Bi-Annual Rules Congress for DCA

[Dale Bari]

Well - I can answer Point 1B from my personal experience:

That's fine. I've seen a lot of "Yes, it's true"/"No, it's not" back and forth without much attribution. Thanks.

[LegalEagle50]

Alliance & Fusion both should have been above some of their Open Class competitiors. (And I know this will #### alot of people off, but remember I'm a fan:) There was no way Renegades should have made Finals at the expense of some of the higher quality corps that didn't. Don't get me wrong, I thought their show was very entertaining and musically excellent, but their drill design was almost anemic and even then, marched incredibly sloppy. Musically, they were a s good as always, but visually dissappointing. But I digress.... If any Class A corps was ever going to be in the Open Top 10, it would have been Alliance this year. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

Sayre ~ we don't always see eye to eye on too many things, but i have to give you credit. you don't shy away from your beliefs and opinions. you call it as you see it and don't dance around figuring out how to make what you feel into sunshine and butterflies and rainbows so everybody is happy~happy.

that being said ~ the last time i said something negative about the Renegades, despite being a fan, some people called me every name in the book, and some that weren't too. so good luck with the fall out on that.

and IMO i would have replaced Cru with Alliance this year in the Top 10.

*now excuse me while i duck and cover the onslaught of bombs on this one*

[Gary Matczak]

Okay,..............so amps are beat to death, some discussion on size limitations.................any other ideas or proposals?

[MoonHill]

Okay,..............so amps are beat to death, some discussion on size limitations.................any other ideas or proposals?

I still like Sayre's proposal from... way back when, in a completely different thread. About a "below Class A" class that would give such groups a clear competitive venue at DCA-sanctioned shows, without tempting them to go to DCA to "win it all".

[Gary Matczak]

I still like Sayre's proposal from... way back when, in a completely different thread. About a "below Class A" class that would give such groups a clear competitive venue at DCA-sanctioned shows, without tempting them to go to DCA to "win it all".

The 2005 mini corps contest held on the field in Scranton, is the ideal approach to filling that nitch,................cone off the 40x50 area, do it standstill or mini drill, and have at it,.................I've often said that adjudicated mini corps, at regular season shows would certainly help fill out show bills in and out of the NE...................

[Gary Matczak]

I still like Sayre's proposal from... way back when, in a completely different thread. About a "below Class A" class that would give such groups a clear competitive venue at DCA-sanctioned shows, without tempting them to go to DCA to "win it all".

double post

Edited October 16, 2008 by Gary Matczak

[MikeD]

It is not exactly the same thing as amps and mics. In fact, it is close to being the exact opposite. A scoop physically deflects the sound waves, re-directing the natural sound that would normally propagate in a direction away from the observer toward the observer. It doesn't change the frequency, phase, or amplitude of the wave. It just focuses MORE waves in a particular place. If it alters anything, it combats the inverse square rule of wave attenuation.

The intent of the scoops is exactly the same as the intent of miccing the keys....to make the instruments place their sound where the staff wants that sound placed.

So yes, they are exactly used for the same thing.

Scoops also don't have the potential for causing distracting, unintentional sounds. A mistake with a scoop is the same as without a scoop, and no new ones can be introduced. It's still all on the players to perform correctly - or not.

As a judge evaluating the sound, it makes no difference where and how that sound is produced. If the resultant sound has an unintentional negative impact on the ensemble sound as a result of a problem with the amps and mics, that should be part of the evaluation. No need for special comments on the sheets. The judge should just make comments on what he or she is hearing, and score as they deem appropriate.

Scoops also don't have other features that have to be locked down and ignored to avoid violating the rules - or to tempt the corps into using them, hoping to not get caught. Scoops are ON all the time, so they don't have level or volume controls that can be fiddled with at various times to cover up something. Again, the quality of the performance is dependent 100% on the players.

That has nothing at all to do with how the sound is judged. If a corps is cheating, they should suffer whatever consequences are in place for such actions. That is outside the parameters of what the judges do in listening to the ensemble.

Thus, with scoops, a judge's positive and negative comments are based solely on the abilities and performances of the players - and nothing else. That is not guaranteed to be the case with amps.

So what? A judge judges the totality of the presented ensemble sound. That is a distinction without a difference to what the judge evaluates.

[The Oz]

You know Jim, I never thought I would ever agree with anything you said but thanks to my own personal experience I have to. The two winter lines I teach (one being a WGI regional winner) got better scores once we were able to pony up and score what we joke around as “the money points”

New battery set

New pit equipment

Bass Cab

Amps, board, under armor uniforms, etc.

So yeah, I will give it to you money talks… to a point

I can also say that there were plenty of schools out there with better and better equipment, we had, and we kicked their rears from one side of the gym to the other. It’s a balancing act. It’s like the old saying. “The gun is only as good as the man who shoots it.”

Calvin, I think you just came up with a rules proposal. Let's divide the scoring into a Talent Score and a Money Score. The Talent Score is done pretty much the way things are today. Then we calculate the Money Score by totaling the cost of all of the pit equipment and guard props, and dividing each by the number of members in each. Add and divide by two.

Now you can use the Money Score as an adder, or as a handicap.

We can call it the Carr Method.

(And thanks for actually reading one of my posts; rather than just reacting.)

[Kyle B]

Here is my reaction.

Pretty #### dumb.

Especially since you'd have to force there be some kind of yearly, even monthly audit of every drum corps out there, not to mention the fact its pretty stupid.

And why just pit and guard? Back before a grounded pit, people marched bells and timpani and cymbals. Why penalize now, just because you don't like the pit?

[Fran Haring]

no but I can spell enforced socialism.

Me, too:

F-i-n-a-n-c-i-a-l B-a-i-l-o-u-t P-a-c-k-a-g-e

More on topic....... If a corps has the resources to add whatever they can add to their product.... under existing rules.... then go for it, IMO.

Fran

Edited October 17, 2008 by Fran Haring