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Battery Volume


Sneauxdog

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It wasn't you! :S Sorry for the confusion.

Let's be honest, you laughed at him and listed powers of 2 because you didn't know any better, and must have thought he was out to lunch. No?

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Let's be honest, you laughed at him and listed powers of 2 because you didn't know any better, and must have thought he was out to lunch. No?

I've seen more than a few posts (not just drummers) that disrespect the older style drum corps or people who marched during that era. I've noticed in general that a lot of younger people seem to have some strange (and false) ideas about what went on in the 1970s and earlier. I don't know where they get these notions, and I suspect that perhaps some of today's drum corps could spend a little more time teaching the same kinds of respect that we were taught 20 and 30 years ago. Few seem to realize that drum corps of the 1970s was nirvana in the marching world. Most hs and college bands were doing show styles with very little conceptualization of uniformity. Drum corps was much more distinctive in those days when compared to other marching arts. That's not a slam on today's corps-it's actually an acknowledgement that marching bands have drastically improved in the last 20-30 years (mainly by adopting corps style!).

Many folks also seem to take it as a personal slam when drummers mention the volume issue or brass players notice the differences between b-flat brass and the old g-bugles. It's kind of bizarre to dismiss or denigrate something that you've never seen or heard. It is definately true that the older instruments were louder, more difficult to play and maintain and were probably of inferior quality compared to today's instruments. Anyhow I suggest that instead of being dismissive, it might be more fruitful to understand drum corp's past and traditions. Moreover, although drill standards and style has changed drastically the individual players were every bit as good as their modern counterpoints. Simply suggesting that the volume of today's lines is not quite up to snuff is not a slam on the lines. Today's drum lines are as limited by technology as their ancestors in the 1970s and earlier. Those folks who came before us shaped the activity and made it possible for me to enjoy the activity as a musical and social experience both as a member and fan.

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Let's be honest, you laughed at him and listed powers of 2 because you didn't know any better, and must have thought he was out to lunch. No?

Actually, you are the flamebaiter I was referring to.

pearlsnaredrummer77, are you referring to me by quoting his post, or him? It doesn't make sense either way, I'm just curious.

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Actually, you are the flamebaiter I was referring to.

Thanks for pointing that out, because I had no clue you meant me...you were a jerk to the guy and I called you on it. Oh well. I guess these are the so-called flames I was baiting.

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Stryfe... you've just lost any respect gained from reading your posts in the WC forum...

I "lol'd" as well at you calling out your own ignorance. - then blaming it on generational standard? pffh. 24th notes are neither ancient nor unusual to hear. Do you play in any meter but 4/4?? say... 12/8 for example?? cmon man. I'm almost disappointed.. its so elementary. Adam picks you apart like the detroit lions pass defense and you try defending it like "oh, in that case i'm laughing at something else.. *nervous smile*.. "

laughable.

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I have a question.

I'm going to show my ignorance here, but you have to learn somehow!

I went to a DCI show in Lafayette, LA this past summer. I had what I thought were "good" seats (40 yard line - about 15 rows up from the field). Most of the time when the horns were playing, I couldn't hear the battery. I could hear the pit instruments just fine. The horns were just much louder than the drums.

Are the battery drummers holding back? Are they told not to play "too loud" and overpower the horns? They certainly weren't doing that!

This seemed to be the case for all of the corps that performed.

Was I just in the wrong place to hear the battery?

Take any dca or dci drumline, the pretty standard 5 bass, 9-10 snare, 5 tenors and put them against lets say Cabs alumni or god forbid Sky Alumni drumline. No comparison. Cabs will blow them out of the water and Sky's Snareline alone will leave ears ringing. It is the material of the heads and style of playing. You can pound as hard as you want on a kevlar head and still not have the same amount of volume as a milar or plastic head. Of corse kevlar is great for articulating very soft grace notes, but sheer overall power, kevlar doesn't match. This of corse being of my own opinion considering I played on both. I could be wrong of corse. I would recommend kevlar to corps using b-flats but for those still using G's, there might need to be dynamic changes. Which is another key issue. Usually the percussion arranger has to mirror the brass charts. But the brass arranger HAS to adjust dynamics of the hornline to the battery and pit ensambles. Because any dolt can tell you that any horn player can be louder than a drummer. It is if they have the balls to PLAY the horn. Drums can only go so loud before being drowned out by the horns.

Edited by Skydrummer9
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