That thump you just heard was my father rolling over in his grave

[JimF-LowBari]

I'd say approach to sound is actually a bigger difference.

Gonna have to ask for more info than just the sound bite here.

Seriously not sure what you mean, and my posts here are directed at DCI only....

[fifer]

For most people, it goes like this:

Scouts: No history of usage of new tools in an overdone way (yet). Benefit of the doubt for the first season for most folks.

Cadets: Plenty of usage, to varying effect. Not much of a guess which way this goes with electronics, either.

We all have our personal biases, no?

But let's compare apples to apples - in reality, the "FIRST YEAR USING" a new tool reaction has gone more like:

Scouts 2009: No history of using electronics in an overdone way (yet). Benefit of the doubt for the first season - for most folks.

Cadets 2005: No history of using amplified voice in an overdone way (yet). Hoppy is ruining the activity and should resign immediately - for most folks.

[LAMystreaux]

Fail.

Hehe. That is kinda funny coming from you. Thanks.

[BigSnareline]

Hehe. That is kinda funny coming from you. Thanks.

Actually - it's just plain funny.

[Hrothgar15]

Gonna have to ask for more info than just the sound bite here.

Seriously not sure what you mean, and my posts here are directed at DCI only....

I don't think any marching band strives to sound like a drum corps and I don't think any drum corps strives to sound like a marching band, as a whole (at least comparing their brass sections). Two completely different ensembles with different instrumentation and different approaches to sound production. Keep in mind high school marching bands oftentimes still use upright marching euphoniums, trombones, sousaphones, etc. not found in drum corps.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Hrothgar15

[shawn craig]

I'd rather not have the electronics included in drum corps. However, since it is happening I think I will be ok with this.

Honestly, I'd rather hear some well done and tasteful electronics than amplified voice.

As long as it's done tastefully to enhance the show and doesn't take over, which I don't think it will any time soon, I'm fine.

If electronics ever become the focus of a show and take away from the brass and percussion then I WON'T BE HAPPY.

[glory]

But the subjective part is when do two groups appear so much alike that they lose what makes them unique? Like I said it's subjective so some feel MB = DC already and some (like myself) feel it's heading that way (at least in the DCI arena). My question is would be "From a show perspective, what makes DC different from MB". If the only answer is corps are more intense or work harder than bands, then the two groups are no longer unique. At this point the biggest difference is lack of woodwinds which ain't much.

Back in the day DC fans and marchers were proud of the differences between DC and other music groups. Part of the pride was that we worked under the handicap of less instrumentation (horns/drums only) and missing that third valve. Now it appears a bit of fear has crept into the mix and DC has to have and do what other groups do "or else".

Why must they be unique? Would you drive a car that’s lacking in features solely to be unique? To use my previous analogy, would you not listen to jazz just because you already like listening to classical?

There was a time when the difference between drum corps and band served a purpose for drum corps. I don’t see where being unique in this regard helps drum corps anymore. The uniqueness desired by some here is a denial of a fundamental shift in the composition of music today. Ignoring electronics is akin to insisting that fifes are essential to our art and must be included in the marching program. Not.

HH

[JimF-LowBari]

This part will be a shocker to some people but up until a few years ago Drum Corps did evolve while keeping the drums/horns/guard only aspect. Horns added voices and valves, drums added to snare, tenor, bass and guard went from marching with the corps carrying flag or rifle only. Other changes were going form military type music and drill to playing classical, jazz, etc and asymentric drill. Hades we even changed from key of G.

BUT in the last few years we have hit the "gotta change... gotta change... OMG we gotta change" mentality. And in DCI I've seen it rationalized that corps have to do things like bands so kids will still be interested and join. Considering that the top corps brag that hundreds of people try out for spots and the max is now 150 makes that concern pointless. To say that DC needs electronics to survive is just a scare tactic to me (OK I've seen too many political ads as I live in a battelground state).

[JimF-LowBari]

Why must they be unique? Would you drive a car that’s lacking in features solely to be unique? To use my previous analogy, would you not listen to jazz just because you already like listening to classical?

To go with your car analogy I don't buy cars with a convertable top feature (had one, big pain). Is it a problem to like something that doesn't have all the bells and whistles (ie ragtop or synths). And I like jazz, classical and many other music types. But I like each type for the differences ther have to offer. If a jazz band tried to sound like a classical group I wouldn't waste the money to buy the recording. (Which is different from my fav Chuck Mangione album with a full orchestra. Full set of instruments but still sounded like jazz.)

Guess the people who go to DC shows and not MB shows are wrong because they like something that's missing "features".

There was a time when the difference between drum corps and band served a purpose for drum corps. I don’t see where being unique in this regard helps drum corps anymore. The uniqueness desired by some here is a denial of a fundamental shift in the composition of music today. Ignoring electronics is akin to insisting that fifes are essential to our art and must be included in the marching program. Not.

When did you think the difference served a purpose and what purpose was that? Biggest two purposes I saw when I joined was having the corps survive and entertain the people.

And do you think all types of instrumental groups should be driven by todays music composition? As a non-music major IMO it sounds like egotism coming from the composers. IOW - "The way I compose has changed, so everything has to change to match". It would be like me telling everyone they have to change their computer O/S since I now work with Unix.

Edited October 16, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari

[crfrey71]

I absolutely disagree that DCI must go with electronics. Synthesizers have been around a few decades now. Why now? Why now must it be included in drum corps?

Now, I will give electronics a chance, but I fear that it will go much farther as it was intended. Why? Because that is what always happens (see amplification). Therefore, keep it out all together.

Synthesizers can replicate most instruments very good and very convincing. Should we move to eliminate traditional instuments because of this?

For example, golf went from wood shafts to metal, aluminum, titanium shafts...BUT...it is still a golf club. Yes, the balls go much further now, but they have also made the courses much larger. Golfers are still required to pencil and sign their own cards. I am sure we have the technology to overcome this. The caddies still carry the clubs and don't use a golf cart.

Just because technology is available to us doesn't mean we must use it. Golf has a lot of these rules to keep the tradition of golf where it is. there are places to incorporate new technology and other places where it needs to be kept out or minimized.