Bi-Annual Rules Congress for DCA

[Gary Matczak]

No, but if you're concerned about it being heard, I'd probably stage my pit up front & center, not halfway back to the hash on the 40.

I will go along with that...................This year it seemed through the visual program that Renegades wanted to get the hornline and battery in moe of an "In your Face" position,.............which worked very well, but the pit suffered the consequences of that choice...............

Edited October 19, 2008 by Gary Matczak

[pito'evil]

Didn't Heat Wave have their pit in the middle of the field a few years ago?

[Gary Matczak]

Didn't Heat Wave have their pit in the middle of the field a few years ago?

yes, as did Empire.......................worked well for HW as they had very limited battery, ......................

[MikeD]

Believe it or not, I actually kinda agree with your logic here. If you are going to say that we need to amplify the pit so that it can be heard loud and clear without forcing the players to toss aside good technique, causing key splits and injury, then the same merit should be given to putting mics on the contras. I've played in my share of 1-2 man contra lines. It would have been great if I could have spent the season playing musically at a reasonable volume without forcing so much air and finishing the show out of breath. Would have sounded better too. Wouldn't feel like the last note of the show was my "death rattle."

Sounds like a great idea to me. Our HS split into two as gthe distrcit has grown, and the first year we had a total of 32 people on the field, ing a DM, 6 guard and 6 percussion, so we put wireless mics on certain instruments to achieve some sort of reasonable sound...tuba, clarinets, baritone, 2nd trumpet...a total of 11 wireless mics out of the 18 wind plaers.

Anything to create a better listening experience and better playing experience should be available IMO.

[MarimbaManiac]

So, alot has been said since the last time I logged in. I just want to mention a couple of points, and then excuse myself from this discussion, as it's clear we will never come to an agreement on this issue.

First, If you actually think that drum corps is less demanding now, you are mistaken. The evolution of the percussion book throughout the years has been STAGGERING. The top lines of even the late 90s couldn't hold a candle to the lines marching today, and that is coming directly from past members mouths. Not to mention the way these kids are flying across the field nowadays, the new visual expectations have been pushed every year (the Cavies busted that open in 2002, and never looked back). Kids today play with balls, they play with heart, and they play with every ounce of effort that we put into the program, and being "artsy" doesn't negate that.

Drum Corps is changing, it has already changed. When I began marching in the 90's, a lot of the things that you say defined drum corps (inspection, symmetrical drill, marching mallets, etc.) were already long gone. Does this make the drum corps I grew up with any 'less' drum corps than in the 70s? No. The details may have changed, but the general activity remained the same. I still worked my ### off all summer to put a musically and physically demanding show on the field, and had a great time doing it. I grew a lot as a performer, a musician, and a person. THIS is the rock that built drum corps, and THIS is what needs to be preserved.

The rest of the details, are just that, details. The details changed before I started, and they will keep changing long after I'm gone. As technology and creativity evolves, so will this activity, but the CORE of the experience will remain the same, and that's what matters.

Now, it's unfortunate that there are those out there who will restrict progress simply because they are scared of change, or because they have an unhealthy attachment to the activity that existed when they marched, but progress will roll forward. It will even happen here in DCA, in fact it's already happening! We are destined to follow in the footsteps of DCI (something that doesn't seem like too much of an issue, seeing as the 4 time defending champions have pulled their recent shows directly from the DCI top 12). The details of drum corps that you remember are now long gone, the details of the drum corps I remember are quickly disappearing, however the activity remains, and it's heart is intact.

In the end, there are two types of people in this activity: People who are busy looking to the past, and people who are focused on the future. I prefer the latter.

Edited October 20, 2008 by MarimbaManiac

[MoonHill]

In the end, there are two types of people in this activity: People who are busy looking to the past, and people who are focused on the future. I prefer the latter.

There are also those of us who enjoy both views, thank you very much.

[Sayre Kulp]

There are also those of us who enjoy both views, thank you very much.

Agreed. There are some aspects that have changed that I like. I like 3 valves as opposed to less. Being able to play those low D's and Eb's is nice. I just prefer drum corps to remain an acoustic outdoor activity without woodwinds or narration. To me, the addition of those entities changes that activity into something else, separate from drum corps as I have known it.

[Jeff Ream]

So, alot has been said since the last time I logged in. I just want to mention a couple of points, and then excuse myself from this discussion, as it's clear we will never come to an agreement on this issue.

First, If you actually think that drum corps is less demanding now, you are mistaken. The evolution of the percussion book throughout the years has been STAGGERING. The top lines of even the late 90s couldn't hold a candle to the lines marching today, and that is coming directly from past members mouths. Not to mention the way these kids are flying across the field nowadays, the new visual expectations have been pushed every year (the Cavies busted that open in 2002, and never looked back). Kids today play with balls, they play with heart, and they play with every ounce of effort that we put into the program, and being "artsy" doesn't negate that.

