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Harmonious Cacophony

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Posts posted by Harmonious Cacophony

  1. Phantom is/will be fine. Most corps go through competitive swings. From what I've seen online this year (not in person, so take it with a grain of salt), Phantom's show design doesn't quite "work" yet. There are certainly some great moments, but their staff will need to do some tinkering for Phantom to make it back in the top 6.

    Don't forget that Phantom was a medalist just 3 years ago. I'm not worried about the direction of PR at all.

  2. The idea is that the addition of synthesizers, body movement, all standard brass, crazy props, etc, allow for better "art" and therefore a better curriculum and better education for the members. The addition of synthesizers allows for a wider timbral and textural palette. Body movement likewise adds to the possible visual repertoire and increases the "content" in a show. Corps have a competitive disadvantage by not utilizing contemporary techniques.

  3. If you want to know what DCI is really "about," take a look at the mission statements of different corps.

    DCI is not about entertainment, it is about education. The purpose is not to entertain the audience, put butts in seats, or sell CDs. The goal of most corps is usually something like, "Creating lifelong excellence in youth through arts education." The point is that it doesn't matter what you (the audience) prefers. Shows are designed to provide the best arts curriculum for the education of the members. What constitutes the best arts curriculum is determined by what the judges value as having the best content.

    The cat is already out of the bag and it isn't going back in.

  4. I actually think the Blue Devils have about the most distinctive style of any corps out there. For me, it is much more about the arranging, visual design, overall flow of the show... than simply the content or source material for the show. Both the Blue Devils 2013 and 2011 shows couldn't scream "Blue Devils" more to me, yet no one would ever confuse Stravinsky and Burt Bacharach.

    This goes for many other corps as well, when Phantom did their 2005 show, it still seemed very similar in style to the others years around it, just with a lighter tone. Crown is the same way, but probably to a lesser extent than others.

    I agree. The corps identity is a factor of more than just repertoire selection, but a combination of many factors. For the Blue Devils, I think what they're doing this year is right in line with their shows from 2007 to the present season. What BD has done in this time span is different from BD in 2001-2006 and BD in the 90s.

  5. I just don't see using synths as "cutting edge" in any way.

    This.

    Electric instruments are new for DCI, but not cutting edge in any way. Synths were available for use in DCI's inaugural season. For some reason, DCI didn't seem to think that they belonged in the activity for over 30 years. Now, all of a sudden, corps are disastrously limited in their creative potential without the use of these and other electronic instruments. How on earth did corps survive and put on entertaining shows without guys on keyboards doubling the contra part for all of these years?

  6. I was just thinking today how odd it is that electric keyboard synthesizers have appeared in DCI before trombones and F horns. Back in 2001 I would have never guessed that I would see electric instruments before the full gamut of brass. Weird to me, I guess...

    -----------------

    Here's another thought: If corps just want a huge loud low sound, then why don't they just buy a big 6/4 orchestral tuba for use in the pit. During big hits, the group's best contra player would go to the pit, throw the big tuba on his/her lap and play a glorious big dark round warm mezzo forte rendition of the contra part. The bell would be pointed into a microphone which would then send the tubist's warm tone to speakers that would play it at fffff. Why not, right? It would be the same thing as using a low-end synth, except it would be acoustically produced and amplified. Fair is fair, right?

  7. Because a DCP poll is hardly a "big percentage of fans" overall. In general, audience members want to hear a kick-butt sound, and that a low end synth is used to help produce it doesn't matter to them...IMO. They don't even think about it.

    How do we know what these "audience members" think? It isn't like SCV plays two shows every night (one with low synth and one without) and polls everyone in attendance to find which version was more preferable.

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