skewerz

if they eased up on the difficulty of vis, they might not...

a. yes b. I can go get a hot dog on the corps that don't fit my sound definition...08' Cadets was a prime example.

work schedule, if you really need to snoop that deeply into my life and personal wants.

it hasn't changed the sound enough, but it's getting awful close.

I might attend one local show, and possibly quarter finals. I'm sure you were worried, so I'll text you when I get there.

the sound that doesn't include non-acoustic voices...or woodwinds. it doesn't matter what sound defines the activity...it's the sound that defines MY activity...when that changes enough, I'll stop listening.

there's where our difference lies...drum corps, to me, is sound. Perhaps, from your name, you were in the guard, and instrumentation and sound weren't as important as tosses dance. I was and am first and foremost a fan, and that came about because of the sound. Add woodwinds/synths, and it sounds like marching band. I'm not so much a fan of the marching band sound.

i'm sure they did when they added electric and synths...

fixed

You have BD 23rd???? bold!!!

we say a lot because if you mention any numerical value at all, people swoop and want stacks of proof. Observation skills allows one to say "a lot" and it's accurate. Drum corps has been making changes for decades...this is true. But, these changes have always affected the corps sides of the field more than the fan side of the field. It was still brass, drums, and guard. Now, it's not.

I'm sure there is plenty they can do...I just don't think downsizing is the way to go... what is your definition of downsizing, btw? Smaller board? Less corps? Shorter season? Cutting back on "instrument" types? (i'd go for that one, it it was electronics getting downsized.. )

and they could replace the 80 horns at 1k each with an existing keyboard...and the entire battery.... why don't they just get 40 synths, and 110 guard out there! I'd pay to see that! not.

companies (especially niche companies) that downsize for whatever reason have a habit of staying downsized for the rest of it's dwindling life. You can't reach more fans by downsizing.

I'll reply to this one...it won't matter, because I won't be there to watch it, nor will be a lot of other people. DCI is just a brand. Drum corps is (was) a unique activity. DCI can do whatever they want. They (and everyone else) needs to realize they will lose a huge chunk of cash when they do.

shorter seasons means less shows...less fans attending...less souvie sales. If all that adds up to being less then fuel expenses and food, then I don't know if anything will help, besides getting alternative income.

sure, it would be silly for you to whine and complain about it, because you are getting your "and the kitchen sink" band corps...

going to a drum corps show, and seeing a marching band show

1. of course most drum corps people marched high school band. the converse, however is no where even close to being the same. 2. i'm not talking branding...i'm talking product. were you around when they changed coke? 3. soccer hasn't changed since the cretaceous era...neither has baseball, basketball, etc, etc. (yes, these are exaggerations...to make a point) sports isn't changing how it's played...which is what dci IS doing. 4. comparing drum corps to a tv channel? huh? I thought I made weird similes...i'm not talking about different shows. I'm talking about the makeup of shows. a different show is just a change...electric was an addition. That's a huge difference. we're getting our definitions of change mixed up again, and i'm a culprit of that myself. ok..here's a weird analogy for ya... Drum corps is chocolate cake...playing weird esoteric music is like not adding enough sugar. Little Jeffrey is too much icing. Crown's luscious brass sound during a power chord is a great tasting piece of cake. In this example, things have changed, but it's still flour, milk, chocolate..etc... Now, synthesizers is like adding pickle juice to it (for me and lots of others) and for some others, it's like adding oh..I don't know...orange. I don't want cake with pickle juice in it, because it tastes horrible. To you, it's different, because it doesn't taste like pickle juice..it tastes like orange, which doesn't necessarily disturb you. You wouldn't purposely order a piece of chocolate cake with orange, but it doesn't taste bad enough to you to send it back. For a LOT of people, electric is vile. For a LOT of people, it just doesn't matter. For a very small, tiny portion of people, electric is great. Drum corps is being changed for a very small tiny portion of fans, when the vast preponderance either don't like it, or don't care one way or the other.

who cares about the petition..let's just ignore it. Losing one DCP malcontent is more than the almight synthesizer ever brought in...and DCI should care what they think...they we're paying customers...now they are not. no, their parents do. not even close here we go again...the biggest changes to the core sound of drum corps has occurred in the last 7 years. I have proof of fans leaving because of electric...I'll patiently await your proof that it drew them in. and I like the sound of G's better...to each his own. (and I like the 2 valve better than the 3 valve) here's were an IMO would have sounded better, instead of saying it like it's a biblical commandment. I can do that, too. Electronics are most definitely an easy button and they add elements that should never be available to drum corps. fun, isn't it. the first part is true...electronics in and of themselves will not save drum corps...it already has hurt drum corps. the second sentence is just wrong in so many ways. I think any fan who is not disturbed by the use of electronics in drum corps was not a fan in the first place, and I'd have a whole heck of a lot more supporters...IMO. and compared to the 2000's, there wasn't as much added in the 70's, 80's etc. Changed...maybe...added? no.

no, I wouldn't win a synth spot in a drum corps. Yes, I could play their books by the drum corps season. I have a friend that teaches me songs to play on the piano. mallet players have their own set of differences compared to synth, and they require more skill to play, and a mallet player can't hit the note once and have it last for 5 measures...and then pitchbend to a different note...and then pitchbend back...all without hitting it again. No, they aren't only used for doubling or strengthening, but it DOES happen, and any corps caught doing just that should be judged quite harshly...but we know that will never happen.

compared to every other instrument out there, including pit? no..synth doesn't take much talent. I can play a synth. I'm a drummer. I can't play drums like anyone in a drum corps. I can play synth like anyone in drum corps. I can't read music. The performer doesn't produce the sound...and chip does. A performer can play flat or sharp. A synth can't. (well, it can, but only pretty much on purpose) A synth denies tuning error. Drum corps is a judged event. Synth's are used to double brass parts, in order to make them louder, or in order to make them sound more on tune. Any artificial sound producing item that can reproduce or double any of the brass or percussion sounds shouldn't be allowed. Also, artificial sound producing items shouldn't be able to mimic items that are illegal on the drum corps field as well.

I said SEEM to care...and about the fans. Pushing agenda that the majority of fans don't want meets my definition of "seeming not to care".

which is the exact reason why it shouldn't be done. If anyone can do it, what's the thrill? OMG, I can push this button better than anyone else!!! WOOWOO! It used to be about what noises kids could make come out of their horns and drums with their own given talent...synths nullify that.

they don't want people to hate drum corps...they just seem not to care. Recent changes in DCI is so reminiscent of the heath care bill...the majority of the fans/nation didn't want it, but it got pushed through anyway.