luvah

Because finance is the most boring thing in the world--if a corps manager wanted to be a bean counter that's what he would be already. Do you expect the Troopers from Casper, WY to have the same kind of financial depth as the Blue Devils? Where are they going to get the money? Are they going to sell sheep? Are they going to pan for gold? The Troopers and most drum corps have always just scraped by financially-- that's why I'm not really worried about the activity in this financial crisis--they are just going to keep on trooping regardless --and come out on the other side.

another note: really advanced players can learn to make a really good tone in the dead zone--but its hard for players learning their horn-- and the sweet spots can 'travel' -- be slightly different for individual players.

"In tune"--is not the primary issue--you can have B flat and F and G and E flat instruments play together in tune, obviously. but there are technical issues to consider. There is a limit to the volume that a horn can produce w/ good tone. When you reach that threshold you can't really play it louder, if you try to play louder it just sounds worse. There are also 2 'sweet spots' in every wind instrument--including the human voice-- that arrangers should be familiar with and exploit-- one in the low register and one in the high register. With kind of a dead zone in the middle. Bad arrangements hang out too much in the middle dead zone of a horn's register.-- that's where the 'band in a can' sound comes from--I think. (for example, the middle notes on an alto sax just honk like geese) The 'sweet spots' are not just individual notes--they cover about a major 6th perhaps, where the horn is capable of producing a really sweet tone. The Colts sop solo this year in their ballad exploits the low 'sweet spot' in the soprano horn brilliantly--for example.

Do you remember when the Blue Knights did it in '93? Didn't score really well, but the drum solo was pretty interesting.--They had long tails on the jackets that went below the knee--to make them look like they were floating.

Glad other people have show ideas about Radiohead--did you see that thing where Radiohead played with University So Cal? Marching Band? pretty cool. Here are some ideas where the synth part would be necessary and integrated to the show, unlike the synth uses this year--where the synth is unnecessary to the show: 1) Bluecoats could do "Birds of Fire"-- Mahivishnu Orchestra. Acid jazz w/ electric guitar and violin in the pit, and the electric keyboard sounds (moog) are really interesting (not just simulating some existing acoustic instrument). The Drum parts from Billy Cobham's set playing would be great on the field. I think it could be a great show. 2) Glassmen could do a cathedral choir show w/ a synth pipe organ--their horn line would sound great w/ this and the drum parts, although not present in the music, could be arranged. I've got some recordings of the Dresden Cathedral Choir that blow me away. It would be a great horn book, and a clean drum show. Much of that music is really modern and interesting-- the Glassmen have done some cathedral music in the past as well. 3) Spirit could do "Old Gold--a tribute to the radio songs of Artie Shaw"-- Old Gold was a radio show in the late 30s that played live swing music, featuring Artie Shaw's band. It had some wild instrumentation: Electric harpsichord, Mandolin, strings and winds-- and do-op vocals. Imagine a huge prop representing an old style radio-- synths could play the radio static tuning sounds while a guard member worked the dial--then when the radio is tuned--cut to music-- put an old cigarette ad or "plop plop fizz fizz" type moment between numbers. You might have to get a clarinet soloist to do an Artie Shaw impersonation. 4) Someone could do a "City of the Future" show featuring the music of Radiohead. Alot of great hyper-modern sounding synth sounds, and melodies that would work for horns. Have Judy Jetson type cutsy futuristic guard uniforms. It would work--not on the sheets, but who cares about that. There you go. You want some show design ideas for synth? It seems the possibilities are inexhaustible!

In late June I attended a show in Todedo where Capitol Regiment's score was higher than Crossmen--and I thought they were better-- cause Crossmen got such a late start (no guard unis, fresh drill, ect). I thought they used the same scoring system, but people on soundmachine contradicted me on this. The top five open corps belong in quarterfinals as far as quality goes. I'd like to see teal sound and Capitol have a shot--but I don't know if cadet corps should--any thoughts?

If the accoustics are as bad as the BOA people say in Lucas Oil it could be a big dissapointment -- I know the shows are good, but I hate bad accoustics--like the old Hoosier Dome-- it was great in Bloomington last year, perfect stadium for drum corps.

Great show for Capitol Regiment--after 2 years off? these guys are over achievers!

Part of the reason I recommended my shows ideas to corps not among the elites is because I believe not everyone has to do the same thing. I don't think there should be a caption for electronic instruments, and I think the elite corps should stick w/ what works for them. At the same time it is difficult to completely remove electronics from the sheets because it would effect the Music GE judge. Your comparison to BOA is apt-- sometimes I think a really good marching band sounds better than a drum corps because of the woodwinds. A bad drum corps arrangement tends to sound like "band in a can." Anything we can do to enrich the timbre of drum corps seems like a positive step--isn't that why we invented the pit in the first place?

now no one's gonna read my show ideas, or add any of their own. Oh, I think the decision to merge threads was based on the moderator trying to subvert my positive enthusiasm for synths in drum corps, with their dominant hegemony of repression. LoL

It was my post. I used the word "Hackneyed" to describe the Troopers horn arrangements. I was actually quoting someone from Soundmachine chat page--and I agree w/ the idea that the Troopers horn parts are not as sophisticated and professionally arranged as the Colts-- to me they just don't "sound" as good. But really the post was about my frustration w/ the judges inability or unwillingness to recognize the Colts pleasing horn arrangements. If what you have to say offends no one, it probably is not that interesting. I understand some people do love to be offended, and to them I'd just like to say "your welcome!"

no don't merge w/ synth threads, don't be such a wet blanket. You've got ideas for shows integrating synth? This is the place!

