Mouthpiece1234

It sucked getting booed. 100% the reason for, by far, the weakest performance of the Cadets that season. Massive tempo discrepancies to begin the show, lack of performance qualities, and big tears. And there was more than one person on the field calling out to George and the Visual Staff that hashes were not present. So the members voiced it as well. George's YEA efforts have helped sustain to some degree Carolina Crown, Magic, Boston Crusaders and Crossmen and The Cadets by minimizing expenses. The debt was heavily minimized by USSBA for Crossmen to continue today as an independent organization. His relocation of Crossmen has greatly helped the corps at the moment with their previously failing recruitment numbers. As I recall those 90 days on the road. That company front at the end was set off hashmarks. No hash marks? 217, with half the front backing up into an interval spacing of 1 step? Not going to happen, just like Allentown and other shows when the Hashes were run down. Not going to happen. --Thank you Sincerely, Primary Source August 2007

Different isn't always better. Different is certainly attractive, it gathers attention, both good and bad, much more than what's the same. Sit through the 2006 DVDs, and tell me in complete honest, which corps was waaaay more different than the rest, regardless of the fact that you loved or hated it. Well it's hard to many examples of art that have remained unchanged. Try sculpting a realistic biblical figure in a humanism style today like Michaelangelo's David. It's probably not going to get you a lot of attention. Now, do something completely abstract like the Man Pointing, people'll probably talk about it forever. ----change---re-re-re-remix-mix--mix-mix a couple of hundred years and you get... * The latter image wasn't really received well in the beginning, but is now regarded as one of the most famous pieces of modern art. *Cough Cough Star of Indiana 1993 similarities* Things are ever changing. You're not going to find the masses crankin dat to Gershwin or Aaron Copland. It's just the way it is. I would change the word "quality" to "sustainment".

Money? Money? Or if there's enough money? Drum Corps do not just rise out of the sea and impress the general audience to that of a top 6 level. Even Stars took a good amount of years to actually become a notable entity. At the moment, Junior Corps is a dying activity. I will constantly say this. The signs are everywhere, 150 members to fill bus seats, shorter tours, higher needs for sponsorships. How many corps went down last year? What happened to the broadcasts? Where'd the CD's go, and APDs go up? How many corps went out because of debt? Phantom Regiment, one of the most competitive and successful groups is facing the same problem that took out East Coast Jazz and Capital Regiment. YEA released it's 3rd corps, that it helped cure from debt. No other group is assisting other corps for financial needs. Gas prices are out of the roof, kids are commended to take that summer internship or job. Plane tickets were at records in years and are incredibly expensive to collegiate students who's tuitions are setting new records every year. These are the problems with a well established organization with a fancy website and shiny uniforms. Imagine starting a new corps up with a new circuit, who have to pay for judging, coordination, stadiums, and many more things. Getting metal on kids lips with a uniform t-shirt with carpool transportation might just be hassle enough. This should just be some indication of what's really going on out there. So in the reality of it and with my interpretation, I feel as though change is needed. Drum Corps of the 80s and 90s have lived their time and cannot survive in today's atmosphere and accrual of expenses, unless they're fed donations yearly. If the junior corps activity is around long enough, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned into competitive Broadway on a football field. Hey, if that's what it is, I'll still be in the audience, no matter how much I agree or disagree with the designs. At least I'll be happy that DCI is still around in some way shape or form.

Yeah I understand what you mean. I'm not really talking about the implications involving the "options". Yeah it's going to be Bb horns, but again the availability of choice is there. There is an advantageous one, but it's still not a requirement.

Actually I'll agree to that now that I thought about it :-P Maybe it's just me, as a hornline member I don't even really notice what's going on besides the marching members and the guard. Either way, I never heard anyone mention the soundboard guy during the season, I think the proposal was just a reminder that someone else is running it.

As a member, I don't know if I'd be willing to pay thousands of dollars to push a button for my solo... I don't think anything will go that extreme level. Maybe sound effects, but certainly not played parts

Yep. But also accentuating the fact that it is still an option. Being competitive is an option to, yeah yeah you're scored that's a given, but there are shows out there looking more for audience approval than judges merit. Hey if you want to buy sonorous horns, find the money, if you want to buy the best drums, find the money, want to move to World Class from open? find the money. Want to buy amps? find the money. Of course this is by choice and some work to get the foundation to get what you want. No one's forcing any corps to use amps. I feel that there is a difference between a requirement and an advantageous choice. And if money's going to be the topic, I feel that DCI should get less involved with what equipment the corps chooses to use over some of the more expansive subjects, such as gas, and other major costs. (i wasn't taking sides to the argument, just expanding on my perspective of it)

Or for all those corps to travel with todays gas expenses, pressures for kids to get summer jobs and internships... Where the tour costs with some kids who fly averaging over 3000 for some. It's quite a commitment.

