cowtown

depends what you like, there is no magic seat with good sound and good visual, kind of got to pick which you like more

I was timed out twice by a Cadet mod for talking about the Cadets, just saying anyway, I heard it's about to get interesting in Cadet-land

I agree with this point of view And would add, many people are not aware of how much sound is being faked by electronics already, credit to the sound folks, shame to the audience I can’t listen to Bluecoats ballad from 2014 (Hymn of the Axiom) due to the choir patch of goo covering the brass, it cheapens and distracts from the moment. As a synth part, it’s uninspired. But there was a review from a Bluecoats alumnus from a live show that year whose wife, who worked with choirs, pointed out that is sounded like a choir. He proudly proclaimed on the board that it was because the horn line was so in tune they achieved a purity of tone similar to a choir. He was oblivious to what his wife picked up on, fake sound support, faked brass tone, a musical cheat. I have a similar issue with Bluecoats 2013 which would be one of the best musical books but it’s ruined by a synth playing a backing track on several solos and runs, besides the horribly grating keyboard patch that sounds like a Keytar, it’s slightly off time and over rides their moments. This sort of sound reinforcement was pretty much ignored by Mr. Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer Otherwise, Glory is doing a good job, let me know if you folks need a rant I don’t understand the idea of slash and burn drum corps, not supporting it at all or shutting up about everything. Currently, DCP is one of the few places where fans have any voice so I rant

Yes, Drum corps uses electronics but I spoke with Regiment members that were already in spring training before they knew their entire horn line would be amplified, how does that play into your facts? Not that your facts matters because they are not really facts or even relevant to the current discussion as its rather off topic. But I sign up for many things even though I don't like all aspects, like this Drum Corps Board for example. And if you're saying the marchers should decide the rule, why didn't they get a voice? Only the designers got to vote or even speak about it, everyone else was shut out. They didn't even allow a counter point. That is a huge part of my objection, sorry I didn't make that more clear in my previous post but the Good Year Blimp was already decommissioned. From my limited sampling, most the marching brass player hated it. It doesn't mean they'll always hate it and I'd never claim it as a fact And i thought the fact we were discussing was just one aspect of electronics, amplifying the entire horn line and the rule proposal that addressed repealing a rule that was only introduced last year. Jeff, one simple question, why do you support what the experts, Mr. Failed Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer said was done poorly?

Perhaps your issue with my use of children within the context of my post is fair warning of an approaching brick wall but I love a good rant so why not? I was in the 100 section at finals so you saw me standing and cheering too. Even for corps that did a horrible job amplifying the entire horn line and so? Uh-oh. Your dismissing and then employing an ad populum, as noted is interesting…are you a DCI Sound Designer? The rule change that allowed amplification of everything on the field only came into being last year and it wasn’t noticed by most the audience until after the season started and many of the tickets were bought. Several Marching Members have stated that they were not aware of it until spring training or even later when their corps introduced the extra microphone on the sidelines later in the season. So I have serious doubts that this one specific rule change last year affected any attendance numbers in the stands or the corps. But even next year, the year after, I doubt this one rule change will have much of an effect anyways. Other factors seem to have much more influence and it's rarely one thing but several, even if one thing is the straw that broke the camel's back. For the Music Ed people; correlation is not causation. Go ask the science teacher to explain what that means. And reducing people that oppose amplifying the entire brass line to ‘Dinos’ or the ‘Get of my Lawn’ crowd is red herring, let’s clean up the thinking here, folks. Or better yet, I’ll play your game. Mr. Failed Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer admitted he and they (DCI Corps) did a bad job. So people who support amplifying the entire horn lines have tin ears that revel in inferior products and clearly can’t discern quality musical design or preformance so all of their opinions on the state and future of Drum Corps should be ignored. They hate Drum Corps. In Fact, to support amplifying the entire horn line after the initial results and the condemnation by Cowtown and Mr. Failed Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer is only affecting a lifestyle choice, a poseur posture because you like the idea. It'd be best to go back to blasting Lil Uzi Vert through your Beats to show how down with the kids you are so they fill up your band classes because um, math is hard. Or perhaps you didn’t attend enough shows in decent seats to hear just how awful it truly was employed. And if you're not spending the money, why do you matter? I admire Cixelsyd battle against mushy thinking

