Meaghatron Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 By excluding woodwinds, we're cutting that pool in half. Add the flutes and clarinets and saxophones to the wind section of a drum corps, and we are opening ourselves up to a huge resource of valuable, dedicated individuals, who will put more butts in the seats, more t-shirt and hat sales, and more volunteers on the food truck. Are there really that many clarinet players in this country that are dying to marching drum corps, but don't because of no woodwinds? And if they were really so die-hard about marching, why couldn't they just learn to play a brass instrument? Plus, what would make DCI any more different than fall marching band? So it happens in the summer... and it's exciting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoltonH178 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Are there really that many clarinet players in this country that are dying to marching drum corps, but don't because of no woodwinds? And if they were really so die-hard about marching, why couldn't they just learn to play a brass instrument? Plus, what would make DCI any more different than fall marching band? So it happens in the summer... and it's exciting? DCI appeals to the highest end of the market, performance-wise. Nearly the entire Cadets hornline is made up of music majors and music ed majors, and those who are dedicated to their woodwind instrument in college don't want to spend a summer ruining their technique. I can commiserate: as a horn (the REAL kind) player, I'm bothered just by having to play mellophone all summer. Many individuals also aspire to be a part of a better group than they could realistically hope to, learning a brass instrument. If you're an age-out clarinet player, do you really want to spend your summer with a corps whose average age is 16? Will you really get that much of an educational benefit out of it? DCI will never be close to the same thing as fall marching band, having experienced both at a high level. First of all, you have to audition, membership is not open. Second of all, drum corps rehearse much more than marching bands do, and attempt much more difficult material than marching bands do. Third, marching bands do not tour. This makes the experience completely different for marching members. I don't think that the NBA ever complained about things needing to be different from HS basketball... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Come on guys, it's not the instrumentation that defines a bassoon quartet, it's the experience you get playing in one. It's time to open up the instrumentation of bassoon quartets to include tubas and violas, so everyone can have this experience. I hate to pull out the "You haven't marched so you don't know what you are talking about" card but you haven't marched so you don't know what you are talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I laughing because when I first started marching in drum and bugle corps in 1964, if you called a drum corps a band or even insinuated the comparison...you were in serious danger of being injured, unless you took it back in a hurry. Also unless it was obvious you had mental problems, (like you belonged to a band).I can't conceive of the punishment that would have ensued had you called a drum corps the, "marching arts" back then. Maybe a little head scratching and then your funeral a couple of days later. :P Sorry on with the real discussion of why MikeD is wrong b**bs Kids have grown up a lot since 1964 I guess :P Seriously, getting into a fight over someone calling drum corps marching band? Ridiculous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) I hate to pull out the "You haven't marched so you don't know what you are talking about" card but you haven't marched so you don't know what you are talking about. Irrelevant. Edited November 23, 2007 by Hrothgar15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoltonH178 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Irrelevant. Hardly, especially when saying that certain people shouldn't be allowed to have the experience... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) Irrelevant. No it isn't. You, having not marched, are unable to understand what drum corps, as it is today, is all about. Drum corps is as much about an 11 and a half minute show as astronomy is about telescopes. Edited November 23, 2007 by dbc03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow Adam Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Hardly, especially when saying that certain people shouldn't be allowed to have the experience... No one has ever said that. Anyone can have the experience...just their clarinet can't come for the ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothgar15 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Share Posted November 23, 2007 Hardly, especially when saying that certain people shouldn't be allowed to have the experience... Did I say that? I played clarinet in high school and I started taking trumpet lessons last month so I can march. If woodwinds were allowed I would have no interest in the activity and would not consider joining. Now there's a paradox... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoltonH178 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Did I say that? I played clarinet in high school and I started taking trumpet lessons last month so I can march. If woodwinds were allowed I would have no interest in the activity and would not consider joining. Now there's a paradox... Gosh, how would we ever get along with that loss? :P I'm just kidding, Hrothgar. But I think my point still stands. Obviously, you had SOME interest in the activity--enough to march in high school, am I right? Aren't you from the Cobb County area, too? Some darn good programs around there... "The activity" is not just "drum corps." "The activity" is "marching." If you have not been on a drum corps tour, then you really cannot comment on the value of the experience--in fact, I'm a bit offended that you would even compare it to being in a bassoon quartet, knowing what it is to be a part of a drum corps tour and how different an experience it is from being a part of any other ensemble...but I guess I can't hold what you don't know against you. You could still learn to play a brass instrument if you really wanted to, woodwinds or no woodwinds. I really like that analogy dbc made. Drum corps has as much to do with an 11-minute show as astronomy has to do with telescopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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