - just reread that you'd checked for leaks...disregard that part...

Possibly just a causal relationship - those corps that can afford it (or have the clout for sponsorships) can afford to update their hornlines more often, and being that (in general) band instruments are cheaper than bugles, it makes more fiscal sense to purchase Bb instead of G. Corps that can afford such purchases can also usually afford to pay more for better arrangements, afford better staff, waive dues for better players, etc. With this in mind, one might just as well pose the question "how many corps that have an annual revenue stream less than $XX have won championships" - I would guess that for the most part the same corps would show up. As examples, look at Star of Indiana (DCI) and Syracuse Brigadiers (DCA) - highly unlikely that Star could have made Top 12 their first year out if they weren't able to afford the staff, horns, arrangements, drill, etc. that they had. Brigadiers seem to be the perfect example - when their bingo operation was in full force, they were top dogs for quite some time. Bingo went away, championships went away, Brigadiers went away (from DCA competition - nothing but good wishes on a speedy return! And yes, I know that membership was more the cause than financial this year, but IMHO that is at least indirectly related to $$ as well.). Anyway, to finish my ramble...I'm glad that there are still corps out there that value the tradition of the G bugle, and I'm especially glad that I have been able to march on a G contra for these past 24 years - I think if my only choice was to march Bb, I would start looking for a community band instead. Kudos to Kilties, the Marine Corps, and all those other drum and bugle corps that are keeping the G bugle tradition alive.

Gulf Coast Sound is still all G...mix of Kanstul and DEG. Might even have some of the lead sops on their King 2v's. We finally have enough contras with personal horns to have at least 3valves for all... 11 valves, 3 players!

Just a suggestion... As a casual drum corps fan (I much prefer to do it than to watch it...), I have not really followed the pre-release information about this film. There doesn't seem to be a synopsis on the website on what the film is about. It took me a couple clicks to determine that this was a production about the Troopers, but other than that, it looks like the only way to determine if I would like to add my name to the pre-order list is to watch the preview links or to go back through DCP to research this. I loved the film Throw it Down, and was on the order list as soon as a list was available (watched it with the included popcorn), and if this is something similar, I would be highly inclined to pre-order. So...I guess I'm asking if a FAQ or "About This Film" link or something similar could be added to the website. And if there is something along this line and it's pretty obvious, then I guess I'll hang my head and turn in my geek license. Thanks, and good luck with this production!

If nothing else, get it converted to DVD for permanence. I'm looking to do the same thing with an old recruiting tape I have from Black Knights. I guess it begs the question though of distribution methods... Can one post these videos on the old Tube de You? The corps is folded, but how does the licensing and such work? I know that the members of that era would LOVE to get some of that footage... If I were in that tape you found I would definitely appreciate having a copy available.

I'm curious how the heck they bore that shape into it; unless it's 2 parts that get joined, I don't see how they could get the larger diameter bored past the narrower one...maybe an expandable bit that opens past the throat? Any machinists out there that could offer enlightenment? Possibly cast as opposed to machined?

FYI - My competition/field horn: DEG 4V SuperMag = 29lbs My parade horn: DEG 2V Dynasty II = 18lbs. Difference in weight > next biggest horn!

We have tried getting in to the high schools - heck, we did a gig during intermission at one of the local marching contests. We had kids coming up to us afterwards literally begging for autographs! I've never been asked for an autograph...we were even signing people's shirts! But we haven't seen face one from that. A big problem we have with the HSs down here is that usually the first football game of the season is on the Friday before Labor Day...big no-no on missing that. We'd really like to tap into all the DCI age-outs that have to be just littering the streets. I think in GCS there's less than 5 of us that have marched junior corps. We've never been able to figure out if it was just lack of exposure, DCI burnout, DCA prejudice, GCS prejudice, etc. Once again, I'd like to invite anyone in the area to stop on by tomorrow and check out our rehearsal - hornline will be practicing all day from 10am to 8ish pm. There's a dinner break in there somewhere - 3 or 4ish. If you'd like to jump in the line, bring a mouthpiece along, we should have a few of each bugle available.