Come on Granny Smith-- You remember Old Gold! that's a great idea!

What I like about the synth is that it makes some shows possible that were impossible before. I don't like the way electronics are being used this year-- I don't think the current uses are creative at all. The synth parts are unnecessary because no one has a show where synth parts are necessary. Here are some ideas where the synth part would be necessary and integrated to the show: 1) Bluecoats could do "Birds of Fire"-- Mahivishnu Orchestra. Acid jazz w/ electric guitar and violin in the pit, and the electric keyboard sounds (moog) are really interesting (not just simulating some existing acoustic instrument). The Drum parts from Billy Cobham's set playing would be great on the field. I think it could be a great show. 2) Glassmen could do a cathedral choir show w/ a synth pipe organ--their horn line would sound great w/ this and the drum parts, although not present in the music, could be arranged. I've got some recordings of the Dresden Cathedral Choir that blow me away. It would be a great horn book, and a clean drum show. Much of that music is really modern and interesting-- the Glassmen have done some cathedral music in the past as well. 3) Spirit could do "Old Gold--a tribute to the radio songs of Artie Shaw"-- Old Gold was a radio show in the late 30s that played live swing music, featuring Artie Shaw's band. It had some wild instrumentation: Electric harpsichord, Mandolin, strings and winds-- and do-op vocals. Imagine a huge prop representing an old style radio-- synths could play the radio static tuning sounds while a guard member worked the dial--then when the radio is tuned--cut to music-- put an old cigarette ad or "plop plop fizz fizz" type moment between numbers. You might have to get a clarinet soloist to do an Artie Shaw impersonation. 4) Someone could do a "City of the Future" show featuring the music of Radiohead. Alot of great hyper-modern sounding synth sounds, and melodies that would work for horns. Have Judy Jetson type cutsy futuristic guard uniforms. It would work--not on the sheets, but who cares about that. There you go. You want some show design ideas for synth? It seems the possibilities are inexhaustible!

So the Bluecoats have a place to stay for finals week, or don't they?

Siddhartha is cool! You get Thomas Mann confused w/ Herman Hesse? My favorite Hesse novel is Steppenwolf--its great--it starts slow but man it gets going. A lot of Hesse novels are interesting to music and musicians--I recommend them.

I agree with everything you said. This year is almost an exact turnaround from last year, which I was disappointed w/--the show designers get an A from me this year.

Yeah, I'm quoting myself here. I'm not slamming the Troopers as much as the Music GE judges--where do we get these guys? My point is, the crowd isn't going to get it--the average fan won't care that much--but the judges are supposed to be able to discern proper horn voicing, and reward it by writing a higher number down --to be able to tell a profession sounding arrangement--its supposed to matter to some judge. So all the nuanced things that I like about the Colts show may not even matter to the judge, if he even gets it.

Totally agree-- electronic instruments are far less annoying than amplified voice-- its an improvement! I still haven't seen anyone use the electronic instruments well--not as well as I would. Like my idea for a Glassmen show, where they play Dresden cathedral choir music w/ a backfield synth pipe organ. And the Bluecoats could do Mahivishnu Orchestra's "Birds of Fire"-- oh yeah-- if they want to win DCI. Now that anything is possible, its time to ask the question, "What has always been thought to be impossible?" Acid Jazz-- seriously if you can use keyboards as an input device to a synth, why not electric guitar and violin? Its time. You know what I want to here? Electric Tympani!

What? Other literate people? On earth? This is like first contact or something. I've never heard of the rock opera, but I'm a big Hesse buff-- I thought Steppenwolf was a pretty good rock band and its a great modern novel--filled w/ sex and drugs--and music--music is always prevalent in Hesse. If you liked "Strange News"-- you would probably also dig 'Journey to the East' (if you haven't already read it)-- its really short--but its wild

Glass Bowl, Toledo OH

What is "Strange News from Another Planet?" Does someone read Herman Hesse? Impossible-- No one reads Herman Hesse--or I should just say "no one reads" Hesse's popular novella was titled: "Strange News from Another Star'-- written in German in the 1930s.

In all fairness, If the Troopers do make it, I will be yelling just as loud as everyone else when they take the field. I'm not a hater. I don't have any natural Colts bias either--I just really appreciate their show design

yeah, you're right..."Piano Variations" is not that out of whack--depending on which one of the 32 variations they play--as a pit feature w/ battery I'm sure it is a good vehicle for BD-- but its a "wild" chioce--and also its not their whole show. Copeland's "Piano Variations" is freaky and sounds more like something Charles Ives would have written. Its very different than Copeland's more famous Ballet and Orchestra music. Perhaps he wrote it just to prove that he could write something hyper modern. I would say that Crossmen's show certainly does not have the revenge factor that Stars' did in '93-- when the musical choice really did come as a result of being slotted down to third after winning the whole year through quarterfinals in '92.--with the best low brass section in drum corps history. The guy that did the arrangements for Crossmen was in Star and Blast I guess-- he did a good job not just lifting the horn book--its different than Star. As a side note, SCV in '97? did Bartok's string quartet #5 and made a pretty good arrangement out of it. I think string quartet # 2 would make a heck of a drum corps piece as well.

I know what people are saying about the Cavaliers horn book--that they play alot of "circle" notes-- whole and half notes. I've heard that since '92 when a Star mello-phone player talked to me about it-- I actually think that this year's Cavies horn book has a lot more notes than previous years. The Park and bark section toward the end? Yeah, that's a lot of notes. The high brass parts are effective and have a lot of clarity. Perhaps the arrangers are deliberately responding to some of our criticisms eh?