An open ended question...

[Dave]

There's some truth to the idea that if you choose the same equipment you'll have an easier time producing uniformity of sound...some. The thing is, if drum corps is going to bill itself as some sort of music education experience, it ought to be doing that, and forcing everyone onto the same mouthpiece has nothing to do with music education--quite the opposite, in fact. Obviously horns are a different matter in drum corps, no one carries around marching equipment at least when they're still in high school or college. But I have the same problem with the mouthpiece issue in drum corps that I do with some of the area bands that, for example, force their entire trumpet section to buy Bach Strads if they want to be allowed to play in band: when you do that, you cease to be about teaching music and encouraging students to seek out equipment that fits them best and that allows them to improve as musicians, and you start being all about you. Now, if drum corps is an amateur touring show designed primarily to entertain, that's cool, but junior corps' been billing itself as an educational experience for a long time now.

Sorry if I seem cranky, just got off the road, but this is an issue that's rubbed me the wrong way for a long time, especially since I've been living in Texas and been exposed to some of the downright bizarre teaching philosophies down here.

[G-horns]

There's some truth to the idea that if you choose the same equipment you'll have an easier time producing uniformity of sound...some. The thing is, if drum corps is going to bill itself as some sort of music education experience, it ought to be doing that, and forcing everyone onto the same mouthpiece has nothing to do with music education--quite the opposite, in fact. Obviously horns are a different matter in drum corps, no one carries around marching equipment at least when they're still in high school or college. But I have the same problem with the mouthpiece issue in drum corps that I do with some of the area bands that, for example, force their entire trumpet section to buy Bach Strads if they want to be allowed to play in band: when you do that, you cease to be about teaching music and encouraging students to seek out equipment that fits them best and that allows them to improve as musicians, and you start being all about you. Now, if drum corps is an amateur touring show designed primarily to entertain, that's cool, but junior corps' been billing itself as an educational experience for a long time now.

Sorry if I seem cranky, just got off the road, but this is an issue that's rubbed me the wrong way for a long time, especially since I've been living in Texas and been exposed to some of the downright bizarre teaching philosophies down here.

Definitely off-topic, but since you brought it up....

Drum corps has NEVER been a music education experience. Unless you consider learning about 15 minutes of music and performing it over and over and over and (you get the idea) during the course of three months an educational experience.

I'm a drum corps die-hard and have been my whole life (born 1952). But if my kid wanted a summer music education experience, all expenses considered, I'd send him/her to a music camp where you learn from master musicians, not just egotistic horn blowers.

[Design Hound]

Definitely off-topic, but since you brought it up....

Drum corps has NEVER been a music education experience. Unless you consider learning about 15 minutes of music and performing it over and over and over and (you get the idea) during the course of three months an educational experience.

I agree, I learned more about responsibility, work ethic, organization and time management from drum corps than how to play a brass instrument.

Also, physical fitness and nutrition Ok, maybe not so much nutrition as eat as much food as you can every chance youg et when youre burning a million calories a day...

[Design Hound]

Plus since I started this thread, I'm ok with the off-topic-ness ;-)

All of these things I'm talking about in this thread are about drum corps brass playing... not about anything else (even marching band)

edit: suck at typing

Edited June 20, 2008 by Design Hound

[randomnoise]

Wow - surprising to hear the negativity towards what is an accepted drum corps practice. After many years of teaching at all levels, I have done a ton of experimentation. In SCV (80s), we allowed to members to use their choice of mouthpiece (within limits). It worked fine. BD beat us more than we beat them in Brass, using matched mouthpieces.

Now, most top juniors used matched mouthpieces. I am not the biggest fan, as I agree that all faces are not the same size, but it is interesting to see how well it has worked.

I AM a big fan of matched horns, though. The tuning advantages alone are enough to convince me.

Finally, sounds like some folks have had instructors who were more players than teachers, and feel that drum corps taught them little or nothing about music. That is sad, indeed, and I am glad that is not the case with me. I learned tons about technique, approach to the horn, breathing, phrasing and much much more from my instructors.

