gbass598
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Posts posted by gbass598
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Can I say that I have never once actually cared or even really noticed the logo on the field during a show? I'm too busy focusing on the show.
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People who write drill literally do it with a template that has the Lucas Oil Stadium turf on it for animation purposes.
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- Popular Post
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Imagine traveling halfway around the world for a band contest and it is in Buckhannon, WV.
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3 minutes ago, DrumManTx said:
It’s supposed to change the pitch. I see them live next week, interested in if you can even tell, sure can’t over the feed.
Same. I kind of heard it in the one lot video I saw but you have to really listen for it. I can't imagine it is really noticeable live but I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the live version.
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Am I not getting the deal with the bass drums and the breathalizer tubes? I've watched the show twice and even seen a lot video and I just don't get it or what it adds.
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Crossmen win the award for the hardest drum major names to ever pronounce.
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1 hour ago, kdaddy said:
While I enjoyed the Mason years (though preferred 2015 to anything Mason fielded), I'm pretty sure you could go back to the Madison threads in those years and see that they are full of complaints about the competitive and design direction of the corps.
And that further proves the point that Madison alums have a history of being cranky and vocal, and potentially having a negative influence on designers wanting to join the team.
I don't think the organization or activity matters but I find the far majority of alumni fall into 2 categories.
Cranky and vocal or apathetic and uninvolved.
Those that fall in between those 2 categories are the ones that matter and are doing the real work.
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3 minutes ago, TigerBaritone19 said:
I need to do my due diligence and read up about the show. Not quite getting it yet. Performing the hell out of it though. Geez
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Cavaliers seems to just have some bad luck. Last year they had to change closer and deal with Covid running through the corps. Tonight I think I counted 10 brass holes in the drill based on the last set plus a missing tenor player after pulling out of 1 show last week to start tour.
The drumline is killing it but when will the corps catch a break?
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2 minutes ago, BlueStainGlass said:
most not be a good night for quad players cavies down 1 and stars down 2?
I hope whoever is next doesn't only have 1.
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12 minutes ago, spacewill said:
I thought I was the only one. I assume if you wait to debut 9 days after season start that you come out cleaner and with a more complete showing. That felt like a June 28 show and I also didn't get the concept. They came out rough last year and improved a lot, but it feels the same this year. 16 tubas is great and they have a big sound at end, but not sure where the show goes.
I watched their preview show last week and I didn't notice the brass like I did tonight. I'll chalk it up to a bad run and maybe tired lips. I'll reserve more judgement until I see the show a 2nd time. I want to see them do well and make finals this year because I know a member of the drumline but I'm having a hard time putting the pieces together on the show.
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12 minutes ago, Hrothgar15 said:
Works for me. Honestly that’s all you need in a show theme. It’s a musical and visual performance, why overcomplicate it?
But it should be something understandable to the viewer.
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When I'm a drum guy and even I notice your inability to play in tune. There are some issues.
I think their preview show was better. Not sure if they had tired lips or just overplayed or just flat out ran out of gas.
Ending is certainly going to change at some point. Transitions between tunes needs some work. I'm not sure I understand the show and how it relates to the title.
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So why does the National Anthem require its own 17 minute performance block?
I'll never understand this.
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2 hours ago, BlueStainGlass said:
Has always been my debate. Yes more to clean but if it is clean do you get rewarded for it? Is there more difficulty?
From my experience in the band world, its all about managing your time. Not just the flow/pacing of the show but your rehearsal time as well. A long show with a lot of difficult content is probably a recipe for disaster but a short show with easy content could be a disservice to the member talent level.
On the surface we see the results of cleanliness and content in the performance but there is always the backside of this we rarely see or think about when it comes to managing a rehearsal schedule with time allotted to produce the content we see at shows.
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1 hour ago, rmurrey74 said:
First show and first time coming on the field. I bet they will figure it out by San Antonio which I believe is when it counts for the first time. They do have the longest show this year in performance time! It still flies by.
That's not necessarily a good thing. More show means more show to spend time cleaning.
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1 hour ago, jwillis35 said:
It's not quite like that but it could be in some cases.
Content: How is the book constructed? What is the demand like? Is the book constructed musically with effective use of all sections (snares, tenors, basses, pit, etc)? That kind of thing. So it isn't just demand.
Achievement is more how are the performers mastering what has been given.
In the case of Boston's percussion score it is difficult to know what the judge is thinking. Are they thinking:
- I don't love the content just yet, there is more you can do with the writing to bring out the musicality or demand or the section features or groupings, yet I love how the members are performing.
