shockkwavvv
-
Posts
23 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by shockkwavvv
-
-
I know, and I think a lot of people aren't sure about that either, but I have a feeling that SCV is going to surge. They have a difficult show, and definitely more to work on, more pts to earn, etc.
I honestly think they are going to end up battling it out with Bluecoats for 5th and 6th.
SCV has very good percussion, and I think that will keep them in contention for 5th.
And perc is about the only thing they have going for them that would compete with Bloo IMO... we shall see
-
It is going to be an epic battle for 5th (Bloo and SCV)
I'm not so sure about that one.
-
2
-
-
Elaborate :) please O:)
Check your messages up top ;)
-
The modern contra weighs anywhere from 20-35 lbs, depending on what brand the corps is using. Yamahas and Kings are relatively light and easy to march with. The Dynastys (only Glassmen and Pacific Crest use them now i think) are heavier because of the fourth valve section. Jupiters, last time I picked one up, were surprisingly heavy, and the only corps I know of that use them are Phantom, Teal Sound, and Academy. In most cases, a contra is lighter than your standard 4/4 concert tuba.
The pain changes based on what you're doing. Obviously, when you're holding the horn at carry, you're going to feel a lot of pain in your arms as the muscles start to fatigue. But even when the horn is in playing position, you'll feel pain in your shoulders and arms after a while, and this changes from horn to horn, based on what kind you're using and the balance of it. The weight of the horn, whether you're holding it at carry or playing position, will also cause pain in your back and will make you want to not stand up straight. The counter for this is focusing on your abs, squeezing them and using them to maintain good posture. Abdominal muscles are also vitally important for maintaining your balance when marching or changing directions. Basically, the added weight of the instrument makes everything you do more difficult and more painful, and as a contra player, it's your job not to let anyone know that when you're performing or in rehearsal.
an accurate description
-
However, being a contra player is something that's a little different than playing any other brass instrument. Overall, your music will probably not be that hard.
Probably not, but that depends on which corps you march ;)
-
I do want it badly... You will see me at Madison Scouts, Blue stars, or Spirit of Atlanta next year :) I just need to get the physical aspects down. I can get a tuba teacher from USC.
Keep in mind though, a tuba teacher won't make you good at tuba. That is your responsibility. The teacher will just guide you in the right direction and hopefully speed up the process.
-
1
-
-
I realize a lot of this has been said already... but to chunk it all into one post...
Ingredients to make a DCI corps:
1. Determination
2. Persistence
3. Desire
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
5. Self-motivation
6. Ability to improve your skills consistently
7. (obviously) being the proper age (not 10 or 23)
8. An ounce of talent
9. A positive attitude
10. Dedication
11. Doing exactly what the staff tells you to do in between camps
Things that will keep you from making a DCI corps:
1. Lack or opposite of the above
2. Having personal issues that must be taken care of, but cannot be if you march drum corps
3. purposely psychologically preventing yourself from doing it or cutting yourself from a corps (chickening out)
Disclaimer: I know that list is not a perfect description, but I believe it is a fairly good one.
Weighing 280 is NOT going to stop you altogether from marching dci at ALL. If you are determined, persistent, self-motivated, etc., you will take the responsibility to do what you need to lose it. As others have suggested earlier in this thread, one thing that will help greatly is not eating junk (or fake) food. Cutting out chips, cheetos, candy, SODA, ice cream, etc. will help a lot (don't cheat!). When you're thirsty, drink water or juice, for example, not soda. When you're hungry, eat good food, not junk, until you are almost full, then stop. I learned once from a health teacher that it takes about 10 minutes or so before the feeling of being 'full' completely sets in. Overall just be smart about it.
Another disclaimer: I am also not a dietitian. I know someone else mentioned some similar advice earlier in this thread... it's all good stuff. I really don't believe we need to be dietitians to tell someone to avoid junk food, but just in case, here's the disclaimer
There are many, many examples of people who marched who were as heavy as, and heavier, than you at one point. One contra player, was heavier than you, and not as tall, and he marched something like 7 years at Crown I believe (2009 age-out Paul? someone correct me if any of that is wrong, but you get the idea). Another example, would you believe, is one of the lead trumpet soloists in Blue Devils currently, Garrett. He was in a similar body to yours in high school. He ended up marching 3 years at Surf and is aging-out this year in his 3rd year at BD. Just a couple examples for inspiration.
