2000Cadet Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 My argument would be directed towards the outsides perception of the activity. There are millions that are just clueless as to what the activity is, and referring to it as "drum corps" only doesnt help the perception i dont think Doesn't really hurt either. People will still ask, "Oh, so you play drums?" Either way, they still think it as marching band so I don't see how changing the name will do any justice anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Doesn't really hurt either. People will still ask, "Oh, so you play drums?" Either way, they still think it as marching band so I don't see how changing the name will do any justice anyway. If they simply change the name to " Marching Band " the issue goes away for good. And nobody has to try and explain it anymore to those inside, or outside the activity. People already understand that there are lots of variations within " marching band" already. Lots of diversity in styles. approaches, instrumentation, etc. DCI " marching band " would be just one mor variation of marching band, that's all. And even within DCI marching band, there would be style differences, instrumentation useage defferences, etc.....just as there is now. Call it " marching band " and just end the issue.... and we all can move on to more substantive issues besides having to have disagreements on DCI " Whatchamacallit " units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 If they simply change the name to " Marching Band " the issue goes away for good. And nobody has to try and explain it anymore to those inside, or outside the activity.People already understand that there are lots of variations within " marching band" already. Lots of diversity in styles. approaches, instrumentation, etc. DCI " marching band " would be just one mor variation of marching band, that's all. And even within DCI marching band, there would be style differences, instrumentation useage defferences, etc.....just as there is now. Call it " marching band " and just end the issue.... and we all can move on to more substantive issues besides having to have disagreements on DCI " Whatchamacallit " units. Go for it. When people ask you when your interests are you can tell them "Marching Band". I'll stick with drum corps and just smile and nod when they insinuate that I play the drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 (edited) And that's my point. So what difference does it really make what you call it? Because words have meaning. They are important. They are legally important. They are socially important. Some cynics would ask why don't we allow Avon H.S. or Ronald Reagan H.S to compete in DCI? It's all just marching band. It's not really important what you call it. Edited March 1, 2010 by jjeffeory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Go for it. When people ask you when your interests are you can tell them "Marching Band". I'll stick with drum corps and just smile and nod when they insinuate that I play the drums. Most outside the activity though won't know what you mean when you tell them you do " Drum Corps ". You can do that, but I don't see the point or the benefit really. If you just tell them you do marching band, it won't confuse them. Most have seen ( for instance ) the Ohio State Marching Band, the Air Force Academy Marching Band (and other military style marching bands ), and the Black College and Black University Marching Bands, Harvard and Stanford Marching Bands, and so forth. Most already understand that all marching bands are not all alike in terms of syle and approaches and whatnot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7567BC Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Most outside the activity though won't know what you mean when you tell them you do " Drum Corps ". You can do that, but I don't see the point or the benefit really.If you just tell them you do marching band, it won't confuse them. Most have seen ( for instance ) the Ohio State Marching Band, the Air Force Academy Marching Band (and other military style marching bands ), and the Black College and Black University Marching Bands, Harvard and Stanford Marching Bands, and so forth. Most already understand that all marching bands are not all alike in terms of syle and approaches and whatnot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Most outside the activity though won't know what you mean when you tell them you do " Drum Corps ". You can do that, but I don't see the point or the benefit really.If you just tell them you do marching band, it won't confuse them. Most have seen ( for instance ) the Ohio State Marching Band, the Air Force Academy Marching Band (and other military style marching bands ), and the Black College and Black University Marching Bands, Harvard and Stanford Marching Bands, and so forth. Most already understand that all marching bands are not all alike in terms of syle and approaches and whatnot. This: Because words have meaning...They are socially important. Marching band has a certain connotation, for better or for worse. Many outsiders perceive marching band members to be cripplingly uncoordinated and unathletic. Drum corps, conversely, requires a moderately to extremely high level of athleticism, rarely required in marching band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimba47 Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 If they simply change the name to " Marching Band " the issue goes away for good. And nobody has to try and explain it anymore to those inside, or outside the activity.People already understand that there are lots of variations within " marching band" already. Lots of diversity in styles. approaches, instrumentation, etc. DCI " marching band " would be just one mor variation of marching band, that's all. And even within DCI marching band, there would be style differences, instrumentation useage defferences, etc.....just as there is now. Call it " marching band " and just end the issue.... and we all can move on to more substantive issues besides having to have disagreements on DCI " Whatchamacallit " units. If you're in the NY philharmonic you don't say that you just "do band" do you? If you win a gold medal in the Olympics you aren't going to say you just "won an award". The name "drum corps" or “drum and bugle corps” goes beyond just the instrumentation used. The title has grown to mean the pinnacle of excellence in marching music and the collective prestige of participating performers. Changing it would erode all of that and I personally don’t want that to happen. As frustrating as it is to explain to someone what exactly I do during the summer. I make it very clear just how significantly different it is to marching band on many levels that people often dismiss as “just the lack of woodwinds.” Often passionately expressing not only what the activity is but what the activity means to me. I think that “drum corps” and those that participate deserve at least that. Though frankly, no term can suffice to capture true and full the meaning of drum corps that I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Because words have meaning. They are important. They are legally important. They are socially important. And they have historical significance. There are many things are named what they're named because that's what they've always been named...and people know what those things are and mean, despite the evolution of language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7567BC Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Why do we now always want to rename things? Have we gotten too lazy to explain things to people who may not otherwise know of an activity (the "clueless"). Is it really so hard to explaining the difference between drum corp and band? Wow "they always think I play a drum and I have to tell them I don't". Life is soooo hard. Why are we creating arguments that aren't necessary or help to resolve truly problematic issues or explain a lack of clarity about this activity. Well I guess maybe there is a need for some people to feel as though they are moving the ball forward on such intellectual ponderances. Really folks! Simplify it. And it can be simplified. Drum Corps is an activity with a long history that has eveolved but can still be viewed fairly understandable by calling it Drum Corp. Whether is is not techniocally bugles. It is not only drums either! It is certainly not a "SIGHT & SOUND EXPERIENCE"! Fishing is a sight and sound experience too. It would lose some specialness if the nomenclature were to be watered down to Percussion and Brass and Dance in Motion ensemble. Doesn't roll off the tongue very well. Keep it simple stop the silly talk about name changes and continue to call it what those who involve themselves in it call it...Drum Corps. Call Bands; bands, dance troupes; dance troups, orchestras;orchestras, and knuckleheads who want to call something different just to call it something different can happily continue to be knuckleheads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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