Brad T.

From what I hear, the Marine's 2 valve horns were built from the design blueprints for the King K-series that Zig designed. There's no need to hold parts when you have the design specs. The only noticeable difference is the additional F# rotor on the contras. I doubt that was offered on standard K-90s. As as side note, all of the US Military drum corps are still on G horns. The Marines on 2 valve Kanstuls, the Naval Academy on 3 valve Kanstuls, and the Air Force Academy on what appears to be 3 valve Dynastys.

I am not going to speak on this matter in regards to any particular corps' situation or what-have-you, but the basis of the no post-retreat concert because of complaining residents is nothing new. Say hello to the wonderful world of NIMBY's. In the metropolitan area I grew up in, there were tons of abandoned railroad tracks. Most were last used in the early 1990s. Then the farmers who owned the adjacent land sold it to developers who built housing developments along the abandoned tracks. Then a railroad comes in and wants to start service on these unused tracks, and then the people whose mansions are located within a stone's throw of the abandoned tracks file injunctions and all sorts of court proceedings and sue the railroad saying they are not allowed to run service for X Y and Z reasons. To this day I have yet to see a judge side with the railroad to reopen an abandoned track. People didn't want the trains there since they weren't there when they moved into their McMansions. However, the railroad property has been owned by railroads for 100+ years. Does it seem right? Not to me. I would absolutely side with the railroad. Whenever issues of NIMBY status like the Rochester situation come up, I'm always reminded of the 11th commandment: Mind you own business. You buy a house next to a stadium, you need to expect sound, traffic, and other things that may be unpleasing. If you don't like noise or traffic... Don't move next to a stadium. I don't feel sorry for these people one bit. They should have to deal with their "issue" just as much as I deal with rush hour traffic or a long line at the checkout: you grin and bear it because you know it will be over soon. If I moved next to a coal burning power plant, and one day the wind shifts and my house is engulfed in offensive odors and smoke, am I supposed to sue the power plant and tell them they can't produce electricity that I am using when I am downwind of their facility? It's completely absurd. To me, it sounds like they are biting the hand that feeds.

As Robert Kirby mentioned earlier, Cincinnati Tradition is a G corps that sometimes has players come in mid-season or are brand new and not comfortable enough with a G horn so they will play on a Bb or F, or in the case of one member last season, a C trumpet. As far as the breakdown goes, all of the sections have at least one three valve horn. We're marching at least one non-chromatic horn in most sections as well. Configurations include 2 valve and piston/rotor. I don't declare to be the final authority on this, but I believe that makes Tradition one of, if not the last corps still using valve/rotor horns as full time field brass (not like as a small solo piece or featurette). Can anyone confirm/deny?

My main haven is contra/tuba/ large brass mouthpiece, however I am also decent on what I will call "tenor mouthpiece" type brass: baritone, euphonium, valve trombone, etc. From the picture, it appears you are relying way too much on your lower lip for embouchure. I was always taught that centered is best, but I find myself sliding up for high notes. However, if I were in a playing position such as that, I would be trying to reach for the concert Bb in the center of the treble clef or higher. I know that in my playing I'm usually ok with a centered embouchure on a baritone up to the F or G above the bass clef. On tuba, I'd look like that if I was... well... once again trying to hit the concert Bb in the center of the treble clef. Obviously only the most difficult tuba music even goes near the top of the bass clef, let alone past middle C, so it's a playing position I rarely venture too. It's bad practice, and is not widely considered a "chop builder." Most will tell you that's an easy way to kill your chops. I don't necessarily agree with that, because I have a small collection of bugles that I play on at home: Soprano, Baritone, Contra, and the hard-to-control French horn bugle. I personally find French horn an easy chop builder, because you're playing on a horn the length of a baritone bugle with a mouthpiece smaller than a trumpet mouthpiece. I was once told by my private tuba instructor that no matter the horn, or mouthpiece, the embouchure is almost exactly the same when compared to the note you are trying to play. The firmness of the lips and dimensions of the mouth when playing a high Bb above the bass clef on tuba are the same as playing that middle Bb above the bass clef on baritone, and are the same as playing the low Bb below the treble clef on a trumpet. It's all the same note frequency, and therefore has similar embouchure properties, adjusted as per the diameter of the mouthpiece it is being played on. I can switch between several instruments in one practice session. I find going from high to low requires a few minutes of pedals or just low notes in general to loosen up the lips, and going from low to high takes a few minutes to get the corners of the mouth to adjust appropriately. I guess my advice would be, try playing a smaller mouthpiece horn, such as mello or trumpet, and transpose the music so you are playing it right where it is currently on baritone. You may notice a different embouchure when you come back to baritone.

