What is missing from Drum Corps today

[Jeff Ream]

But doesn't that tell you something (not you specifically Jeff)? Stop complaining on a message board and start writing checks or volunteering - make yourself an opinion so valuable to the corps, that they will listen to what you have to say.

who says some of us haven't?

and I know more than a few that stopped, and told people why. we were shrugged off. I was apart of a long time group that was in Friends since basically the beginning of the program. It seems to me if people stop supporting, and tell you why, if you have a clue, that should make people stop and listen.

at least it does with the successful businesses I deal with....and it shows in the businesses I used to deal with that are now out of business

[Jeff Ream]

. . .but, Tim, plenty of us have been Friends of DCI, or volunteered or donated money throughout the years. . .to little effect when it comes time to draw up the rules for the powers that be.

You, yourself, saw the effects of that when the amplification rule change was proposed. . . .however, I do see your point regarding that in at least getting it to the table through the Blue Stars, even if it was summarily rejected.

I think there's a feeling that if there is a change to judging, or "what" a caption is, or so on . . .it's going to have to come from the inside out. I can donate as much as I'm able, and be on the cook truck every summer, but unless Hop, Gibbs, Weinstein or others start the ball rolling . . .as the corps are the ones that direct the judges and the direction of the activity . . .then we're all going to have no choice but vent on-line to make ourselves "heard" (such as it is here).

exactly. as long as they keep getting the money, they think they are doing everything right.

for all the hype for Indy last year, if they had under 20k paid, there's a sign. yes the economy didn't help, but as we're constantly told, Indiana is the hub of all things marching not named Texas.

[Jeff Ream]

I love this topic. It is always interesting to me that a lot of us seem "bored" by the shows today. I have a few theories about why we have lost a sense of "connection" or "awe" to the shows put on by the corps these days. These comments are purely from an "audience" perspective.

1) Difficulty isn't impressive.

As musicians and performers, we spend years perfecting our craft. To us, speed equals accomplishment. We want to tell the world "look at my chops! I'm blazing fast!" Unfortunately, the world doesn't care. To most audiences, speed = boring. As a young drummer, I had a private teacher who used to tell me that "to an audience, the simplest things sound the best." It took me years to understand what he was talking about. Audiences don't think 16th note runs are impressive. If you want a standing ovation, play a whole note for 45 seconds. I saw Stevie Wonder do that on a harmonica once and the audience was throwing babies. Lets face it, gang. We all love loud whole notes more than wimpy 16th note runs.

It's the same thing visually. If you want a standing ovation, do a company front. Is a company front difficult? Not really. But audiences love them. I'm still waiting for a corps to open their show with a company front. It will be a guaranteed standing ovation in the first minute of their show. Talk about opening up with a bang!

While judges may love virtuosity, audiences tend to go nuts for the "easy" stuff. Designers need to keep this in mind.

2) Precision IS impressive.

There is nothing more impressive than seeing 150 people do something perfectly in unison. One of the things that attracted me to drum corps in the first place was that they were a LOT more precise than my high school or college band. Drum corps sweated the details. They had snap. Audiences love the Marine Corps silent drill platoon. Why? Because they perfect. And perfect is impressive.

3) Speed kills.

Unfortunately the "snap" that drum corps used to have in the 70's has been replaced by speed. The corps are too busy running around to be perfect anymore. Now they just look a bit sloppy. If we want to have greater impact on audiences, we must slow it down and tighten it up.

Also, audiences like to groove. They want to bob their heads and clap along. Drum corps don't let audiences "participate" any more. Every fun concert has a "sing along" or "clap along" segment. It makes them feel like they are a part of the show!

4) Use emotion.

To me, two of the most memorable shows from the 2000's have been by the Phantom Regiment. In 2003 they played Canon. I thought that was brilliant because when I heard it, I immediately thought about my wedding. And the tears started to flow. They made an emotional connection with me through the music they were playing. Regiment also did that in 2008. When the girl in the guard got killed and Sparticus was screaming in grief, I just lost it. Pure emotion. It will work forever.

bravo!

[burdettsky]

When I started going to drum corps shows, I used to read the program before the show started, and put it down until I wrote in the scores afterwards.

