BanditKir

Crossmen 2006... I don't remember where (either Indianapolis or Denver I believe) but we kept losing power. If you're familiar with our 2006 show then you can probably see where this is going... During the radio segment there was the line "finding the hottest singles in your area" followed by a two beat drum solo going into the percussion feature. Well we lost power right before that line and, well, I guess what's a radio show without dead air? Funniest moment all summer (in retrospect) was definitely when the 10 of us looked at each other and realized the show had come to an absolute standstill. The recovery was pretty sweet, though. Pit miraculously came together and somehow timed it with the battery, though when we got to the end of the first phrase we all realized we were a measure ahead. We took a collective breath and came back in as if nothing had happened.

I guess I'll add my thoughts. As far as 4 mallet technique is concerned, these days a firm grasp of Stevens is not really optional for a top 17 corps. Burton is disappearing from the few corps that used it and any other grips are virtually unheard of in division 1 corps. In audition packets corps will usually send you a primer on 4 mallet technique but if this is where you're first seeing it then frankly you're in trouble. I, however, definitely do not want to discourage anybody from going to camps. The average high school player does not have access to anywhere near the quality of instructors you will find at a drum corps camp. Even if you don't think you have much of a shot this year, in my opinion it is an absolute must that you check out the corps you are interested in and see how they approach their mallet technique so that you can be better prepared to come back the next year. While the advice to make sure you march somewhere is definitely a good one, you need to be aware that mallet playing probably varies the widest among percussion instruments when it comes to what is considered acceptable technique. I have even heard stories of people who spent summers with a corps using techniques that would not be considered correct anywhere else. When auditioning for a corps instructors will want to see you be able to incorporate the adjustments they give you and if you have had certain things they might consider egregious pounded into you for an entire summer you will certainly struggle to "break the old habits" as it were. I think as long as you keep an analytical mind to what you are learning (knowing why you are using such techniques, etc.) then you will have an easier time adapting to other approaches. As far as xylophone goes, while it's true the spot usually goes to the person who has excellent 2 mallet technique, they almost always must be fairly competent at 4 mallet technique. Not necessarily because the book calls for it, but because the spot will often times end up going to somebody who did not quite have the 4 mallet chops for a marimba spot. These days marimba seems to be what everybody has their eye on and you really need to be phenomenal at both 2 and 4 mallet technique to get on there. Heck, many corps today don't even have xylophone spots (see Cavaliers with 5 marimbas and 4 vibes). It takes more 2 mallet chops to play the same passage on marimba than it does on xylophone since the xylo has the most rebound. It takes even more on vibes but vibe books are usually written lighter. I once met a guy who auditioned for rack and was excited because he thought anybody who came in auditioning specifically for rack was a shoe in. Not necessarily so. Most corps can easily fill rack spots ten times over with people cut from the battery. If you truly aim for a rack spot then you'll have to be prepared to defend your spot from people getting cut from other sections. This doesn't include drum set players as that's a completely separate skill. I save the number one rule for last. If you're auditioning for a corps, memorize all of your music! I was dumbfounded by how many people show up to auditions not having even looked at the music. Knowing all the exercises when you walk in the door is the easiest way to get noticed. To answer the original question, I don't think making a pit is too hard, but it does require some planning. And my final advice is... don't play Yellow After the Rain as your solo if you can. It's just not a great way to stand out.

Gotta catch 'em all!

JUDGES ARE YOU WATCHING?!?!

Oh, it's on now!

12 - Blue Devils 23 - Blue Stars 22 - Bluecoats 31 - Carolina Crown 26 - Crossmen + 29 - Madison Scouts - 33 - Phantom Regiment 30 - Santa Clara Vanguard 29 - Troopers

My suggestion would be to check out what the corps you are interested in are doing with their guards and see if you like that. Do you like guards that incorporate a lot dance routines or use unusual equipment? Assuming no major staff changes you can expect to see some similar stuff from year to year. You don't want to end up having to spend an entire summer doing flag work you hate. Granted, as a pit person I'm trying to bridge some logic here. Guard work never really looks boring to me but there is definitely a wide variety in quality of pit arrangements. I'd also like to echo looking into what the instructors are like, though that might be hard to do until you actually go to some camps. The fact that I loved working with my instructors was a big part of the reason I chose to march the corps I did. Check out some groups in the lot if you can. I remember when I marched hearing a certain guard instructor of a certain corps give the entire guard quite the tongue lashing that made me very glad I didn't march there.

