Earlier changes to Drum Corps

[JimF-LowBari]

Lot of times during the amps/electronics/etc debates it's brought up that Drum Corps has always changed and people have always left because of the changes. Problem is I was around for the mid 70s-mid 80s changes and I don't remember anyone leaving because of pits, marching bells, async drills, 2 upright valves, no color presentations, etc. Of course the only way to know about gripes back then was DCW and DCN so who knows. First I knew about people leaving because of changes was when show styles changed ca. later 80s/early 90s.

Anyone hear or know about fans leaving because of earlier changes?

Edited March 23, 2010 by JimF-3rdBari

[Michael Boo]

Some fans saw drum corps only during conventions of the veterans organizations, and when those ceased, they were no longer exposed to the activity.

[bersurkman]

IMHO, the changes weren't as big as they are now. It was still basically the same drum corps but with minor tweaks as were mentioned by OP. I enjoyed the changes as they made the performances that much more exciting. It may have actually added, not lost, people from attending the shows.

The new changes are much more drastic and really affect the fiber of the activity. I don't know if they will be accepted by the paying fans as easily as the early changes were.

[JimF-LowBari]

Some fans saw drum corps only during conventions of the veterans organizations, and when those ceased, they were no longer exposed to the activity.

True 'dat but I was only at one of those conventions. I was thinking of people who had a chance to go to another show but decided to stay away.

Probably should have mentioned that my experiences/obersvations come from annual local shows featuring mainly Senior corps.

Edited March 23, 2010 by JimF-3rdBari

[DAvery]

Lot of times during the amps/electronics/etc debates it's brought up that Drum Corps has always changed and people have always left because of the changes. Problem is I was around for the mid 70s-mid 80s changes and I don't remember anyone leaving because of pits, marching bells, async drills, 2 upright valves, no color presentations, etc. Of course the only way to know about gripes back then was DCW and DCN so who knows. First I knew about people leaving because of changes was when show styles changed ca. later 80s/early 90s.

Anyone hear or know about fans leaving because of earlier changes?

I don't remember anyone leaving, but I do remember a lot of people ticked off about the addition of mallet percussion. There was a thought at the time that corps would consist of 4 bugles and 25 sets of bells. That's why for the first few years they limited the number of mallet instruments to two. I don't remember anyone complaining about the conversion from a rotary/piston to two piston valve horn. I think more people complained about dancing. But as far as saying they were going to stop watching drum corps. I never heard any. But then again, maybe we hear this now due to our increased ability to communicate via the internet. I know I discuss drum corps with many more people now than I did in the 70's.

[BozzlyB]

IMHO, the changes weren't as big as they are now. It was still basically the same drum corps but with minor tweaks as were mentioned by OP. I enjoyed the changes as they made the performances that much more exciting. It may have actually added, not lost, people from attending the shows.

The new changes are much more drastic and really affect the fiber of the activity. I don't know if they will be accepted by the paying fans as easily as the early changes were.

The changes that took placefrom the 70's through the end of the 80's were as drastic IMO as any changes that have happenned since. If you look at a show from 88-89 compared to 78-79, the difference in what you see on the field are night and day. The concept of how shows were created, what was desireable, what was current, was vastly different. The only similarities were that there were still brass, drums/percussion, and color guard on the field, and the same can still be said today. In fact, I would say late 80's drum corps is way more similar to todays DCI than to what DCI looked like in the 70s.

[JimF-LowBari]

I don't remember anyone leaving, but I do remember a lot of people ticked off about the addition of mallet percussion. There was a thought at the time that corps would consist of 4 bugles and 25 sets of bells. That's why for the first few years they limited the number of mallet instruments to two. I don't remember anyone complaining about the conversion from a rotary/piston to two piston valve horn. I think more people complained about dancing. But as far as saying they were going to stop watching drum corps. I never heard any. But then again, maybe we hear this now due to our increased ability to communicate via the internet. I know I discuss drum corps with many more people now than I did in the 70's.

The complaint letters in Drum Corps News that I remember wer about DC turning into "drum and tink-tink corps" (tink-tink was unforgettable ). But think those complaints might have been about the recordings at the time as the bells in the recordings came out louder than watching live. Main reason was the drum line "elevator drills" had the marching bells right in front of the mikes a lot of times. Heavens knows DCA kept trying different things with the mikes in the late 70s to compansate.

...thinking... did hear complaints about the bells being used from other sources too...

[GDinnes]

The changes that took placefrom the 70's through the end of the 80's were as drastic IMO as any changes that have happenned since. If you look at a show from 88-89 compared to 78-79, the difference in what you see on the field are night and day. The concept of how shows were created, what was desireable, what was current, was vastly different. The only similarities were that there were still brass, drums/percussion, and color guard on the field, and the same can still be said today. In fact, I would say late 80's drum corps is way more similar to todays DCI than to what DCI looked like in the 70s.

But is this a result from rule changes? Or is it a results in new design ideas? I think a change in shows due to design changes is entierly different from a change in shows due to rules changes.

I was not alive in the 70's so my question would be were there rules specifically restricting assymetrical drill?

[Lance]

First I knew about people leaving because of changes was when show styles changed ca. later 80s/early 90s.

Well then it must be true.

Anecdotes are nice and fun to read a lot of times, but there's simply no way of knowing what changes caused what number of people to lose interest.

[JimF-LowBari]

Well then it must be true.

Anecdotes are nice and fun to read a lot of times, but there's simply no way of knowing what changes caused what number of people to lose interest.

That's why I'm asking. At this late date and lack of full documentation the only thing left is to ask and see what crops up.

PS - Steve Vickers "History of Drum Corps" labels 1993 "The Year of Audience Discontent" and talks about changes in show design leaving people so "cold" that they quit goig to shows. Any questions about that eras' info should be directed to whoever wrote that chapter.

Edited March 23, 2010 by JimF-3rdBari