CornoBehnke Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 You can have 5 valves on a Bugle, and it is still a bugle. It is the insides and the conical nature of the instrument that makes it a bugle. Why Do people disagree with my statement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Remember Madison Scouts 1987, when they closed with "Stars & Stripes Forever"? They had a piccolo soprano player (Dan Ritacco) play the piccolo part of the trio. Would it be as great as it was if it was a section of (actual) piccolos playing it? It wouldn't be the same. It was cool BECAUSE it was done within the instrumentation limits! I've heard it done in drum corps going back to the 60's, and I have never heard it done so that it works. It needs the piccolo. How about Phantom Regiment 1996 when the sopranos did that fast violin soli in at the beginning of the closer? Would it have been better with actual violins? It wouldn't have been the same. It was cool because it was done within the instrumentation limits, and the same musical ideas were expressed. Yes, it would have sounded better with violins. No, the "same" musical idea was not presented. Not that it was bad, just that it was not the "same" as the original. So I think you DO take away from the brass if you add strings or woodwinds, even if it's one person mic'ed in the pit. Make it work with the brass players, find a way! For MANY DECADES drum corps have been arranging music for brass and percussion instruments that weren't originally played by brass instruments. We have not run out of ideas! There are plenty of stones yet unturned. There are still infinite possibilities within the current boundaries. Let's stay within them. No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrontierEuph Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 (edited) WW should be added now Why? Edited November 28, 2007 by FrontierEuph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Why? IMO there should be no limits on the instruments used. DCI is marketing itself as "Marching Music's Major League", and to exclude 1/2 of the winds that march is silly, again IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdewine Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 MikeD- No limits on instrumentation means you have to include bagpipes, kazoos, and ...... wait for it...... slide-whistles! Nice ensemble sound, those three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrontierEuph Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 (edited) That's the point of the staffs having the freedom to use those elements they want in the shows they design. That's great. Let's assume WW are limited to pit use. How do you judge a corps using many additional 'voices' (woodwinds, synthesizers) in the pit versus a 'traditional', IMO circa 1990's and 2000's, corps, when both are on the field at the same contest? The same way you (I think) judge voice/singing. (How is this done, btw?) Also, adding ever more 'color' and variation in voices to the pit is a slippery slope leading to the production of any and all kinds of sound in the pit, amplified or not. I believe adding ever more 'color' and variation in voices to the pit dimishes the importance and role of the brass in making the majority of the musical statements of the ensemble. Brass will be relegated to roles used in bands and symphony orchestras--just the loud stuff and background resonance. It is even possible that highly-skilled brass players (as pure brass players) will not be as necessary. These ensembles will then be less about brass music and more like any other kind of music ensemble (bands, orchestras). I've seen a lot of marching bands recently (in Texas), and the majority of bands just go nutz with electronics and synthesizers in the pit. When listening to some these bands, on-field instruments (even the brass) often are just accompaniment to the pit (if you can hear them at all.) I am a drum corps fan because it is (or was) the only place to get my body literally physically rattled by brass resonance and my emotions yanked by huge dynamic contrast (much larger contrast than any other type of ensemble). For me, this kind of experience largely went away in 2000 with the introduction of Bb (and subsequent removal of G, due to economics.) I am (somewhat) willing to tolerate this reduction in brass volume and resonance. But, if you further diminish the role of brass, I'm really starting to lose interest. I think a lot of drum corps fans are like me. Not all fans, which is fine. But a lot. Edited November 28, 2007 by FrontierEuph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Yeah, you're not alone. I'm a lifelong woodwind player, but I only like their sound when they're quality insturments in specific settings. It just comes down to personal preference. I love the all brass sound of drum corps right now. That doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with adding woodwinds, I just won't have anything to do with shows that have them. My choice, my opinion, my problem. If enough people agree with me and don't go, then something will pretty much have to give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Judging by the majority of responses, if you were to allow woodwinds now, who would play the bugles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdewine Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Who would play the bugles? Why the drummers, of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 That's great. Let's assume WW are limited to pit use. How do you judge a corps using many additional 'voices' (woodwinds, synthesizers) in the pit versus a 'traditional', IMO circa 1990's and 2000's, corps, when both are on the field at the same contest? The same way you (I think) judge voice/singing. (How is this done, btw?) Why would you want to limit WW to the pit? Unless you want ot feature some sort of specialzed group that needs to be micced, a la an oboe or bassoon. As for judging...there are thousands of bands that compete and are judged just fine, by many of the same folks who judge in DCI. IMO that is a non-issue. Also, adding ever more 'color' and variation in voices to the pit is a slippery slope leading to the production of any and all kinds of sound in the pit, amplified or not. Not a prob to me. I believe adding ever more 'color' and variation in voices to the pit dimishes the importance and role of the brass in making the majority of the musical statements of the ensemble. Brass will be relegated to roles used in bands and symphony orchestras--just the loud stuff and background resonance. It is even possible that highly-skilled brass players (as pure brass players) will not be as necessary. These ensembles will then be less about brass music and more like any other kind of music ensemble (bands, orchestras). I've seen a lot of marching bands recently (in Texas), and the majority of bands just go nutz with electronics and synthesizers in the pit. When listening to some these bands, on-field instruments (even the brass) often are just accompaniment to the pit. Yes, some do...but overall most do not. I arrange for a band here in NJ. We compete in the USSBA II Open division (II meaning size class....small and Open meaning the top competitive level...it's not BOA caliber). The music I write uses every element of the band as appropriate, and I think most do this...though some are still "brass-centric" more than they should be, IMO. I am a drum corps fan because it is (or was) the only place to get my body literally physically rattled by brass resonance and my emotions yanked by huge dynamic contrast (much larger contrast than any other type of ensemble). For me, this kind of experience largely went away in 2000 with the introduction of Bb (and subsequent removal of G, due to economics.) I am (somewhat) willing to tolerate this reduction in brass volume and resonance. But, if you further diminish the role of brass, I'm really starting to lose interest. I find the volumes to be just fine. I think a lot of drum corps fans are like me. Not all fans, which is fine. But a lot. We each hold our own opinions, which is just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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