Could the new pre-show rule lead to woodwinds?

[garfield]

Tell that to The Ohio State University Marching Band: brass and percussion only. Or any other marching band that has no woodwinds (I'm sure TOSU MB isn't the only band brass/percussion only).

* or maybe drum corps is different but the same as some marching bands?

Disclaimer: I'm DEFINATELY in the "Drum Corps is Not Marching Band" crowd, and I also marched snare in TBDBITL.

But if TBDBITL has only drums and horns, isn't it really then a drum corps by this definition?

(Of course not. Just throwing fuel on the fire. )

[AZFan]

The problem with BCI (Band Corps International) as it should now more than ever be called is:

1 - "The Slippery Slope" has won the day. Each "NEW" thing seems to head one way. "Band/Symphony/Opera/Field Theater, with all the New playing equipment, dancers, and props, Etc.

2 - That they, "DCI" (who ever they are that approve things) is "BCI", and will NEVER admit they are wanting a Symphony / Opera type thing done on a Football field.

3 - That the "Fans in the Stands" is more and more becoming only Band people. People active in Band. Their families, their friends and such. Good Luck with that.

I only explain 3. DCI is appealing to Bandos. Some corps require their members be active in their band programs, a "a giving back" of sort. Many people wouldn't know how to play at all (not to say that they do before drum corps) if it weren't for the band program. All of these things are true for me and the corps friends i've discussed it with.

[BRASSO]

Could be. It's also possible that drum corps really is just a cool youth activity that we make WAY too much about. It really is just summer band that we all take way too seriously, and aside from the heavy traveling, you can argue that MANY activities give you the same experience as drum corps. I've known many musicians who don't understand the allure of drum corps, and had something similar as an example to the things that I cherished about the activity.

Maybe drum corps is what we want it/remember it to be, and there's not any real set definition of the activity other than what we hang on to. Even something as simple as Christmas can mean drastically different things to different people, depending on their beliefs and experience. You think drum corps = brass/percussion/color guard, the current crop of MM's sees it as that plus synths and amps, and future generations may see it as something else entirely.

And I guess my point, in relation to the point of the thread, is IMO woodwinds don't matter much in the grand scheme of things because I don't think our activity is defined by instrumentation.

I hear you, but I do think that the activity is defined by instrumentation. Maybe I'm wrong, but if you showed up at a DCI Competition after being away for several years and you saw on the field ( say ) 200 dancers, 15 singers, 7 piccolo players, one snare drummer, one bass drummer, 1 trumpet player, and a conductor in a clown's costume..... and found out the remaining 5 musical troupes were going to be like that, that you would not be saying then that " the activity is not defined by instrumentation"...and that what you were witnessing was still " Drum Corps" and that you'd be ok with it. Then again, maybe when the single snare drummer started his pre show intro, you'd be able to let your mind drift and you'd picture those kids discussing" the family feelings of it all "... and " togetherness of it all" and so forth,, and that would be enough for you. If so, you'd be a better man than I...... that's because in my view, it IS about" the instrumentation ".. just as much as it is about " family " and " togetherness", etc, and all these other wondefrul things that the activity generates primarily off the field of competition for these participants.

Edited February 8, 2010 by BRASSO

[Mello Dude]

Disclaimer: I'm DEFINATELY in the "Drum Corps is Not Marching Band" crowd, and I also marched snare in TBDBITL.

But if TBDBITL has only drums and horns, isn't it really then a drum corps by this definition?

(Of course not. Just throwing fuel on the fire. )

Naw, the band plays music you'll be able to hum for the rest of the day.

[perc2100]

I hear you, but I do think that the activity is defined by instrumentation. Maybe I'm wrong, but if you showed up at a DCI Competition after being away for several years and you saw on the field ( say ) 200 dancers, 15 singers, 7 piccolo players, one snare drummer, one bass drummer, 1 trumpet player, and a conductor in a clown's costume..... and found out the remaining 5 musical troupes were going to be like kind, that you would not be saying that " the activity is not defined by instrumentation"...and that what you were witnessing was still " Drum Corps" and that you'd be ok with it. Then again, maybe when the single snare drummer started his intro, you'd be able to let your mind drift and you'd picture those kids discussing the family and togetherness of it all, and that would be enough for you. If so, you'd be a better man than I...... that's because it IS about the instrumentation just as much as it is about " family " and " togetherness", etc and all these other wondrous aspects the activity generates off the field of competition for these participants.