So far, for the first movement of the concert piece, the pit stuff actually fell into place on its own. The only places the voicing got a little hairy is where the woodwinds were playing an important part that did not seem feasible to put in the brass, as their part was just as important. As such I took a page from high school band arrangements that put flute/piccolo/oboe/bells on one score and I wound up throwing the flute/piccolo part on xylophone. Only seems to add up to three notes (low octave, high octave, and one chordal interval). The same goes with some of the clarinet and alto sax parts that were not doubled in the trumpets or horns. Everything else seemed to line up. Suddenly the over-powerful pit sounds, well, nice. And if I wind up throwing out the concert snare part entirely (first movement is about 50/50 playing vs. not, 2nd movement is tacet, and 3rd movement is similar to a march so it's playing almost the entire time), I can start removing staves. Thanks for everyone's help and opinions so far. I figure when it comes to battery, I'm going to have to defer to someone else to show me the ropes at the computer/practice pad. I tried writing a battery part for a pep band arrangement of 42nd Street I tried to make from an SATB + Piano score. Aside from bass drums on beats 1 and 2 and crash cymbals on the "ands" (Cut time, btw), the snare part sounds... not good, and the quad part... well... I've heard misfiring car engines with more rhythmic structure!

Another one I forgot is chords. Each person can play up to four notes, doing that weird double sticking thing I can't figure out. What is range of each hand (5ths, octaves) and how often do intervals played change (example: a quarter note beat of 16th notes has a divisi. Top notes move stepwise, bottom four notes are a 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 3rd lower than top notes. Is this easily accomplished? Or do intervals typically remain constant for an extended series of measures?

Alright, first, I must say that I know very little about percussion. My main area is brass. So this is an exercise in expanding my horizons... I'm attempting to take a concert piece and turn it into a corps or marching band arrangement. The brass parts were a cakewalk for me, but then comes the part of the score I never like looking at because it usually gives me a headache: percussion. I can read percussion music, but barely play it, and often I find it difficult to concentrate on an individual part when multiple are thrown on one line. The particular score I'm working from has Mallet I (Xylo, Chimes, Bells) and Mallet II (Marimba, Chimes, Bells), Timpani, Perc I (Snare, Bass, Triangle) and Perc II (Sys. Cym, Whip, Tambourine, Triangle, Guiro, Vibra slap, Cr. Cym. Gong, Mark tree and Finger Cym.) The first step I took in my notation software was to expand each of these out into their own staves to 1. get proper playback and 2. easier see when who is playing what. Now, going into this would have been impossible except for the wonderful people who made my software. As part of their tutorials, they included a tutorial on syncing a score to a video clip. The score and clip were the first minute of SCV's 2004 Scheherazade show. In that I noticed upwards of 10 pit parts: timpani, concert bass, xylophone, about 3 marimba parts and like 4 vibe parts, with all of the aux. percussion thrown in. Now for my questions: 1. How many pieces of aux. percussion can a beginner/intermediate/advanced player handle per piece? 2. What is the shortest turn around between switching between mallets and aux. percussion, or between different pieces of aux? One measure? One phrase? Etc. 3. If the concert snare has an extended run, can/should that be doubled by battery snares? Or should there only be battery snares and no concert snare? 4. Same applies for the concert bass drum. Should it only be used for big hits, or everywhere it was originally written? 5. On average, how many separate parts are there in a pit ensemble? Does each performer have a custom piece or are there occasions where two or more players may be playing a generic "Marimba 1" part? My DCA corps does not have a traditional pit this season, and my score thus far is geared more towards an open class DCI style corps. The music isn't particularly difficult, but there are things that electronics would be needed for to do on a field. Thanks for any help!

