Do New Ending Really Matter...score wise?

[afd]

I keep reading that everyone (well not everyone) has a new ending in the works. Does this really matter in terms of a better score? Seems to be a cliche talk. BD had a new ending in 2006 and i actually think that hurt then during finals week. The ending might have been better in terms of it being more dramatic but i felt it was not executed at the level of the rest of the show. Basically, it was not clean.

[hornline]

I keep reading that everyone (well not everyone) has a new ending in the works. Does this really matter in terms of a better score? Seems to be a cliche talk. BD had a new ending in 2006 and i actually think that hurt then during finals week. The ending might have been better in terms of it being more dramatic but i felt it was not executed at the level of the rest of the show. Basically, it was not clean.

It can be a good or bad thing. Most of the time a new ending is a good thing because it is a better ending. Some corps stick an easy ending on as a temporary thing at every days. Then put the real ending on later. Most corps "new" endings are effective and exciting which can generate more GE at the end of a show. In that case, it will help a corps. Of course, if you come out with a new, dirty ending it can hurt. These days with themes and stories, new endings can serve as a wrap up or closure to the story. I could see Phantom and Cavaliers coming out with this type of ending this weekend.

[NR_Ohiobando]

My experience being in marching shows says this-

Working on the same thing for 2 months straight is rather boring, that's why changes are put in to keep you busy. Putting in a new ending is more effective than any other change because...well...it's the ending silly! It also helps the corps gauge when to peak their performance ability at the right time(myth or fact, I believe peaking exists).

[shaners]

It also helps the corps gauge when to peak their performance ability at the right time(myth or fact, I believe peaking exists).

you mean that bluecoats 07 did not want to get 7th?

[corps fan]

i have wondered if this hurt Vanguard in '04. to be honest, i believe it depends when in the season you make the change and how drastic it is. when i marched, we extended our ending by just a few bars, threw in some fast drill and it worked, but it was significantly different, and it was always the intended ending, we just put what we were doing to have something instead of standing still early season.

when a corps puts something out late in the season, even waiting until finals week, the judges have no chance to get an early read on it and may not always get the intention of it. can this hurt the number on the piece of paper? depends on the day, the judge, the buffet ($1 to Max Sheridan) and if the new ending seems to work or not.

[jwillis35]

There are a lot of ways to look at this:

1. As corps come out of spring training, with say the exception of a few, like BD (who typically will have more time from January on to complete a show), most of them are dealing with time issues for each section of the show vs. amount of time left at camp to teach those sections. Often times the final tune, or more specifically the final minute or so will be "winter" material.

What I mean by that is this: music and drill ideas sketched out during the winter camps. These ideas will be charted, blocked, and rehearsed to some extent so the corps has a finished product. Sometimes these ideas are already very good, but typically things change once they are put on the field. The design staff always needs to see and hear things from that perspective, and once they do changes are usually made, or just minor tweaks.

But spring training can present many problems. Depending on when all your members arrive, keeping them healthy, weather, and more can play a part in how much show gets taught. And once sections of a show are inputed, changes are usually happening to make each section look and sound more the way they need to in order for the show to be outstanding. Often this means that the closer of the show is left with little time to make the same kinds of adjustments, so those tend to come as the season progresses.

2. Another reason for new endings is storyline or thematic show changes in which the show would be better served with a new ending.

3. Competition also plays a part. Some corps realize that without the final, perhaps very powerful push at the end, that they stand no chance against another corps. So competition drives some nice changes and quality in show creation when you look at it this way.

Now, having said that, is it always a good thing? Depends!

I have seen corps put in excellent new endings, but they couldn't clean them, therefore they failed to achieve their competitive goals, but they did entertain the audience with a solid close to their show.

Some corps have made changes, but they were not so good, and then they had to change again, and again, and once again, and unfortunately this leads to over-emphasis in rehearsals on one section of the show and others do not get as clean and proficient. The corps ultimately fails to realize their performance levels, and judges become confused by all the changes and what to look for.

I think making the change at the end of a show can be good if it's really needed, and then the change itself must be well done and taught to perfection. If this change is made too late, things could get dicey as far as score, and too early could negate the effect because other corps can then make theirs with still plenty of time to stay in the game.

For me, the big WARNING for any corps is this: If your show is not being performed well, fix that first before adding a new ending and frustrating your members even more. A new ending will not save and overall BAD show, or one that is performed poorly.

Additionally, I will say this:

There have been many times when the winner in any division ultimately makes the least changes but the most effective changes. I think of all the titles that Blue Devils and Cadets hold, yet most of their titles came on years when they made relatively few changes...more like tweaks and edits and some cuts, but very few major changes or new additions to the show. What those corps did was CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!!!! They know that PERFORMANCE in all captions is really what this is about, and judges can see that because more so than design, performance clearly stands out to the eye.

If there has been one corps that has truly mastered the late-ending-change, it's the Cavaliers. Their design team is so good that they typically make such changes and then teach them so well that the show just grows and gets better. And their performance levels are usually strong enough to stay with BD and Cadets, and sometimes they are the best across the board in all captions (2002).

[mad_scotty]

new endings can definitely affect finals placements. the most notorious example to me is the 95 cavaliers, they changed endings late in the year, and even though they had the weakest hornline in the top 6 (by far) and didn't hit a single drill set clean in the last 90 seconds of their show on finals night they vaulted past very good cadets, blue devils, and madison corps to take one of the surprising championships ever. i say surprising because cadets, madison and blue devils tied for high brass that year and marched exceptionally clean shows, and madison and the cadets had two of the better shows of all time in terms of audience appeal (we still thought that was being judged by the book back in 95). cavaliers had great drums and guard, but their marching (normally so strong) was very dirty, and the hornline was typical for the cavaliers of that era, maybe on an above average high school level at best. but they made changes to the ending 3 weeks from finals, and again 2 weeks from finals, and their scores just took off as compared to other shows that were basically "done" at that point, but were much, much cleaner.

[Bob984]

most of the time.....no........it is usually a desperate attempt to get more points and more crowd reaction.......also, usually the performance level isn't up to snuff as the performers haven't done it enough......it can work if it is great, but most new endings have not matched up to the hype given them.........what would be cool would be if a corps had 3 completely different endings prepared by the start of the season, and then used them at different junctures, seeing what the crowd likes, and then waiting to go with that one at nationals. However, most corps struggle just to get a complete show on the field in June, so that would be highly unlikely.....

GB

[Pinwiz]

There's no excuse for a lame ending a month into the season. There may be a million things to work on, but if the ending isn't right they should take time to change it. It's your last impression, and I can list a lot of shows that were saved by a wonderful ending.

[ouooga]

A new ending is just dripping with GE almost every time, and especially if it's on finals night or in finals week. My guess would be that half of the audience at finals had been to at least one other show that season (again, a guess), and you come in with an expectation of how the shows will go. If you get to see something new, you get excited and you scream and dance and throw babies and do whatever else you do. Clean or not, if the fans are screaming loud enough, judges will reflect that in the GE score.

And since GE is the big picture on the sheets, that's the area corps need to focus on in Finals week.