GO for it. Ultimately, you are the one who determines how far you will go. If you want it badly enough, you'll do it.
-
-
I only responded to a couple paragraphs, which is why I just utilized those in my response.
...and the questions in your response were answered in the part you didn't include... which is why I said read it again.
The only way to know if a particular judge is rewarding something others aren't seeing or not seeing something others are catching is to have a double panel on that particular night...or a triple, quadruple or quintuple panel. Then we could see what each judge is seeing in comparison to the others on a particular day.
I'd love to see it happen... and hear the tapes!
But still, you can get a rough idea of how a corps is doing on a night to night basis. Perfectly? no.. but most of the same things happen the same way night to night, with a few exceptions. Do you really think a multiple panel tonight would have scored it like Debbie did on any of those other nights? I mean, it's possible, but I think it's fairly safe to say at this point probably not. The top corps today are more consistent in July than you think. I DO agree, however, that a multiple panel like that would be the BEST way to tell. Thank God for the doubles in the late season. 
One thing is for sure.. DCP wouldn't be this much fun if it wasn't for Debbie
-
I would never attack the Torcher's credibility!
At least until the day she earns some.
That reminds me of a friend of mine from Cavies who said to me a long time ago, "We don't really care TOO much about what the judges think... If they knew what they were doing, they'd be on our staff."
-
1
-
-
And if she just happened to have had the same corps high on her sheets each of those contests, would she be praised by those who felt the corps should be high? And would she be scorned by fans of the other corps.
As I've long said, when a judge agrees with one's own opinion, they're a genius. When they don't, they're a scoundrel.
Read it again... it was edited. My opinion of that score being a little far-fetched has nothing to do with the fact that I like the Bluecoats. The only part where me liking Bluecoats has anything to do with it is I MIGHT not care enough to post about it if it happened to a different corps.
-
Fans often say they want the judges to react to what they see on any particular night. Debbie is a pro at doing that. She isn't predictable because corps performances aren't predictable. Fans also say they don't want judges to live by and memorize some other judges' recaps. You're not likely to see that from Debbie. The only time some fans get upset with her is when she calls it as she sees it and their favorite corps slip on her sheets compared to those of previous judges. But when their favorite corps jump on her sheets over the sheets of previous judges, then she's proclaimed a visionary who sees things the prior panels have missed. So, I'd prefer to have what some consider inconsistency, which I consider a concerted effort to not be locked into scores that other judges have given.
This is not to imply that other judges don't have minds of their own. I think the Judges Coordinator does a great job of keeping everyone on their toes and directs them to reward the corps as they see fit. That's one reason I personally don't buy into the concept of slotting. Yes, as seasons come to a close, certain spreads become much more consistent, but that happens as certain corps and certain sections also become much more consistent.
When judges have one's favorite corps doing well, they are praised. When they don't, they are scorned. You've got to have a pretty thick skin to be a judge, and an even thicker one to be a good one.
So then, according to your theory, on all those separate occasions where Debbie had Bloo much lower than normal, you are saying that she "scored what she saw fit on those nights." Therefore, on three different nights, with her judging a different caption on each of those nights, the Bluecoats just so happened to not do as well in HER caption only. "Darn! That is so unlucky of them!!!"(<-sarcasm)
You are missing the point. Nero was pointing out that she is constantly scoring Bloo low no matter the night NOR the caption she's judging. It is not a matter of what happened on a particular night, as you say it is; we aren't talking about one night. Her judging them low in any caption is consistent and starting to become predictable. As I said before, "while I think it is a good thing to have a judge who does not slot (wish we had more), it's still just as bad when one is that far-fetched with their scoring,consistently, to a point where bias starts to seem highly plausible."
If the other judges do, in fact, have minds of their own as you say, what then are they consistently missing that Debbie is seeing? OR PERHAPS, is Debbie missing things that the other judges are rewarding? Seeing as though judging is SUPPOSED to be based on achievement these days and not ticks, I would venture that the second question is more appropriate, no? It just seems quite difficult to believe that those fine judges who have minds of their own and experience etc. all agree fairly that Bluecoats are in one ballpark while one judge thinks they are completely in another.
