The Death of Drum Corps

[AlanAndreasen]

It's pining for the fjords

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H6DSoqZz_s

LMAO

[LancerLegend]

Drum corps is no more dead than the automobile is. My argument - it's changed in ways I can no longer get inside and understand what is going on.....in the 60's and 70's, I could open a hood, get at the spark plugs, use a timimng light, adjust the dwell, etc. I understood if I did something, there would be a different result. When the EPA came along, when we discovered that we were polluting the crap out of our life on earth, when we realized that we needed better MPG to use less (although there are more drivers), etc - that is when engine design changed. When was the last time you knew someone who got under the hood of a late model car and tuned it?

OK - I am stretching this, but the old school visuals and instrumentation could not survive. We you realistically go to a show today to see corps coming off the starting line, marching at 120BPM, standing still for minutes at a time (a la concert)? I doubt it.

As local drum corps lost their feeder corps base, I remember how corps were attracting more and more band kids to survive. When we went to 2-valve sopranos, the drum corps kids were curious about using the valves, while the trumpet playing band kids were laughing about have 2/3 of a trumpet. It took a few years before all bugles transitioned to 2 valve. And, it became more legit as the bugles went to 3 valves - band directors had no reason to complain about the "ba$tard" form of music we played. As we wanted our drums to be tighter for better sound quality and projection, the equipment literally caved in from torque and tension. New designs prevailed. In the pit, musicians could behave and perform like real orchestra pits. Guards offered visual support with dance and movement instead of holding a rifle or flag pole stationary.

Kids today haven't got a clue about what the dinosaurs are trying to hold onto. Isn't that life? My parents, and grandparents lived through world wars, the depression, the Cuban missle crisis. I don't want my kids to deal with those - learn about them - but do not have to suffer from them.

It's not to say, I understand what some corps are trying to present, but there is a style that many corps align themselves with, and that what continues to capture me and my $$$$ support.

I am not sure there is enough space to make sense of my thoughts. Do you wear the same style of clothing that you wore when you were a kid? Drum corps is not dead, but it is different.

[nineiron]

You hit the nail on the head.

[apoch003]

Sorry, if your line can't catch the darned rifle, you're NOT better than the corps of 35 years ago. I don't care how fancy the dancing is.

Edited February 4, 2008 by apoch003

[Piper]

When I marched, the weapons sections had actual trigger guards, bolts, muzzles and points on their sabers. I know that most of that has been eliminated now for safety reasons, but I still liked them better.

Edited February 3, 2008 by Piper

[kusankusho]

Sorry, if your line can't catch the ###### rifle, you're NOT better than the corps of 35 years ago. I don't care how fancy the dancing is.

There were drops 35 years ago too. I agree about the dancing though. It isn't really visible in any decent size stadium.

[kmanv]

Drum corps is no more dead than the automobile is. My argument - it's changed in ways I can no longer get inside and understand what is going on.....in the 60's and 70's, I could open a hood, get at the spark plugs, use a timimng light, adjust the dwell, etc. I understood if I did something, there would be a different result. When the EPA came along, when we discovered that we were polluting the crap out of our life on earth, when we realized that we needed better MPG to use less (although there are more drivers), etc - that is when engine design changed. When was the last time you knew someone who got under the hood of a late model car and tuned it?

OK - I am stretching this, but the old school visuals and instrumentation could not survive. We you realistically go to a show today to see corps coming off the starting line, marching at 120BPM, standing still for minutes at a time (a la concert)? I doubt it.

As local drum corps lost their feeder corps base, I remember how corps were attracting more and more band kids to survive. When we went to 2-valve sopranos, the drum corps kids were curious about using the valves, while the trumpet playing band kids were laughing about have 2/3 of a trumpet. It took a few years before all bugles transitioned to 2 valve. And, it became more legit as the bugles went to 3 valves - band directors had no reason to complain about the "ba$tard" form of music we played. As we wanted our drums to be tighter for better sound quality and projection, the equipment literally caved in from torque and tension. New designs prevailed. In the pit, musicians could behave and perform like real orchestra pits. Guards offered visual support with dance and movement instead of holding a rifle or flag pole stationary.

Kids today haven't got a clue about what the dinosaurs are trying to hold onto. Isn't that life? My parents, and grandparents lived through world wars, the depression, the Cuban missle crisis. I don't want my kids to deal with those - learn about them - but do not have to suffer from them.

It's not to say, I understand what some corps are trying to present, but there is a style that many corps align themselves with, and that what continues to capture me and my $$$$ support.

I am not sure there is enough space to make sense of my thoughts. Do you wear the same style of clothing that you wore when you were a kid? Drum corps is not dead, but it is different.

I get your point. Your post sums up the main thoughts I had in my other thread. (much better written though) thanks

[ravedodger]

For me, drum corps really came alive in 2001 in learning of the senior corps resurgence on the west coast. It wasn't that drum corps was dead, but I had been so detached for so long until then.

[CrunchyTenor]

Drum and Bugle corps has NOT died!!! It has evolved and evolved over the past 50+ years to what it is today. Let's be realistic here, the horns have been changing from no valves to one valve to a valve and a slide to a valve and a rotor to two valves to three valves and then from G to Bb. EVOLUTION whether we like it or not everything must change. Football helmets have changed, race cars have changed, teaching has changed and student behavior has changed. We adapt and move on because worrying about yesterday is to late.

Drum corps are dying ...yes but we all know why that is ..BUT the activity is better, at least the product on the field is better from the top 12 to the worst corps in Open class.

Some good points, Keith. There are some slight differences in your examples and drum corps. Football helments have changed for better protection of the players. Race cars are faster and safer, too. But you don't see rules being changed in football to turn it into rugby, or NASCAR changing rules to race in F1. There are similarities between football and rugby. Race cars still go fast. I really doubt you're going to see homogenization happening in the other examples, but it is happening in drum corps.

Garry in Vegas

[byline]

There were drops 35 years ago too. I agree about the dancing though. It isn't really visible in any decent size stadium.

True, but I think there were fewer of them. And, of course, it's easy to see why: Under the tick system, there was a direct correlation between a drop in score, due to penalties, and equipment drops. Now, the connection is more tenuous. If there are tons of drops in a show, then chances are pretty good that lower visual scores will be awarded to reflect that fact. But since penalties are not assessed on a per-drop basis, there's not nearly the pressure on each individual to hang onto his/her equipment at all costs, and we see that in the level of execution. It's just the reality of today vs. yesterday.