- Or are they thinking the total book is not demanding enough for these performers.
It is unlikely the later is the case because as long as the field battery and pit are not playing perfectly then you can't say the demand is not there. In this scenario the content score should be higher than achievement -- that is if you only think about it in terms of demand.
But if the judge is thinking about more than demand and also thinking about how well the parts are written musically and logically for the show and how the snares, tenors, basses, and pit are coordinated into that total content then they are most likely saying "I like what you have composed for the section but it's not to the level it needs to be, but boy those performers are playing at a high level." In this case the judge wishes to reward the performers while making a note to the content designers about issues in the construction of the book. So there can be a see-saw effect here in scoring that better conveys where the improvements need to be -- according to this particular judge.
My quick thoughts after being at the show regarding the scoring.
From the stands, I felt Crown was the cleanest but their tuning is hidden by the brass quite a bit. There were time they were just pounding those drums I couldn't hear it over the hornline.
Boston tunes higher with more clarity in comparison to the brass. I heard every note the snareline played including the dirty ones. Tenor and bass lines were phenomenal. Snares do have some clarity issues. it should get better but the stuff I heard ticks on were the easy stuff. They still won achievement tonight because their music is flat out harder to play.
Bluecoats are similar to Crown. Battery tuning blends in with the horns quite a bit. I also felt like I heard a lot more dirt from the battery than Crown or Boston. First show jitters.
In regards to the content scores. Bluecoats and Crown have more layers in their music. They have levels of sensitivity and touch to their playing. Mike Jackson's Broken City lines in WGI are masters of this concept better than anyone I've ever seen. Tom Rarick has a good bit of sensitivity in his battery writing as well. Boston has 1 on switch when it comes to their battery writing. it's that old east coast Thom Hannum sound quality where you dig into the drum even at low stick heights. Combine that with the amount of notes they play and even lower dynamic levels can sound like a bull in a china shop. There is just a lack of expression in their playing that can be expressed more musically.
Don't take this as a criticism of Boston's playing as I would love for my own students to be able to produce that sound when called for but I've been around the block in high school band circles enough to know if my high school kids did drum like that I would get beaten down by musical comments by high school judges about our lack of dynamics and expression.
The musical approaches Boston takes is a night and day difference from they way Crown and Bluecoats approach it.
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6 minutes ago, frank4now said:
I know in the past I've read on here that full judging isn't always in place this early. If that's the case what are we missing?
If it is the same setup as finals from last year, the only difference is a double panel for both GE captions.
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3 minutes ago, dureau said:
One thing showing up early and is being overlooked is the Cavaliers music placements. Their percussion scores are pheniminal and the brass is improving rapidly. Their general effect will improve as they clean and they are very good at thAt. I think they could finish in top 4 or 5 or more. It would not be the first time. Look at 2010.?
You are probably right. Of all groups I've seen so far, they have the content, it just isn't clean. I think most of it is cleanable. They improved a ton last year even after having to find a new closer at the last minute and Covid running through the corps. The percussion is fantastic and I hope they can clean up the claw from '95 so it can stay in the show.
I think the top 4 is set IMO but 5-6 is wide open in my mind. I honestly think there is a top 3 is above everyone else that is different than the top 3 shown above. That could change but my initial impression hs been set. We'll find out tonight when 3 of the top 4 meet.
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30 minutes ago, DrumManTx said:
Anyone else watch the preview? Lots of good things there, opener is nice. Show has a lot of potential. Battery is super aggressive. Some hard stuff in there.
I think they’re right in the thick of the finals battle for sure. Excited to see it finished.
I liked it better than last year. It's a bit hard to judge from such a high view on the stream they had. I am a bit biased since their center snare assists me in the fall but I'd like to see them do well.
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For everyone this week who decided to forget the Crossmen exist you can watch this tonight.
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I love Mandarin's style and Ben Pyle's writing for them but I saw they scored a bit lower in drums than I would have expected. I can't tell if it is just Mapex drums or their snare tuning but I just didn't hear any clarity or blend well with the brass. Lots videos don't seem to have great clarity at lower stick heights.
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Maybe this got covered somewhere but did Crown lose a bass drum? Some early videos I saw sounded like the bass splits to exercises were written for 6 with a part missing on top but everything I see from them has only been 5 bass drums.
Corps in the Heat at Mesquite (TX) - July 24, 2023
in DCI World Class Corps Discussions
Posted
I wonder the same thing. Isn't it the 2nd time already this season? I think I counted about 15 brass holes in an early season show. Either that or it was really bad spacing on a closing set.