Drummeric Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) This is a perennial topic on here. Winter guard and winter drumline competitions have been around for ages, but winter brass has never really caught on. If I had to say why, I'd say that it's probably two sides of the same answer: a person who loves to do marching percussion and the styles that related to/derived from it only has the outlets of marching band, drum corps and winter drumline to perform that; likewise for someone who loves to do color guard. A brass player has many options that are more related without the marching part, and which are not nearly as far removed in how it's done as the performance aspects of percussion and guard in the marching arts are from their "real world" counterparts, if that makes sense. When I was in high school and college, I never really looked at the way I was playing in corps differently from the way I was playing in anything else--if anything, the challenge in corps is to not change your playing approach just because you're moving--so I never really felt like I was missing anything. Plus, a brass player's probably involved in multiple groups, and if there's drum corps on top of that it's even more time-consuming...I can't imagine having had the time during high school or college to devote to a marching brass ensemble on top of concert band, brass quintet, orchestra, solo work, and Blue Stars.Not to say that no one should try, but I think that's a big reason it hasn't caught on en masse like winter drumlines or guards have. That's a good point... there's a lot more organized options out there for brass/WW players. Any ideas on how this type of activity could bring something significantly new to the table? Edited October 20, 2009 by Drummeric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummeric Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 I think it's the next natural step. We've got indoor guard, indoor drums, next - indoor winds. Eventually, I think we'll see a merging of it (or at least an additional division) to marching units. Due to the massive disparity of numbers between scholastic and independent units, I'm guessing WW's would be allowed from the get go. Why would a school participate if half their winds are automatically ineligible? Mike Do you think the sport will evolve into something similar to what drum corps in japan is like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 That's a good point... there's a lot more organized options out there for brass/WW players. Any ideas on how this type of activity could bring something significantly new to the table? Not really...you just need people willing to start groups and members willing to participate. From there, it's just a matter of developing some sort of competitive circuit or at least some shows. DCI and DCA wasn't created from the top down; you didn't have a committee declaring that they exist and then sending people out to start corps. They were the result of corps coming together to form the organization. Likewise, if you want to start some sort of winter brass organization, it's going to have to be the result of such groups existing, and that's not something one person or a few people can mastermind, that takes a lot of people starting groups with that purpose in mind. Like I said, though, they're going to have a lot of competition for brass players' time and energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCP-er Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) . Edited July 20, 2018 by DCP-er Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissyMc Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 insightbrass.orghttp://img9.imageshack.us/i/2010insightflyer.pdf/ Personally, I think this is a great idea. This would give people like myself who have been labled as "tweeners" a place to call home. "Tweener" - kind of ready to give up competing corps and not totally ready to be dedicated to alumni corps. Usually this means us old people. However, there are youngsters in the same boat as well. Virginia is just a bit toooooooo far away. :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayre Kulp Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 SDCA is doing this very thing right now. Small drum corps, color guards, drum lines, etc. playing shows on basketball floors. Although it is primarily active in the Midwest region, it seems to be spreading pretty quickly and I wouldn't be too surprised to see groups popping up in other areas as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbalaya Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 You???? Old????? I think NOT Krissy. However, I agree that there are possibilities......take minicorps for example. Better yet, take minicorps that had full movement along with a battery AND mallets.......hmmmmmmm like Xtreme.....lolol. Personally, I think this is a great idea. This would give people like myself who have been labled as "tweeners" a place to call home. "Tweener" - kind of ready to give up competing corps and not totally ready to be dedicated to alumni corps. Usually this means us old people. However, there are youngsters in the same boat as well.Virginia is just a bit toooooooo far away. :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 SDCA is doing this very thing right now. Small drum corps, color guards, drum lines, etc. playing shows on basketball floors. Although it is primarily active in the Midwest region, it seems to be spreading pretty quickly and I wouldn't be too surprised to see groups popping up in other areas as well. I think they're talking more about some sort of brass-only deal, though, in the vein of winter drumline, rather than indoor corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I don't know if it should be a winter thing. A lot of the types who do drumcorps also do things that keep them ubber busy in the winter months. Not to mention all of the holidays messing up the schedule. And paying holiday gigs to make non-profit competition less attractive. But it has potential. And a lot better option for competition than NO option. Or only ONE compromised option a year. GCS sort of started off this route. The winter guard rules allowed for it. Not sure if that's WGI or TGCG rules though. My only reservation per say is that drum corps shows are a lot easier to FIND if you're not a local and the event is outdoors. With Gyms and such, if you don't know the venue, a school can have half a dozen gyms, or gym like structures. Some even have multiple facilities on different lots, making finding the place the most competitive part if all you have to go on is a name and an address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomnoise Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I find it interesting that folks are so quick to talk about why this wouldn't work. Just do it and see what happens. Get a group together and ask to perform at a guard of percussion show. Better yet, get two together. Or, start an I&E competition and grow from there. Sounds like fun to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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