Percussion827

Did you mean the stands? No more different than any high school stadium.

Just watched Darcie's video about the concept they're going to try and utilize for the show. I'm perplexed at the beginning concepts. But I'm curious to the execution.

Consider me intrigued.

Oh god, don't remind me of Winchester... that parade REALLY tried me, IMHO. Especially near the end when you're going uphill before that left turn to the review stand and the crowd. The only good thing is right after that stand, you're basically done.

There are normally 5 parades in Baltimore: Dundalk (good thing it was flat, mainly), Towson (Up the hill, make a right, then down the hill), Arbutus (never did it), Catonsville (Pitch Blacktop with the sun at your 4 O'clock!), and Bel Air (never did it). Add in Havre De Grace (That wait is lengthy at the staging areas) and it's an interesting time around the area. I slightly miss them, but I also don't miss them from my days marching.

Make that the entire DMV. The only corps that has still performed, and I don't even know if they did Soundsport this past year, was Sonus/Shenandoah Sound. I could count the recent corps that tried, and ultimately failed, to make it. Yet, the people running those other programs were so confident they could be better. I'll take a slight step back from patting my own back about it, as we're getting off topic about the Cadets. Here's hoping they come out on fire this summer, even with my own tempered hopes. Note: I was gladly mistaken. Sonus Brass Theater placed third in Soundsport in Indy. Glad to see it for the guys.

Here's some of the concerns though. You're now encroaching upon Thunder Brigade and Sonus (formerly Shenandoah Sound). Granted, I have heard nothing about those organizations in a while, but this gives me partial pause to the matter. Also, despite the seemingly fantastic idea of the DMV (Westminster's Program is/was run by a Cadet Alum), the place hasn't had the best reputation for building an ensemble, despite the seemingly continuous flow of talent from the schools. I can think of a couple ensembles off the top of my head who started and then folded within 5 years of said start. I mean, I'd love to see it as well as I could see a camp on a crazy weekend if possible. But I don't know how effective someplace like Baltimore/DC would ultimately end up.

Honestly, any of the 3 listed will probably give you a good start. Raiders, being in Open Class, gives you experience while not draining the ENTIRE summer. Cadets2, being DCA, works as well because you can work on the weekdays and have competition on the weekends, allowing you to save up for that car but still get the Drum Corps experience. The only drawback is they go until Labor Day, which may go a bit against your College education. Surf is also in the same boat as Raiders, but they do a bit more travel in the summer with the varied regional competitions that they attend as a part of the 'World Class' roster of Corps. To round out the question, just go and Audition with the Bluecoats. See what you have and ask about recommended locations should they decide you're not quite ready to be in their tenor section. There may be other corps that you haven't thought of in the area of Connecticut or New Jersey that would prepare you more due to familiarity within the staff members and other factors.

In all honesty, the heads work just fine for now. It might be how the drum is tuned from the heads to the guts themselves. With a Falam 2 batter head, you can get a good amount of tension into it. Almost as much as the old Tendura from Premier. However, really cranking down on a Falam 2 batter head will potentially be bad for longer term wrist health with the harsher 'basket' weave. Adding a Falam 2 snare side/ resonant head will really dry out the sound and will lead to that table top sound you're looking for, but eventually there is that request for adequate tone instead of tuned so high that it makes large dogs cry and kills small dogs. In my own opinion, grab a Max head (Doesn't matter which) and put that as the top head, leaving the Ambassador as the resonant head. While allowing the top head to get and develop holding tension, look at your guts and try to get an even tension across the entire assembly. That's my own head combination and when I actually had it maintained on my own personal drum, it sounded fantastic. No need for the table top sound if you're using the drum for solo work.

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I don't find the timings of Shenandoah Sound changing over to Sonus for SoundSport and Thunder Brigade announcing they were going to SoundSport being a coincidence.

Jonnyboy and Mike have it right. Grab 'Rudimental Logic' by Bill Bachman for technique tips and rudiment listings (if you don't already have a good sized list), George Stone's Stick control, a metronome and start hacking. Make sure you utilize appropriate technique given in Rudimental Logic and make sure you don't overwork the left wrist as to potentially cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Going off the left to lead warm ups and exercises and maybe even your audition piece would show you're consciously applying more thought into it and getting that pesky left hand stronger.

Good luck, Shenandoah. Great to see the corps is still around.

I think the only exception is Prelims until the top 10 or so... Still scratching my head, but Congrats to the Buccaneers...

That's ridiculous... going from a 95.95 and third to 97.55 and leaping both MBI and Cabs... wow. Wasn't there but that's a heck of a jump.

Never said a thing against the parades, Sean, in terms of being able to play in front of thousands of people. I did it for 8 years with BMR and unfortunately, and slightly regrettably, never had the opportunity with Shenandoah at that time. It's great for outreach, potential membership, and financial stability, no doubt. However, the haul that gets put into those parades and such has to sap a lot of energy from membership. Not just the percussion who are probably hacking 99% of the parade, but the Hornline (especially the Tuba/Contras) and the guard, as well. A labor of love, for an activity we all enjoy. To have the good, there must be some hardship. Shenandoah has learned that in spades. Hopefully some fellow instructors I performed alongside and marched under will see that one day.