Which corps will add woodwinds?

[MikeD]

I can see that, but I think he was referring to people who are promoting the woodwind agenda. I don't have to remind you, Mike, that anyone who wants to create a summer band circuit is welcome to do so. I can even put you in touch with some people who tried it.

Yes, theh are. But, the most likely place for it to happen far down the road is with DCI...but only if and when they powers-that-be think it is needed.

Regarding 6 piccs or Eb clarinets on the field, I believe the definition of a minor second interval is two piccs playing in tune. I don't want to think about 6 of them.

Wow, we have marched as many as 9 in the band I write for, out of a total wind size of 50 or so.

In more than one band that I've taught, the dynamics for the woodwinds outside was always FF. It didn't matter what the dynamic was on the page, they played FF. They were better able to balance the brass, and had a HUGE sound when the brass rested. When we did that, music scores went up.

That's not how we do it with the band I teach, which has been pretty successful at the local USSBA level over the years.

[BozzlyB]

To answer the original question......The Cadets. They seem to be pushing the envelope more than anyone else out there.

No, they just copy BOA.

[BariEuph]

Then there is the whole mess of arc rehearsal and warming up. Many of you know the simplicity of warm-ups with the use of "fingering" signals. I.e. Middle finger down means second valve only. (Probably didn't need to explain that). What are you supposed to do with saxes in the arc since their fingerings are totally different. Its just too much of a headache to work with. Yeah bands works with it all the time but....thats band and warm ups are different.

i'm in NO way condoning or supporting WW in DC - but this wouldn't be as difficult as you'd imagine. the musicians that made the line would presumably be of a certain caliber. it is quite easy to teach them the sequence - many marching bands use a remington type exercise for warm ups. WWs learn the notes and play them. adding the level of "this note is associated with this brass fingering, etc" wouldn't be that much more assuming these are intelligent musicians... IMO.

plus, would it really be that bad to start referring to notes by their concert pitch names, instead of "middle finger trumpets!"? so if you're in the box and you hear a wrong note you could just yell "fingering on that F" instead of "okay trumpets, fingering on your G, Baris/tubas your F - and so on and so on"

just a thought. i realize fingering corrections are quicker but notes would work also.

again, i am in NO way condoning or supporting WWs in DCI. lol.

Edited September 10, 2008 by BariEuph

[Rhumbline]

If drum corps chooses to add woodwinds, it is their perrogative. When they do, they will be organizations that are weak sisters to outfits like the USC Trojans, Michigan Band, Ohio State,Auburn Univ. and so many other huge well funded nationally recognized bands. The drum corps identity at the moment is largely the reason that the corps that are surviving today are still here.

Edited September 10, 2008 by Rhumbline

[beforeforever12]

Why are BOA regionals and Grand Nats in domes, then?

They aren't. I have been to Regionals outside...in Houston.

Don't get me wrong though. Woodwinds are good for fires and headaches (in Drum Corps exclusively of course!)

[FTNK]

Then there is the whole mess of arc rehearsal and warming up. Many of you know the simplicity of warm-ups with the use of "fingering" signals. I.e. Middle finger down means second valve only. (Probably didn't need to explain that). What are you supposed to do with saxes in the arc since their fingerings are totally different. Its just too much of a headache to work with. Yeah bands works with it all the time but....thats band and warm ups are different.

I'm pretty sure every World Class corps out there uses note names and such. I can see back in the old days when members weren't exactly musically literate that things were taught by rote and "middle finger, such and such partial" would be the most effective way to indicate what to play, but every corps I know of has written out parts and warmups that are memorized, and you can do that exactly the same on woodwinds as brass. Most warmups are just a sequence that is repeated down a half step until you get to the next partial then back up. When they had G bugles and kids weren't used to what the sounding pitches on the horns were, it could make more sense but with Bbs I've never heard someone say "go to your middle finger note on this partial" or whatever. Never seen these hand signs you speak of either.

Now, it might not make sense to warm up/teach the woodwinds the same way, because a lot of the exercises are centered around lip slurs and making sure you have the same quality and richness of sound and flexibility with 2nd and 3rd valves down as you do with just 2nd valve down, and that just doesn't apply the same way with woodwinds. It would be interesting to see how corps handled it; the brass caption head running all the winds, or a separate woodwind caption head/tech (if it was a smaller section like just adding 16 saxes like I proposed before) deal with them and have them join up at ensemble? Who would be in charge of the overall wind sound, would the brass caption head be, or would they collaborate, or would there be a "wind caption head" that both answered to? I'd imagine each would have their own way.

[FTNK]

If drum corps chooses to add woodwinds, it is their perrogative. When they do, they will be organizations that are weak sisters to outfits like the USC Trojans, Michigan Band, Ohio State,Auburn Univ. and so many other huge well funded nationally recognized bands. The drum corps identity at the moment is largely the reason that the corps that are surviving today are still here.

I don't see them doing things similar to what drum corps do, so this argument doesn't really make a lot of sense. The Ohio State band is all brass and percussion, but that doesn't make drum corps "weak sisters" to them.

[Jeff Ream]

if it happens, the more telling thing to look for is how many fans walk away

[Jeff Ream]

As someone who has sat in those meetings for over a couple decades, I've got to say that what you speak is profoundly accurate.

Please allow me to expand upon your insights.

The instructors who would be voting on woodwinds in drum corps are BRASS and PERCUSSION instructors. Unless there is a groundswell of woodwind instructors added to drum corps brass and percussion lines, there is NO political pull among the present instructors to see their influence diluted by the addition of another line of instruments.

Now if woodwind instructors somehow take over, the paradigm could change. Let's say a few dozen woodwind instructors clandestinely conspire to get hired in drum corps by working hard to become brass and percussion instructors, keep their motive secret while they learn what they need to know to instruct brass and percussion and then infiltrate the activity en masse, THEN there would be a realistic chance that the instructors present in those caucus meetings would want woodwinds on the field.

The chance of a meteor hitting the earth and turning us all into Kenny G devotees is far greater.

actually, a lot of those people voting are MUSIC educators, which means they have to know a little bit about everything, even if they did vote in amplification without figuring out how it really works

[Michael Boo]

actually, a lot of those people voting are MUSIC educators, which means they have to know a little bit about everything, even if they did vote in amplification without figuring out how it really works

Yes, but they're still specialists in the caption they teach.