It's still there, saw it this evening (8/16). Only thing is that it's in Great Britain, so shipping may be a little high.

It reminds me of the fear everyone had when JFK was inaugurated. People feared he was going to sell the United States to the Vatican. Did anyone else see the Pope cheering in the stands for the "Holy Name" Cadets? Didn't think so!

Um... well... the Scouts are sponsored as an Explorer post of BSA, as are many corps. I don't think that the Scouts staff is now going to go through the rank and file of the entire corps and ask if members are atheist or homosexual. That would not look good for DCI as a whole.

I'm with everyone else on this one. With the throwback uniforms, a nod to the traditional name from the 1950s is a great idea!

I may as well bump this up a few months haha. I am in my mid-20s, and still to this day I have never been in a situation where I would have had to take a group shower. Yes, we had the big shower room in the boy's locker room in high school for gym class, but the gym teacher told us showering was optional, and only one or two guys ever would. I have completely missed the DCI opportunity and just started with DCA last year. Of course that was because of money issues and my extreme lack of talent - I started playing ANY brass instrument halfway through my freshman year of high school. Because of the, for lack of a better term, sheltered, existence I have had, it would be a huge issue for me were I to be forced to take a group shower. I suppose it's one of those things that is no big deal if you do it young enough. But enough years of psychological conditioning in the mind set I have created would make a hugely uncomfortable situation for me were I to have to be in a group shower. To me, it's not about modesty, but rather extreme self conscious feeling about myself. So much to the point if I was given the choice of group shower or no shower, I'd sooner go wash up in the bathroom sink, or if I was told that's not an option, well... better deal with a smelly individual until I can find a reasonable solution. I personally don't see that as being an issue in my DCA corps, unless something drastic changes next season.

OSU does not have a color guard or honor guard. There is use of electronics, but typically it comes in the form of large metal framed loudspeakers that are setup for a miced solo. Other sideline percussion I've spotted include drum racks, timpani, gong, chimes, concert bass drum, and I think there was a glock once. Most shows do not have any sort of pit. Symmetrical drill is commonplace for the band, however, in 2005 they started using tonal bass drums. Pregame shows with the typical block band and Script Ohio are done using only two tone bass drums (24" and 30" if I recall) but halftime shows are done on 4 tonal basses (typically 22", 24", 26" and 28").

No sir. Having worked for the OSU Marching Band I can assure you it is not a corps. Even if you changed the Sousaphones to Contras and changed the trombones and baritones to bell front baris and euphs, they still would not be a corps because they follow the voicing patterns of British Brass Bands which includes a large emphasis on Eb cornets and Bb flugelhorns. The OSU band had woodwinds from its inception in 1878 until 1934. At that point, the directing staff realized that woodwinds are are a burden during bad weather, and are easily overtaken by the brass section. At that point they transitioned from standard marching band to British Brass Band style. As such, there is very rarely a pit, only at the discretion of the week's halftime show. Usually timpani, gong, and chimes are the most likely instruments; no marimbas or vibes. The scoring of OSU music is also different from a corps style: Eb Cornet, Solo Trumpet, 1st, 2nd Trumpets, Flugelhorn, Mello 1 and 2, Trombone 1 and 2, Bass Trombone, Baritone (sometimes 1 and 2), and Sousaphone. Depending on the corps, there are usually only 3 trumpet parts, sometimes 4, 2 or 3 mello parts, 2 or 3 bari parts, a euph part, and contra. Also, just look at OSU's band. Could they ever be considered a corps? Look at the marching style and the uniforms. Complete polar opposites of what define a corps. To the poster that said 80 member hornlines are too big, I think that's not enough. The OSU band has 192 members on the field (225 in the block band, but 33 are alternates and do not perform during the show). And of those 192, 168 are brass instruments. Granted, the Madison Scouts this year could easily blow OSU's hornline out of the water. Back to the topic at hand... Woodwinds in drum corps? No good. That's what marching band is for. Drum corps has been an activity to challenge kids to do something different and harder than their usual halftime affair since its inception. The change from G to Bb/F most certainly eased the transition to allow for less down time while kids figure out their mysterious horns ("You want me to put my thumbs where? I have to play with two hands!?"). But in all honesty, the fundamental of the group has not changed: brass and percussion. I don't agree with every change, but that's ok, it's still brass and percussion. Add woodwinds does not compute with "brass and percussion." Yes, saxophones are made out of brass, but that doesn't change the fact they still require a wooden reed to create sound. I've heard some darn good woodwind sections at band competitions, but it's still too quiet for the in-your-face action that the fans, alumni, and current corps members demand.

