Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 the big picture statement is so true...and the groove...even the "ram" moments had a groove and style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smj02 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I doubt that this list is all-inclusive, but here's a bio, with two more links at the bottom: Ralph Hardimon Wow, is there anything that's not on Wikipedia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex M. Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Has there not been a thesis written on drumline arranging styles? It would be fun to study the great arrangers of our time and how they stylistically differ. It would also be fun to read the experiences and lessons learned from past students. Wow, is there anything that's not on Wikipedia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sday88 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Ralph came in to one of winter camps prior to the '88 season to teach us how to properly play the timbales and timbolitas for our Take 5 number that year. At the time we didn't know who was all going to be playing them so we all got a lesson from him. I was in awe of him just being there. I can now say that I was instructed by Ralph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Hardimon was all about the ensemble. Up until Hardimon I think most books were written with more tech in mind ... here's our snare feature moment ... here's our tenor feature moment ... here's our mallet feature moment ... etc. etc. Hardimon ignored all of that and seemed to really embrace the composer and refused to overwrite the battery just to score higher. Hardimon's love of classical was so extreme and unique to drum corps, SCV snares used matched grip. For example, Hardimon LOVED press rolls. Now, press rolls are essential to concert percussion but they're sort of counter-intuitive to tech in DCI. There's not much you can do to make a buzz roll sound clean and they don't rate high at all on the difficulty scale. Hardimon found ways to make them more difficult ... splits for snares and tenors, for example. You can also hear Hardimon in the interpretation of the original score -- everything was done in reverence to the composer. He never had this ego where he felt he needed to write past the composer to impress a field judge. He produced a more sophisticated way to write for outdoor percussion ensembles and EVERYONE has followed suit. You can hear his influenced across the board. Hardimon was always a counter-point to Float, who was a snare drummer's dream. You went to Float because you wanted to be challenged. You went to Hardimon because you loved classical music. This isn't saying Float was less musical, but he was allowed quite a bit more freedom in his books because BD plays jazz. They are both titans in my opinion. I think if Hardimon and Float had a child, it would be Paul Rennick. Edited August 14, 2009 by Gaddabout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex M. Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Sweet. Thanks for the definition. Hardimon was all about the ensemble. Up until Hardimon I think most books were written with more tech in mind ... here's our snare feature moment ... here's our tenor feature moment ... here's our mallet feature moment ... etc. etc. Hardimon ignored all of that and seemed to really embrace the composer and refused to overwrite the battery just to score higher.For example, Hardimon LOVED press rolls. Now, press rolls are essential to concert percussion but they're sort of counter-intuitive to tech in DCI. There's not much you can do to make a buzz roll sound clean and they don't rate high at all on the difficulty scale. Hardimon found ways to make them more difficult ... splits for snares and tenors, for example. You can also hear Hardimon in the interpretation of the original score -- everything was done in reverence to the composer. He never had this ego where he felt he needed to write past the composer to impress a field judge. He produced a more sophisticated way to write for outdoor percussion ensembles and EVERYONE has followed suit. You can hear his influenced across the board. Hardimon was always a counter-point to Float, who was a snare drummer's dream. You went to Float because you wanted to be challenged. You went to Hardimon because you loved classical music. This isn't saying Float was less musical, but he was allowed quite a bit more freedom in his books because BD plays jazz. They are both titans in my opinion. I think if Hardimon and Float had a child, it would be Paul Rennick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaddabout Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Sweet. Thanks for the definition. Sure. Thanks for asking. There's a legion of percussion caption heads who are so amazing to me I wish I had time to write a book about them. I hear people on this board ##### about overpaid staffers, but at least in percussion you can always tell a difference between the true innovators and the mere very good. Just the ones from my era sort of hover heavy over the activity ... DeLucia, Float, Hardimon, Hannum ... and the ones carrying on their traditions now. I love them all and it allows me to be free from corps attachment. I get to just enjoy it all. ;) Edited August 14, 2009 by Gaddabout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarnia sam Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Not many relaize that Ralph wrote Oaklands 77 drum solo. I sat next to him eating my lunch while he did some re-writes the weekend we learned it. Regards, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_S Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 This thread fails to deliver. Based on the title, I was expecting an account of what causes Mr. Hardimon to toss his cookies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Can someone please provide a list of which corps Ralph has worked with/arranged for? I know 70s(-80s?) SCV, then Blue Knights, and recently Troopers...but can someone be more specific? 2006 Capital Regiment. An interresting story. Edited August 14, 2009 by dannyboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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