jmdigmon

OP, in case you're viewing without logging in, please get in touch with me if you still need any of these years. I see that 04 is in demand (I cannot find disc 2 of the three for that year at the moment, though).

Sent you a PM yesterday. Let me know if you still need any of these.

I don't think that the explanation regarding where the synth fits in the performance caption is clear. Yes, it is a percussion instrument. If brass performance can consider it, however, where does that leave the synth? I understand that judges are human and considerations other than their captions may sneak in here and there, but I don't think that should be the accepted method. It really seems like the further development of A&E necessitates permanently adding the second percussion judge in the box. Make sure percussion performance evaluates all percussion. GE and music ensemble may get it, although I haven't been satisfied with electronic balance since it began, but if the performance captions bleed, what is the point of separate percussion and brass sheets? I don't think it is acceptable to allow both performance captions to consider the synth merely because most of the judges have some piano keyboard training.

The corps I am most excited about is Phantom because I want to see how Shane will fit in there. I have high hopes, and I have never disliked any percussion section with his name on it that I have seen. I loved what he accomplished at Spirit. His work at MCM is awesome. Next, I want to see Vanguard. For the most part, I liked Rennick's work with Phantom ('04 and '05 less than the rest; '07 is my favorite). The sound will likely be different from the Vanguard I know, but that's cool. Vanguard had different sounds under Johnson, Hardimon, Casella, Sanford, Mason, and the rest. Clean beats are clean beats. I also hope that I will like their drill design. I haven't been the biggest fan of Vanguard's visual design the last couple years, despite the quality of people who have created the design. Finally, I want to see Bluecoats. I have been quite impressed with the corps's improvement, especially since 2006. The last two years have really kicked up a notch for me, even though I know many didn't like Imagine (which I think is a fine show). Here's hoping they can push even farther in 2011!

Jeff, I agree. Terminology will bleed from circuit to circuit and sheet to sheet. Some terms and considerations are universally present on all score sheets I have seen. However, most of those (other than BOA and WGI sheets) are devoid of explanation. All I wanted to know were DCI's definitions of their terms. I think that would be helpful. Necessary? No, but helpful nonetheless. I know Lance commented on his feelings about rubrics earlier, but I like rubrics. In an adjudication that is subjective, rubrics and clear definitions can provide, as Lance said, the illusion of objectivity. It has been said on this forum numerous times over the last several years (sorry, I've been merely a lurker) that even under the objective criteria of the past that subjectivity crept in. I believe that. I also believe that adherence to rubrics and consistency in judging tolerances as related to the terms and definitions that guide evaluation are as close as it will get to providing an accurate framework for evaluation under a subjective system. I want to understand the system. I also wouldn't say that I'm not on DCI's side. I like DCI. I understand its position. I have the utmost respect for intellectual property rights. I also happen to be a fan of transparency.

Sounds good! I hope this is a sign of good things to come for all corps this summer

Well, it's really just my speculation. I didn't ask and don't know exactly why DCI doesn't make the rules available beyond what I was just told--DCI considers it proprietary and doesn't want the information out there for all to access, as the sheets have been copied in the past. I was simply trying to rationalize by making a comparison to the indoor scene. I never said that bands would use the sheets. From my own judging experiences, wide-open scoring sheets with just a few terms to guide the judges, and no definitions to promote uniformity of application of those terms, give the judges at high school band contests wide latitude in scoring. Every contest I have judged has operated mainly as a fund-raiser, not as a contest for the sake of a contest or as an educational experience. Judges make comments for the furtherance of education on the tapes, but, ultimately, that was not the point of the contest. So, those sheets, IMO, reflect that. While DCI has partnered with scholastic endeavors, that is not nearly the same as scholastic relationships with WGI. Scholastic groups in local circuits benefit from knowing WGI's sheets and at least have some rudimentary knowledge of the scoring system before making the trek to WGI regionals or Dayon (or wherever WGI championships are held in a given year). The same cannot be said for high school bands. A high school band director's knowledge of DCI scoring will not help him compete at a local band contest (unless the contest has ripped off DCI's sheets). His band will not compete under those sheets (unless, of course, the band is also a drum corps that tours, in some degree, in the summer or the contest ripped off the sheets). There is no scholastic classification in DCI as there is in WGI. So, while I was just speculating, I don't think I've shot myself in the foot.