[mchromik]

Well, drum corps in not entirely about music education, but to say it was never about it is a bit of a distortion. In the early days most corps had to educate their kids from the ground up. We've all heard the stories. Nowadays they come in already knowing a great deal, but have to be taught a consistent technique and to perform as an ensemble. You can learn a great deal of what to do, and in some cases not to do, just watching and listening to warm-ups. As for the limited repetoire, you can learn some interesting things tearing apart and polishing 11 min. of music to a degree rarely seen outside the activity. Plus who just learns their show only nowadays? There are victory performance pieces, parade pieces, exercise and show-off pieces for the arc, ect.

The real value of drum corps comes in the life lessons and challenges it presents. period. That and the lifelong friends it makes.

Back on topic. Their is some truth to the idea of eliminating as many variables as possible in creating an ensemble. Sure you might sound best on a Jet Tone, but how do you fit in the ensemble? Unless you are going to be the next Maynard, part of your music education is learning to play in the group. Nowadays there are a plethora of options mouthpiece-wise. There seems great value in keeping everyone on the same cup shape and backbore and maybe giving them a range of rim sizes to choose from. Everyone is still going to sound different, but they surely will be more consistent then letting them choose willy nilly.

[Design Hound]

Ok ok, I alter my statement about music in drum corps...

I definitely learned a ton about technique, consistency and breath control...

But, not so much as far as sight reading or variety/quantity of repertoire and styles (though that is not the aim of drum corps anyway, for the most part). Sight memorizing however... Got very good at that

[Martybucs]

Back on topic. Their is some truth to the idea of eliminating as many variables as possible in creating an ensemble. Sure you might sound best on a Jet Tone, but how do you fit in the ensemble? Unless you are going to be the next Maynard, part of your music education is learning to play in the group. Nowadays there are a plethora of options mouthpiece-wise. There seems great value in keeping everyone on the same cup shape and backbore and maybe giving them a range of rim sizes to choose from. Everyone is still going to sound different, but they surely will be more consistent then letting them choose willy nilly.

This may be true for every section, except lead trumpet or soprano. Some lead trumpet sections don't play that high, but for those that do, allowing the player to choose what works best for them is a key to success.

Many lead players have seriously researched and experimented and though it is a continuing learning experience, have found something they prefer, (usually NOT a Jet Tone, but, hey...). Playing lead is more about comfort and endurance mixed in with all the technique and musicianship.

If you're playing on the staff most of the time and at moderate volumes, most lead players could do that for hours on end, on any mouthpiece and not break a sweat. However, if you have a demanding lead book with few rests and lots of upper register stuff, (you're counting ledger lines), then I think the lead player needs to have free reign to use the mouthpiece they have found works best for them.

If I went to a corps and they told me I HAD to use a Bach Mouthpiece, I would pass. I have played them, I know I play best on a 5C, but I hate the rim.

Does that mean I couldn't do the CNY Parade next year with Renegades?

[randomnoise]

This may be true for every section, except lead trumpet or soprano. Some lead trumpet sections don't play that high, but for those that do, allowing the player to choose what works best for them is a key to success.

I absolutely agree.

Does that mean I couldn't do the CNY Parade next year with Renegades?

In the CNY Parade, you can play on any mouthpiece or horn you want!

[jdostie]

If I went to a corps and they told me I HAD to use a Bach Mouthpiece, I would pass. I have played them, I know I play best on a 5C, but I hate the rim.

When I started, the horn instructor "highly recommended" certain mouthpieces to the horn line. For sopranos it was a Schilke 14. Most of us got that mouthpiece, but a few stuck with what they had, and a few bought variations - for example my friend bought a Schilke 15.

I am thinking though that the match between MP, horn, and player all effect the sound, so it seems like if you are saying we're all playing on horn X, then the player should be choosing the MP that gives the desired tone/performance for his embouchure and that horn. That seems like it's highly individual, but for young teenagers a "middle of the road" MP like the Schilke 14 might make sense until the players find a need for change.?.