CrunchyTenor Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Since Ronald Reagan has been referenced a couple of times, I have a question for thosewho have seen them. In your opinion, would the crowd (and you) have still given them a standing O without the electronic instruments? Also, there are many more bands out there using electronics than the upper echelon at BOA, and most of them do it badly, IMO. That's what scares me, that someone will use it just because they can and potentially ruin an otherwise perfectly good show. Garry in Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievel Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 And the potential performers might also want to consider that [that many fans will not approve of synths] when they decide to audition or march with a corps. That way, they will not be surprised if/when people boo, get a hot dog, and make negative comments in forums such as this. The moment a potential corps member lets outside opinions influence where they march is the moment they lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_S Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Since Ronald Reagan has been referenced a couple of times, I have a question for thosewho have seen them.In your opinion, would the crowd (and you) have still given them a standing O without the electronic instruments? That's an impossible question to answer, because then it would have been an entirely different show. It's like asking if you'd still cheer for Phantom 1996 if they had no low brass sections that year. Well if Phantom didn't have the use of those sections then they wouldn't have performed the arrangements they did, and they would have had to put a very different product on the field. I will say that some of my favorite moments in Reagan shows, you know those moments that you look forward to hearing and give you goosebumps on the recordings, were produced electronically. To answer your hypothetical question as best I can, I would likely still have given them a standing ovation because they still brought excellent marching and playing to the field. Those things wouldn't go away with or without the use of electronics. The same is true of drum corps. The presence of electronics is not going to eliminate the excellence in marching and playing that we see every summer, just as grounding the pit didn't, and just as adding valves to the horns didn't. Also, there are many more bands out there using electronics than the upper echelon at BOA, and most of them do it badly, IMO. That's what scares me, that someone will use it just because they can and potentially ruin an otherwise perfectly good show. There are many more bands out there than can compete in BOA finals, sure. But these bands that you have in mind, not all of them use electronics. All of them use hornlines, drumlines and guards. You don't point to the poor high school shows that don't use electronics and say "this is why we shouldn't allow hornlines", do you? Bad design is bad design, and it doesn't need the presence of electronics. Heck, there have been plenty of poorly designed shows in acoustic DCI shows over the years - you could probably think of a couple yourself. I'm not going to sit here and say that there will never be a poor use of electronics either. As a matter of fact, I promise you that there will. But to use BOA in my hypothetical, just because Podunk HS designed a poor show with electronics, is that sufficient reason for BOA to say that Reagan can't use electronics, even while Reagan is putting out exciting shows every year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple Forte Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Gah, you must have hated Phantom this past summer. Actually, it's sort of funny you mention the 2008 Phantom Regiment. They are a perfect example of why I don't think electronics (Or narration) is needed. They told an amazing story without resorting to amplified narration or electronics. The story telling that BOA is pursuing is 95% amplified narrative....a lot of times pre-recorded. BOA Example: Amplified narration: "The wind swept" Electronics: cue sound effect of the wind DCI Example: 2008 Teal Sound The wind swept utilizing a non-amplified percussion instrument As far as being more creative....whats more creative Coming up with a device that will generate a certain acoustic sound? Pressing a key on a laptop or synth/keyboard that reproduces any desired sound? BTW....I loved Phantom's show in 08..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsFan27 Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 Well I guess everyone has an opinion on it.... The fact of the matter is that I am MUCH MUCH more offended by the use of amplified voice than I am by the use of electronics and samplings. Some will abuse it more than others and not everyone's show will be your cup of tea, but to limit the creative possibilities of these groups b/c one simply doesn't like "electronics" is absurd. Woodwinds....sure we have a problem...we're changing the game, but electronics...we're just adding some sprinkles to the icing. Not everyone likes sprinkles. I think it's more than just adding sprinkles and icing, seeing that synthesizers are neither brass nor percussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 You call it complaining, people here are telling you how they feel. Cadets put a stage on the field, synths,talking,people standing behind sheets and SCV comes out doing a bad ### Drum Corps show no props or electronics. I have $1000 for the summer to donate. SCV gets $1000, its that simple. Its not complaining, its telling you the way I feel. I cant remember the last time I bought a Cadets shirt. Jas If you don't like how a corps uses something, be it a new 'something' or and old 'something', fine. The heart of my comment deals with the complaining about it before one note has been heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 LOL.Most bands that use electronics are horrible. . .so we don't have much precedent set for a real positive experience with electronics. Which is an absolutely ridiculous statement...IMO of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I have heard hundreds of electronic notes and effects from hundreds of marching bands through the years. I have all the evidence (Exposure) to electronics on a marching field I need to form an educated opinion. I hate them...... PS.....it was the same case as amps and narration. There have been excellent and not so excellent uses of both in DCI...as with marching bands. I expect the same with electronics as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vferrera Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 If you don't like how a corps uses something, be it a new 'something' or and old 'something', fine. The heart of my comment deals with the complaining about it before one note has been heard. Who has not heard a synthesizer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Who has not heard a synthesizer? That wasn't the point. No one has heard note one from how the DCI corps will be using them, yet there are these "normal" DCP complainers at it already. To be expected, I guess, yet to me a sad thing to see. Drum corps has never been a stagnant activity in my lifetime in adding and trying all sorts of new things, instrumentation-wise, guard-wise, visual designs, etc. I see no reason to stop now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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