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T man

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  • Your Drum Corps Experience
    Bluecoats-05 baritone
  • Your Favorite Corps
    Bluecoats
  • Your Favorite All Time Corps Performance (Any)
    All the ones that I was in.

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  1. yeah, I forgot about spartacus... I'll admit that, but just because PR is always the exception, not the rule. However, BD is NOT a good corps. Fast, Loud, and Dissonant is not important at all in music. And crap drill on top does not add up to good. I'm also disappointed that during 07-12 they've won so many times without being good or having really any serious competition. (Excluding the years they lost obviously, however "Between, Angels and Demons" was not very good.)
  2. After the Cavaliers performed "Frameworks" - the highest rated show of all time (tied with the other show I will mention), I was sure that DCI was on the upswing. In the mid 2000's George Hopkins became the bad-guy of DCI. The year before I marched, he proposed numerous rule changes that drove DCI closer to being BOA, and that scared people. So, he became the boogey man. However, in '05 the Cadets tied the highest scoring show of all time with "The Zone" - my favorite drum corps show of all time: and the only Cadets show I ever liked. And it only became possible through those same numerous rule changes. This was the peak of DCI in my eyes. And at the time, I was hoping this was just the beginning. I thought new rule changes would happen every year and through this, DCI would become more accessible to those WITHOUT marching band backgrounds. At the beginning it seemed like I was right: 2006, brings "Machine" from the Cavaliers. They took a few things from the previous year and incorporated them. Brilliant show. 2007 brings? nothing 2008 brings? nothing 2009 brings? nothing 2010 brings? nothing 2011 brings? nothing 2012 brings? A winner who only plays dissonant chords and fast runs, but no melody whatsoever. And a second place that dresses in cream in order to make the color combination, with the green field, look more like vomit. Frameworks came when I had never seen DCI before. It imprinted on me as: what DCI is. Without the amazement that comes from shows like that, DCI will lose interest with everyone. It will be too boring. First people that never marched, but continue to visit shows, will lose interest. After that, people with family members in it will become reluctant to go to shows, even just to see the person march. And finally, high school marching band members will lose interest and stop auditioning, because BOA is more exciting. So, here we are: 2013. In the middle of a drum corps recession/depression. I leave this as a warning for you with DCI connections: Push the envelope or DCI WILL DIE. (PS. If anyone thinks a show from 07-12 tops 05 Cadets or 06 Cavies, then I want to know. Leave a comment.) (P.S.S. Its been a few years since I've been on this forum, and I wanted to express my concern about this topic matter. After posting this topic, I have come across a few other topics similar to this. But, most of those topics are about politics. Instead, I'm only talking about the artistic qualities of the shows themselves.)
  3. I know that this is NOT currently the future of Corps/Band, but I'm going to make this my crusade to make it the future: Remove marching baritones and euphoniums from the field, and replace them with over-the-shoulder instruments similar to the Contra. Marching baritones and marching euphoniums are destructive instruments. For people that do not know that they have scoliosis (such as I was) these instruments will create horrible LIFE-LONG ailments. REPEAT: LIFE-LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG............................................ Its simple. For those that do not have back problems, giving them an over the shoulder instrument will make them play better and give them more energy for other strenuous activities: such as 4-to-5 jazz running. REPEAT: OVER-THE-SHOULDER = BETTER BARIS Baritone/euph sections are universally bad. Why is this? Because they spend their energy holding up the instrument. Duh. If you want a good Baritone/euph section, give them over the shoulder baris/euphs. This is my crusade. I hope some people who have connections will understand how important this is. Through this, I wish to stop at least ONE bari/euph player from experiencing the problems I started experiencing only 1 year after corps, and now experience every day of my life. To understand how severe it is: The only cure for scoliosis is full spinal fusion surgery. This means never being able to bend above the waist, again. Ever. So, if bari/euphs continue to stay the size/weight that they are, I urge EVERYONE who plays bari/euph to switch to lighter instruments. Thank you.
