RIP, drum corps I knew

[FrontierEuph]

Really some good food for thought, jwillis35. I agree that waiting and seeing is a rational approach to any change.

4. Why did it happen? Well, there are lots of reasons. Instructors are better educated, generally come from music school backgrounds, and DO like to play with timbre, effect, and they like to experiment with what could be vs. what is. They are not as concerned about DCI's past or its' traditions, they are more concerned with where it goes and what helps them compete, recruit, create, challenge, and perform. This is not to say that everyone agrees with such reasons, but until the product suffers enough or until people stop showing up for camps, it is unlikely that drum corps will take a step back to the past. None of us really know the answer to this. You can say attendance is down, fewer corps exist, and fewer kids are auditioning, but there can be all kinds of reasons for that. Cost could be at the top of the list, and frankly it would be hard to bring that down given the current times. The top corps seem to draw plenty of people to their camps, and typically they are the most progressive in terms of music, show design, amps, voice, electronics, you name it . They also happen to be the best run and most advertised.

If you look at the historical top 5 (BD, Cadets, Cavies, Regiment, and SCV), only two of these corps have used amplified vocals so far: BD and Cadets. So, I do not believe that the top corps are 'the most progressive in terms of music, show design, amps, voice, electronics, you name it.' By the way, SCV, Regiment, and Cavies (the 'unprogressive' corps, by your definition) have always been my favorite, since the 80's.

At first it seems the argument was drums and bugles, now it's keeping things acoustic. Well, which is it? Maybe you wish to have both, kind of like the kid who wants everything he asks Santa to bring him for Christmas.

It's both--you're making a false distinction. All of this 'progress' that the 'dinosaurs' have railed against in the last 10 years has to do with drum corps' morphing into band, an indoor activity as much as an outdoor activity--band uses indoor instruments that need 'help' to be heard outdoors (woodwinds, etc.)

Ask yourself: why specificly is drum corps an outdoor-only activity? Really think about this question.

I've never thought of drum corps as a band concert on a football field because for most of drum corps' activities existence, it has been about humans (under human power only) doing super-human things like literally vibrating a football stadium with resonance and volume. Humans vibrating a football stadium is awe-inspiring. Electronic amplifiers vibrating a football stadium is called a (rock) band concert.

Edited January 29, 2008 by FrontierEuph

[Fran Haring]

Somebody tried to address that with some rules proposals, which the "instructors" killed before it could be debated at the board level. They don't want that dealt with. They want as much freedom and creativity off of the judging sheets as possible, apparently. DCI is going to be in a mess because they have implemented changes without any real accounting for them and instead of fixing that, they bring in more changes that will also have no clear accounting for them in the adjudication of the activity.

I'm on the record as being pro-electronics (for the most part), but this concerns me, too.

If a corps relies on electronics during their show, then they should be held accountable on the scoresheets if there are problems with the electronics during a performance (amps shorting out, fuzzy audio, poor balance between miked and accoustic elements, performers using poor microphone technique, whatever.)

It's the same as if a corps relies heavily on a brass soloist to "carry" portions of their show. They should be held accountable if that soloist has a bad day.

Frank Dorritie has a good point, in his latest edition of "Inside the Arc"..... if electronics are here to stay, then steps need to be taken to ensure that those electronic elements are utilized and performed in a manner that is of the highest quality possible. If those steps aren't taken, then I fear that the high-quality brass, percussion and visual elements that are the hallmark of the top DCI corps will be diminished by relatively amateurish attempts at the use of electronics.

Fran

[3rd_Star_Brigade]

You seem to be referring to Fourier Synthesis, but have forgotten the terminology. Any complex waveform can be analyzed as the sum of a number of syne waves.

The most familiar direct application of this principle was the Hammond Organ. [How could we have made it through the early 70s without "Green-eyed Lady" and "Whiter Shade of Pale"?]

