JamMan

Eh, you're generalizing. I'm also assuming you don't watch marching band competitions in the fall? If you did, you'd see why a lot of younger kids are getting bored of Carolina Crown, as all they play lately is wind band with no drum corps twist. I'm tired of wind band. I want drum corps. I want loud and fast and in-your-face and BD delivers that year after year. Is it opinion? Yup! But don't say "everyone hates it DRUM CORPS IS OVER!"

But DCP doesn't have any one position on this. Just a small vocal group. If DCP really cared about being anti-synth, they'd be out there supporting the corps tha don't use synths, instead of: "Hey, you shouldn't use synths!" "Why? Are you just going to listen to other corps who don't use synths?" "No, I just don't like listening to different timbres." "Oh. Well, we're going to continue doing what we and the kids want. You going to continue supporting us and the activity?" "Of course!"

Wait...this is a REALLY good idea! Wouldn't more people go an see I&E if it was a "finals" of sort instead of "prelims"?

Kids already fake video auditions already. Won't more people do it now that cash is the reward? Also, I think I&E became too big of a thing. Only a certain amount of fans would show up to watch, yet performance section after performance section was added. Fans then had to spread out, but a lot chose just not to go. If you want to save it, allow only instruments that corps play on the field and hold it in a smaller location. It's silly at the Indy Convention Center where one guard member will perform in one room, then another will perform right after 3 floors down and on the other side of the building. Let's have it at a pub or something!

Yeah, I didn't get why it was its own thing. It's like having a jazz band AND a swing band.

First Mistake: Thinking YouTube ratings mean something. Second Mistake: Reading YouTube comments. Third Mistake: Thinking YouTube meme videos will have a positive rating.

i wish I knew where they were now (probably my external hard drive), but I have drum tapes from Cavaliers 2000 and I THINK Star 93.

What changed?

The Cadets are always running all the time (hence their legendary endings from...'83 on?), which is why their show this year will be...different. I always hold them (and BD) in the highest regard because their feet are just the best, hands down. 1. It's been staggered. When two major snare drummers left after '08, things got a little rough for the line. When Herbert left the guard after '10, things got a little rough. But they always rise again, it just takes time. 2. Pit's still the worst-written book I've ever heard, consistently. They're stuck in WGI mode (harmony is rare, 'boards are just being smashed, wrists are exploding, "performance" is the only focus). 3. Crown does have great confidence, but it borders on cockiness. This mentality does not make for consistent performances and Championships.

You forgot the Cavaliers. They're 14 for 15 in the Top 4. Also, BD is 20 for 21 in the Top 4 and The Cadets are 20 for 21 in the Top 5. Crown looks to be set for a Top 5 placement this year, but they're still throwing punches and seeing what lands. Some corps do this as a general style (Cadets) and some just know their performers, staff and judges well enough to write something that's guaranteed Top 4 (BD).

2005's models. Then taught a place where I had to take a saw to the frames to cut off the extra few feet of tubing on the vibes and marimbas.

It's how it works for me. If Crown can't connect phrases while stopping and starting moves, then you shouldn't be surprised when I say I prefer Phantom, BD and Cadets' hornlines.

Watching the shakos bob everywhere was distracting me from feet, honestly. If anyone is confused about this poster's last paragraph, watch 2010 again.

So if Open Class is paid next to nothing for shows, Open Class minus DCI would still be roughly equal to Open Class. Let's be honest: Open Class thrives on exposure from World Class shows and their own home show. Without DCI, their income doesn't look like it'd be affected by not performing in DCI. Can you poke a whole in my logic (please?)?

I'm still of the school of front where the frames were all metal square tubing. I'm glad they've chosen to emulate Adams in this respect. However, the keys are absolute refuse. The xylophone keys used to crack from playing with standard Vic mallets. The vibe keys' paint would erode and you'd be left with different-color keys. And the marimbas go crazy out of tune in the heat. Yamaha really has the woods figured out. Use that as a reference.

Am I one of the select few who judges horn lines by more than just their sound? What about the whole moving thing? If the horn line can play perfect in the lot, I don't care. Get out on the field and MOVE. THEN I'll judge. THIS is why I don't see what's so great about Crown's horn line. Impressive, to me, is that Phantom 2007 video on YouTube of them running a whole football field while playing their 2003 opener pretty darn good. /Personal opinion.

Ah. Strictly speaking, other corps know what it takes to write for the August judge (and crowd). Crown's still working on that.

Wasn't even close in percussion.

Exactly! I've taught places where a sampler is needed, but we didn't have one. Wrote out the parts for synth and got on our way. Just to point out to pretty much everyone, a LOT more goes into making a workstation sound (or "synth", even though I don't think any corps has used an actual synthesizer (except Boston in the 80's?)). You don't just queue up Piano Sound 1 or Violins. You need to adjust lows, mids and highs (generally crank the mids so you don't get mud or tin coming out of the speakers). You also need to adjust attack, decay, cutoff, resonance and decay to maximize the response and expressiveness for the music and the player. THANK YOU! Someone here gets it! Score is based on achievement and content, not equipment!

Might want to add In Uchronia ( ) to the list of "composers who write music on their computers that sound like Hans Zimmerman and their music should be played on the field".

When has this ever happened? Was the G to Bb thing cost-driven?

Did the Spartans stop using Dynasty?

I don't understand the point of this. Why do we want all the corps to spend the same amount? Won't this just put them in a creative box? Don't we, as fans, deserve whatever the corps wants to produce?

We need to realize that these "extra" things are just that: extra. Do corps NEED props? Not at all. Do they NEED electronics? Nope. Corps were scoring just fine in 2004-2007 while electronics were getting phased in without taking a penalty. All that's needed is a reasonable-sized hornline, guard and percussion section. Seeing as Pioneer isn't exactly rolling in cash...I'd actually find it funny to watch the G7 run their show with old uniforms, no props and broken sticks. So, the only thing being capped is the staff salaries? Are staffs forming a dissolving constantly based around money right now? Be right back. I'm just going to design a show that's an arc stand-still and only one note at mp. Perfect score, please! If the team won...they probably don't need to re-haul their roster, and they won't be hurting for money, so it's not really "penalizing".

Indy