How can Drum Corps (or marching music)...

[3rd_Star_Brigade]

I wanted to discuss this more dynamically, without derailing another thread by getting it off-topic. I'm a composer, and I really like elements of dbc. I would like to see the integration of marching music into the musical collective. But, how do we do it?

Drum corps adapt music of which there may be little reference to the theme and translate it musically and visually so that the listener can interpret it a certain way.

A professional musician would see Star 1993, and say ok, they used Barber's Medea, but so what, because they have heard more avant guard music that drum corps shys away from even today. To them, this shyness and the inability to try to branch out into creating original music makes drum corps little more than brass and percussion jocks playing popular tunes (meaning music people would like) to drill which, while cool, is just an attempt at imitation.

A drum corps member, fan, staff, whatever would see drum corps like movies. A full palette of visual and musical colors to experiment with.

Point is: The next evolution in this activity will be the development of musical repertoire, solely for drum corps. This will be when drum corps is accepted into the fray along with jazz bands, chamber groups, wind ensembles, and orchestras. This is key to the longevity. If drum corps is to survive it must be accepted as an artform in the musical culture.

Along with this, on-field actors and special effects could be used to better accommodate stories or symbolism. I would like to see what a corps could do with a semi-transparent white scrim and a video projector located in the pit. The corps could move behind the scrim and form different patterns in drill, while the video is running of, say, a closeup of a woman's hair blowing in the wind or something.

What do you think?

[Penn State]

I wanted to discuss this more dynamically, without derailing another thread by getting it off-topic. I'm a composer, and I really like elements of dbc. I would like to see the integration of marching music into the musical collective. But, how do we do it?

Drum corps adapt music of which there may be little reference to the theme and translate it musically and visually so that the listener can interpret it a certain way.

A professional musician would see Star 1993, and say ok, they used Barber's Medea, but so what, because they have heard more avant guard music that drum corps shys away from even today. To them, this shyness and the inability to try to branch out into creating original music makes drum corps little more than brass and percussion jocks playing popular tunes (meaning music people would like) to drill which, while cool, is just an attempt at imitation.

A drum corps member, fan, staff, whatever would see drum corps like movies. A full palette of visual and musical colors to experiment with.

Point is: The next evolution in this activity will be the development of musical repertoire, solely for drum corps. This will be when drum corps is accepted into the fray along with jazz bands, chamber groups, wind ensembles, and orchestras. This is key to the longevity. If drum corps is to survive it must be accepted as an artform in the musical culture.

Along with this, on-field actors and special effects could be used to better accommodate stories or symbolism. I would like to see what a corps could do with a semi-transparent white scrim and a video projector located in the pit. The corps could move behind the scrim and form different patterns in drill, while the video is running of, say, a closeup of a woman's hair blowing in the wind or something.

What do you think?

in before the (DC)Planet blows up

Edited July 26, 2009 by Penn State

[3rd_Star_Brigade]

in before the (DC)Planet blows up

hahaha. i was thinking of crossmen 06 when i said that.

but, really, it could be anything, specifically something cool and thought out. but, as of now, video projectors are legal (99% SURE). Maybe something more subtle, like a color, red to blue to green, while the corps appears to change color, behind the scrim.

look up 92 Star. now, imagine that with the scrim moving.

pretty slick.

[Penn State]

hahaha. i was thinking of crossmen 06 when i said that.

but, really, it could be anything, specifically something cool and thought out. but, as of now, video projectors are legal (99% SURE). Maybe something more subtle, like a color, red to blue to green, while the corps appears to change color, behind the scrim.

look up 92 Star. now, imagine that with the scrim moving.

pretty slick.

doing that right now...very excited

[atlvalet]

The more you talk about drum corps being art, the more I think you increase the chances of losing people...particularly the paying public.

Is drum corps skilled? Yes.

Is drum corps exciting? Yes.

In drum corps cool? Hell yes.

Is drum corps erudite? NO. And we don't want it to be (at least I don't).

Drum corps should be something that almost anyone can enjoy. If we start targeting the caviar/art gallery set, I think we're in deep doo-doo as an activity.

[Tez]

The more you talk about drum corps being art, the more I think you increase the chances of losing people...particularly the paying public.

Is drum corps skilled? Yes.

Is drum corps exciting? Yes.

In drum corps cool? Hell yes.

Is drum corps erudite? NO. And we don't want it to be (at least I don't).

Drum corps should be something that almost anyone can enjoy. If we start targeting the caviar/art gallery set, I think we're in deep doo-doo as an activity.