But that is not the technical basis of the current over-the-counter electronics that will be utilized by the DCI units. The analog synths of the later 70s and the FM synths of the early 80s have been supplanted by sampling instruments. Virtually everything marketed today originates with a digitally recorded sample of another instrument. As such, the full range of the overtones (which define the timbre of the sound) is quite well represented. In the context of a field performance, it will be hard to tell the Live from the Memorex.

Thank you very much. I'll take more of a look at it.

I guess this isn't the worst thing in the world. I just dont want WOODWINDS! NO WOODWINDS.

Electronics is one thing. Flute lines are another.

[drumno5]

It will be easy for the kids now. You need triple forte - just crank it up - by turning a knob.

For better or worse, (and clearly, there are strong opinons being voiced on both sides) the new rules represent a major change for the activity. But I think a remark like this one erodes the credibility of your argument. With 150 members on the field, do you really think any major open class finalist will feel the need to use electronics just to make their impact points louder? Let's not kid ourselves - today's world class horn lines are just as loud as(if not louder than) they were back in the day(flame proof helmet in place). I think the "easy" thing is naive as well. Getting that stuff to sound good, at level consistent with the quality we've come to expect from the best corps, is going to be a pain in the *ss. Do you think those electronic instruments are going to play themselves?

Like it or not - by all means, everyone is free to choose. But trooping out the old standby stuff about how things were tougher/more righteous back in the good old days is just too simplistic.

peace,

Fred O.

[PercussiveEric]

WHY electronics?!?? There are still so many things brass hasn't even done yet.

[AnaheimAlumni]

Many of us new a long time ago but were chastised for being close minded, etc., etc., etc. Hope they all enjoy their Marching Band/Blast.

[Martybucs]

It will be easy for the kids now. You need triple forte - just crank it up - by turning a knob.

For better or worse, (and clearly, there are strong opinons being voiced on both sides) the new rules represent a major change for the activity. But I think a remark like this one erodes the credibility of your argument. With 150 members on the field, do you really think any major open class finalist will feel the need to use electronics just to make their impact points louder? Let's not kid ourselves - today's world class horn lines are just as loud as(if not louder than) they were back in the day(flame proof helmet in place). I think the "easy" thing is naive as well. Getting that stuff to sound good, at level consistent with the quality we've come to expect from the best corps, is going to be a pain in the *ss. Do you think those electronic instruments are going to play themselves?

Like it or not - by all means, everyone is free to choose. But trooping out the old standby stuff about how things were tougher/more righteous back in the good old days is just too simplistic.

peace,

Fred O.

I was thinking of the future "Milli Vanilli Cadets"

[Jared_mello]

I've never thought of drum corps as a band concert on a football field because for most of drum corps' activities existence, it has been about humans (under human power only) doing super-human things like literally vibrating a football stadium with resonance and volume. Humans vibrating a football stadium is awe-inspiring. Electronic amplifiers vibrating a football stadium is called a (rock) band concert.

amen.

[RichCranford82]

It's both--you're making a false distinction. All of this 'progress' that the 'dinosaurs' have railed against in the last 10 years has to do with drum corps' morphing into band, an indoor activity as much as an outdoor activity--band uses indoor instruments that need 'help' to be heard outdoors (woodwinds, etc.)

Ask yourself: why specificly is drum corps an outdoor-only activity? Really think about this question.

I've never thought of drum corps as a band concert on a football field because for most of drum corps' activities existence, it has been about humans (under human power only) doing super-human things like literally vibrating a football stadium with resonance and volume. Humans vibrating a football stadium is awe-inspiring. Electronic amplifiers vibrating a football stadium is called a (rock) band concert.

Well said my friend, the only thing I'll ask is how many honestly didn't think this was inevitable once they passed amps? Once you take away the unique aspect of being acoustic it only makes sense to not stop there, why would you? I say that with no animosity, if these and future changes help maintain a great youth activity and people show up and cheer, then more power to them. Just not my cup of tea anymore, although I'll probably look up some videos on youtube to check in from time to time, it's tough to go cold turkey with anything after 28 years.

[Harmonious Cacophony]

I guess all good things must come to an end... I guess now I should start building my Legacy Collection.