alumniof

You get to hear DCI's poor recordings even clearer.

Okay, so you want to do battle. Typical hole. First, you don't want to understand me correctly - you want to argue. Understanding is not your point, fighting is. First, I don't have an evangelical corps. Second, I said I present topics. Third, I said nothing of uniforms that they would wear. Fourth, I said nothing about cleavage. Fifth, I said nothing about males. Sixth I said nothing about gluteus maximus. Seventh, I never said anything about hymns. Eighth, I never said anything about Almighty. Ninth, I never said anything about the Great Commission. Tenth, you just proved my point that the issue is in the mind of the reader and the observer - not the stimulus. What do you think of when I say BS? Do you believe in your own BS? What words you thinking of? I use the initials BS for belief system and I'm sure that's not what you thought. Again, proving my point.

I just present the topics for discussion. There is nothing wrong with the uniform. If there is a problem, it's the problem of the mind interpreting the image that they see. Personally, I thought I'd get some thanks for the photo. I heard to search for a good one. I mean, it is Alabama after all (oooooooooooooooooooh). Go Noles.

Recruiting? Is there really a recruiting problem? I don't remember a kid ever saying "wait a minute.....are you telling me that the instruments they use are the exact same fingerings but a different key? I'm out". "Hey, band directors, we're playing what you have! Do you like us now and think we're just so awesome". (Uh, no....we're still jealous and competition ruins kids). DCI, want to appease band directors? Drop competition, but even then realize.....band directors don't want to be happy or appeased. They just want to ##### about something and be glossed and considered really intelligent and liked by the peers they brown nose who kick their ### every time "their" band plays a long tone with a trillion overtones. I used to be a band director and have a degree in music ed so I feel completely qualified to make this statement. As dumb as some band directors are, I don't think they're "that" dumb to believe "hey, Crown plays Yamaha which means if you play Yamaha you'll sound like them". May work for Nike and football jerseys, but a crap budget to BD who hate business to begin with??? I played trombone and played baritone in drum corps OH MY GOD!!!! I HAD TO LEARN A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM. WHAT THE HELL ARE MY BRAIN CELLS GOING TO DO. I don't get the arguments.....we gloss these kids how smart and special they are....so much more advance than us because they can twitter at 6 months - yet, they can't play a G bugle when us idiots who couldn't figure out how to unscramble porn or stop the blinking light on the VCR did it with NO PROBLEMS. I feel like eating a squirrel everytime I hear the lame excuses served to us showing how ignorant and lost (if the excuses are true) why they can't find a way to simply please the general public. Newsflash - the general public likes something LOUD, ENTERTAINING AND THEY CAN TAP THEIR FOOT TO AND DANCE AND EAT (and drink). Can't drink at DCI? Really? Uneducational. Here's the education - you can drink as an adult. I'm not saying to turn this into one big Bush League but the bottom line is here is your audience - the people who marched DCI before, the general public and the kids parents who think there kids are awesome even if they are gutter trash (it's true). But, nobody wants to go to a science fair, a psychology course, a history lesson. Titanic, the movie, succeeded because of the love story - and it snuck in a history lesson at the same time. Brilliant. Jurassic Park - brilliant. You can teach us something without throwing some intellectual mind screw from beat one. Oh yeah.....I didn't get it. And DCI, you're killing music. You are PROVING that music is nothing more than background to something greater. Something to be done to, not something to listen to. It's a supporting cast, not the star.

I don't think the majorettes have anything to do with that joy.

2 valves. Bigger bore. Things may have changed when they went to 3 valve?

1979 or 1980. On TV. My mom, or sister....someone said "there's a marching band on TV". I park in front of it. Stare. I don't see woodwinds, the instruments are all silver, they look different. The group is big (compared to my HS band) and they are in all blue and black (it was Spirit of Atlanta) and they were GOOD and they sounded AWESOME. 2 years later I found an up and coming corps in my area (I won't say who - I like the anonymity) and two years later I was a member of my local drum and bugle corps that at that time was top 6 and marched for 2.5 years (I was drum major of my HS band and wasn't allowed to tour and be drum major so I had to quit after camping). Good ole TV - in technicolor to I might add.

