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mdsnsctfan

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Posts posted by mdsnsctfan

    Marimba Purchase Help

    in Percussion Planet

    Posted

    Thanks for the help everyone! :laugh:

    We just bought a new Yamaha Marimba for my school. A 4.3 octave, with Acoustalon Bars, on the Multi Frame II. Great board, will last a life time, and the frame is durable and looks great. We got it for $3400. Brand New!! Just have to find the right dealer!

    You could easily get a 4.5 octave for around $5000. The Acoustalon bars are amazing, even with the lower register!!!

    Definitely go yamaha.

    WGI National Level Independent Winter Drumline in MN?!?!?

    in Percussion Planet

    Posted

    TCAI PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

    UPDATE 9/7/06

    Initial TCAI website has been launched!!

    Check it out to download the Exercises Packet and get more information about auditions!

    Be sure to RSVP for the October Audition camp to tcaiperc@gmail.com

    http://www.tcaiperc.org/

    Please bear with us as this website will be under construction for a while.

    Oh heck ya! I'm excited. I can't march, but finally an Independent DL in the cities area!!! It's about time!! :) Good Luck to TCAI!!!!

    letter from board of directors from scouts site

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Funny you criticize, because they did make the same mistake twice. When they posted the message on the website that was in the first post of this thread, they put a note underneath: Note: A mass email of this has been sent to staff, members and alumni on file this afternoon.

    Well funny, I, a member, never got that message, yet I always got every e-mail from the directors and even the staff members who wanted to tell us they were leaving. The only e-mail I have recieved from the board is the one asking for alumni addresses that they could add to their database.

    And can you please post where in Mr. Boo's message he added any "facts" that he does not have or offered nothing but support for the Scouts (and not necessarily the MWBCA Board)?

    MWBCA??? And you are a member?

    Unless I'm REALLY CONFUSED, aren't you talking about the MDBCA?

    DCI demands!

    in DCI Open Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I want to preface this post by saying that this is my personal opinion and does not reflect the opinion of any other individual or organization. Any responses, rebuffs or retaliations should be directed at me and not the group I am involved with.

    I have just been informed that DCI will require corps to commit to Championship week for 2007 in Pasadena by Sept. 30. Let me take a minute to compose myself.

    As it stands, DCI has no information about tour shows, no date or location for any focus shows and no time or location for II/III performances for finals week. I'm sure there are several corps who will be going no matter what. For those corps who walk the budget tightrope, the 2007 tour could break them. Yes, I can hear you now, "Just take a year off." Let me take another minute to compose myself.

    Much has been made recently about the responsibilities of each corps and the responsibility of DCI. As a person who IS responsible for the well-being of a corps and ALL the people involved, I need as much information as possible to make those decisions.

    How can DCI expect this kind of blind committment to finals week if corps have no idea where it's going to be, where they are going to have to travel and what shows they will be required and/or permitted to perform in. I cannot set a budget for food or transportation if I don't know where I'm going. I cannot coordinate volunteers until I can tell them where and when we are traveling.

    DCI needs to commit to giving corps a reasonable amount of information before asking them to commit to a trip to ????????

    As I reread this post before I sent it off, I thought of the West Coast Corps who have probably making this argument for years. I wish to extend this call to committment to all future seasons.

    Rick Melcher

    Dad, Cook, Driver, Bingo Worker, Concession Stand Worker, First Aid Giver, Navigator, Recruiter, Host Parent, Board of Directors

    DCI has been planning on CA for quite some time and it's been announced for over a year. Your corps usually, almost always starts tour your final tour 7-10 days before 2/3 Prelims. I don't see the big deal here, in fact for someone who is on the board of directors for your corps, you would think you wouldn't bring this up on DCP, but rather with DCI. Hmmm....

    Obviously, DCI is going to have shows on the way out west. There will most likely be some II/III Focus shows along the way as well. You may have to plan two - three days extra to get out to CA. So, perhaps CS leaves Madison 12 days before II/III finals.

    How can DCI expect this kind of blind committment to finals week if corps have no idea where it's going to be...

