Music stands in Mini Corps

[brassomaniac]

nm

Edited October 31, 2007 by brassomaniac

[84BDsop]

Sometimes you kinda HAVE to use a stand.

Re SoCal Dream:

In 03 I didn't go to DCA myself (lack of $$), but the minicorps show was pretty much the same as our 03 field show, so it was already memorized

In 04 we didn't do a mini corps, so it wasn't an issue.

In 05 the corps as a whole did not go, but we sent a mini corps and the used our 05 show ballad and closerm opening with a VK compilation we'd played earlier in the year, so it was memorized...plus there was drill.

In 06 we were pretty focused on making Class A finals and doing well in brass (which we won), so the mini corps felt kinda an afterthought...we didn't get the music until late in the season, so there wasn't TIME to memorize, even though some of it came from the 04 show (although there was a key change, which complicated things a little). It was fun, but I REALLY didn't like using the stand...I tried to memorize as much as I could and only used the music occasionally, but it was not one of my personally favorite performances...FUN, never doubt, as the audience was responsive and we were crankin', but I'd rather have had more time to perfect and memorize the show as a group.

07....didn't march the corps....don't know wha' hoppen.

[WayBackBuc]

Im really surprised about the responses that I’m seeing here,

I don’t think most are saying flat out BAN music stands, use them if you need to, but if it came down to who wins if it was a tie,,,,?

No stands would have to be the winner. That would be the edge.

Its up to the corps,,,,

Win,,

or not.

*IMHO

*This disclaimer has been added to my statement by my legal staff. Any statement made by me or anyone resembling me cannot be misconstrued as a direct or indirect comment that could be considered a personal attack on the first or second part of the third parts is parts

[84BDsop]

Im really surprised about the responses that I’m seeing here,

I don’t think most are saying flat out BAN music stands, use them if you need to, but if it came down to who wins if it was a tie,,,,?

No stands would have to be the winner. That would be the edge.

You're implying that the use of stands constitutes an unfair advantage???

[Donny Drum Corps]

I really dont care who uses them or not. And BTW Tom, I can read music LOL. I dont think it makes anybody more or less professional if they memorize either. It just is what drum corps has always been to me. And this is mini CORPS. I come from the Corky and Vince Bruni school of drum corps.

I dont say you should ban stands from competition, just as long as you make sure to ban CHEESY POOTS from all competitions. That includes DCA, DCI, WGI, BOA and anything else that ends with I or A. I think that even Gary will concur that THIS is a good idea. At least that is what he told me in Silver Creek...sorry Chheeeeesssseeee.

And as far as a caption head for VE or even MB, I don't believe that you will find any better than Nick from Erie. He is the MAN!!! Especially with Military Bearing. He was in the NAVY BTW.

Tom...I have a suggestion for you...chill.

It is only a suggestion.

Donny

Edited October 30, 2007 by donnymusic

[DreaminDan]

If you ban stands, SoCal Dream probably wouldn't perform.

Want to dock us a point, no problem...

We got the music two practices before DCA. We perform to perform for the crowd.

All ya right coast people don't get to see enough of us as it is. We just want another chance to tell everyone we are at DCA

Maybe we'll get serious about the competition some year but for now we just save that for the field show.

Mini corps for us is just fun.

Maybe I should disclaimer this because I haven't spoken with management about this, but If anyone at Dream cared about the competition, we'd probably get the music in June and practice it more. Just a side note to Sam's comments. Even when we played "show" music at minicorps, we had multiple people who were playing new parts or hadn't even performed with the corps during our short, early DCI season, before going to mini corps. It's just a blast to play infront of an appreciative crowd for a change, even if it does cost us each $750 to get there.

[brassomaniac]

I really dont care who uses them or not. And BTW Tom, I can read music LOL. I dont think it makes anybody more or less professional if they memorize either. It just is what drum corps has always been to me. And this is mini CORPS. I come from the Corky and Vince Bruni school of drum corps.

I dont say you should ban stands from competition, just as long as you make sure to ban CHEESY POOTS from all competitions. That includes DCA, DCI, WGI, BOA and anything else that ends with I or A. I think that even Gary will concur that THIS is a good idea. At least that is what he told me in Silver Creek...sorry Chheeeeesssseeee.