Well, okay... but the fact is, not many people (percentage of the population) do enjoy it. It is comparatively a very small activity. There are many more "high" art-forms (orchestral music, visual arts, ballet, opera, etc...) which have many more people who enjoy them. The number of people each year who enjoy these activities is far greater than the number of people who enjoy drum corps.

[Cardman]

What do I think? I think this is a horrible idea. Why would you WANT to be seen as an art form? To be "accepted into the fray?"...huh? Who cares who "accepts" drumcorps and who doesn't. If you like it, you like it. If you don't, you don't. Pretty simple. All this high-minded crap is just ridiculous. Get over yourselves! It is just drumcorps which is the same as marching band to regular folks. So what?

[Tez]

What do I think? I think this is a horrible idea. Why would you WANT to be seen as an art form? To be "accepted into the fray?"...huh? Who cares who "accepts" drumcorps and who doesn't. If you like it, you like it. If you don't, you don't. Pretty simple. All this high-minded crap is just ridiculous. Get over yourselves! It is just drumcorps which is the same as marching band to regular folks. So what?

I care who accepts it. Many people out there have such horrible opinions about drum corps (how unmusically they play, hurts musicians) that I believe it keeps many talented young people from participating in the activity. If it's status can be elevated, even just a little bit, I think it would only help the activity as a whole. Also, I would love to get more non-marching arts artists involved to get more fresh show ideas both visual and musical.

[j.morgus]

Point is: The next evolution in this activity will be the development of musical repertoire, solely for drum corps. This will be when drum corps is accepted into the fray along with jazz bands, chamber groups, wind ensembles, and orchestras. This is key to the longevity. If drum corps is to survive it must be accepted as an artform in the musical culture.

This would probably have a severe negative effect on audience retention. One comment heard from some casual fans at two different shows this season: "I wish they'd play more music that I recognize". These folks were guys that go to whatever local show are in their area, and have for years, but don't have any particular allegience to any corps. They just like the shows. If more corps started playing original "art music", then their enjoyment level would probably drop to the point where they would no longer be fans of any kind.

Along with this, on-field actors and special effects could be used to better accommodate stories or symbolism. I would like to see what a corps could do with a semi-transparent white scrim and a video projector located in the pit. The corps could move behind the scrim and form different patterns in drill, while the video is running of, say, a closeup of a woman's hair blowing in the wind or something.

What do you think?

What is wrong with drum corps as drum corps? Isn't marching and music good enough? Would giant drive-in movies behind the corps really enhance the experience? More likely it would be an extremely expensive distraction, adding some fun things for a few "creators" at the expense of some drum corps that could ill afford the huge production expense of what ever this "art" would be. Music videos are available now. I don't think that making them larger and toting them around the country to put on football fields would be an improvement to drum corps in the least.

[supersop]

I think a better way to object would be this:

Drum corps is a niche. It has always been a niche. It should always be a niche. Even with what is now considered "Mass Appeal" to the marching arts community, it is still a niche. Most who cry out about electronics and voice are simply voicing this very opinion. The more things are added and changed and made "artsy", the less niche/unique/special this activity will become.

It doesn't have to appeal to Holsinger, Jack Stamp, Degas or Cezanne. It doesn't have to appeal to my neighbors or even my loved ones. The point is I love it. I've loved it since I became aware of it. I love it how it was and I even love it how it is (though I wish it weren't what it is in some cases). I never wanted to be "accepted". I merely wanted to be "respected". In order to attain respect, it not only has to be earned, but the people who aren't familiar have to take the time to learn what it is I did. Only then will they understand my passion, whether they love it or not. We also strive for respect within our niche. The very members, alumni, staff, judges and fan$ of the activity are really all that matters.

The problem with your summation is that some directors and creative designers within this activity would actually agree with you. Those are the cats who have pushed for the changes that have already taken place. Some love it, some hate it .... but they still respect the unique qualities that the activity provides to the youth involved.

Now if you want to start an ELITE tour, with no rules or time limits or instrumentation constraints and roll it out on the road ... by all means, your ideas would apply. It has been made clear that some in the upper ranks want it to be this way anyway. No serious - it's been long predicted that DCI will end up with a handful of Elite corps and they plan to do a "no holds barred" tour of their own special activity when drum and bugle corps is long gone and dead. Some believe they will actually see to it that this happens. Until then, I'll take my dirty shows with blatting hornlines, rimshot happy drumlines and crazy drill on a footballfield / niche little obscure activity .... and I'll just love it and hug it and squeeze and put it in a cage and lock it up forever. Or something like that.