DTrooper77

So, I will post another (again) from Phantom. This one makes me tear up almost every time. Ave Maria (Franz Biebl).. This was the ballad from Phantom's 2006 "Faust" show. This recording is done by the 2008 hornline at a funeral for the niece of J.D. Shaw (who arranged the piece for PR). I assume it is recorded either at the funeral or in the venue (church/cathedral) where it took place. This was breathtaking on the field, but simply glorious as recorded here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaZ5e0h1UFM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hytyw4bB5QQ The whole show is worth a look, but 2009 Crown - Somewhere/Somewhere over the rainbow ballad is magnificent. Starts at 8:40 - 10:45

Mine sounds good on Multicam.. Using laptop with headphones.

Just wanted to get this to the end so no one will miss it.... Just got my Blu-ray in. I watched Phantom and BK and had to stop after those two shows. I will say video is awesome, but I need some point of comparison on the audio. Every impact point is compressed to the point that all emotion is gone, Passages that are mp are mp, mf is mf, and anything aproaching f and beyond is squashed to mf. I checked my system and the dynamic range suppression is off. This has to be from the disc itself. Anyone else having this issue? As it stands right now, I am so unhappy with the audio that it is not even worth watching the rest of the corps. I hope this is an issue with my copy because what i am listening to is not drum corps. Help..... OK everyone. Big apology owed on my part. I watched BK again WITHOUT the HEADPHONES and the sound through the speakers was outstanding as Oldbandguy said in an earlier post. The video quality and color is outstanding as well and now I can't wait to watch all of the other performances as soon as I can get the place to myself and can turn it up to drum corps volume. That is, of course, once I get all of the black feathers out of my mouth and egg yolks off my face. (I will complain about the blu-ray...nevermore).

Just got my Blu-ray in. I watched Phantom and BK and had to stop after those two shows. I will say video is awesome, but I need some point of comparison on the audio. Every impact point is compressed to the point that all emotion is gone, Passages that are mp are mp, mf is mf, and anything aproaching f and beyond is squashed to mf. I checked my system and the dynamic range suppression is off. This has to be from the disc itself. Anyone else having this issue? As it stands right now, I am so unhappy with the audio that it is not even worth watching the rest of the corps. I hope this is an issue with my copy because what i am listening to is not drum corps. Help..... OK everyone. Big apology owed on my part. I watched BK again WITHOUT the HEADPHONES and the sound through the speakers was outstanding as Oldbandguy said in an earlier post. The video quality and color is outstanding as well and now I can't wait to watch all of the other performances as soon as I can get the place to myself and can turn it up to drum corps volume. That is, of course, once I get all of the black feathers out of my mouth and egg yolks off my face. (I will complain about the blu-ray...nevermore).

1 The Cadets 96.100 2 Bluecoats 95.300 3 Santa Clara Vanguard 94.750 4 Carolina Crown 94.100 5 Phantom Regiment 90.850 6 Boston Crusaders 87.950 7 Crossmen 85.300 Read more: http://www.dci.org/scores/index.cfm?year=2014&event=9ab3dc93-e502-4dea-940c-15ae9312ae27#ixzz39Twy2SM2

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL The USAF orchestra did an impromtu performance at the Air and Space museum in DC. Wish I had been there. I know Drum Corps fans are music fans. Just got this link from an old Drum Corps friend. If this does not get you in the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will. Turn up your speakers if you can. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIoSga7tZPg&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgIoSga7tZPg&app=desktop

Scores up.... 1 Carolina Crown 88.150 2 Blue Stars 77.450 3 Troopers 75.450 4 Crossmen 74.450 5 Colts 74.050 6 The Academy 71.100 Open Class 1 Music City 72.200 2 Genesis 71.550 Read more: http://www.dci.org/scores/index.cfm?event=08d2d2e0-7b12-4ab8-986d-f09df771d330#ixzz2ZGlqRiQB WAY TO GO TROOP!

Got my Blu-ray today and took a look at about 1/2 of the performances so far. It looks great but I have a sound issue.... The performances on both audio settings sound so compressed (dynamic range) that the sound almost disappears at each impact. I have been using headphones so I don't wake the kids and maybe that is the issue. Has anyone else noticed this, or am I the only one?

