Best corps for a rookie to join

[doyle079]

You might be referring to opportunity cost, where, in this example, the opportunity cost of flying is the money you would have saved by driving; or, the opportunity cost of driving is the amount of time you would have saved by flying.

Money has a time value but that's another thing altogether, and I really don't like economics enough to get into it.

To the OP:

I'd say that the best corps for a rookie to join would be the corps on the 2008 DVDs that did not march the full complement of performers.

That said, I'm a recovering saxophone player and I had a grand old time starting out in a top 5 corps. I don't think you can go wrong these days, honestly.

OPPORTUNITY COST, THANK YOU! man that was drivin me nuts at almost 3am. could not think of the real name. econ is fun, enough...

hey quit thinking about it, if you think about it like this, then you just talk yourself out of it and then your 19 and still wondering where.

just do it *swoosh*

[dbc03]

I am located in SOUTHWEST Virgina thats the other side of the state

SWVA represent! (I'm originally from Richlands)

When I marched Crown we had plenty of people in the hornline that were actually woodwind players. The brass staff at the time would actually let you play an audition piece on your primary instrument so they could see how good you were since someone with musical talent can probably learn how to play another instrument fairly competently.

That was in 2002 though and was a completely different staff.

Generally I think that if you are willing to work really really hard at getting decent at a brass instrument most corps staffs will be willing to work with you.

Closest world class corps are probably Crown (obviously) at 3ish hours and Cadets will run you about 8 if you go the right way. Surf would probably be about 8 if there was a good way to get there without going up 95 through DC/Baltimore or through Philly

[kickhaltsforlife]

SWVA represent! (I'm originally from Richlands)

When I marched Crown we had plenty of people in the hornline that were actually woodwind players. The brass staff at the time would actually let you play an audition piece on your primary instrument so they could see how good you were since someone with musical talent can probably learn how to play another instrument fairly competently.

That was in 2002 though and was a completely different staff.

Generally I think that if you are willing to work really really hard at getting decent at a brass instrument most corps staffs will be willing to work with you.

Closest world class corps are probably Crown (obviously) at 3ish hours and Cadets will run you about 8 if you go the right way. Surf would probably be about 8 if there was a good way to get there without going up 95 through DC/Baltimore or through Philly

for surf you wouldn't have to go through philly, even cadets where they have been rehearsing, just take the del mem bridge onto 295, and it should get you through the righ place... but that DC traffic is just awful and near impossible to avoid.... there are a few ways around it though.

[Aussiehatswithfeathers]

SWVA represent! (I'm originally from Richlands)

When I marched Crown we had plenty of people in the hornline that were actually woodwind players. The brass staff at the time would actually let you play an audition piece on your primary instrument so they could see how good you were since someone with musical talent can probably learn how to play another instrument fairly competently.

That was in 2002 though and was a completely different staff.

Generally I think that if you are willing to work really really hard at getting decent at a brass instrument most corps staffs will be willing to work with you.

Closest world class corps are probably Crown (obviously) at 3ish hours and Cadets will run you about 8 if you go the right way. Surf would probably be about 8 if there was a good way to get there without going up 95 through DC/Baltimore or through Philly

Yea i mapquested Jersey Surf and its 10hrs from Lebanon, Nice to know that others from this area have gone to Corps...I would love if SouthWind would return because I am very familiar with the route there and I feel like I would be welcomed there

[Kansan]

I want to march anywhere, my location in virginia makes some of the Ohio corps and crown look like good options but i really wanna go somewhere that is willing to work with me (since i am a sax learning baritone) and Pioneer as much as i would like to join them is just a little bit too far even if i do get a ride. And i do apoligize for the stir and i will March...Drum Corps is my dream and im gonna achieve it

On going from Sax to Baritone. Have found a Baritone to practice on and a brass friend to help you out with some instruction?

What about Jersey Surf? Oops, I see it's already been mentioned.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Kansan

[Aussiehatswithfeathers]

Yes i do a rather nice King marching baritone, Yes Surf is a option but a 10hr drive is not appealing...and i am marching my final senior year on baritone so i will have some experience on it from a marching perspective, playing wise by band director is giving me instruction

[Penn State]

Yes i do a rather nice King marching baritone, Yes Surf is a option but a 10hr drive is not appealing...and i am marching my final senior year on baritone so i will have some experience on it from a marching perspective, playing wise by band director is giving me instruction

One of my former Blue Band sousas was originally a saxaphonist. If my memory serves me correctly he switched to baritone to march Surf, he then went on to play tuba for Blue Coats, and is currently marching tuba for Cadets.

[baristeve]

Agreed. Its always bothered me when corps have such a large number of members who leave to go to a "better" corps. I understand that some people leave for reasons such as issues with staff or things like that, and every corps will have that, but when you have such a large number (sometimes as much as 50% of a corps rookies) of people leaving the corps for another one just because they want to be "guaranteed" a spot in finals is disturbing. The reason we see the same corps always in the same general area in the final standings is partially because those lower corps have to keep getting new members and re-teaching them everything year in and year out. Never underestimate how much power a large number of DEDICATED and LOYAL 2-3 year vets can have on a corps, pushing the new members, helping set the standard higher and higher, pushing each other and themselves. If more corps had more loyalty then maybe we'd see a lot more shake-up in the rankings from year to year. I would like to see a lot more unpredictability, because honestly, its kind of boring knowing that the same 4-5 corps will place in the same grouping every year.

Ok, enough of my ranting...

People will always do what they want to do.. or they should anyway... and who are we to question that? I marched memphis sound for 3 years, and felt I wanted to experience div 1.. should I feel disloyal for leaving? I'm sorry... THAT'S ignorant.