Skydrummer9
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Posts posted by Skydrummer9
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I have proposed--several time -- the idea that the Open Classes who elect not to tour to DCI could jump aboard the DCA shows in their area to get more bang for the member buck (presuming DCI/DCA would allow it). it would give the kids a chance to compete more (on DCA sheets!) and expose them to Srs so they could continue after ageout.
It would be, of necessity, a regional model, as none of the Jrs could really go into Labor Day with school starting, but I don'tsee it as a bad idea.
A lot of juniors are getting trained for DCA season while still doing DCI. I know I am not the only one who sees a booming of performers in DCA after DCI finals.
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Uh-Oh! I can hear the oldtimers already. "DCA is really just All-Age DCI". "Drum Corps is really dead now". "Just Junior and All-Age marching band field theatre". Ho-hum, its been going in that direction for quite some time now.
Thank God for the Alumni Corps!
Where some would say the REAL drum corps are... some are considering most competitive corps as marching band with no wood winds.......yet...... 
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As to whom uses the metronome, is up to each individual corps I would guess, and also dependent upon how the staff responsibilities are delegated and how rehearsal is run.
I agree with the staff responsibility. But if you are going to use it, for the sake of the performers make a decision early on and stick with it. If you are going to go with the metronome, ensure that the individuals themselves use it both at home and during rehearsals. That way when the time comes, they can be as comfortable as the players around them. Unlike DCI corps who spend weeks and weeks with eachother, DCA corps members are scattered to the winds which makes it harder to enforce the use of metronomes.
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Idk what happened to Sun. From going 1 year winning Class A, to going inactive, to now. I hope things get better for you guys. Good luck.
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I have always been taught to go with the drum major. Memorize your parts and let him or her set the tempo. It should be the drum major only who should use the metronome for he or she is the one in control. After all, that's what they are there for right?
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It is hard for any corps to have a shot with an ever changing judging system. Just keep working hard and more importantly, ENJOY your HOBBY! Try not to let scores, judges, competition, who got screwed so on and so forth eat your lunch. Do the best you can and let the administration deal with the numbers on the sheets. Have a good summer all.
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... cause I'm stuck in North Carolina...
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Heard great things about the turnout, weather, booze, EVERYTHING about Wildwood this year was good. Last time I did a parade there, I had to swim across an intersection with my bass drum on my back.... Fun times. Hope all is going well this season. Oh, by the way, I caught some of the alumni show on youtube.com, sounds great! Keep it up Garbarina.
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I miss em too.
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I had to drive 3+ hours to get to Skyliners rehearsal and 2+ hours to White Sabers but it was worth it for both corps. Now being in NC it is about 10-12 hours straight! ohy....
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For those of you who still want to march but other corps have turned you down? There is still hope. I can say first hand that White Sabers will do wonders for you. No dues, stress free environment, family atmosphere, chow table before shows... Who could ask for more? Just because some other corps might have turned you away doesn't mean you have to sit on the sidelines. Check out White Sabers ASAP and you won't be disapointed. The time on the field and the music will keep your chops in check and the corps is always happy to accept returning members. If I wasn't in the military and my back could take it, I would be back in the black and blue for another round with them. You got nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Give it a shot.
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whoever the crowd likes the best!!!
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Word to the wise from the wise! Keep up the spirit kid! Good luck this season.
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Is Sounds on the Susquehanna (Endicott, NY) done away with? Or have they moved locations to Norwich?
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Another year has some and it's taking off in full swing. I look on DCP more now than I have ever had in the past *possibly due to my isolation from the activity* and a lot has happened in just a short time. Rochester picked for another term as host of Finals, passing of drum corps legends, exciting and entertaining shows being announced. Looks to be quite a specatcular year for the activity. Whether it is your first or thirty first year in DCA, enjoy your time. Do not let the politics and mudslinging get you down. Enjoy your activity. Make it your own. Let your administration deal with the business for that's what they are there to do. They are there to provide you an outlet for your artistic expression to impact the eyes and ears of greatful spectators of all ages. At the end of the day do not think of it as a job, or an overwhelming comittment. But something to cherrish. Good and bad. You are not only part of a unique family within your corps, but fellow corps as well. I may only have been involved in the activity for 6 years, but not a day goes by where I remember the good times I have had. Not only good but also the bad. Where we bled, laughed, cried, faught, and succeded together. For the common bond shared by some is a greater experiences shared by countless more. If your scores are good, great. If your scores are bad, even better. If the people that sacraficed the time, travel, and expenses to witness your performance are on their feet when the drum major salutes in compleetion of your show, then your mission has been accomplished successfully. Be proud in your show, be proud in your corps, be proud in your time. Be proud of your activity. Teach the newer members what it's like to experience something unique and unexplainable to those outside the hallowed walls of drum corps. For it has been said "Drum Corps: for those in it, no explaination is necessary. For those who aren't, no explaination is available".
Enjoy these times. The people you march beside you. The people who march against you. Leave the competiton on the score charts where it belongs and lay down the best performance every time all the time. For each performance before, should motivate you to keep the electricity alive. A true fan of drum corps pays to see the best drum corps show they can. Not just one or two individual corps' giving their best, but for all. Good luck, and have fun.
And now back to your regularly scheduled program...
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I'd love to but I am still stuck here on Camp Lejeune until I can get the leave days approved.... But even then, Unfortunately I won't be anywhere up there until the end of the month. Maybe a couple days after the event. I hope it's a good one.