I saw 75 but don’t remember it so can’t vote for it 81 88 95 2006 (had a great drill, ballad and closer...music and marching could have been better but the ideas were there) 2013 (I’m a sentimental sap) Least 87 2009 2012

Disturbed? that takes me back

I had watched that Flo marching thing with Mr. Failed Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer that once again made the empty promise of ‘we’ll do better’ so of course I was annoyed. When? I’ve been hearing ‘we’ll do better’ with electronic since 2005. How will you do better, how will all corps do better? How will it be enforced? If they don’t do better what the other side? It was such a one sided sales job that was based upon lies upon excuses upon arrogant, patronizing posturing and the mea culpa did nothing to assuage my utter disappointment with ‘the production’ they offered by way of poorly utilized and implemented electronics. DCI is incapable of enforcing their own rules or standards so we get these ‘hack’ designers corrupting the entire activity so they can get a paycheck and be relevant in their drum corps Hamlet syndrome. Amplified brass will never sound as good as ‘live’ brass. I go to shows for live brass, it appears my only options will be watching scales in the lot. Effected brass often sounds nasty in Drum Corps because they don’t know how to play it or pull it off. Screw them, I had to buy earplugs for finals last year in order to avoid the 3-days of ringing ears thanks to the crappy sound production of Bluecoats at previous finals. I know enough about electronic production to see through the crap they pump out but apparently not enough to how hos some of these samples could possibly be legal. BTW, what’s DCI doing on that front, how do they check samples…what, they don’t? Shock! DCI has failed to enforce any standard of electronic in scores or by the rules. That fact alone is enough to reel it in. Again, what’s the other side of we’ll do better, what’s the ‘or else’? Nothing. It’s going on 15 years of broken promises, only a complete fool would trust them and how can Mr. Failed Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer even speak for all of them? How is Spirit, Crossmen or Pioneer going to make good on his promise? This sound reinforcement scam that sells it as horn lines can play with more nuance undermines the entire visual staging trend. Another design short cut another visual cheat. But really, it’s more of the DCI Loudness war, a la Oasis which, the recording community is finally recovering from. Mr. Failed Professional Bluecoats Sound Designer answers don’t hold up, his solution is buying more amps. Great, more weapons in the sound war will keep us all safe. We’ll get better with more amps. How many speakers did Bluecoats have on the field last year, was it 26 or 36, I forget. More, more, more amps, more designer influence all at the expense of the marching membership input and dare say, eduction My objection to amps has nothing to do with them not being utilized when I marched; it has everything to do with how poorly they have been used and by the idiom. I like live brass. To dismiss my views on electronics as a product of my age is so disingenuous, insulting, bigoted and just wrong. But that’s the level dude is working on and yet, he’s in charge of the future of DCI? Good hands there folks. And now my turn to do what I despise Won’t anyone think of the children who have roundly rejected it along with the audience? And now, should we discuss all the poor design choices Bluecoats and other have made with regards to electronics?

I'm not so sure, my understanding is that's is why they changed it and turned around for the resolve anyway about amping the entire hornline, The marchers hate it, the audience hates but by god the designers know what’s best for us all as they’ve proven with some of their not-so awesome shows over the years Poor Sara Jones is rolling over in her grave The hubris of the staff, get out of your bubble, no wonder you went into music ed because you could never pay the bills insulting the audience like this and if you don’t have amps figured out after almost 15 year, then when the heck will you figure them out??? no amps for you, losers

just passing the love around as it's not always Hoppys fault and I do think it's a Blue Devils thing, not sure who else could get away with it

If they really cared about audience experience, they’d kill it. Sound reinforcement ruined a few shows for me last year. But, the subtext of their full statement is we’ll get better, so we’ll keep it which, I’ve been hearing about amps since they came in back in 2005. Then we were told they were experts because they used them in bands so almost after a generation, they can’t figure it out and we're to trust them Why do they lie? Many marching members of the corps that used sound reinforcement hated it and said their staff only did it to keep up with the other corps doing it so get rid of it I think BD started it in 2015 before the rule was passed to allow it in 2016, just like they did with synths in 2007 So it seems the best way to push a rule through is, be Blue Devils, cheat, win and have DCI pass a rule later to make it legal and cover their track so it all seems legit