And as far as a caption head for VE or even MB, I don't believe that you will find any better than Nick from Erie. He is the MAN!!! Especially with Military Bearing. He was in the NAVY BTW.

Tom...I have a suggestion for you...chill.

It is only a suggestion.

Donny

Donny.. don't worry .. it doesn't really mean that much to me.

I just thought that "un-professional" and "embarrassing" were a little strong.

Hard not to take notice of that, being that we played from music by design.

And, of course, I wasn't suggesting that any of my detractors couldn't read music!

[brassomaniac]

If you ban stands, SoCal Dream probably wouldn't perform.

Want to dock us a point, no problem...

We got the music two practices before DCA. We perform to perform for the crowd.

All ya right coast people don't get to see enough of us as it is. We just want another chance to tell everyone we are at DCA

Maybe we'll get serious about the competition some year but for now we just save that for the field show.

Mini corps for us is just fun.

.

Kind of the same place I'm at. It can't just be about the one show at DCA.

I'm past the days when I'm going to program ten minutes for a single performance. Or even for a handful of shows.

There's TOO much music to play. The only way the CB! project will work, in the long run, is if it's NOT all about DCA.

We prepared for DCA mini-corps amidst a bunch of other commitments and projects; and with 2-hour-a-week rehearsals. With some players who play quite a lot. Not just with us.

It may happen that way again this year. I hope that we can find a niche in the drum corps world where we fit in without offending. But, nevertheless, it's not all the corps was created for. Hammering away at a short program all summer will keep us from exploring the rest of our future.

That said; under the right conditions, we might be able to memorize a show for the end of the season. But I don't know whether that'll all come together or not.

As far as a tie-breaker - go for it - I don't expect to be competing for any mini-corps title. The competition is TOO good.

Edited October 30, 2007 by brassomaniac

[Shadow_7]

Being a switch hitter, I never know what horn/part I'm playing today. So having a music stand available is a requirement.

As far as a stand being an advantage. Try lugging a Contra and a music stand through small doorways, across crowded isles and through crowds in general. And then play a show. Given a chance to memorize things I do. As I really hate props.

Ever since being required to memorize 1st, 2nd, and 3rd parts and sometimes 4th parts to the same tune in the Army. Times ten plus. I just can't memorize like I used to. Mostly from a lack of desire to do so. And given that I've played several parts / versions of parts throughout any season. I'm never really sure if I'm playing the correct part when not actually looking at the music.

Of course there's always that go to rehearsal letter X, play the written dynamics, written accents, et cetera that most seem to NOT memorize. Even though they think they have the music memorized. One of the coolest things about one of my old band directors. He'd ask you if you had the music memorized. And then proceed to ask you who composed the piece? Which went unanswered from memory most of the time.

Is it really worth spending 40+ hours to memorizing an 8 minute show that you're only going to perform it in public once?

[cabalumnidrummer]

(I just posted this in the 'Should Mini Corps Stay Home' thread, and thought I might post it here to share with more folks: )

Last week, I attended a performance of the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, music stands and all. Can't get more professional than that! We've come to expect that as the norm for orchestras.

There is absolutely nothing unprofessional about using them in Mini Corps. However, speaking purely as a spectator, I enjoy seeing a corps or a mini corps more if they don't use them. To me, that's simply the 'norm' I have come to expect in our activity. I was always taught the music had to be memorized.

At the Brooklyn United Show on October 20, most of the brass lines, and some of the drum lines used stands. Many people played with more than one group, and it was vital to them to use them. I fully understand that, but still it detracted from my enjoyment. I am more impressed by those who play without music, but that's just a spectator's preference.

It struck me as amusing when several pieces of sheet music went spiraling to the floor during different corps' performances. I waited to see what the players using/needing it would do. (Most just kept playing and never picked it up, but I wondered if they knew what to play at that point!)

I've played with several drummers who are excellent sight readers, and I envy their ability. However, it's been my experience that they often took longer to learn to play the music properly, and to memorize it. They continued to use it as a 'crutch' long after others had learned it cold. I don't know if that's also true of brass players. As a spectator, I just admire those who go without stands and enjoy them more.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth.