Marching While Playing

[kagario]

You probably shouldn't count "crossing and uncrossing your legs while seated and playing" as marching.

I didn't, I only counted them before they were in the chairs, and after they left the chairs. I believe the discrepancy is elsewhere.

Edited July 24, 2009 by kagario

[HockeyDad]

This data is so subjective that I could never consider it valid.

I tried to recreate your results using the same parameters, but I couldn't.

For example,

Blue Devils:

Your Data: 257 seconds playing and marching

My Data : 352 seconds playing and marching

Cadets:

Your Data: 406 seconds playing and marching

My Data : 388 seconds playing and marching

I got close with the Cadets, not sure what you did with BD.

hmmmmm.

Well, could that be because this is one of those homer threads presented as trying to appear objective?

[kagario]

Well, could that be because this is one of those homer threads presented as trying to appear objective?

just an attempt.

[zig zig ZAG]

This is why DCI is now a collection of corps, who by the end of the season, all look the same. Its what the current system forces so by the time we hit finals week, there is less individuality form corps to corps as they have made adjustments to keep up with the Jones' so to speak.

I love early season drum corps, before the re-writes, changes because that is when you see and hear the uniqueness of each corps, before the true natre of competition sets in and designers and their teams are trying to get that leg up on the corps in front of them.

To contrast....this is why i am beginning to like WGI finals even more now than DCI because each group comes in with something so completely different that there is just greater variety. Of course, again, it is a different activity so that is also part of the allure.

I have watched many clips online and it seems to me that we are treading, once again, down the path of NO MELODY. Without melody, you don't have long phrases, without long phrases you have disjointed drill and it all proceeds from there. As for Marching and Playing, it used to be the MUSIC dictated the drill, but now it seems, many go the other route and this is why there are so many corps that look and sound the same to me.

Give me a show that I can hum walking to my car......NOT ONE THAT I CAN IMITATE BY USING MY CAR HORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a good friend of mine once said..."the day that the Crossmen start trying to be the cadets is the day we will see them out of finals" this was said in 2002 and he looks quite prophetic today. Corps need to retain their identity so we have that variety. A uniform alone doesn't create an identity....it is the totality of the vision from the top that matters.

For 7 years i taught corps that played mostly jazz and had music with melody and it was a joy to teach. Sadly, i watch corps now and we have sacrificed melody and form and function for a formulaic collection of short segments that build to impacts with loud major chords (or...for gosh sakes...sometimes even a minor chord or dominant 7th)

Again...i ramble...but these are my thoughts and frustrations with the activity. Now...back to that cup of coffee!

My 2 cents as always!

Well said, and I agree.

It's possible to maintain a distinct identity while pushing the envelope. If you're not pushing the envelope, experimenting, inventing, you're just, well, irrelevant. Very good, but that's about it. Identities can't be frozen in time, even if retro. For that we have historical shows on video.

It's been convincingly argued repeatedly on these forums that the 'donut shows' (in terms of demand for drill and music) that have been all the rage in this decade are due to judging criteria. That has caused a lot of corps in the top 25 to imitate the shows which get the judges' imprimatur and win gold. Too many donuts. Too little diversity of identity. Too little risk.

It's like shows designed by attorneys and risk-management consultants.

I'd like all corps to stop imitate the zigging and start ZAGGING! According to Webster's Dcitionary: to "zag" means to take risks and buck convention. Look it up.

To each his own, of course, just so it isn't too banal, too easy, too calculated to work the judging system which rewards just that. If that's an 'identity' - i.e. workin the system - then I just don't identify. Sorry.

To quote Vonnegut: "You are what you pretend to be, so be careful what you pretend to be."

But don't be too careful.

[bradrick]

Give me a show that I can hum walking to my car......NOT ONE THAT I CAN IMITATE BY USING MY CAR HORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE that quote. Pure greatness!

I am now going to put it as part of my signature and give you credit for it.

[FTNK]

It is often hard to tell if a hornline is playing. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the horns are playing chords softly backfield or if it is synthesizer or marimbas rolling. Also, The Cavaliers have such an excellence of hornline balance and blend that (especially when they turn backfield and decrescendo) it is hard to tell when they stop playing. Also, I do not count body movement as marching.

I'd also argue against the "sameness" argument. I do admit that in the early 2000s there was a troubling amount of sameness in the shows and corps, but it's gotten a lot better in the last few years. I dare anyone to take Cadets, BD, Crown and SCV and make a strong, well-supported argument that they "all look and sound the same." To me, each has a very distinct and unique show concept and personality this year.

[audiodb]

I'd like all corps to stop imitate the zigging and start ZAGGING! According to Webster's Dcitionary: to "zag" means to take risks and buck convention. Look it up.

But if "all" corps zag, then zag becomes the next convention that no one is bucking.

[zig zig ZAG]

But if "all" corps zag, then zag becomes the next convention that no one is bucking.

I meant everyone should push the envelope in their own way. We need diversity.

Sameness of design and demand level is dictated too often by what the judging community overvalues, or neglects to value.

And it was kind of tongue in cheek anyway. Read: DCItionary.

[decompressed]

LOVE that quote. Pure greatness!

I am now going to put it as part of my signature and give you credit for it.

Thanks Brad! I am honored!

[Plan9]

I meant everyone should push the envelope in their own way. We need diversity.

Sameness of design and demand level is dictated too often by what the judging community overvalues, or neglects to value.

And it was kind of tongue in cheek anyway. Read: DCItionary.

Zig (or is it Mr Zag?),

Anyway, I agree with you 100% .... BUT after all the #### BD took from "the DCP crowd" last year over their drill design, it seems odd hearing it here. I remember seeing endless critiques about BD's "un-corpslike" running randomly......yet what do I see this year.....Crown doing the same thing BUT NO ONE SAYS A WORD. BD was mocked the same way they're being mocked this year for using the chairs). Obviously the judges loved it last year and it seems they are into it again this year, so my question to 90% of the other corps, "What the hell are you waiting for.....get diverse, don't forget your drum corps basics, but get creative!!!