1. Madison - Such an emotional show...awesome music. It will probably make my top 5 all time list. 2, Crown - As an old brass guy....What a hornline! 3. Blue Devils - Always loved the Devils until the last 5 years or so. Want to love them every year but lately they won't let me. Ahhh..the Devils are back....love them again this year.

It felt good to tell this one....thanks for starting this thread...it's the best one I've ever read on DCP. DTrooper77

I believe the material is mylar. Just like those metallic birthday balloons you can get that never deflate...

I guess it was destiny for me. I was playing trumpet my senior year in the High School band in the fall of 1976 when our band director showed us a film to get us pumped up for the upcoming marching season. That film was "Here come the Troopers". I was in awe. I don't have to explain why, you all already know. I knew right then that field competition was what I wanted to do. We did do a couple of competitions with the HS band but we were mainly a parade band. I lobbied my band director hard to do more but to no avail. So in protest I decided that I would forego our trip to Pasedena to march in the tournament of Roses parade. So, while I was sitting at home over the New Year feeling sorry for myself and wondering what I had accomplished with my "rebel without a clue" protest, I decided to write to the Troopers. My letter was just to inquire about where and when I might be able to see them in person. A few weeks later I received a letter from them containing the schedule for the upcoming season and telling me that if I would send them a brief cassette tape demonstrating my trumpet playing they would consider me for membership. That was not my intention for writing, but I thought what the heck. So I sent one. You can imagine my astonishment when about 4 weeks later I received another letter saying that if I planned to march, then I needed to be in Casper by June 1st at the latest. The letter also contained the lead soprano sheet music (handwritten) for the show with instructions that I have it memorized by the time I arrived. My parents decided that my graduation present would be airfare and member dues for the summer and put me on a plane. WOW...what a leap of faith especially on their part. What a great summer it was. Funny thing is that the 1st corps I actually saw live was the Blue Stars right after we had come off of the field. (unless you count seeing it in the middle of the Trooper hornline. Another plus was that since I arrived so late in the spring all of the housing was gone when I arrived. What luck.... I spent the summer with 3 other members living in Jim Jones house. I will never forget all of the wonderful memories on the road with "America's corps" that summer in 77 I packed up at the end of the season and returned home, got a job and thought that would be my only drum corps experience. Fast forward 3 years to summer of 1980. I had attended 2 semesters at E Carolina Univ in 78-79 and met some people in the marching band who were marching with Spirit that summer. After a trip to visit family in Georgia, I had a couple of extra days so I stopped by Atlanta on my way home and caught up with them. They were just coming back from lunch break when I arrived at the practice site. They had to get back to rehearsal so I climbed up to the top of the stands on the fifly to see how they looked. After a brief warmup they set for the start of the show with full horns. I sat there as the arc slowly rotated and then was floored by the initial hit of Georgia on my mind pinned my ears back. HOLY ####! All those memories from the Troopers and what drum corps was all about came flooding back. Again destiny called. That night, my friends told me that they had 4 holes from the 1st tour and I absolutely had to fill one of them. I kept saying no, I have a job, car payments and I have to be back to work next week. Well....late in the night and many drinks later, I decided to see what I could work out. I've already gone on too long, so I will just say. three days later, I marched my 1st show with Spirit and finished out the season. Man...what a dream come true to march in Jim Ott's hornline and by just sort of stumbling into it. I have drifted away from drum corps at times over the years but I always seem to come back. PS I finally attended my 1st finals since 84 Atlanta in 2008 in Bloomington . I was invited to the DCI breakfast on Saturday and almost did not go due to a very late Friday night. I did go however and man am I glad I did. After the breakfast and some words from the Indy tourism people and Dan Acheson we were given a special treat. What do you know, but into the hotel ballroom marched the Troopers in full uniform. They treated us to a standstill of their show and I don't need to tell you what it sounded like in a ballroom where the arc almost reached around the whole room. One last note... The Troop did an encore for us......Battle Hymn. By the time it was over, the tears were flowing for me. My friend asked if I had had a "full circle moment"......I guess I did.