danielray Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Whenever I show drum corps to anyone that is completely unfamiliar with the activity, two questions seem to come up pretty much every single time: 1) Why are they wearing those funny costumes (usually from non-Americans)? 2) Why are they throwing guns? Given the fact that: A ) Rifles make absolutely zero sense programmatically anymore B ) Gun deaths among youth, particularly accidental, are the highest they have ever been Isn't it time to change? I am not suggesting that the activity outright bans them, but I am saying it isn't such a cool thing for young kids to potentially emulate (imagine the first news story of a young kid finding a real rifle, copying what they had seen, ending in tragedy). In addition, there are at least 3,782,469 other possible things out there to spin (how many of them haven't even been thought up?). So, why spin something that not only makes zero sense, but it modeled after something designed to kill? The activity has moved well beyond its military roots. It is time now to retire rifles in search of alternatives that are more creative, programmatically appropriate and socially responsible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKMello84 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 A ) Rifles make absolutely zero sense programmatically anymoreThis conclusion seems to be highly subjective since designers with 100% discretion on what equipment is used continue to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 This conclusion seems to be highly subjective since designers with 100% discretion on what equipment is used continue to use them. They are used because they are familiar, not because there just 'needs to be a gun'. I designed for loads of guards and winterguards over the years. There are a billion other things to use. A couple of examples... I had one guard using some large rainsticks. The sound was very very cool. I had another guard spinning something that I created that was inspired by hard brushes that snares use. It was a large wooden dowel with a series of smaller dowels that wrapped around the center dowel. They were fastened in the middle with a smooth rubber sleeve about a foot long. When you would spin and catch, it was actually as much a percussion instrument as it was a piece of visual equipment. It was quite interesting to work with. There were all kinds of crazy things like this that we experimented with. There is SO much that can be done. I've tried it and only scratched the surface of what the many brilliant minds that are currently doing this could envisage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 The activity has moved well beyond its military roots. It is time now to retire rifles in search of alternatives that are more creative, programmatically appropriate and socially responsible. George Hopkins tried that in 2001, using what can best be described as comma-shaped guard equipment. I assume they had the same basic feel and weight as a rifle so there wouldn't be much in the way of transition for guard members. Cadets switched back to rifles in 2002 when they did their 9-11/WWII/1995 Cadets show and has been using rifles ever since. Thanks to corpsreps.com, here is a picture of the corps with guard members holding the "commas". By the way, how do you answer those questions when they come up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 They are used because they are familiar, not because there just 'needs to be a gun'.I designed for loads of guards and winterguards over the years. There are a billion other things to use. A couple of examples... I had one guard using some large rainsticks. The sound was very very cool. I had another guard spinning something that I created that was inspired by hard brushes that snares use. It was a large wooden dowel with a series of smaller dowels that wrapped around the center dowel. They were fastened in the middle with a smooth rubber sleeve about a foot long. When you would spin and catch, it was actually as much a percussion instrument as it was a piece of visual equipment. It was quite interesting to work with. There were all kinds of crazy things like this that we experimented with. There is SO much that can be done. I've tried it and only scratched the surface of what the many brilliant minds that are currently doing this could envisage. Blast used poles with handbells on the end for their Simple Gifts/Appalachian Spring portion of their show. It was a very cool effect, both visually and musically. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octavia9299 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 George Hopkins tried that in 2001, using what can best be described as comma-shaped guard equipment. I assume they had the same basic feel and weight as a rifle so there wouldn't be much in the way of transition for guard members. Cadets switched back to rifles in 2002 when they did their 9-11/WWII/1995 Cadets show and has been using rifles ever since.Thanks to corpsreps.com, here is a picture of the corps with guard members holding the "commas". By the way, how do you answer those questions when they come up? And I think they used S-shaped things in 1991. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crfrey71 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Rifles have an amazing visual effect. I can't believe this topic. Now, sabers on the others hand, doesn't do anything for me. They don't have a visual effect, by themselves. For example, take BD's rifle work from this year's show, especially from the finals night performance. It is about right near the ending of the first half of the show, where they are still in their "blues." They are spread very wide across the front and the tosses aren't the hardest, but being in sync all the way spread across like they were, was impressive. That spinning white, when the guard is wearing dark blue, really popped out. Also, tell me that the Kingsmen rifles don't have a visual impact. Old school rifle work is awesome to watch. Spin baby spin! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 And I think they used S-shaped things in 1991. Those actually looked pretty sweet while spinning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted August 22, 2007 Share Posted August 22, 2007 Well, everyone knows (as I'm sure you do) that the use of rifles as equipment stems from the good ol' days when the color guard actually guarded the colors with sabres and rifles. I think that there are many things that drum corps do today that aren't necessary, but are important because they remind us of the history of drum and bugle corps I believe that it's important to hold onto these little links to the past, even in the face of political incorrectness (or whatever you would call Daniel's arguement). 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 22, 2007 Author Share Posted August 22, 2007 George Hopkins tried that in 2001... He's designing for the guard now? :) (trying to imagine someone suggesting the Dave Gibbs designs BD guard equipment :) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.