14 -Blue Devils 22- Blue Stars - 18 - Bluecoats 9 - Boston Crusaders 21 - Carolina Crown 11 - The Cavaliers 10 - Colts 19 - Crossmen + 07 - Glassmen 23 - Madison Scouts 10 - Mandarins 06 - Pacific Crest 22 - Phantom Regiment 07 - Pioneer 20 - Santa Clara Vanguard 16 - Troopers

Only the most slotted corps ever. Seriously, when are they going to get out of the middle of the pack?

I hope Bushido makes a nod to the timpani solo of the same name, especially the third movement! (which one can find a video of if they look)

I kind of can't believe Crossmen 2001 hasn't been mentioned yet... Not only my favorite baritone solo, but one of my favorite solos period!

So I'm not the only one to notice that... I think it's a marketing ploy.

Phantom's pit opener was pretty amazing but I could see how they were beaten. Blue Devils pit was rather strong this year as well and in my opinion other than Phantom's opener, Blue Devils had them beat. When it comes to timing I'm a little surprised the Cadets haven't been mentioned. They had some tough stuff in there timing wise.

Crossmen. Uh, no bias, I swear.

Well, as not actually a member of Raiders, I'd still say it's a at least a little disappointing that people aren't more familiar with the non-world class corps in the area. Raiders are from north New Jersey. New Jersey doesn't have many corps left but the ones that are here are worth noting, imho.

For the record, the best pizza is fried calamari pizza.

If they built it around American Elegy... with a reprise at the end... I would definitely cry.

We actually did use a similar iron cross shaped piece of metal in '06 and I think '05. Not sure who made it but I remember seeing the same one on sale in a percussion store in NYC over the summer.

Daryl's a flute performance major! He had his flute with him on tour. I'd heard him play and knew he'd win.

Wetting the tip of the finger you're going to use slightly with your tongue also helps. Bees wax helps a lot but I find a well bees waxed tambourine doesn't need to be bees waxed very often. That is, I've seen people working on their thumb rolls reach for the bees wax every time they don't get a sound. Thumb rolling's a skill and the better you get at it the less you need to rely on the bees wax, which is something you obviously won't be able to reach for during a performance.

Ah... Oklahoma... home of 112 degree days and my personal record for most mosquito bites in one day... 78. And I got most of them during the half hour period between when the sun hit the horizon and we were able to get all of the pit equipment loaded.

Haha actually I'm very aware of the fact you have to audition to be in pit. Sometimes people who get cut from the battery are asked to audition for rack/auxiliary percussion. Sometimes if they want to be in that particular corps bad enough they'll go for it but often times they'll decide to look for somewhere else to march. Too often (if you ask me) people who would make phenomenal rack players turn it down. The rack spot, with good writing, can be one of the more enjoyable AND challenging spots in a corps from a percussion and timing standpoint, having to be familiar with many different orchestral techniques, grooves, being responsible for tempo in the pit, and reading off the battery. Anyway, I'm sure that guy's a freakin' beast, which is why he's so fun to watch. He gets mad props in my book.

I'm sure he has crazy good hands. I've just heard stories of people, especially those who are young, who audition for corps and even though they have the hands to be in the line they get passed up or asked to march in the pit for a year because the staff isn't sure they'd be able to physically handle a season marching in the line. Now more than likely he's older than 14 or 15 but I'm sure he's worked is butt if for the right to carry that drum around the field. The Cavaliers don't exactly march easy drill and it's likely not easier if your legs are just naturally shorter than other people. It can't be easy to be different in an activity that stresses conformity.

Did anybody else spend half of the Cavaliers show this year watching bass 1??! Jolesch has a good photo from the Normal, Il show with him standing next to a tuba player. I'd link to it but I'm guessing that'd be against DCP's policies...

I have to say I could never complain about the food at Crossmen last year, even if we weren't eating ribs and pot roast. And there was always plenty of it which was the most important thing! Oh and the joke when I was there was YEA stood for "You Eat After" though this was more of a joke cause rumors had it that we ate better than them! ^0^