Martybucs Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Just read a post where someone is excited about getting into SCV. That's cool. Someone else asked, "What section?" She answered, "Trumpet." It will always be soprano to me and tubas will always be contras. I remember way back in 1964, I was 11 years old, and a friend asked me to check out a drum and bugle corps with him. He said they give you a horn and everything. I said OK and went. They gave me this old, dented, tarnished CONN bugle. One valve and a brass stick soldered onto the tuning slide. Back then, I actually was expecting a trumpet because I had never seen a bugle like that. I remember asking Rich Lucia, the horn instructor, "What's this?!" He answered, "It's a bugle kid. Ya blow in the little end." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Just read a post where someone is excited about getting into SCV. That's cool.Someone else asked, "What section?" She answered, "Trumpet." It will always be soprano to me and tubas will always be contras. I remember way back in 1964, I was 11 years old, and a friend asked me to check out a drum and bugle corps with him. He said they give you a horn and everything. I said OK and went. They gave me this old, dented, tarnished CONN bugle. One valve and a brass stick soldered onto the tuning slide. Back then, I actually was expecting a trumpet because I had never seen a bugle like that. I remember asking Rich Lucia, the horn instructor, "What's this?!" He answered, "It's a bugle kid. Ya blow in the little end." kinda hurts when i hear the words trumpets and tubas.................in my town,in the 60s and 70s,high school band directors disliked the 5 corps we had,and in some cases were outright hostile to them.seems like the band directors won the contest!kinda funny though......................i learned how to read notation,in drum and BUGLE corps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I called the trumpets sopranos all weekend at Pioneer over the weekend. The kids dont care. The contra players dont like being called Tubas though (especially Alumni dudes). The kids dont care. Maybe we should learn from kids on this one... DA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 I called the trumpets sopranos all weekend at Pioneer over the weekend. The kids dont care.The contra players dont like being called Tubas though (especially Alumni dudes). The kids dont care. Maybe we should learn from kids on this one... DA I don't think there's anything to really learn here from the kids. Tolerance? Maybe, but we could use that in everything. I think the kids are merely showing apathy in this aspect of corps because they don't know any different. However, sometimes terms are important since it is still supposed to be drum corps, I think the old terms suit better. For example, to you, someone might be an American Indian and you're fine calling them by that name. If they happen to be a member of the Sioux Nation, they might chafe at the term American Indian, even if you think it's OK. Tradition, (theirs), and protocol seems that the terms used should reflect the spirit and integrity of the person or activity. Growing up in drum corps, I'm just used to the old terminology and I can't get used to sopranos, (even if they're playing Bb trumpets), being called trumpets or contras being called tubas. Especially since it always really referred to voicing rather than instrumentation. (uh, oh. can open. worms everywhere!) Personally, I feel no animosity towards anyone using the terms trumpets or tubas. I like trumpets, I have seven of them and a Bb baritone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I don't think there's anything to really learn here from the kids. Tolerance? Maybe, but we could use that in everything. I think the kids are merely showing apathy in this aspect of corps because they don't know any different.However, sometimes terms are important since it is still supposed to be drum corps, I think the old terms suit better. For example, to you, someone might be an American Indian and you're fine calling them by that name. If they happen to be a member of the Sioux Nation, they might chafe at the term American Indian, even if you think it's OK. Tradition, (theirs), and protocol seems that the terms used should reflect the spirit and integrity of the person or activity. Growing up in drum corps, I'm just used to the old terminology and I can't get used to sopranos, (even if they're playing Bb trumpets), being called trumpets or contras being called tubas. Especially since it always really referred to voicing rather than instrumentation. (uh, oh. can open. worms everywhere!) Personally, I feel no animosity towards anyone using the terms trumpets or tubas. I like trumpets, I have seven of them and a Bb baritone. must grugingly agree with donny on this.........as long as young people are achieving sucess..........and becoming better musians we should let it be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 must grugingly agree with donny on this.........as long as young people are achieving sucess..........and becoming better musians we should let it be. I'm OK with it, but I'll never get used to it. However, it kind of goes along with knowing and respecting the past. To some it's important. To others it's not. Worth fighting over. Not to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I have to make the adjustment nearly every week because I teach both groups of instruments. Sometimes I slip, that is for sure. My point is the kids dont care what I call it as long as they are getting information to help them. The alumni guys seem to frown upon being called tubas and trumpets WAY more than the opposite way around. Plus many of them have been around at least as long as I have or longer. I keep working because I can make the adjustment and not let it deter me from making kids (and adults) PLAY!!!! I really do have a passion for this stuff if you couldn't tell. Adjustment is necessary for me to have work in this activity. Plus I am a music educator, so it isnt that difficult to see what the activity is today in all areas. Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 I have to make the adjustment nearly every week because I teach both groups of instruments. Sometimes I slip, that is for sure. My point is the kids dont care what I call it as long as they are getting information to help them. The alumni guys seem to frown upon being called tubas and trumpets WAY more than the opposite way around. Plus many of them have been around at least as long as I have or longer. I keep working because I can make the adjustment and not let it deter me from making kids (and adults) PLAY!!!! I really do have a passion for this stuff if you couldn't tell. Adjustment is necessary for me to have work in this activity. Plus I am a music educator, so it isnt that difficult to see what the activity is today in all areas. Donny I hope it's only some good natured ribbing and not actual complaints about mixing the terms up. I understand it with the older guys because they have a point of reference for both terms and the kids - not so much, if at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Argul Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Not that big a deal. Way back in the day when bugles added keys or valves (when men were men.....and sheep were nervous!) the folks that played the horns without them pined for the 'good old days.' The 'G' people flipped with multikey (although I am still waiting for someone to use a D trumpet!.....c'mon, I dare ya!) One day we will most likely look back with a tear trying to remember when it used to be all brass, or all acoustic, or all human! Who knows? That's why this kind of forum is great! Stay in touch with the past so we remember who we are, where we came from and from there we can all have a better grasp of where it is we are possibly going. Some of us don't have to go along for the ride, but just remember, nobody likes a backseat driver. Peace, Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 I guess it isn't a BIG deal. It truly is a little deal, but it's like watching something you grew up with and loved die bit, by little bit. Just an insignificant use of terms to some. To others it's one more piece of what they treasured taken away to the dump because it has little meaning or importance to anyone else. The argument has always been made about defining a bugle either by it's key or whether or not it has valves, etc. there are plenty of arguments to make either side valid. It's just that, in spite of all that verbal sparring by people that like to argue such things, we always called them bugles; they were sopranos down to contras; it was a drum and bugle corps. Now they're trumpets and tubas and it's just a band. Albeit, very good bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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