Drum Corps is changing, it has already changed. When I began marching in the 90's, a lot of the things that you say defined drum corps (inspection, symmetrical drill, marching mallets, etc.) were already long gone. Does this make the drum corps I grew up with any 'less' drum corps than in the 70s? No. The details may have changed, but the general activity remained the same. I still worked my ### off all summer to put a musically and physically demanding show on the field, and had a great time doing it. I grew a lot as a performer, a musician, and a person. THIS is the rock that built drum corps, and THIS is what needs to be preserved.

The rest of the details, are just that, details. The details changed before I started, and they will keep changing long after I'm gone. As technology and creativity evolves, so will this activity, but the CORE of the experience will remain the same, and that's what matters.

Now, it's unfortunate that there are those out there who will restrict progress simply because they are scared of change, or because they have an unhealthy attachment to the activity that existed when they marched, but progress will roll forward. It will even happen here in DCA, in fact it's already happening! We are destined to follow in the footsteps of DCI (something that doesn't seem like too much of an issue, seeing as the 4 time defending champions have pulled their recent shows directly from the DCI top 12). The details of drum corps that you remember are now long gone, the details of the drum corps I remember are quickly disappearing, however the activity remains, and it's heart is intact.

In the end, there are two types of people in this activity: People who are busy looking to the past, and people who are focused on the future. I prefer the latter.

first off, i do agree with a lot of what you say.

however, sometimes change for the sake of change is not always a good thing, and IMO, some of the things we're seeing into DCI aren't all that good. Really, a lot of the stuff i've seen in the band world, where so much is stolen from these days, isn't good there, and it hasn't been stellar in drum corps. there comes a point in time where enough has to be enough, and I think in many respects we're there as an activity. No offense, but take away the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc and your band audience is a lot smaller and a lot less diehard, especially with the prices....see what BOA is soaking this year for finals seats?

Also, the bleed over from indoor to outdoor is massive, and at times, when watching a drum break, i can't tell if it's a WGI solo player with bodies layering in to the ensemble hit or a drum break on the field.

what made drum corps cool all these years, even when you marched, which is roughly the same era I did is that there WERE differences. I teach bands, and I don't see kids running to join up to play electronics and talk into microphones. In fact, stuff like that gets laughed at a lot by band kids.

so There comes a time when maybe, enough IS enough. despite the many changes over the eras, the one thing that always helped drum corps was that it was DIFFERENT. And now, really especially on the junior side, there is little different, and that shrinks year by year.

No offense to the many quality bands out there, but I wouldn't pay $40 to sit and watch them. I would, have and will pay $150 to watch drum corps.

[hairbear]

So, alot has been said since the last time I logged in. I just want to mention a couple of points, and then excuse myself from this discussion, as it's clear we will never come to an agreement on this issue.

First, If you actually think that drum corps is less demanding now, you are mistaken. The evolution of the percussion book throughout the years has been STAGGERING. The top lines of even the late 90s couldn't hold a candle to the lines marching today, and that is coming directly from past members mouths. Not to mention the way these kids are flying across the field nowadays, the new visual expectations have been pushed every year (the Cavies busted that open in 2002, and never looked back). Kids today play with balls, they play with heart, and they play with every ounce of effort that we put into the program, and being "artsy" doesn't negate that.

Drum Corps is changing, it has already changed. When I began marching in the 90's, a lot of the things that you say defined drum corps (inspection, symmetrical drill, marching mallets, etc.) were already long gone. Does this make the drum corps I grew up with any 'less' drum corps than in the 70s? No. The details may have changed, but the general activity remained the same. I still worked my ### off all summer to put a musically and physically demanding show on the field, and had a great time doing it. I grew a lot as a performer, a musician, and a person. THIS is the rock that built drum corps, and THIS is what needs to be preserved.

The rest of the details, are just that, details. The details changed before I started, and they will keep changing long after I'm gone. As technology and creativity evolves, so will this activity, but the CORE of the experience will remain the same, and that's what matters.

Now, it's unfortunate that there are those out there who will restrict progress simply because they are scared of change, or because they have an unhealthy attachment to the activity that existed when they marched, but progress will roll forward. It will even happen here in DCA, in fact it's already happening! We are destined to follow in the footsteps of DCI (something that doesn't seem like too much of an issue, seeing as the 4 time defending champions have pulled their recent shows directly from the DCI top 12). The details of drum corps that you remember are now long gone, the details of the drum corps I remember are quickly disappearing, however the activity remains, and it's heart is intact.

In the end, there are two types of people in this activity: People who are busy looking to the past, and people who are focused on the future. I prefer the latter.

a most excellent post.