Gotcha.

Drum and Bugle Corps hasn't existed, then, in decades. In fact, when my grandpa saw a video of "drum and bugle corps" in 1989, he was appalled at how much it had changed, and proclaimed it to be NOTHING like what he participated in, partially due to costuming, the Champions wearing masks for Pete's sake, the non-symmetrical drill, but mainly the fact that the "bugles" looked nothing like 'real' bugles, and the "drums" looked very little like the drums he remembered: let alone all those xylophones and nonsense littering the front of the field.

[Jeff Ream]

Gotcha.

Drum and Bugle Corps hasn't existed, then, in decades. In fact, when my grandpa saw a video of "drum and bugle corps" in 1989, he was appalled at how much it had changed, and proclaimed it to be NOTHING like what he participated in, partially due to costuming, the Champions wearing masks for Pete's sake, the non-symmetrical drill, but mainly the fact that the "bugles" looked nothing like 'real' bugles, and the "drums" looked very little like the drums he remembered: let alone all those xylophones and nonsense littering the front of the field.

at least it was still acoustic and didnt have woodwinds

[BRASSO]

Gotcha.

Drum and Bugle Corps hasn't existed, then, in decades. In fact, when my grandpa saw a video of "drum and bugle corps" in 1989, he was appalled at how much it had changed, and proclaimed it to be NOTHING like what he participated in, partially due to costuming, the Champions wearing masks for Pete's sake, the non-symmetrical drill, but mainly the fact that the "bugles" looked nothing like 'real' bugles, and the "drums" looked very little like the drums he remembered: let alone all those xylophones and nonsense littering the front of the field.

Oh sure, we've all met people like this.I once met a guy at a wedding reception years ago. He told me he did " Drum Corps". I told him " I once did too ". I told him my " Drum Corps " name. He told me his. He had heard of mine,but I had not heard of his. He said he played " snare drum ".I told him " soprano bugle". He said " THAT's not " Drum Corps ". I looked confused and responded " huh ? ". He said he marched in" a Fife and Drum Corps in Connecticut" He said it was one of the oldest " Drum Corps " in America, dating back to around 1797 and they still competed, did shows, parades and exhibitions.. He went on to tell me that " REAL Drum Corps don't have bugles, they have Fifes ". He was pretty adamant about this fact, I could tell. So I didn't argue with him. What would be the point ? For him, " Drum Corps " went off the track when it " replaced the fife with the bugle ". So in his view, the activity went bad some time in the 18th century.

But hey... don't laugh. He might be on to something. He might be finding some support for his views in the future, believe it or not. Maybe right here on DCP too.

A " fife " is afterall a woodwind instrument. And the " bugle " is gone. So who knows, maybe we'll eventually come full circle some time after the next American Revolutionary War, and we'll finally have real " Drum Corps " once again.

Edited February 8, 2010 by BRASSO

[DCImonkey]

I wish DCI would allow woodwinds so everyone would finally stop wondering when it's going to happen. I'd rather just get it over with.... there would be no other bridges to cross at that point.

[JimF-LowBari]

LOL, oh, I think we get plenty of "opinion" here on what everyone should be liking. Let art stand on it's own, if it stinks and can't support or explain itself in it's desired medium then it deserves to go the way of the Dodo bird.

LOL, but if you're not a music major then you just can't "get" what is going on so just stiffle yourself <$1 to Archie Bunker>.

I'm just a mouth breathing Computer Science major (many moons ago) so I just have to go by "If I ain't entertained I jes find sumthin' else... yup".

[ItsOnTheField]

I would accept sousaphones long before woodwinds...believe it or not marching with a sousaphone looks less stupid than marching with a flute or clarinet.

Seriously, does marching any instrument really "look" normal?