Man, I can't afford another Contra at the moment, but someone who likes two valve horns is going to be very lucky. That contra is so minty new it looks like you just pulled it out of the bag! Was it re-chromed? I doubt anyone does that stateside anymore with all the environmental rules.

Taking a look through various photo galleries of this season, including the newest posted from the Michigan City Quarter Finals, I was pleased to see such a decent turn out of G bugles still being used. I know Spirit of Newark uses them, as well as Racine Scouts and Les Stentors. I have not checked the rest of the corps yet, but it is nice to see that Open Class is still hanging on to G bugles. I noticed Les Stentors appears to be marching K-90 Contras still too! However, do most of the G bugle corps have G bugles out of necessity, as in they do not have the funds to purchase new Bb/F lines, or do some of these corps stick to G as part of the drum corps tradition? Thanks!

If you are Columbus or otherwise located near Central/Southern Ohio, and want to get your feet wet with drum corps, there's a DCA all-age corps in Cincinnati. Most DCA corps expect when younger (ie. still eligible for DCI) students join up, that these students may only be there a year or two, just learning the ropes of how the drum corps experience differs from marching band and whatnot. A lot of members of Open and World Class DCI corps get their start in a DCA corps. The DCA season is longer than the DCI season, but the DCA rehearsal and show schedule is almost always weekends only. Only the DCA corps who perform at local DCI shows have mid-week performances. If I was able to do DCI still, I would certainly give my experience with DCA the credit it deserves. If you have any specific questions, shoot me a PM.

That picture shows an Olds Ultratone II soprano. We have a number of those two piston Ultratones in Chrome floating around my corps. They are wrapped similarly to the Ultratone Piston/Rotor horns, except with a two-valve cluster after the first turn of the main tubing. The tuning slide is after the valve cluster, in a similar position as it would be if it were a rotary valve slide.

I personally have been against electronics since it was allowed in DCI. There is only one time when I can accept an electronic instrument on the field, and that is if you are looking for a true piano type sound for a movement. Two examples from this DCI season of (in my opinion) good and bad electronics: Good - Madison Scouts. Bad - Spirit. I don't know much about rules changes in DCI or DCA, but I was under the impression that changes to rules were guidelines for the maximum extent of change. I thought any corps that chose not to use electronics did not have to use them, same with having Bb horns or keeping G bugles, or even having a pit. Do corps get points taken away if they show up without a flat bed trailer full of sensitive electronics? If a DCA corps competes with G horns and no pit, are they likely to score more poorly than if they showed up with Bb horns and a full pit with more equipment than what they can handle? Seems like a double standard if everything in the rules is a mandatory change that every corps has to implement those things.

I'm looking for an F# rotary valve tuning slide for an Olds Ultratone Soprano. The serial number of the horn is in the 007xxx area, which should approximate the age of the horn to be from early 1971. This horn did not come with a complete rotary slide. It came with a piece of the the tuning slide still in the horn. This piece is the portion that was attached to a spring and barrel screw set up for locking the tuning slide in place once it was tuned. Over the years I acquired an F# rotary valve tuning slide, and so I figured I could use it in this horn. I appear to be wrong. It looks like my tuning slide is from the Getzen line of P/R sopranos, and while it goes in, and I can play the horn with it in, it's not long enough so the horn is sharp, and it is much too loose, and keeps sliding everywhere while I try to play, even so far as coming out of the horn! I remember someone posted on here they had a stock of various Olds P/R parts, if you are that individual, I could really use your help! If anyone has this slide, please post or PM me.

