JimF-LowBari Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 (edited) So many ideas and so many opinions, so time to start a new thread. DCI has added amps and electronics and have had woodwind proposals. Sooooo..... 1) Who are the changes directed to? Are they to get more people able to try out for a corps? Are they to get more young people interested in joining a corps? Are they to get more butts in the stands and/or build up the fan/supporter base. 2) Is this gonna actually work? 3) (Bonus points): Should new proposals be more concerned with members, potential members, fans, corps themselves, other? Edited October 17, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 So many ideas and so many opinions, so time to start a new thread.DCI has added amps and electronics and have had woodwind proposals. Sooooo..... 1) Who are the changes directed to? Are they to get more people able to try out for a corps? Are they to get more young people interested in joining a corps? Are they to get more butts in the stands and/or build up the fan/supporter base. Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickhaltsforlife Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 So many ideas and so many opinions, so time to start a new thread.DCI has added amps and electronics and have had woodwind proposals. Sooooo..... 1) Who are the changes directed to? Are they to get more people able to try out for a corps? Are they to get more young people interested in joining a corps? Are they to get more butts in the stands and/or build up the fan/supporter base. 2) Is this gonna actually work? 3) (Bonus points): Should new proposals be more concerned with members, potential members, fans, corps themselves, other? 1) The goal should be make changes that will benefit the entire activity... and all that is opinion and speculation until the change is made and put into action. I think the goal is to expand the activity as much as possible while still maintaining an identity, that IMO is starting to slip away, but it is still there. 2) Is what going to work. Are changes going to work? Are synths going to work? I hope so, I am a huge fan of "Drum and Bugle Corps" but i see the addition of electronics could be a good thing. It adds so much more creativity, and could be extremely effective... just has to be used right. But i will still call the activity drum corps. 3) New proposals should have EVERYONE in mind. Everyone is what makes the activity go. I do think that we need to calm down on rule proposals. The activity has changed so much and as things keep adding into the mix people jsut finally realize how to use them (or still don't have a clue) and already the next new thing to tackle. I thought electronics would have come along much later, especially since corps are still struggling with effectively using amplification. George needs to calm down, and so does the board of directors. We don't need to try out every rule. Give the fans some time to adjust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob J Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 The problem is, with drum corps on a historic decline, it will be impossible to blame electronics etc for the demise (should it occur), unless we designate DCA as the control group (assuming they don't adopt similar rule changes). Time MAY tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScarletKnight Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 1) Who are the changes directed to? Are they to get more people able to try out for a corps? Are they to get more young people interested in joining a corps? Are they to get more butts in the stands and/or build up the fan/supporter base. There isn't one prospective member wavering on the fence that will now enthusiastically join a corps because they have a synth (except for the synth players themselves). The purpose of doing this is to allow for more artistic freedom, primarily, and secondarily to spark more audience appeal. A hidden goal for some would to give performing groups a crutch. 2) Is this gonna actually work? It will allow for more artistic license; whether audiences will like it is an open question. Drum corps audiences are attracted to certain sounds - solid, powerful brass, field drums, and traditional pit instruments; they are visceral and acoustic expression, and carry certain inherent qualities that are antithetical to a synth. Drum corps will not die because of this; some effects will be good, but there is a significant risk of gimmicks and cheesy add-ins detracting from otherwise good performances. It will NOT bring in new fans. 3) (Bonus points): Should new proposals be more concerned with members, potential members, fans, corps themselves, other? YES. All of these proposals for water features and other bells and whistles that will not get one more fan in the stands or one more member to march than otherwise would. Instead, the corps, collectively should be much more concerned with 1. securing their revenue and financial stability and 2. reversing the steady evaporation of competing drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 4)...will this be economically sound? they aren't cheap unless you have a sponsorship, and we all know there isn't equity there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTNK Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Groundbreaking topic here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 (edited) Groundbreaking topic here <Turning on Cletus the slack jawed yokel voice> Don't hurt yerself thinkin' too deeply now, ya hear.. Seriously, parts of my individual questions have derailed more than a few threads. Time to put them them together in their own thread and let DCPers have a whack. And care to tell me the last time this has been done as I don't remember it. And heavens forbid we actually have a serious and full discussion on topics that have a great effect on our activities future. Edited October 17, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7567BC Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Interesting topic. Regarding the question who will it benefit? I believe it primarily benefits the person who proposes the rules change. They are NOT concerned with the general good, directly, as much as they are concerned with thier own organizations welfare. First and foremost. If you don't believe that you are kidding yourself. Organizations who would present and support such a proposal, to using synth's, very likely can afford them. Lower tier corps may not have the finances right away to afford them or if they have some money, they may have to redirect it to try to keep up..to stay somewhat competitive. DCI should step up and have a committment proviso that unless ALL World Class corps are able to financially incorporate sythesizers into their program, no competing corps should use them. I know this may seem extreme, but I believe no one corps, or small group of corps, should have an UNFAIR ADVANTAGE that so constrains another corps from an equitable opportunity to compete and advance in ranking. No corps, by steering a rules change, should put such a burden on a fellow World Class member. It IS an example of the rich getting richer at the expense of the less fortunate. In a youth activity; that is simply not fair. For the philisophical view. The character of drum corps is being changed or dare I say..manipulated with these recent rules changes. I may be pointing out the large elephant in the room but it appears drum corps is becoming band. I for one don't like it. I like band. I like drum corps. But I don't like the homoginization of drum corps. There is great value in each activity staying in character. It would be like Nascar changing cars to open wheel. They'd be like Indy cars. What if the NFL changed footballs to round balls and instead of passing, they hit the ball with a stick...like baseball. Or like when my wife makes tacos but changes them to have a soft shell, and rolls it up filled with rice, and beans and meat and...now it's a burrito. Why can't drum corps stay drum corps and band be band. Let drum corp advance in the quality of the performance, in it's PRECISION (which is what was so cool about it in the first place). Drum corps can be about musicality, complexity of brass music and percussion and guard work and dance and movement and presentation. IN it's own world of its likited instrumentation. That made it unique. That made it appeal to me and thousands of others, yes thousands. It seems now that it is becoming nothing really special because it is becoming something else. You cannot and never should make a monkey be a horse. Thank you for allowing my POV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbg Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Let drum corp advance in the quality of the performance, in it's PRECISION (which is what was so cool about it in the first place). Drum corps can be about musicality, complexity of brass music and percussion and guard work and dance and movement and presentation. IN it's own world of its likited instrumentation. That made it unique. That made it appeal to me and thousands of others, yes thousands. It seems now that it is becoming nothing really special because it is becoming something else. You cannot and never should make a monkey be a horse.Thank you for allowing my POV. I dont think adding a synth will make corps work less on advancing the quality of performance and precision. The complexity of the brass and percussion will not change because the addition of a synth. I do agree with you about the complexity and precision of the guard work, dance and movement.......synth usage will have a major effect on that.....i mean i cant imagine how drastic of a change a synth is going to have on visual designers and staff members......that really worries me..........sacrasm off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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