I'm borrowing this thought from another DCP member's post. A corps (pick whoever you want, the poster said Troopers), comes out and performs on G bugles. What happens in the stands?

Let me give it to you straight so you can get it (my goal anyway). First thing about G. It sound different for two reasons. It's pitched a minor third lower than Bb and the bore is bigger - which means it's not brighter, it's darker and it travels further. If it sounds brighter - blame the player. The sound is darker. Now....it sounds brighter because the sound travels further. A bugle is meant to send a sound from where you are to over where "they" are. That's the purpose a bugle was ever made - projection. It travels. Therefore, the audience member in the stands not only hears it - but hears it and "feels" it - especially from 60 horns (standard number when corps size was 128 - unless you were Phantom). Because it projects further - you hear "everything". You hear all the crap - bad embochures, intonation (yes there is some - "some" inherent intonation issues with the bugle - but - just listen to the recordings - are they really so offensive - no). The bugle is an HONEST instrument. You want to know a good hornline, you'll hear it. The biggest thing is the G key AND the BUGLE are the SIGNATURE SOUND of DCI. "THIS" no longer exists. It's gone. There is a tombstone on it. If you never experienced it (and I'm a fan of the two valve - and the Marine Corps is not the best example - listen to 82 and 84 recordings for the best recordings to get an idea of what they TRULY sounded like and turn up the volume to simulate how loud it would be standing in front of them and just close your eyes. That SIGNATURE sound is an identity. Now, and I'm not just some 30 year old looking 47 year old fat slob with marinara on my shirt talking about the good ole days because of my bitter present - DCI sounds like marching band. Same key. Same sound without woodwinds. Is it more in tune. Yeah. Does it sound better. It sounds like the talent is better and it's more "pleasant"....so, if you want a pretty little hornline and intonation is the end all be all - than listen to easy listening on your radio dial because that's what you're getting. It's smoother, sounds more pleasant. It's not a rock concert which is really what DCI used to be - the rock stars of marching band. Again, in my opinion, the horns weren't bright, grossly out of tune - it was just honest and the lower key (lower sounds also travel further and more omnidirectional) the sound HIT you and you could physically FEEL the sound from way up in the stands (and if you were closer it's the equivalent of standing next to a speaker at a rock concert). The closest you could get now for your easy listening experience and pretend is to just stand in front of the arc (if the pit would get out of the way) during a run through. But, I've done this and to me....it's not even close. Lastly, who wants to hear the same Bb horn 365 a year? I hear it in marching band, concert band, jazz band.....oh, and now in Drum Corps (it's not a Drum and Bugle Corps anymore). To me, to give up your identity sound because of a minor intonation improvement, and all the other #### poor arguments of ('oh, we can sell our horns, oh, HS kids get to play what they play in school, oh, band directors will like us more) is like giving away everything you have to go on 1 date with (pick your babe). And I think this is what frustrates the old farts - it's not DCI, it's BOA without woodwinds. But, it's the closest thing we can get because, it just is, and it has that same DCI logo we used to see. I think the day woodwinds come in....just call it a day. My source of marching entertainment now is college marching band. They're big, loud, entertain the audience and I really don't care if it's difficult or they are the all-stars or not. I feel the sound, they blow me back and they're having fun - unless of course they have a band director who doesn't give a crap because he's a DCI wanna be and starts trying to copy shows. Want to see a good college marching band entertain the be-jesus out of you - youtube Western Carolina and Baylor University. For all you quote-a-holics - this is my opinion. No offense to anyone. I hope Bb is offended though. You're like the instrument that got it's lunch money stolen everyday and shoved in lockers by a bugle.