Howdy everyone - I lurk around here on DCP for the most part, and keep seeing all these posts from people in Houston, Katy, Richmond/Rosenberg, etc. and always wondered a few things... 1. Are you folks aware that there is a DCA corps here in Houston (Gulf Coast Sound)? I ask, yes for selfish reasons, but from a market penetration interest also. We try to get the word out that we exist, but don't really have any way of gathering feedback, other than asking new members. 2. If you marched with a DCI corps in the past, do you have any bias against marching in a DCA group? I ask this one, because it's obvious that there is a large population of DCI current and former members in the area, otherwise there wouldn't be so many auditions held locally, as well as staff members of many DCI corps. I don't think this question will be answered too successfully, as those who have such a bias probably don't read the DCA part of DCP. 3. If you are aware of GCS, and don't have any particular bias towards DCA, do you have any particular bias against GCS? I ask this one with some obvious trepidation, but it's something helpful to know. I don't want this to turn into a big gripe session, I'd just like to get some information - feel free to PM me if you don't feel like posting to the general population (especially on #3 - I have a pretty thick skin, but I'd like to keep things positive, yet informative.) I'll also throw out a plug for our practice this weekend - we've been laying pretty low here on DCP lately, but we have a heck of a program in place already - I think our drumline is pretty much set for the season, we have an excellent guard instructor who will be bringing in several more guard to add to our base, and our hornline has a couple awesome instructors, a complete (minus 1) horn book that is HOT, and a strong base of players. We're polishing 3 of our tunes, and have even performed our Opener for the Texas Governor and Sarah Palin at his campaign rally. Our main needs are some more brass and some more guard, though drummers are still welcome (but they will not be practicing this week - at the moment, a majority are doing winter drum stuff, so meet separately). Practice starts at 10:00am (9:45) and goes all day until around 8:00. Here's the location: GCS Practice Site (Rittenhouse Baptist Church) Even if you don't have any intention of marching this summer, come on out and say 'hi' and see what we're all about - probably be more entertaining around noon vs. 10:00, but we'll be there pretty much all day. If you'd like to jump in the line and play, let me know, and I'll make sure that we have enough bugles ready to go.

I use just a regular wire stand, but put my gig bag full of music, mouthpieces, etc. on the legs. I've also used ankle weights wrapped around the base, but I bet a sock full of sand would work just as well. I wouldn't recommend the look of wire stands for a performance, but I've had mine outside on windy days during practice, and my stand seems to be the last one standing. The main problem I could foresee with the Manhasset-type stands is that the stand part acts as a sail and tends to spin. I guess to be somewhat helpful, my ultimate recommendation would be a Manhasset-type stand with some 5-10lbs of weight on the base: take some duct tape (in black, or your favorite color) and wrap it around the expansion interface to eliminate spin. Add the previously mentioned Plexi, or carry some bulldog clips or clothespins, and your stand should be pretty rock solid.

I'm not understanding the whole concept of what this would accomplish, other than making your air spin through the horn and maybe make a cool whistling sound. A horn is designed to be a resonant chamber for the vibration coming from the lips - the progress of air through the horn is simply a necessary evil brought about because that's how one makes the vibration. You change the length of the resonant pipe, either through valve combinations or by adjusting slides (tuning) for the purpose of matching the vibration of the lips to the resonant frequency of the pipe (your horn), which then produces constructive interference waves, i.e. amplification. Think about the external voice box things that tracheotomy patients use (or Peter Frampton) - it provides the vibration instead of the larynx, and the mouth/throat/tongue still provide the acoustic chamber to shape those vibrations. You should be able to take a tuner that also plays pitches and hold it up to your mouthpiece - play the right frequency and it will be amplified by the horn, rifling or no rifling. It seems that it would be possible, either through rifling or some other trick, to cause a Venturi effect through the horn, causing the air to flow extremely free through the horn, lowering blowing resistance dramatically, but once again, this is simply for the convenience of the operator of the vibration method, i.e. the lips.

Ex post facto.... Gulf Coast Sound was there, or at least the few of us that could make it over (10 horns, ~8 drummers, 2-4 guard). We apparently were in the same parades (or at least 3 of) as PTB, as we kept seeing them. Lots of fun, looooong parades (I think the shortest of the 3 was only ~3.5 miles). Those that have them use our "parade horns" - all the 2 valve bugles come out, along with the old music arrangements. I left the 29lb 4V DEG at home, took along the 18lb 2V DEG instead... 1/2 the horn, all the sound! I heard that GNODCA/ Echoes of NO marched one last weekend and one this one, but didn't see any of those guys this year. Did get to see/shake hands with Larry Hirschman...