And it's not me "scorning" a judge just because "my favorite corps didn't do well." It would be equally ridiculous if Bluecoats were ahead of Cavies by more than a full point in visual ensemble alone. Would I be happy? You bet! Praising Debbie if she did that? no... I would still say that's a little far fetched (along with a crowd of others because of Cavies track record of visual excellence for that matter).
-
I couldn't tell from that if you agree or disagree with what I said? (sometimes I read sarcasm when it's not there, or read something straight up that was meant as sarcasm...)
There was quite a mix of sarcasm and seriousness at the same time lol (I will try to mark things as such next time... I know better than to be a mix of the two through text). Everything in the 2nd paragraph was serious. I was trying to say that, while I think it is a good thing to have a judge who does not slot (wish we had more), it's still just as bad when one is that far-fetched with their scoring, consistently, to a point where bias starts to seem highly plausible. I was agreeing with you.
-
1
-
-
so far this season I don't think I'm a big Debbie Torchia fan-- praying to God she doesn't judge on Saturday on Finals night
@ Martin, TN had SOA over coats in GE visual
@ Roundrock had coats in 7th place for CG
Tonight vis ensemble 4th behind BAC
... not saying coats should have been 1st in those categories at all- just seems out of line with the rest of the scoring and with the scoring spreads in those captions on nights when those captions have different judges-
just my $0.02
I realize many will disagree- but I'm saying it anyways.
That is quite a point. Think about that for a second... No matter what caption she scores Bluecoats in, they place MUCH lower in her's than in the other captions that night. Likewise, they always place WAY lower in her caption than they do on all the other nights with any other judge. So either she's out to lunch and has some sort of bias against Bloo, or just about the entire rest of the judging community is severely over-placing the Bluecoats. Don't you know by now that it's an accepted practice for judges to display their personal dislike for certain corps by... being a judge!?!?
It's one thing for a judge to disagree with the other judges... that's fine! (That's the whole point of having many different judges, and I believe that is a good thing!) However, being so far off on a different planet is another story.
-
1
-
-
It's JUNE. Just about ANYTHING can happen in the long run.
-
ok but its not just about the music otherwise you can go listen to a concert. Drum Corps like others things are differnt things to different people for some its the music for others the visuals and pagentry for some its just a night out..lol
There's a fine line between pageantry and gimmicks... ;)
-
I'm getting a little annoyed that some of these corps value gimmicks and use them to sell their show... not just to the audience but to the judges as well. Here is our society.. getting all pumped for people playing upside down and swinging their horns around like guitars. It's a shame that those kind of things get rewarded by judges and fans more than the part where they make incredible music. Listen to crown play a major chord and make it sound like an organ. Listen to Bluecoats make more music in their opener than most corps make in their whole show. Listen to Blue Devils string beautiful thick harmonies together one after another. That's where the REAL magic is in drum corps. Those are the things that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. I guess I'm on a different wavelength than most... and I'm okay with that.
-
3
-
-
go BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
-
1
-
-
I'm seeing a lot of talk on here about the "what the hell am I doing here?" part. I was at the show Thursday and I'm fairly certain that was all taken out... unless I was just unconscious and missed it. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
-
nonetheless, same judges, same show, all being judged the same against one another!! with some of the same judges from this past weekend.
...Which doesn't have anything to do with how accurately and/or properly judged the shows are.
-
How in the heck did a corps drop not only 3 spots but 4 points in a day?? I realize it's a different show with different judges but come on!
Because everyone is overall a mess right now compared to what it will be in the end. It's difficult to judge anything like that. The corps will separate themselves more clearly later in the season.
-
2
-
-
What about Bluecoats???... I'm quite surprised (not really actually) that nobody is talking about how mature the Bluecoats brass and drums are this early in the season compared to the other corps, or talking about how far they still can go with the insane repertoire they have this year. The tuba book is especially ridiculous... probably better than 2007. Also, almost nobody is talking about their percussion going from 1st to 7th. From what I saw tonight, the percussion is leaps and bounds above the rest in both cleanliness and difficulty.
That being said, I personally did not see any CLEAR winner tonight... I believe this season could just about go in ANY direction at this point in the game, as far as for BD, Cavs, Bloo, Crown, and Cadets. I'm forseeing a lot more fluctuations in placements than usual, not based on scores from the past two nights, but by what I saw and heard from the corps shows.
-
1
-
What does Deborah Torchia have against the Cavaliers?
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
...only when both knees are bent at the same time. You can be just as tall with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Just sayin' ;)