Let's just, for a discussion sake, focus on born-again (i.e. Baptists, non-denoms, etc).....I think, on a nationwide level, kids would flock to that corps for several reasons. The kids are into their church and youth groups and would prefer the Christian extension. Second, parents. Third, parents. Fourth, parents. Fifth - if executed properly, wisely, this "could" (I said "could") be a nationally supported ministry from churches across the nation. I don't see, a well-presented marketing to evangelical (spread the gospel - that's why they do mission trips) churches that every night this Christian corps is performing to the youth and their parents and others across America sharing the message (which they all just looked at online) of Jesus Christ and they request support for their 1. whatever million and them stroking a check (especially if one of their members is in it) for X amount of dollars. Again - the Chia pet made it and so did the pet rock....so I think it would require brilliance but I envision a nationally sponsored corps that is evangelical, financially backed, hires the best staff available and mega produce a show that is competitive, innovative, presents shows that is top tier but isn't this chunky, ton of brick about religion - but more about spiritual messages that nuance (not indirectly) salvation - again, forgiveness, loving, compassion for humanity - and not political. It's about bringing people together, not dividing them. I hope you're following what "I'm" trying to envision. The goal, unlike many churches do, is not to seperate, but to join together the audience.

I totally agree with this.

Isn't the word should the biggest complaint against Christianity?

Oh....especially in Indy.

People show up if its free and there is food.

Really? What a stupid post? That's your feedback? You got a perfect score on your SAT didn't you? There is no blame or credit. Apparently you don't understand that everything comes from something. Evolution. Everything started somewhere to get to today. Your post sucks. You go away.

Yeah...its good...but please don't be naive and think there isn't some private trash talking. Cmon....let's be real.

Oh yeah.....and nothing pleases music educators more than combining music with sports.

No excuse not to have a parade. Another we don't care about you community but please support us.

Yeah....Suncoasts show was clearly a message. Something to get. Something to inspire emotions of anger, sadness, etc; You had to pay attention to get the message. Star is with all the squats and dancing horn lines, etc.

You didn't miss anything. Except the uncomfortable feeling of clapping or standing because nobody knew what to do when it was over but you did it because....well.....they are kids....they worked hard....but pfft.

I think its hilarious the number of brain cells that went into creating some message for the audience to get and nobody is getting it....one viewing or ten viewings. If the designer took more than 15 minutes to design the concept....than it will take longer for your audience. Does anybody ever want to listen to anybody talk if you the listener have to work so hard to understand wtf they are saying? Performer.....news flash......you are supposed to communicate to your audience....that's your jib. Even Jesus knew thus which is why he spoke in parables.

1984 Suncoast? 1988 Suncoast? 1993 Star?

That's funny. I have to admit...this forum has some occasional smack talk blasts that actually make a valid point and based in legitimate thought.

"Ladies and gentleman, vote for your favorite corps of this evenings performance by texting the name of your favorite corps to 555-5555 right now and up to 15 minutes after the last corps show. The DCI Fan Favorite Award will be announced during tonights awards presentation". Or some variant. I think designers and DCI would accomplish alotnfrom that data if they could get their egos out of the way.

If DCI wants groupies to follow them around the country....then they are closer to that than the alternative.....which is doing shows focused on entertaining the person buying the ticket. Which means relating to them and their life. That's where a designer....at this point is a genius. Making your kids do all of that and nobody really clapping for you or liking you is abuse and ego and self interest at the expense of the kids you claim to love. There was not a single show I saw this year that I would travel and spend money on a second viewing. I was bored....my guest needed a 5 hour energy and she was in HS band. Hollywood doesn't produce movies so it will be viewed 10 times. I mean marketing failure grossly. If you want ##### in the seats and money....appeal to the general public so a family of four will have a reason to want to go. BTW...since the change to Bob....has music education embraced DCI. I just read an article online about some successful band program....discouraging DCI until kids graduate. DCI is an organization for itself and its niche. That's fine. Just realize why there are financial issues and other than your groupies....nobody cares. And that's a fact. I remember only the stuff I laughed at in Allentown and I marched for several years in DCIs top 6 corps in the eighties. I literally so not remember nor does it bother me that I don't remember much what anyone did. I listened, watched closely, paid attention. It was that boring.