Alright, so I'm possibly the worst reviewer in the history of reviewing, but I'll just throw something out there about the Summer Music Games in Fairfield, OH that happened on Monday 7/12. Cincinnati Tradition - 58.50 - Not going to comment aside from I felt that we improved from our last show. Anything else would seem biased Legends - 67.30 - Did not see their performance since I was changing out of my uniform from Tradition's performance. I did happen to stop by their rehearsal earlier that afternoon and caught a full run through. For their size they have a decent sound. Some interesting music, not sure of the show title/theme. One of the songs was Troy though, I'm assuming from the movie. Teal Sound - 70.60 - Also did not see their performance, except for the very end. However, I heard them outside of the stadium. When the guitar's amps are not directly in front of you, the blend is much better and it actually makes a surprising effect on the show. Crossmen - 73.80 - First time I saw Crossmen this season. I don't remember most of the show at this point, but there were some nice moments. I'd have to see them again. Blue Stars - 80.85 - A lot of holes. There were several boxes in the beginning of the program that did not have key guard members, such as the one to be put in the box. No complaints about the show from me, just the amount of holes. Boston Crusaders - 81.00 - First time I've seen this show as well. I thought the whole royalty theme was nicely done. The throne was an interesting prop, and some of the visuals the hornline did, including standing baritone players holding soprano players who are kneeling on their shoulders. That was a very gutsy move for sure. I'd have been very fearful of that move! The guard's costumes were appropriately themed, with all of them in various royal dresses or pantaloons. Phantom Regiment - 83.70 - Also first time this season. They had some great powerful moments. I though the soloist was very good. For those who have not seen the show yet, I will not ruin it, but the ending is very anti-climactic. The audience gave applause at the end of the music, and then it died down, until the drum major saluted again, so most people weren't sure that was the end. Bluecoats - 85.85 - Improvement over the past several times I've seen the show. I'm still not a fan of the auto-tuner during the solo in Movement 4. The drill in Mvt 4. and the song itself are both very difficult, and it's being cleaned up nicely. The encore performance was by Phantom Regiment. They did a standard horn arc with contras seated in front. The best moment of the night, for me, was the opener of their encore: the first movement from Defiant Heart, as written for G horns, back in 1996. It sounded amazing. They played another piece or two I was not familiar with, and ended their performance with selections from 1812 Overture. If anyone has anything to add, please do. Like I said, I'm hardly the person to be reviewing, but since it seems no one else went, I'd throw something out there.

As a member of Cincinnati Tradition, I can say that this was in fact our first performance of the year. We did not finish all of the drill for the drum feature or the end of Zorro, so we went with what we had. This also was our first show ever being judged and being given a score. And honestly, with a 59.538, I'm pretty proud of our first score. It can only improve.

Rubank's Advanced Method for Eb or BBb Bass. This was one of the first books I started in when I started private lessons on tuba in high school. I also picked up the Accent on Achievement Books 2 and 3. One of the two is a waste unless the school band uses it. It's almost entirely ensemble playing. I just don't remember which one is the better of the two off the top of my head. Depending on his age, you may also start looking into the Brass Gym, the Kopprasch studies, and the almost ubiquitous Bordogni Bel Canto studies. Everything except Brass Gym is written and designed around BBb and Eb tuba. The Brass Gym is written with 5 valve CC tuba in mind. Obviously all of the books are very helpful, but depending on the key of the horn, may be a little more challenging than they are supposed to be. Another good book for a BBb horn with 4 valves or a CC tuba, is the Snedecor Low Etudes for Tuba. It's pretty much an exercise that requires a Seismograph for tuning, but still a good one! As an aside, most etude books are fairly useless for GG bugle. The fingerings for some of the etudes are a little bit cumbersome! That, and somehow, after playing BBb and CC tubas in bass clef for years and years, I can't seem to grasp bass clef on a GG bugle. I gotta read transposed treble clef! Go figure!

Add Cincinnati Tradition to the list for Class A. We were evaluated at rehearsal yesterday, and less than 24 hours after the evaluator left, we received a phone call from DCA saying we passed and are good to go for Class A! First year ever doing Class A I believe.

I love the voting procedure proposal. The AAA Class corps will have twice the voting power of AA corps, and A and Open Class corps have no vote. Therefore anything that the G7/AAA corps want, they get. No matter what. Completely and totally unfair, at least in my opinion.