hairbear

Pringles and a Slim Jim with a Coke, here in Cincinnati. I have to get out more. LOL!

I just got here*. Racine show should be starting soon. They tell me it's beautiful weather and we all know "it's cooler by the lake". First up is Racine Scouts... * Don, you have beer and popcorn? Did ya get enough for ALL of us? LOL! * "Here" refers to DCP, not Racine.

Now THAT could go interestingly wrong! :)

I too, will be lurking. Cincinnati Tradition is on the road to Racine, as I type. I will not be travelling with the corps this weekend. I'll have to wait for you guys to post them! :)

Gnome Rotary, indeed. In a Thomas Morse S4-C. :)

Nope! Actually, I'm posting in between persuing one of my hobbies. (Working on a WW1 9 cylinder radial engine (1/12th scale) :)

Minnesota Brass. I rest my case. :)

Just sent you a message regarding the "Angels" of Ohio. From Bellfountaine, Ohio. *Another old Senior Corps from Cincinnati (Mt. Healthy) " Men of Ohio".

A flock of doves and ONE rubber chicken! LOL!

There have been many conversations about the changes in drumcorps, over the past few years. Since my humble beginnings in this activity in 1968, I have lived through most of them. The ONE change that has been detrimental is not the key of the horns used, the addition of a grounded pit or electronics or even narration. It is the touring model and it's cost! It's just my uneducated opinion folks, but what if drumcorps were not forced by circumstances to move 3 or 4 busses and two semi tractor/trailers halfway across the country, in order to compete? There are apparently 7 or 8 DCI corps who can sustain that expense on a yearly basis. (sarcasm implied) In the meantime, corps are dropping off the map, as the circuit in question increasingly becomes a "rich mans game". Somebody here with more knowlege and experience than I have, may have a different take on things. I'd be interested in reading their opinions.

Well, I DO know the name of the young movie character in Poltergiest...

Thought I'd check in to see if we ever got to the end of the 1982 season. Nope....... Hurry up dudes! While I'm still alive?!

I've only heard about this RAMD. I never saw it. From what I've been told, I wouldn't want to see it. I post here on DCP under my own name. (Well.... my nickname). Every word I post online here and elsewhere, is carefully... CAREFULLY, measured. Why? Because you can commit murder, with just a word. "The pen is mightier than the sword". I believe that I am accountable for every word I speak. I value civility. I'm not perfect. Who is? But it is in the "trying" that we demonstrate civility and accountability. When we no longer "try", we fail.

I'll play along! Cincinnati Tradition is hard at work, improving their corps. They are learning how to compete and how to recruit and retain members. The staff is gaining valuable experience, as they teach their captions. In an area of the country that only knows DCI, Cincinnati Tradition is facing an uphill battle with regard to recruiting. They don't have the luxury of name recognition, nor do they have an extensive competative reputation in DCA. But let me tell you what they DO have: A dedicated all volunteer staff and core group of members that show up for every rehearsal, prepared and ready to work! Will they be the next "Intergallactic Champions of the Known Universe" in 2013? No. You don't build a championship program overnight. What folks need to realize is this: "C.T." is building the foundation first. The walls come later, then the roof. You can't throw a rock around this town without hitting a Bluecoat or a Glassmen ageout. There is a large talent pool here. Speaking ONLY for myself, Those folks will join when the corps is good enough for them to join. You have to get good before you get big. That's reality. So what will the fans see from this corps in 2013? A corps that is improved over last season. Isn't that the direction we are supposed to be going in, anyway? :)

I've worn a cowboy hat now and then in my lifetime, but its not me in the photo.

"And if a fight broke out, they had your back". Absolutely! If one of us had cash, we ALL had cash. If one of us had food, we ALL had food. If one of us had beer... three of us had beer. (I am a non drinker)

Irv wanted to know if he can come out to play? LOLOL!

Sign me up! I had a blast playing his arrangements with Steel City!

In the summer of 1968 (If memory serves) I walked up the road to my local VFW post to take a look at this "drumcorps thing" my sister was a member of. The director of this drumcorps put a Baritone (valve/slide) in my hand and an instructor taught me how to get a sound from the horn. I wasn't all that interested in the horn, but the girls I saw in the colorguard were "interesting". That was enough to keep me there for the day. At the end of the rehearsal, I joined the corps. Doing so was a wise decision. If not for this corps director, I would most likely be dead or in prison today. Earl Huff is a name most of you won't recognize. He marched with a Cincinnati Corps named "Men of Ohio". He is retired now. He was a "father" when I needed one, a role model and a mentor. Something about this activity brings out the absolute best in a person, be they a marching member or a corps director. Earl never won a DCA championship. He isn't a member of the hall of fame. He doesn't have any rings or medals hanging on his wall. No, Earl Huff isn't famous. He just "slogged it out" on a VFW practice field full of inexperienced kids, day after day, year after year. This I can tell you: every one of those kids are today, successful adults. We are his championship, his hall of fame and his "ring".

The talk of families in drumcorps is interesting. My junior corps, (a "mom and pop" operation) could be numbered not by individual members, but by family surnames. Merry Christmas to all in "Whoville"!

Pit size and electronics? Sandy Mcneal never needed his congas amped, but he would have appreciated it.

Todays rehearsal featured a larger drumline and the hornline now has 5 contras. The corps needs a couple more sopranos, baritones and one mellophone to fill the line. They are looking for qualified mallet players, as well. Visit the corps website to sign up, if you want a spot in a growing DCA Class A corps!

If anyone from the tri-state area of Southwest Ohio, Kentucky and southeast Indiana is sitting on the fence or looking for a place to march, check this corps out! They have members commuting from Columbus, Lexington and Louisville. Carpooling is available.

I can see it now: Tonys living room full of little rubber chickens and KFC Buckets! LOLOL!

Lets use the electric bass as an example. The first Fender electric bass was named the "Precision Bass". It was so named because unlike the upright acoustic bass it replaced, it had frets. That meant that the Fender bass player could play any note on the fretboard with 100% accuracy. Hence: "Precision". The upright bass player was required to "tune as you play" and needed a good "ear" for pitch. A contra player also needs a good ear because the skill required to play the instrument requires more than just pressing the correct valve(s) of the contra. It requires emboucher control, proper breathing tecnique and pitch recognition. Who should recieve more credit on the judging sheets: The electric bass player, playing a fast moving passage (walking bass line) or the 8 Contras playing the same passage? Because quite frankly, it's easier to do on an electric bass than it is by 8 contra players.