Brisully

Saw this today over on Vimeo.com. It's a beautiful video shot with a Canon dSLR, using the music of Spartacus...... Check out the shot of the falling snow..... http://vimeo.com/8324034

My CC was just charged!!!!!

I placed a call to DCI HQ, and asked for an ETA on the CD's. The rep placed me on hold, and when she came back on, informed me that they are still in production, and it will probably be a few more weeks. If it takes them a few more weeks to get them sounding better than the APD's from quarters, I'm all for it.

Way to go! Congrats BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

As Kip: "Don't be jealous that I've been posting on Hop's blog, all day."

I'm sure there are 100 million or so who would disagree! Apple Press Release

I have one from 2004 (Denver)'s retreat - a huge panorama (5815x2340) if anyone is interested. PM me for the file...

No prob.

I don't care who you are - that there's funny!

I want to preface this by saying that I am a former member of a high school marching band (Marian Catholic) and former Music Ed. major, and have never marched drum corps before. I am a fan and own CD’s going back to 1977. Also, my comments here are on the recordings, and not on the performances or skills of the corps’ themselves. I attended all three nights of Div I championships, and I sat on the 42 yard line, right side, Row 15. Here we go: 1 - Cavaliers - Opening features lots of pit and it overpowers everything - I don't remember this amount of unbalance. Sopranos are lower that middles and low brass. The pit is WAY too loud for the recording. Nothing like 007 or Frameworks. I understand that a lot of the "machine" is from the pit, but it is just in your face. Drums are having a hard time reaching the microphones. Vibes and marimbas are real loud - I don't remember than being this loud. Piccolo trumpets are low... Can't remember if the Cavaliers had a soundboard guy, but wow - the pit is too loud. Mutes are on the trumpets and again, hard to hear them in their "feature”. Horns only and they are very well balanced, but not coming through as loud as I remember. Nice clean releases. The front base drums really add a lot of thump – too much? Drum feature – very hard to hear the pit is overpowering yet again. Final crescendo – all you can hear is front bass and timpani. Not good. I think people may hear this and wonder how Cavies scored so high. The recording does not do the performance justice. 2 – Phantom Regiment – Wow. Pit is noticeably lower here than the Cavies. So much more balanced than the Cavies. You can hear the brass and drum line so much more here. When the pit is featured and horns playing backfield, the pit is strong, but when the brass comes back, the pit falls away – nice! Pit is playing and you can hear the drum line. Can hear snares, tenors, and bass very well. Mellos - Loud and Clear! So much more balanced then Cavies. Pit feature – have some moron yelling. The Marimbas and bells kind of drown it out. Brass only – very clear & awesome releases!! Crescendo now… Wow!!! Turn your speakers down for this! Pit and drum line are very well balanced. The pit is here, but you can really hear the brass and drum line, as compared with Cavies. Go Baritones and Mellos! Lots of crowd applause after each big moment towards the end here. Coming to the close, low brass is wailing and mellos are too! So much more balance here. Great recording – Sounds like PR 03 and SCV 2004. Oops – Brandt Crocker’s voice has some feedback when he says “Phantom Regiment” 3 – Blue Devils - Lots of crowd yelling at beginning…ala Cadets 2000. Can hear brass at beginning – very subtle and the mics picked it up. Nice balance here between drum line and pit. Big hit with theme from Godfather – very well balanced like PR was… Wow – baritones and sopranos very strong. Pit is up now during feature, but comes back down when horns and drums come back in – nice. Timpani is there but doesn’t overpower. Luca Brasi. Sleep da fishes? Can make out spoken phrases pretty well. Horns come in – nice Vito, Vito, Vito. Very crisp, really nice. Pit gets in when they need to and comes back out – very nice. More idiots yelling (K.C.??) Great tuba/contra solo… Great balance. Nice job. 4 – Bluecoats – Pit is too loud here again. Drowns out drum line especially during first big hit. Can really hear the steel drums – that’s nice. Drum feature – can really hear that too. High note from soprano – good applause. BLUE!!!!! Nice Tubas!!! Pit has pulled back some in second piece… 2nd BLUE of the night. 3rd piece now – and pit is loud here again when horns are down and playing backfield – and again I don’t remember it sounding this loud when I was there… 4th piece – drums begin here and are out front and sound great. Nice balance during the closer. BLUE!!!!!!!!! 5 - Cadets – Keyboards are not overpowering during the open. Is the singer’s amp crackling during her intro? Tons of people yelling for Alice not to go in the door. Pit is there, but compliments the brass and perc. Not as overpowering as Cavies and Coats. The pit bass drums really stand out – a little too much during and after impact. Nice sopranos feature. “It’s a great pleasure” … at the 4:28 mark there are pops and jumps in the dialogue (technical difficulties?) The singers are very muddled. That snare roll when the last snare catches the thrown stick? I don't remember it being anywhere near as dirty as it sounds on the CD. I know that they have roving "soloist" microphones on the sidelines - perhaps a case of the recordings not synched up? Nice tenors feature. Sounds crisp. The singer’s voices sound nowhere near as clear as they were on Sat. night. During the singer’s “solo” a couple of pops can be heard towards the beginning. The brass and timpani are drowning her out towards the end of her feature. Again, the voice levels are way down compared to being there. Other than that the balance is pretty good between the pit, horns, and percussion. 6 - SCV - Great balance; pit doesn't overpower at all. The hand bells are very clear, can hear flag work during the soprano duet... Hand bells are out front and noticeable - nice use of amplification. Horns playing backfield not drowned out too much by the pit. Turning around, pit is a little loud. Bass drums are very crisp, tenors too. Pit overshadowing the corps a lot now, especially playing backfield. Vanguard yell - loud and clear!!!! Nice closing, hard to hear over the applause, there goes Mr. Moto!

There you go!

They were super busy getting everything shipped out today. Not sure about APD's for finals.....

I made my annual trek to the DCI offices and picked up my CD's today. I have to say they sound very good. I've had to listen to them in an office environment (not at a decent volume), but the mix sounds pretty good. I don't think the pit overpowers the brass and perc, and you I haven't heard any "CRYSTAL!!" moments so far. Also, the cd comes in a single wide jewel case, not the double wides like in year's past. Ready to go home now, and I will listen to them in the car.

Well, this is the last year I will be able to go and pick them up directly from the DCI offices. :( I'll start paying S&H next year.

Cavies