    OK, I really don't understand this statement. Finals are in Pasadena, CA. Of course there is the possibility that II/III will be at a smaller stadium, but most likely not far from Pasadena. I'm sure DCI can give you a good idea of where II/III is going to take place.

    Perhaps it's just me, but it really sounds like you are over-reacting.

    Whats up with the Madison Scouts Board of Directors?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    The average age for the 2006 Madison Scouts was 19 1/2. As to your reply about the corps being in a "financial struggle," It was Sal Salas who got the corps out of their demise!!! I KNOW this for a FACT!!!

    Retention rate is high. I have no clue where you get your information!

    Please, tell me how the current Fluer de Lis is "different" now!!??!!

    Please, also tell me what the corps did to make you say they spent money on "trivial things." Where you there?? Do you know what they spent and on what??? I'd say they did quite well for having had their budget cut by more than HALF by the current BoD.

    No kidding, the staff changed in 2003. How many new directors do you personally know that don't bring their own staff with them or hire who they want???

    Like I said - where do you get your information. MINE is first-hand.

    Where did you get your information from? Who told you the retention rate was high? Do you know what it is exactly, I'm very curious. If it is high, I'm glad to hear that, and I'm also very glad to hear that the average age was back to 19.5.

    I never once said that Sal was the reason for the financial struggles, and I commend Sal for getting the corps back on it's financial feet. It was Bob Wall and the BoD that spent all the money. On what, you ask? Trivial things...new uniforms, redesign of logo, letterhead, signage, new designs on trucks and busses, new cook truck (Semi) and the expenses that go along with them, a new Staff Vehicle which was used for 1 year before they used a converted bus, a staff that doesn't understand what it's like to be a Scout, and I'm sure a lot more.

    If they cut their budget this year in half, then a big congrats, but I KNOW FOR A FACT from Scott Stewart himself along with the BoD following the 2003 season that the corps went from nearly 1,000,000 dollars in the bank to more than 500,000 dollars in debt.

    The staff did not change much in 2003, it was in 2004 after the corps/director?!?/BoD decided that they needed to completely change everything that was the previous Scouts. Previous staff left, Chris Harmon, because they felt they needed to become the Cavies instead of keep a marching style that Chris had helped develop into one of the most popular marching styles in Drum Corps History. Were some staff changes necessary?!?! OF COURSE! Was Colin McNutt a good addition, yes, but that doesn't mean that some of the old staff would not have been successful. (I of course, really didn't say much about the staff anyways, but since you got me going!!)

    The Fluer-de-Lis is different. scouts.jpg vs. scoutslogo.jpg

    The first design was used for many many years, and is only a slight variation of what was used in the 70's and 80's. The new design seemed to only come around when the BoD deemed it necessary to change everything that was the old Scouts.

    This is what I know! From who you ask...Members, Alumni, Corps Directors, BoD and MDBCA Meeting Minutes. Seems like a pretty good source to me?!?

    ALL Scouts Caption Heads Resign

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Sorry, Phantom... Just funnin' your word ballgame...

    I was around before then, at that time, and ten years past then... (no, personal poke)

    The pleasure of performing a book on the move was a rush back then and still it today! (Although, moving is not like it used to be) ;)

    I'll agree that costs are insane today!!!

    Here is what needs to happen!!

    Exec. Director = Pat Seidling

    Corps Director = Mike Leofelholz (sp?)

    Brass Arrangeer = Matt Gregg (obviously Scott Boerma would be first choice!)

    Brass Captionhead = Van Matthews

    Percussion Arrangers and Captionheads = Chris Theo and Taras Nahirniak (Jeff Moore?!)

    Color Guard Designer and Captionhead = Scott Chandler

    Visual Disigner = Todd Ryan

    Visual Captionhead = Chris Harmon

    Whats up with the Madison Scouts Board of Directors?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by mdsnsctfan

    FYI.

    MDBCA By-Laws state that to be eligible for election to the Board, you must have previously served on the Board in some fashion (appointed or elected). That makes the list of potential candidates much smaller. Jeff Manion is the current President.

