Could the new pre-show rule lead to woodwinds?

[glory]

...And unless my attenna is picking up signals from another universe, my attenna is sending me back signals that even " the young'uns " here on earth don't want woodwinds in DCI....

Thanks for injecting some sanity into what generally has been an exercise in irrationality and scare-mongering.

No one in the activity has proposed and no one supports replacing the brass sound that is fundamental to drum corps. All that those who have authority or influence have suggested is the sort of non-brass highlights that we've already had. Cavies using whistles and a shofar in the past or several corps using piano sounds are realistic examples what we might expect if woodwinds ever were to take a place on the field. A sax sound. A flute sound. Not saxes and flutes instead of trumpets and euphs.

Most important point: All of us, including the current generation prefer the brass sound. The rest is exaggeration.

HH

[BRASSO]

Thanks for injecting some sanity into what generally has been an exercise in irrationality and scare-mongering.

No one in the activity has proposed and no one supports replacing the brass sound that is fundamental to drum corps. All that those who have authority or influence have suggested is the sort of non-brass highlights that we've already had. Cavies using whistles and a shofar in the past or several corps using piano sounds are realistic examples what we might expect if woodwinds ever were to take a place on the field. A sax sound. A flute sound. Not saxes and flutes instead of trumpets and euphs.

Most important point: All of us, including the current generation prefer the brass sound. The rest is exaggeration.

HH

I believe it will be your generation that will fight this battle over the use of woodwinds in DCI Field competition. It will be fought with the new generation that are not here, but will soon arrive.

Those of us that have fought ( and lost ) the battle over faux sound synths, guitars, singing, narration, amplification, etc. will pass the torch to you and your generation to fight those who will be coming ( some already here as you can see from DCP ) that will be vigorously in support of woodwinds useage. Here's hoping that when we are dead and gone, fans like you will have better success than us in the battle to preserve this great musical marching activity.

Edited February 12, 2010 by BRASSO

[The Other Mike]

Who is "they"?! The Directors? DCI admin? Fans? Members? WHO? and if "they" were actually "warming people up to the idea" what incentive do "they" have?

You don't think there is a connection between Yamaha etc. and the instructors and corps directors ?

They have been courting the right people for years, it's part of their business just like most others.

[jjeffeory]

The DCI voting congress voted DOWN the age limit because it would ruin the idea of a youth activity.

That's rather melodramatic. A couple of months to a year, "ruins"" the idea of DCI as being a youth activity?

[Jeff Ream]

Well, there's a big difference between the pre-show and the competitive show. There's also a huge difference between having a sax player jamming in the pit into a mic during the pre-show and a 24-man sax line being added to the corps proper.

there is getting to be less difference every day...and in fact it seems preshow will become "required" in that usual DCI "optional" way....even tho many corps should spend more time working on the 11 minutes that count as opposed to the 5 that do not.

[Jeff Ream]

NO ONE SAID they want woodwinds in the preshow.

then why are they creating a rule where anything goes? if there wasn't an agenda behind the rule, why bother?

the rule states anything can be used. It was meant for pre recordings and such. To clarify a rule that was grey . Some corps used pre recordings and voice overs in preshows and some corps thought it was illegal. This is just a clarification of that rule.

then the rule should have been written as such to allow pre-recorded narrations and sounds, not anything goes and can be used.

The DCI voting congress voted DOWN the age limit because it would ruin the idea of a youth activity.

good we weren't discussing that. reading comprehension is a beautiful thing

Adding woodwinds would do the same , change it from drum and bugle corps .

they know this......it will never happen.

uh huh. bet ya $100 it's proposed again within 3 years. Remember Drum corps is marching band

I f DCI was to vote woodwinds in they would have to up the membership to 175 / 200. and they have voted that increase down already.

and it was said when amps passed that "its just for the pit, not to add synths"

[Jeff Ream]

For those of you saying "follow the money" I suggest you take your own advice when it comes to the possibility of woodwinds. The top corps directors are nothing if not intelligent businessmen. As much as they may appear to be out-of-touch with drum corps supporters, I seriously believe that they are not. On DCI's website, they boast a "highly loyal past-participant base of nearly 250,000", and they understand that number would likely be at least halved with the implementation of woodwinds. Sure, electronics may have driven some away from the activity (I know I know, they haven't published attendence figures in a few years), but they take these things into consideration when they pass the rules. DCI directors understand that without fan support, the activity ceases to exist. I'm sure Hopkins looks at The Cadets' souvenir sales and recognizes that his organization still gets a lot of support despite him being one of the biggest proponents for some of the most outrageous rule proposals. Non-profits rely heavily on contributions from supporters, and implementing woodwinds is a fine way to make the majority of those supporters disappear.

honestly...i bet souvie sales depend more on placement than anything.

[Jeff Ream]

What financial boon would woodwinds provide that make them appealing to Hopkins? What financial benefit have electronics provided? I think in the case of woodwinds, the risk far outweighs the reward. It will be interesting to see how corps utilize the pre-show this year with the new rules. I think until then it's difficult to assert that it's "just a matter of time" before woodwinds are added to drum corps.

No, I'm not sure. I guess I'm an optimist. Which director and in what capacity does he not understand the loss of fan support that would come with the implementation of woodwinds? If that is the case, how can the fans of DCI demonstrate that potential loss preemptively? How many fans would actually put in the effort to participate in a preemptive petition or something like that, and would it be enough to concern the board of directors? Is there even enough general fan support for something like a petition against woodwinds? I believe there was one for electronics that didn't make much of an impact, so how much more effective will one for woodwinds be?

Without answers to those questions, what can we do beyond besides discussing it on the internet? The way I see it, there's no sense in 'living in fear' of woodwinds being introduced to drum corps. If the directors are that ignorant of (what we perceive to be) the desires of the audience, then why waste the time and effort fearing something that may not happen? If and when it happens, I'll be as upset as anybody, but until then I have no reason to prognosticate about the ways by which this pre-show could lead to it.

because people do not want to see an activity they love and are willing to pay ever rising prices to see go to hell

[Blake13]

You know, there's no point arguing over this. None of you are corps directors/board members who vote on this stuff so this really doesnt matter. You're getting worked up over what THEY thought will be BEST for the corps this season.

As for the pre-show and age rule. If you read them, you would understand them

[Richard]

because people do not want to see an activity they love and are willing to pay ever rising prices to see go to hell

That's completely understandable, but what can stressing out about it accomplish besides possibly enlightening a few hundred people who read DCP?