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Tom,
"...pre scripted continuity." VERY well stated, and delineated!
It is difficult for us "old-timers" to read this without heaving a gentle "sigh" of familiarlity and sentimentality.
The visual aspect of this "continuity", from early days thru the '60s, was the familiar movement progression from one end zone to the other, which I always felt, from the perspective of the stands (audience) "read" like the opening and closing of a book, from opening page (Fanfare/OTL), thru the leafing of pages, and development of plot and climax, to the closing of the last page (Exit/Final Fanfare). With all the wondrous development over the Seasons, and into the 21st Century, in DCA and DCI, I still miss that format, and that continuity...
Thanks for the memories, and, talking about memories...
As to the original purpose of Nanci's thread, I LOVED all the Senior Corps Show in '64... BUCs, HURCs, SKY, Interstatesmen, Yankees, et al.
'65 was a personal fav Season for Jr. Corps, Boston, Garfield, BSGK, topped by the Royalairs' Phenom Show and performances..."Bally Hoo", "Alexander's Ragtime", etc., etc.
Theme Show, Theme Style, whatever, it can be hit and/or miss. '69 SKY Show was a blending of entirely disparate styles, from Rock to New Orleans to Classical, that somehow wove together into one of my personal fav Shows, connecting unlike tunes with a performance identity immediately recognizable, so... who coulda know'd?, eh?
(SIGH!)
Bill Moore
Whatever happend to the days where...
1.) Corps Showed up
2.) Corps took the field
3.) Crowd went wild
4.) Corps played loud
5.) Crowd went more wild
6.) Corps ended show
7.) Crowd went insane
8.) Corps left the field
9.) People in stands screaming to eachother because of the musical shell-shock
Now it is just so much into it...
These days stories were made of of just good old fashioned loud stomach bashing crowd entertaining show where you don't need a 90 page program to explain what's going on? No need for the flash and pazzaz of high school marching band/dance style color guard to add score. Where the music mattered and if you wanted to MARCH in the drum corps, you attached your instrument to your body somehow and marched with it? *Sigh* at least there is still the Alumni!
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Nothing against Rochester but I still think that Scranton had a better lay out for championchips. I&E up at Montage Mountain, Prelims and Finals in the stadium. The turf was nice, the angle of the stands more than compensated for the distance between stands and sideline, and the parking was better. Yes Rochester is a nice stadium with a great marching surface, BUT it is incredibly condensed with a very rough parking situation. It would have been nice several years ago, but at the rate DCA is growing, a good portion of downtown Rochester might have to be leveled just to make room for Finals. Either way, I miss it greatly. Wether be in Scranton, Rochester, the middle of the Sahara Dessert, I miss Finals weekend and I can't wait to return!
I move for the Meadowlands, or Buffalo Bills stadium as the next location!
Edited 'cause I kant spel.
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The Skyliners made me a better man than I thought I would have been. The lessons I learned there helped me thru Marine Corps Boot Camp, and into the fleet. I can't wait to return once my time in service is done. Nuff said...
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For the first time I would rather have been suffering the cold miserable weather for that parade instead of being on 24 hour duty... Hope no one froze this year.
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Not me, I work for the federal government... Great benefits, only one flaw in the fine print, slight chance of DEATH!
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I have a question.
I'm going to show my ignorance here, but you have to learn somehow!
I went to a DCI show in Lafayette, LA this past summer. I had what I thought were "good" seats (40 yard line - about 15 rows up from the field). Most of the time when the horns were playing, I couldn't hear the battery. I could hear the pit instruments just fine. The horns were just much louder than the drums.
Are the battery drummers holding back? Are they told not to play "too loud" and overpower the horns? They certainly weren't doing that!
This seemed to be the case for all of the corps that performed.
Was I just in the wrong place to hear the battery?
Take any dca or dci drumline, the pretty standard 5 bass, 9-10 snare, 5 tenors and put them against lets say Cabs alumni or god forbid Sky Alumni drumline. No comparison. Cabs will blow them out of the water and Sky's Snareline alone will leave ears ringing. It is the material of the heads and style of playing. You can pound as hard as you want on a kevlar head and still not have the same amount of volume as a milar or plastic head. Of corse kevlar is great for articulating very soft grace notes, but sheer overall power, kevlar doesn't match. This of corse being of my own opinion considering I played on both. I could be wrong of corse. I would recommend kevlar to corps using b-flats but for those still using G's, there might need to be dynamic changes. Which is another key issue. Usually the percussion arranger has to mirror the brass charts. But the brass arranger HAS to adjust dynamics of the hornline to the battery and pit ensambles. Because any dolt can tell you that any horn player can be louder than a drummer. It is if they have the balls to PLAY the horn. Drums can only go so loud before being drowned out by the horns.
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Fantastic video. He is now with the greats that have gone before. May he forever look down in everlasting grace for all whom he loved. Thoughts and prayers for eternity.
~Jimmy~
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Best of luck to muh boyz in blue this season! Keep your heads high and play for no one but those who pay to see you! Best regards...
~Jimmy~
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I am still shocked by this. He was an extraordinary man with a divine power of inspiration to all who knew him of all ages. My prayers and thoughts go out to his family and friends. Rest in peace Mr. Rogers.
2009 Official DCA Hotel & Rehearsal List
in DCA - All-Age Corps Discussions
Posted
####... looks like the Radisson Hotel DT is the place to be this year...