  4. I believe if amps are eliminated entirely it will only stunt the growth of the activity and even set it back a few years.I'm going to stand up for Hopkins for a moment. Drum Corps needs change. I dont enjoy hearing people sing while whole the corps does backups. People were afraid of jazz at first. Jazz revolutionized music. The third valve brings up the same feelings in people. If people were still playing with only two valves do you think any high school students would be taking interest in the activity? There would be no one good in drum corps anymore. Drum corps from the 70's WILL NOT ever make it to VH1 classics. It is my hope, my dream, that someday drum corps will become mainstream. That cant happen if everyone still marches two valved instruments in symetrical drill with mounted tympanis. Music needs change. Music is the fastest changing artform today. Everyone listens to music. Not everyone likes drum corps. How do we solve that problem? Getting rid of amplification is like taking one step forward and two steps backwards. Now Hopkins... He seems to be the only one thinking ahead. If no one is going to be progressive, I guess the crazy guy needs to say something. Have yall read his proposals? The guy puts no effort at all into them. This is the third year he's condracticted himself in his responses. "this will have no impact...well, it will if everything goes right...the impact this will have is the entire reason for my proposal!" I've never seen someone fill out a professional document so carelessly. He's not trying to get things passed. And people think that he has good ideas. Crazy
  5. Haha, I had a dream once that I was at the Alamo Dome watching Phantom and they came and grabbed me from my seat and threw me into the show. No clue why it was Phantom. I had one when I was with Revolution after we went inactive. I didn't get to march that season either. I'd only had Pre-season training with Revo and in my dream it was during the season and we were practicing in the gym at my high school. I was really late for practice in my dream and the staff were really upset. That one's not very exciting. I dont think I have ever had a drum corps dream, while in drum corps. All of mine have been pre or post season. Everyone else would dream about their show during the season. I'd been practicing all day, so my dreams were my escape from corps.
  6. I've also had the I cant find my set dream. The setting is usually the finals performance though haha. I've also had a dream where I had to sight read drill during a major performance... while playing my bari. That was actually kinda fun.
  7. I had a dream last night about The Bluecoats. This fine corps happens to be the one that I marched for last season. I didn't even try out this year... mostly because I got my braces off the weekend before the november camp and I couldn't even play an F. I've missed marching so much for this summer that I've even been dreaming of drum corps. Last night my dream was that Blue won this year. Dreaming of your corps winning only seems awesome if you are a member of your corps. This dream actually made me really sad. The night before I had a dream that I got to Southwestern Championships late and missed watching Blue perform. Another sad dream for me. Who else out there dreams of drum corps? Tell me what your dreams were, if you so happen to be one of those people.
  8. Take that fear and use it to your advantage. I marched Bluecoats last year and not this one... alot of reasons I wont go into. I was one of the worse players on their bari line last year. My friend also told me that the bari line this year is ALOT better than last year. Its the summer and auditions are in November, you have plenty of time to get better at your horn-if you are dedicated. I've been practicing so much that the world might implode if I stop. What are they looking for? They can take you for a number of reasons into the corps. Your musical audition can get you in. If you show the corps that you are really involved in the rehearsal they may choose you. If you are in really good shape and march like a god they may choose you. Best bet: have all of that and you should make it, but pretty much at auditions all they look for is musical talent.
  9. Get a membership to your local health club and TRAIN! Train your butt off man! Euph is the hardest instrument just to hold and play. Work on strengthening all of your back muscles, those will be the ones in pain during #### month... actually they're going to hurt all summer. Tip: When working on any set of muscles you will only get maximum improvement if the opposite muscles are improving also. Example: You want to grow a massive chest and abs --> work upper and lower back also. Its the same backwards. Also, work on standing with correct posture all the time... think marching band - just more relaxed. Get a personal trainer, he will show you. Believe it or not, the same "perfect posture" you use in corps is the same posture you HAVE to use when weight lifting or you will injure yourself. Oh yeah, and practice your instrument too.
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