BassClefTristan

Good point. I only said SCV because it seems they've been stuck in 4th place for a good few years, so I see them moving this next year, most likely downwards as it's becoming harder and harder to compete with the new 'big 3'.

Both of you are right. Although honestly, I'd rather not see another season of undefeated Blue Devils, I don't know about you guys... It's great that they can pull that off though.

I think there's always one corps that takes a "stumble" every season. Cadets in '16, Cavaliers in '15, Crown in '14, etc. The question every year is just who will take the next hit? I'd argue that SCV is next, but that's just me.

Some parts of Cavaliers 2016 gets up to 192 BPM and above. :)

Gotta ask you, my friend. Why the sudden spike in Cavaliers? I'd love to see that honestly, no sarcasm intended.

Dude, how is this relevant? It's incredibly early for anyone to be making predictions at this point, we're probably all wrong anyways. Boston could make it, they could not. I have no clue, that's just my prediction.

Yes, I am. They barely did in 2016, and in my opinion, they shouldn't have. great show, i loved it, but i don't think it was above Madison.

My prediction for 2017 top 12; 1. Carolina Crown 2. Bluecoats 3. Blue Devils 4. Cadets 5. Cavaliers 6. SCV 7. Blue Knights 8. Phantom Regiment 9. Blue Stars 10. Crossmen 11. The Academy 12. Madison Scouts

A lot of this is true. The Crossmen are a viable option for anyone looking for a start in drum corps for actually marching. But, it is my firm belief (take it for what it's worth) That rookies should go to the camp of their dream corps for a couple of good reasons. 1, they're going to want to march there someday, so it helps to see where they are on the spectrum; and who knows, they just might make the cut, I'm friends with plenty of vets whose rookie years were in Crown, Coats, Cadets, even one in BD (the A corps). And 2, even if the rookie doesn't make the cut, they still got the experience and instruction on how to move up in their placement. Meaning now they have an idea of what the staff is like, how intense things are, etc. My two cents, read it for what it's worth.

Can not wait to see what the bluecoats are gonna do in 2017! I sincerely hope I'll be marching with them too, but either way, I'm pumped.

I've seen shows as old as early 80s. That was some good stuff too!

Let me preface this post with this; I've been into this activity for awhile, since late 2015. Not really that long of a time, but anyways, all the way up to now, I've only now realized what my dream corps is, the Bluecoats. (And no, it has nothing to do with their performance in the 2016 season so far) Is it normal for it to take awhile to find your dream corps, or am I weird?

It's really cool to see a woodwind player learn an entirely new instrument in pure determination to march in a drum corps. I have a few tips for you! I'm a baritone player myself, been playing for 6 years now. Go to the camp of your dream corps! The instruction and the experience will surely help you in your audition for Guardians, Mandarins, or wherever you want to march. Or who knows, if you practice enough, you could make it! I'll be a rookie in 2017 as well, I'm going for Bloo in hopes of marching, but I have Music City as a backup. You seem to have that all worked out. C: good luck to you, and I hope to see you at the bluecoats auditions!

So I know that the A corps and the B corps for BD as well as Pacific Crest are said to have their auditions all together, but some tell me that's wrong, and others tell me it's right. Can someone explain to me how the Blue Devil's (and PC maybe?) Do this? Like do they place people who didn't make the A corps in the B corps or PC? Or are there separate auditions for all three? Or do BD combine the A and B corps auditions? I'm very confused.

Thank you all, again. UPDATE: Music City has begun taking names for 2017, so I filled out two interest forms, one for Baritone, and another for Drum Major (I've been practicing conducting for a pretty long time and i'm a leader so why not?) Should I fill out another for Tuba? Or should I just tell them I can also play Tuba?

Unfortunately, my parents and my band directors have changed their minds in letting me March 7th. Soooo back to square one.

UPDATE: I've been running every day, as well as push-ups, jumping jacks, and a few burpees. Now I'm at Governor's School until June 29, so I figured it'd be impossible to march this year. But I was scrolling through Instagram (yes, I know) and saw an open tuba spot in 7th Regiment being advertised. So just for shoots and giggles, believing he'd flat out say no, I asked the director in an email if, come June 29, I could fill their open tuba spot. And actually, their brass caption head emailed me back and said yes. Some arrangements have been made, and now I have secured this spot, and my rookie year is now this year!

After quite a lengthy phone call with my physician (After I emailed him the links to both of the videos in this thread) He has given me a work-out plan individually for me. He says to start slow, and not to really work myself until July. By July, I'll be running laps, doing push-ups, burpees, horn holding, more laps, and even more laps. He put quite an emphasis on laps. ALSO, starting tomorrow, I'll be taking vitamins, as there are holes in my nutritional balance due to the fact that well... I'm a picky eater. I imagine this is gonna have to change too.

This is helpful. Thank you.

Thank you, I'm trying to get my doctor to take me seriously. "I want to march in a drum corps, how do I get in shape?" I ask. "You're fine" he says. But I don't think I am.

I'm new to the forums. Sorry 'bout that.

I only marched trombone, but I have a marching baritone, and lately I've been practicing with it in the physical aspect; holding it up, moving with it, even some playing while moving. One thing I've been doing once a day is what a friend recommended to me; holding the horn up throughout the entirety of a standard drum corps show (12-14 minutes) while having the show play, putting the horn down only when the corps on my computer does.

To EVERYONE who replied. It seems the biggest points expressed were to get in shape, and not to rule out OC. I think what I'm going to do is audition for 3 corps, 2 WC, and 1 OC. 2015 yielded all of the 'big guys' (Crown, BD, Coats, Cavs, Phantom, etc) were on the same weekend, but a lot of the lower placing WC worps such as Colts, Spirit, Mandarins and the Academy were the next week, while almost all of the OC corps are much later. If 2017 yields no conflicts in this plan, what I'm going to do is audition for one of the three I mentioned before (BD, Crown, Coats; I'll have to make a decision), Spirit of Atlanta, and Music City. Thoughts?

So I know the Cadets are gonna feature trombones in their show this coming season. Does anybody know of any other corps, be they WC or OC, that will also feature trombones??? Also, what are you guys' opinions on trombones appearing in DCI, period?

But my question is, am I really at that level to audition for a corps such as the Blue Devils? I'm being pressured by my band director to audition for the Blue Devils, as he really thinks I can make it if I really try my hardest, and I'm a Devil fan myself as well, as well as other corps. But I honestly don't know what spectrum I fall within.