Nowadays, more often than not, I need the program to figure out exactly what is going on. To me, that's one of the biggest problems. I think judges are rewarding show designs, and student execution is taken as an afterthought. Just two cents that may or may not have stayed on topic.

[Lance]

Lance, here's a question maybe you can pose in the DCA Forums.

Entertainment is a word on DCA sheets....ask how the judges decide what is "entertaining" and apply it to the scoring

I don't know if there's a good answer to that because it varies so much depending on individual tastes.

Create a thread in OT asking which movies are the most entertaining, and you'll end up getting some people who love action movies and list those, some people who love comedies and list those, some people who love fx spectaculars who will list those. Good luck getting consensus on which movies are the "most entertaining". It's a rare one that is universally loved, and movie makers have a tremendous amount of creative freedom compared to drum corps. That's why I think variety is the best way to really try to insure that all are entertained.

It is easy to draw parallels between the types of movies that some people find most entertaining and types of field shows that people find most entertaining. It's a rare performance, no matter the medium, that everybody finds entertaining for uniform reasons.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Not even going to bother reading all the replies. This post drips of hypocrisy. Hop's blog post is all pandering and no substance. But of course all the haters out there will jump on the bandwagon and cry agreement. Drum corps is dying, I hate it but still attend shows, I hate electronics but am "ok with it" when my corps is using them, etc etc.

I mean, can't you see it? So many of the posters who were so very outspoken against nearly everything George Hopkins has done in the past decade are suddenly so impressed by a simple blog. No actions, just words. Does it really take that little? Perhaps I'll just post only 30 year old shows as my favorites, cry foul of all the "lack of music/drama/WGI shenanigans" going on and I could be the most popular poster in all of DCP!

Absolutely hilarious.

[Jeff Ream]

I don't know if there's a good answer to that because it varies so much depending on individual tastes.

Create a thread in OT asking which movies are the most entertaining, and you'll end up getting some people who love action movies and list those, some people who love comedies and list those, some people who love fx spectaculars who will list those. Good luck getting consensus on which movies are the "most entertaining". It's a rare one that is universally loved, and movie makers have a tremendous amount of creative freedom compared to drum corps. That's why I think variety is the best way to really try to insure that all are entertained.

It is easy to draw parallels between the types of movies that some people find most entertaining and types of field shows that people find most entertaining. It's a rare performance, no matter the medium, that everybody finds entertaining for uniform reasons.

but...this reply does not answer the question I posed....DCA uses entertainment on their sheets. How do they make it work?

I know...we all know...judges tastes may vary...but year in and year out, going back to 2003, I have yet to walk out of DCA questioning more than maybe one placement a year. I can't say that about DCI.

so there has to be a method to their madness.

Donny...you of anyone who posts here other than Peashey knows this...help?

[Lance]

but...this reply does not answer the question I posed....DCA uses entertainment on their sheets. How do they make it work?

I know...we all know...judges tastes may vary...but year in and year out, going back to 2003, I have yet to walk out of DCA questioning more than maybe one placement a year. I can't say that about DCI.

so there has to be a method to their madness.

Donny...you of anyone who posts here other than Peashey knows this...help?

They make it work for you.

I'm sorry you think I didn't answer your question.

[JimF-LowBari]

That's why I think variety is the best way to really try to insure that all are entertained.

And one of GHs points quoted in the OP deals with a lack of variety which I have to agree with. Yes the fans who follow DCI can point to differences between corps and their shows today but it's a smaller difference than BITD.

Looking DCAs way, I'd say the top corps are more alike than they used to be. But the smaller (Class A) corps have more of an "identity". And since the top 4 Class As are in DCA Finals, the fans get a chance to see variety Championship night.

[Jeff Ream]

They make it work for you.

I'm sorry you think I didn't answer your question.

what I want to know is how DCA makes it work...and it must work, because it's been on the sheets for years, and I have yet to see a rules proposal to change it.

so...there has to be a reason why it works....I'm trying to find out that reason.

I know we could all list movies we like and the list would be different. But...look at DCA recaps...you see many guys and gals who judge in DCI as well.

so....how do these guys use "entertainment" that's clearly listed on the sheets to determine their decisions?