This is a tough one, I can love and hate their shows to the extreme Favorites 83 84 87 89 03 Least favorite Lets just say 06-10 And I’m one of the few that never liked 2000. I’ve tried, saw it live, it’s just lost on me. I don’t get it

Last year was such a prefect show for BAC it will be difficult to top but, I felt the spread should have been bigger between them and Cadets by finals as BAC marched, spun and moved so much better. I give it to BAC as they have the momentum

I don't buy it someone made the same case about 2010 which I think was a darker year for shows but even still, we need dark shows, we need variety

Bridgemen 80 27th 79 Guardsmen 79 Suncoast 84 VK 87 Magic 95 Kilties 77

I always go with momentum and Cavies are trending up and Bluecoats are trending down so I’ll go with Cavies. I feel Bluecoats are getting more experienced marchers but sometimes that can backfire as it intimidates audition applicants and not enough talent shows up to maintain position and overcome design I don’t trust either yet as a year to year lock for the medals as both have turned in design duds recently the top 3 next year feels pretty open with the exception of Blue Devils

Increase maximum membership to 154 - not a fan but it's only 4 more people so whatever Extend World Championship Finals to 15 corps - Everyone is a winner and gets a prize but really, its paper thin reasoning “To give added status to corps for use in local fundraising and general recruitment.”” That's needed at the local level, Really? Only into it if they add the extra corps to the DVD/ Blu ray and don't jack finals tickets prices because I smell a money grab No scoring before July 1 - everyone is a winner baby move No scores ordinals only – another everyone is a winner baby move Seriously, are they all going to march in diapers too? Sometimes, that spread is need in a caption. What’s with all this wimping-out the competition and that 'All decisions are equal. ' No and they shouldn't be Annual Rules Congress - don't care but I recall it was a cost moves so no more crying poor DCI limit on the number of brass musicians who can be amplified at any one time to be set at six - yes, yes and yes. I love you Cavies, the marchers love you Add a “Brass 2” judge at large shows - sure, why not Remove the Field Percussion and Ensemble Percussion judges and replace them with a percussion judge who will evaluate performances on the field. The second: Utilize a Music Analysis 2 judge at large regional events and the DCI World Championships who has a percussion focus. - no, it's not WGI and "there is a growing consensus that these evolutions will lead us to a more desirable system for all. " oh please, there is a growing consensus you shut up and stop talking for other people Update the music analysis adjudication sheet.- can't tell as we don't know what that update is, electronic are supposed be judged now

ya but its Marching Bands

Surprisingly, I didn’t mind their 2017 uniform being a dino and a fan of their traditional look. I couldn’t get into their music and the 12 mic brass was not to my taste, what I would consider a music GE killer at best, a cheat at worst. The visual was great though

Anyone crack 4K bluray yet? What I read about it I hate as even the connecting cable are proprietary, I understand you can’t even watch it off-line. I feel it’s a maybe a platform killing move as I know a bunch of tech a/v nerds that bought the last issues of a top of the line UDP as back ups to avoid 4K altogether, telling as they are usually in line for the latest and greatest

Accepting offers to crash it and report back, cash only

I cringed with dread at the announcement and then ended up loving the show which developed a ton over the season they marched great that year

if someone is too super homer.... I'm not a nice person

she was with Regiment recently (last year?) recent enough that it didn't seem to help them move up, for what its worth

I don’t like to talk to people around me. Usually between corps I stretch, run to the washroom, grab a beer or whisper snarky comments in the ear of whomever I’m attending the show with. If someone feels compelled to talk to me, I say as little as possible, never offer much feedback and try to kill it politely. See, we all hate know it all boars which is what I would come off as if I were to indulge the chatter. Plus I sort of like letting people show me what they don’t know. I also never wear any drum corps gear to shows and would never cop to marching