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Matched Grip Revolution of the 1970s/80s


pearlsnaredrummer77

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Hmm, I see a pattern here. Maybe it was you guys that "cursed" those corps. :thumbup: Just kidding. I can't get that picture to load, but I think it's the same one Rick showed me in another thread. Glen was an instructor at 27 at that time. Don't know if you know the name Shelly Irvine, but he played tenors for 27 in '84 and '85 I believe. He's a local guy to me too.

Actually most of those folks were like a generation before me in drum corp terms. By the time I came along matched grip was already standard in W. PA. I remember asking about how to play traditional and various older drummers, all contended that traditional was essentially dead and that matched grip was superior. I only learned traditional much later. No, I didn't know Shelly. I didn't get to meet Glenn, or Rick, but did know Zamperini.

Yeah, I remember Ray. We marched together in '88. I think he came from BAC. (?)

Ray did come from BAC although via GBV. After I aged out, GBV went inactive (brass section kind of died) until a much smaller version appeared in the 90s. Most of About five GBV drummers (and an equal number of brass) including Ray went to BAC. He only stayed there one or two years there, went to Bluecoats and I think he aged out of Phantom.

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And the list continues to grow...

Matched Grip Snarelines (70s&80s)

Updated List

Santa Clara Vanguard

Royal Crusaders

27th Lancers

General Butler Vagabonds

Gaurdsmen

Santa Clara Vanguard B corps

Argonne Rebels

Madison Scouts

The Troopers

Bluecoats

Cavaliers

Dutch Boy

Empire Statesmen (DCA)

Steel City Ambassadors (DCA)

Kilties

Blue Devils (partial matched grip 1980)

Geneseo Knights

Rochester Crusaders (DCA)

Reading Buccaneers (DCA)

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And the list continues to grow...

Matched Grip Snarelines (70s&80s)

Updated List

Santa Clara Vanguard

Royal Crusaders

27th Lancers

General Butler Vagabonds

Gaurdsmen

Santa Clara Vanguard B corps

Argonne Rebels

Madison Scouts

The Troopers

Bluecoats

Cavaliers

Dutch Boy

Empire Statesmen (DCA)

Steel City Ambassadors (DCA)

Kilties

Blue Devils (partial matched grip 1980)

Geneseo Knights

Rochester Crusaders (DCA)

Reading Buccaneers (DCA)

Looking at some old photo's of Upstate New York drum corps and found one with 'Avante Garde' from Saratoga, New York playing matched grip !

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Looking at some old photo's of Upstate New York drum corps and found one with 'Avante Garde' from Saratoga, New York playing matched grip !

Wow-this is quite a formidable list by now!

And the list continues to grow...

Matched Grip Snarelines (70s&80s)

Updated List

Santa Clara Vanguard

Royal Crusaders

27th Lancers

General Butler Vagabonds

Gaurdsmen

Santa Clara Vanguard B corps

Argonne Rebels

Madison Scouts

The Troopers

Bluecoats

Cavaliers

Dutch Boy

Empire Statesmen (DCA)

Steel City Ambassadors (DCA)

Kilties

Blue Devils (partial matched grip 1980)

Geneseo Knights

Rochester Crusaders (DCA)

Reading Buccaneers (DCA)

Avant Garde

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Wow-this is quite a formidable list by now!

And the list continues to grow...

Matched Grip Snarelines (70s&80s)

Updated List

Santa Clara Vanguard

Royal Crusaders

27th Lancers

General Butler Vagabonds

Gaurdsmen

Santa Clara Vanguard B corps

Argonne Rebels

Madison Scouts

The Troopers

Bluecoats

Cavaliers

Dutch Boy

Empire Statesmen (DCA)

Steel City Ambassadors (DCA)

Kilties

Blue Devils (partial matched grip 1980)

Geneseo Knights

Rochester Crusaders (DCA)

Reading Buccaneers (DCA)

Avant Garde

Hey Chuck, just saw this I usaully stay in the old fart forums. I recall one drummer saying that the reason they switched was because the snares weren't on the same level talent wise as the tenors.I don't know if its true but heck that was 30+ years ago and I was in the hornline.I was hoping to talk to Mike Kumer at a party he usually shows up at but went home sick and I had to rest for a church gig today.I'll try to track him down for the answer.

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Thanks Jeff!!!!

It's kind of weird that I never asked Tom Milcheck about that-he was the GBV caption head 84-85 and I know he was marching snare at Finleyville during the transition the matched grip years. I think it was just so ingrained by then, that we never thought about it being an issue.

Happy Holiday btw!!!

It's kind of weird that I never asked Tom Milcheck about that-he was the GBV caption head 84-85 and I know he was marching snare at Finleyville during the transition the matched grip years. I think it was just so ingrained by then, that we never thought about it being an issue.

Hey Chuck, just saw this I usaully stay in the old fart forums. I recall one drummer saying that the reason they switched was because the snares weren't on the same level talent wise as the tenors.I don't know if its true but heck that was 30+ years ago and I was in the hornline.I was hoping to talk to Mike Kumer at a party he usually shows up at but went home sick and I had to rest for a church gig today.I'll try to track him down for the answer.
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Bridgemen only used match during the drum features, as far as I remember...pretty much only during black market juggler, or any other drum to drum work...

I think Spirit did a tad bit of match grip during their drum feature in '80 also, cuz I think they were back sticking...if I remember right, but neither of these corps used it other than that, if my brain cells aren't all gone yet, anyway.

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Bridgemen only used match during the drum features, as far as I remember...pretty much only during black market juggler, or any other drum to drum work...

I think Spirit did a tad bit of match grip during their drum feature in '80 also, cuz I think they were back sticking...if I remember right, but neither of these corps used it other than that, if my brain cells aren't all gone yet, anyway.

Hm... I don't think that switching during a drom solo makes one a 'matched grip line.' It seems that most of the lines mentioned as being part of the matched grip revolution made conscious decisions to play matched grip as a percussion style.

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Hello,

Don't forget to add the 1976 Argonauts from Salem, Oregon, the 1977-78

Boston Crusaders, and the 1979-82 Seattle Imperials to your list.

I marched with the Seattle Imperials in 1979 and 80 and we used

matched-grip. We implemented a snare/tenor combination that absolutely

demanded matched-grip. It wasn't a frivolous decision. There simply

was no other option given the drum set-up. I think the discussion

of standard-versus-matched being simply a visual issue is a gross

over-simplification.

I haven't heard anyone mention the professional community nowadays which

is almost exclusively matched-grip. The mechanical advantage of matched-grip

makes standard-grip an anachronism.

My observations are that Drum Corps has become strangely conformist over

the past 30 years. The 1970's were a very progressive era for the activity.

This universal regression into the use of standard-grip is perhaps a symptom

of that?

Anyway, it's something to think about. If things ever get interesting

like they were in the 70's then the choice of grip might become an issue

again?

Just my two cents.

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I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but in the early '80s/ late '70s the Percussive Arts Society published a study of the muscles used by the two strokes. A strong argument was made for matched grip, which uses like 13 muscles as opposed to the 4 used by traditional... including better endurance and potential control.

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