    Thank you for clarifying who the president is right now. However, I was hoping that the 200 new Alumni that would mean that those new voting members would vote and choose someone who was exactly what the fans and alumni are looking for.

    According to what you said, how does someone new get onto the board?

    Marty, I know we haven't been in agreeance over a lot of things in the past, (The Scouts pit wearing aussies!!!!) however it is sad to see you go. It sounds like you did understand the corps and the members and everyone really respected you.

    Can you shed any light on the subject, or are you not in a position to make a statement?

    Thanks!

    Whats up with the Madison Scouts Board of Directors?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Yikes, that isn't good.

    Who is left on the board?? If Marty Redmann and Missy Whitman have resigned, who is the current board president?!? Who is making these decisions?!?! Obviously the board President is not if he resigned when they didn't renew Sal's contract. I'm confused!

    Is Jeff Manion making all the choices?!?!?

    Perhaps with everything going on, this is the time for the Scouts to bring in the guys who truly understand the organization...and with more than 200 new voting members (Thanks Alumni Project!) the board will be made up of people who understand the history and tradition!!!

    Whats up with the Madison Scouts Board of Directors?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I was responding to this post:

    It seemed clear to me that Mr. Russell was wearing some rose-colored glasses while typing. Yes all the things he listed about the Scouts are true. But not everyone worshipped the way things were being run in the early 2000s. I have heard a lot of rumors about staff throwing away tapes, being disrespectful to judges, skipping critique, etc. No I don't know what's true, but from 1999-2002, the Scouts placement dropped every year, all the way down to 14th. To some people, this is not a positive thing.

    Some want Scouts to keep their style, but do it in a way the was competitive as well. And clearly, the Scouts were not doing that.

    I was simply pointing out that not everything about the years right before Stewert left were as great as some would like to think. Dropping out of Finals is a significant event, no matter how much some wish it were not.

    That is a very fair statement. I have also heard those rumors about the staff and what not, and of course it was devastating for all to see the corps falling in placement, especially out of finals...however, I am the first to admit that I am an example of your last sentance. My big thing is that the board of directors and new director went to the very extreme and changed EVERYTHING in less than a year...and in doing so took one of the largest bank accounts in DCI and turned it into a debt. Shame on them.

    I had a friend who became a band director and the first thing that he was told was....you can make changes, just don't do it all in the first year. To me, that makes perfect sense...and I think a lot of fans and alumni would be more ok with the changes if they all didn't happen so abrubtly.

    Whats up with the Madison Scouts Board of Directors?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by mdsnsctfan

    Don't put words is my mouth. I didn't type any of that, I jus typed one sentance. YOU added all the rest.

    I never said you were saying exactly that. All I said was that those things happened, and was wondering if not making finals in their home city (the statement you made) meant that the board could do those things?!?!?

    And in response to the following...

    *Is not the logo still the Fluer de Lis? Yes it is.

    Yes, it is still the Fluer de Lis, but a much much different one. As if the board wanted to change everything about the current day/Scott Stewert Scouts. Mean while, spending all the money on trivial things......taking one of the most stable corps in DCI (nearly 1,000,000 in the bank) to becoming another struggling corps with nearly 500,000 in debt

    *Was this the first uniform change? No it wasn't, it has changed several times. Like

    EVERY other corps.

    No it wasn't, but did it come at a time when it seemed like the board wanted to change everthing about the current day/Scott Stewart Scouts...the answer to that is yes. Mean while, spending all the money on trivial things......taking one of the most stable corps in DCI (nearly 1,000,000 in the bank) to becoming another struggling corps with nearly 500,000 in debt

    *Did they move their home city? No, they moved their office. The corps is still the Madison Scouts. I saw the corps MANY times over the past 4 years. Not once did I hear them announced as being from Sun Prairie. Of course some of their "printed material" has Sun Prairie on it. That's where the mail gets delivered. And how many other corps have changed their mailing address over the years?

    Yes, plenty of corps move, but very few have their home city in their name. (And yes, after reading more and doing some research, I do realize that they moved prior to the 2003 season.) I must retract this Statement.

    *8th place in 2006? No, I believe they were 9th, but who cares.