It looks that way. I talked with DCI service rep this morning, and the adjudication manual/sheets are NOT available for purchase. DCI considers this proprietary information, so access is only distributed to those who need to know: drum corps and judges. As with any proprietary information, I am sure corps and judges are restricted from disclosing the information. I understand that DCI wants to protect its intellectual property. I imagine podunk high school marching band contest could rip off DCI's sheets and judging criteria. WGI makes its adjudication manual available, but WGI is a different animal in that local circuits sometimes use WGI sheets, those local circuits foster the growth of the activity, and, consequently, groups may make the trip to WGI. In that situation, knowledge and dissemination of WGI's sheets makes sense. But, in the outdoor marching activity, there is no incentive to make the sheets public in the same manner as WGI--there are no smaller, local drum corps circuits that, in a way, operate as a training ground for groups who go to the big show. I wish the video explaining judging that DCI posted a couple years ago actually explained judging considerations in depth.

I ordered the rules. Again, the rules I got were the standard contest rules, not adjudication rules. I am not sure about others, but I am interested in seeing the rules that pertain to judging. For example, I would love to see how DCI actually defines general effect. I don't want speculation. I don't think most people have a problem with not knowing the official definition of a bugle. Maybe they do. If you're interested in that, order the $35 2010 Contest Rules. It will come to you in a neat package containing a color laser jet printed copy. From what I have gathered after years of reading this forum, many people want to see the man behind the curtain--the criteria and terminology used in judging the corps on the field. Many people may not care. That's cool. I just want to know to satisfy my own curiosity. FYI, the rules one can purchase for $35 are the equivalent of the five page WGI percussion contest rules that are available for free, in case anyone is wondering. Granted, WGI's free rules are about a fifth the length of DCI's. I am still waiting on DCI to respond to my request to fix my purchase. Maybe the "goods" aren't available for purchase.

Thanks! I thought I made it clear to the sales rep what I was looking for.

FYI, the rule book that I ordered for $35 is nothing more than the 2010 Contest Rules. I don't need to know that performers can cross the sidelines or that World Class caption awards are averaged across all three nights. I knew that. I want the sheets. I want the rubrics. Hopefully, DCI will respond to rectify the situation, either through sending me something actually worth $35 or giving my money back.

I tried several times over the last couple years to submit the online question form and never got an answer. The customer service representative told me the rule book is only available for order over the phone. I'm cool with that. Soon, I'll have all the answers! To order: call DCI at (317) 275-1212, wait for the menu and press 1 for a representative, tell the representative you'd like to order the rule book, the representative will tell you that the rule book costs $35.00, and order the book. UPS ground shpping to my neck of the woods was $9.07, for a total of $44.07.

A couple months ago, I took a couple of the CDs to a CD/DVD restoration service (professional), and they were unable to copy the disk onto a new disk as the old disks had deteriorated too much. At that point I thought I would have to download every show one-by-one at $2.99 each. I was certainly surprised to see that I could download the bundles.

All my Collector's Series from 1972 to 1986 are completely unreadable. Several made my computer lock up when I tried to load them. Some still play in my car's CD player, and some make the CD player freeze, so I haven't listened to them in a while. I don't think keeping them all in a CD case in my car over the last decade has helped their longevity.

Thanks! I didn't know bundles were available for download. Just got 1974-1976! Even when the price goes up, I'll get more because my old CDs are worn out to the point that my computer wouldn't recognize them.