I ask DCI

[bawker]

How do I do this?

http://www.dci.org/support/

Drum Corps International

470 South Irmen Drive

Addison, IL 60101

Tel: 630.628.7888

Fax: 630.628.7971

Call or e-mail them...I think Dan Acheson's email is dan@dci.org, although I can't remember for sure.

[asifindnoarta]

Thank you all for forwarding contact information. I will send this concern to DCI. I will post there response, if any, on this forum.

[Peel Paint]

If DCI is to allow narration in the presentations of groups they need to allow for a space for it on the rubric. If its a part of the show it needs to be judged and right now it can't be. Of course this brings up many problems for groups who do not use narration. Because if you have a "narration" caption... what happens to groups who don't have any? You could consider narration, being a element of auditory stimulation, like music, under the music category. But narration isn't a part of the musical texture, it is something else.

[snip]

So with that I ask DCI, if there is poor narration in a drum corps show, in what sub-caption should a judge reflect this through a score?

I agree with your general idea. But if you choose to contact DCI on it, avoid focusing on negatives, e.g. poorly written or poorly delivered narration, because though, ahem, yes, this was an issue this year to my ears as well with one particular corps, all of DCI's judging captions are build-up. You reward positives. So the way to put this to the DCI judging community is that you want to reward narration which is written well, fits into the music well, and is delivered with credible acting style, and I would add, you give credit for a sound system that works well. Even though sound systems worked well in Pasadena this year, they have been a problem at other shows especially in years past. If you live by the sound system, you should die by it if problems with it negatively affect the audience experience; this isn't something the scoring system allows for now. (But if you, asfindinoarta, propose using the scoring criteria to punish what you don't like, you get marginalized and dismissed as not getting with the build-up program, and your proposal will go nowhere... so that's why I say, emphasize the positive in your idea.)

The other thing is, you don't create a separate caption for narration, because then corps have to use it, and that's not something a lot of people want to require. Instead, you build it into an existing caption, most likely, GE Music. The caption says, for example, Box 5: If narration is used, it is integrated both in writing and delivery exceptionally well into the musical presentation, such that neither the narration nor the music would be complete without the other blah blah blah. Any sound system used blends well with acoustic instruments, and operates with exceptional clarity and a highly pleasing quality.

Box 1: If narration is used, in both its writing and in its delivery, it detracts from the musical presentation, and is an annoying distraction that has audience members yelling out "STFU!!" The sound system inappropiaritely overpowers brass and field percussion instruments, is too soft, suffers feedback issues, or is painfully loud for audience members.

Edited August 15, 2007 by Peel Back

[asifindnoarta]

The following is the question I submitted to DCI:

The following is a question to which I would very much appreciate as thorough a response as convenience will allow.

Drum Corps International has allowed for the use of narration through electronic amplification in DCI sanctioned performances.

Narration is now an element of the drum corps show, yet there is no caption or subcaption, whatsoever, pertaining to the effect, design, or performance of this new artistic element which you have allowed.

My question:

In what caption or subcaption should its respective adjudicator reflect his or her evaluation of narrative performance in all relevant cases?

Thank You

[Blueemrld8]

The following is the question I submitted to DCI:

The following is a question to which I would very much appreciate as thorough a response as convenience will allow.

Drum Corps International has allowed for the use of narration through electronic amplification in DCI sanctioned performances.

Narration is now an element of the drum corps show, yet there is no caption or subcaption, whatsoever, pertaining to the effect, design, or performance of this new artistic element which you have allowed.

My question:

In what caption or subcaption should its respective adjudicator reflect his or her evaluation of narrative performance in all relevant cases?

Thank You

Question: If it gets a subcaption or even caption will it HAVE to be in EVERY SHOW in order for them to compete? Thoughts?

[asifindnoarta]

Question: If it gets a subcaption or even caption will it HAVE to be in EVERY SHOW in order for them to compete? Thoughts?

Yes. This is why I think we've got a tricky situation on our hands.

Neglect to include a narration caption and you've got narration going unjudged.

Include a narration caption and corps who don't use it don't get points.

The problems narration is creating has not yet been outweighed by the benefits being brought to drum corps presentations by narration.

Fix it DCI. You allowed it. What now?

[bawker]

I don't think we'll have a "narration" subcaption any moreso than we will an "electronics" one when that passes....we just need to figure out where it goes on the sheets.

Some people say GE Music...that makes the most sense, but I think we'd all like confirmation of it. :)

[KingJoeVII]

Yes. This is why I think we've got a tricky situation on our hands.

Neglect to include a narration caption and you've got narration going unjudged.

Include a narration caption and corps who don't use it don't get points.

The problems narration is creating has not yet been outweighed by the benefits being brought to drum corps presentations by narration.

Fix it DCI. You allowed it. What now?

well, thats not quite accurate...narration is simply a tool, like a wood block, or a triangle....It is not have to be in every show any more than than those instruments do. The use obviously falls under the GE caption...

as it is, the only change I could think of making would be to expand the criteria for the Music judge to include quality of narration specifically (technically if it is a part of the music and is audible, these judges should be evaluating it already)

[asifindnoarta]

well, thats not quite accurate...narration is simply a tool, like a wood block, or a triangle....It is not have to be in every show any more than than those instruments do. The use obviously falls under the GE caption...

as it is, the only change I could think of making would be to expand the criteria for the Music judge to include quality of narration specifically (technically if it is a part of the music and is audible, these judges should be evaluating it already)

I submit to you that narration is not music. Therefore, it should not be judged under G.E. music.

Singing

Lyrical poetry that employs the use of strictly timed meter a.k.a. rap

Drumspeak

these are forms of music caused by the human voice that should be judged as "music"

talking is not music

[shawn craig]

well, thats not quite accurate...narration is simply a tool, like a wood block, or a triangle....It is not have to be in every show any more than than those instruments do. The use obviously falls under the GE caption...

as it is, the only change I could think of making would be to expand the criteria for the Music judge to include quality of narration specifically (technically if it is a part of the music and is audible, these judges should be evaluating it already)

Well I agree that it is a tool that only a few corps have used. I also agree that it should fall under the GE cagegory. I don't want a seperate category.

But does anyone, besides the judges and directors, really know if it is being evaluated, to what extent it's being evaluated, and what aspects are being evaluated?

These questions have been circulating since 04 but no one, to my knowledge, has answered these questions.

In an judged activity where everything is to meet certain standards, it has been unclear how amplified voice or even amplification malfunctions are being looked at or IF they're being considered.

They may well be, we just don't know.