    Oops, lets change everything next year because they almost didn't make finals this year. 9th is much worse than 8th...change the uniform and spend all the money they have saved.

    *Retention rate of 95% now down to 30-20%? No, wrong on both ends. I don't think you'll find ANY corps with retention rates approaching 95%. Even the defending World Champions from '05 had, according to Hop's blog, had over 80 first year members.

    I talked to a friend who marched the corps in 2000-2002, and he varified that they did infact have nearly 90% of possible returning members back. The drop off in 2003 was dramatic. And to top it off, they had an average age of 19-20 and now if I remember reading correctly the average age is barely 18.

    *Bring back "our" Scouts. Funny, but "my" Scouts never left.

    The Scouts I know and loved have not been present since 2003 (when they still had much of the same staff on board!). And I'm sure plenty of fans, and also alumni will agree.

    Whats up with the Madison Scouts Board of Directors?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    A turnaround from not making finals in their home city.

    Not making finals in their home city constitutes what happened? Not Making finals in their home city means they can go from nearly $1000000 dollars in the savings account to being $500000 in the hole over the course of one year? Not making finals in their home city means the Organization should change EVERYTHING about their past...including Logo, uniforms, show style, marching style, etc, etc. Not making finals in their home city means they should move their home city to Sun Prairie?!? (If you look at anything official, read press releases, listen to where the corps is from at many shows...they are announced, THE MADISON SCOUTS from Sun Prairie, WI.) Not making finals means they should pretty much ignore 64 years of innovation, progress and tradition to take them all the way to 8th place in 2006?!?!? Not making finals means they should change everything so they go from having the highest retention rate (once heard it was nearing 95%) to having a turn around of nearly 70-80% each year. (that is what I heard, so if it's wrong, please let me know!)

    Were changes needed, absolutely, I don't think their is one person who will completely disagree with that statement, but they sure the heck didn't need to be so drastic and occur in such a short amount of time.

    We all hope, fans and alumni alike that the Madison Scouts return to their previous glory. Good LUCK BoD with chosing a well qualified new director to bring back our Scouts.

    Dear Future Director of the Madison Scouts...

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by mdsnsctfan

    Ugh... I don't know how anyone could wish for Scouts to go back to their old technique. It made them look terrible at large step sizes, and it's a lot harder to clean than a more straightleg step size. If powerful is what you want, the old Scouts' technique is not the way to go. It makes the performers look weak at higher tempos and extended step sizes.

    How can you say that the Scouts "signature" hip-ball-change was weak? That thing broke my hip when I watched it. Watch the 1995 show again and tell me that the performers looked weak at higher tempos.....

    Ugh...and besides...any marching technique change would be great...just so they don't look like they are trying to be the Cavies or SCV.

    Dear Future Director of the Madison Scouts...

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    For me it just seems like they've lost an edge... look at 95, 96, 97, 99.... they were bas ##### with everything they did.

    IMO nowadays it seems like they dont have the madison swagger they used to...

    Exactly.....why does everyone leave 98 out of that group of years? Everyone always says the Scouts like they were in 95,96,97, and 99. No one ever puts 98 into the mix.

    I talked with Van Matthews once, and he said the 1998 hornline rivaled the 95 hornline as being the best in Scouts history.

    Dear Future Director of the Madison Scouts...

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Bring back the bad ### Madison

    Please bring back white pants with green stripes..and a simple uniform...none of the Cesario crap! Please bring back the company front coming onto the field! Please bring true entertainment back to the corps! Please bring a freakin' awesome hornline and have them play way to loud, yet with good tone quality and in-tuneness!

    Please bring back a marching style that is truly only the Scouts...not the Cavies, not SCV, not anybody but the Mother F**king Madison Scouts!!!!!!!

    Finally, please bring back a bright, talented staff that understands the Madison Identity and knows how to create a show that is ONLY MADISON!!

    and to mention the obvious...keep the corps safe, and well fed, and let them enjoy their summer. (Remember when Madison had a free day/free night once a week and only practiced 8 hours a day!!!)

    Thank You!

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