It's not me forgetting anything. Not me Assuming anything. I'm saying, the way it comes out as that. Take a look at all the rule proposals, how similar each one is to each person, the different agendas are present. The contrast between each set of proposals can be seen as some allusion to person on person, side against side debate. For this comment I was more interpretive Well I'd like to sarcastically point out that appreciate that you state outright that I am very naive. But please, avoid the personal comments. Again it's perspective, an option is an option. Calculator's are optional for the SAT and even the calculator portion of AP Calculus Exams. There is an added advantage, but it's still an option. Any key bugles are the same exact situation, of course there is a trend to lean towards the Bb, but are you not allowed to perform or be judged for using G's today? No. Is there an option of playing an actual song with risk involved or playing concert Fs with minimal movement? I want to get my degree in music, do I go to Eastman or my State University? Which road would get me hired right of the gate? Chances are Eastman. The prices for tuition are vastly different, but is the option there? Are the costs different? Are there biased advantages? Absolutely. But is it still an option and a choice? Yes For this comment I was more definitive

Well then there'll be ridiculous marching, ridiculous spinning, ridiculous spinning, and some ridiculous show themes for the Cadets, as usual. As stated, there is a bathroom and concession stands to retreat to for 11 1/2 minutes.

Well there are two judges that handled 40% of the total scores, so 20% for each judge. That's a lot of leverage for each number he/she fools around with. The other performance judges control 10% of the numbers (overlooking the odd double percussion average panel). So doubling the GE panel, would make each GE judge equal in strength to the other performance based judges.

Best post The soundboard controller is behind a wall that leads to the risers. Audience members can't even see him/her. DCI audiences probably forgot that they existed. Audience impact seems... null, inexistent.

Well there's certainly an audience impact there. The drum major's there on a podium, the soundboard controller is behind the wall, where no one can see him. A corps is not going to sound better because a staff member is conducting.

There's one brass guy, two percussion guys, and two ensemble music judges. So there's only ONE for brass making it... not so balanced?

Hell if I had one of those during a hot rehearsal day to constantly repeat a visual move through, then I think the proposal should pass.

It's a shame that people probably won't see it that rationally. Because apparently Bluestars are going to Bank on merch this year.

I'm sure it's not an "attack" per se, but there's this person who's trying to go this way and this proposal is trying to go the other way. Thus, it can so easily be misconstrued or misinterpreted due to the stark differences in ideologies. Well there's certainly nothing stating that amplification is a requirement. If a corps uses amplification equipment it's they're choice to incur the cost. So from an operating cost perspective, drum corps aren't all the same in how the operate. Some drum corps spend way more money on uniforms than the cost of amps. Does this mean we should have an operating cost lowered to a specific same uniform?

Well drum corps international is a dying activity, I don't see how 5 months is anything that could speed it up or to get philosophically worried about in the scope of things.

We can avoid any continuity issue... there are bathrooms and concession stands at your local venue to retreat for 11 1/2 minutes. :-P

Yeah man, you can't examine things in 11 1/2 minute! But 12 1/2, definitely, now that's an examination!

What are you talking about? There's no narration. Narration's old man, it'll be the 4th year. I don't think the article specified that we're using jet packs in 2008. The pursuit of happiness is really flight and 3D drill. With 150 members, we'll spell out the message we want you to know!

Well no one's forcing you to march drum corps. You don't need a rule proposal to tell you when to continue with real life. There are plenty of people who march 1 or 2 years before they ageout. Some kids can't march because of their involvements in summer jobs and internships. Just because there's an extra year doesn't make DCI captivate your life for an extra summer. It's all on you, you figure out what's priority in your life. The opportunity is broadened not some forced army draft proposal. And it's only by 6 months. I don't win :-(

More like 1991 + 2000 + 2005 + the stuff cut from 2007 because of the time limit :-) No. It was about the same last year. Cadets have a tendency to have way more rookies than any other corps. The average age of the top 5, Cadets have youngest. It's pretty normal. 1992 Cadets had more rookies than 2006. It's about work ethic at Cadets, once your a Cadet, you're really not a "rookie" or a "vet", it's just a Cadet, the uniform is the same, how well they do is a combination of many factors. It should be less than last year. Well then it seems like the design team is also no longer capable of creating symmetrical drill and reused musical masterpieces either! :-P Well there's certainly a paradox in that statement. Hmm they haven't blown you away, but your reserving your final judgement till indy and you've seen this show and a lot of people have. Wow.. This is phenomenal :-) Absolutely! With the amount of hours Cadets put to rehearsals, there should certainly be something to practice! 2009 is when it'd be in effect :-). 2008 cadets isn't a part 2 show though. Wow this is pretty deep. Maybe a little too deep. Some guy thought the whole "we believe in community, work, choice progress. we believe in NOW" was about pro-choice. NOW = National Organization of Women. Woooow. All I worry about is a fun summer, and we got people doing research papers on our shows hehe. :-P

Talking? The Cadets? No waaay! Surpriseeee!

Well the Cadets have recently been using a slight bend in the knee when marching straight leg. The injuries that occur at Cadets almost never with technique. It's at incredibly hard direction changes when the technique is not properly performed. The injuries I often saw were muscle related: the groin and hamstring as the number one out for the season injury.