Blue Devils, Cadets, Cavaliers, SCV

[dcsnare93]

I understand the question is other drum corps, but I have a hard time believing anyone marching their first year in a top 5 WC corps has no prior experience, at least with one hell of a band program.

I've marched with individuals who have had no prior experience whatsoever, and have seen similar situations while instructing. Marching in a drum corps is not that difficult. If you're willing to learn, then it can be done.

Edited May 15, 2010 by dcsnare93

[Abbevillekid26]

I'm really surprised by those numbers, that is very cool though.

[TheClutch]

I bet the numbers are a lot closer to 100% when it comes to drumline (batterie) players.

[AAPAbaritone]

Not including the 10 people from the B corps, the 2009 Blue Devils hornline had 49 of 76 people who marched somewhere before BD. The corps previously marched included Crown, Cadets, SCV, Bluecoats, Boston, Blue Stars, Troopers, Colts, Academy, Crossmen, Spirit, Mandarins, Pacific Crest, Jersey Surf, Cascades, Southwind, Esperanza, Mystikal, VK, Fever, and Oregon Crusaders. 17 had never marched drum corps before BD. Of 10 rook-outs, only 1 had never marched before. I also know the pit had people who had marched Phantom, Cavies, and Madison; making BK, Glassmen, and Pioneer the only active World Class corps not represented. Numbers like this are pretty typical of the Blue Devils.

[84BDsop]

Not including the 10 people from the B corps, the 2009 Blue Devils hornline had 49 of 76 people who marched somewhere before BD. The corps previously marched included Crown, Cadets, SCV, Bluecoats, Boston, Blue Stars, Troopers, Colts, Academy, Crossmen, Spirit, Mandarins, Pacific Crest, Jersey Surf, Cascades, Southwind, Esperanza, Mystikal, VK, Fever, and Oregon Crusaders. 17 had never marched drum corps before BD. Of 10 rook-outs, only 1 had never marched before. I also know the pit had people who had marched Phantom, Cavies, and Madison; making BK, Glassmen, and Pioneer the only active World Class corps not represented. Numbers like this are pretty typical of the Blue Devils.

It was somewhat typical when I marched as well...we had people who came from all over the place...an 83 Cadet bari, a whole bunch from SCV, Madison, Phantom, the B corps, smaller corps from across thr country, rook-outs like me, etc.

[CuriousMe]

It was somewhat typical when I marched as well...we had people who came from all over the place...an 83 Cadet bari, a whole bunch from SCV, Madison, Phantom, the B corps, smaller corps from across thr country, rook-outs like me, etc.

Interesting, in comparison....back when I marched Cadet's (just a few years later than 84BDsop's BD experience) it wasn't uncommon to have folks in the hornline who not only hadn't marched corps before....but who played woodwinds normally and were learning to play brass to march in the corps. They worked their butts off and showed big improvement between each and every camp. Truly, I give them huge props....I don't know if I could have done something like Cadet's if I had to learn a completely different kind of instrument. I've also seen very fine players who were hot dogs, cut from the hornline within a camp or so (hate to generalize, but generally we're talking lead sops). It seemed that that "fit" was definitely an important criteria as they made membership decisions.

Truthfully though, at least then...most folks cut themselves through attrition. Often they just decided that Cadet's wasn't what they thought it was going to be (my suspicion is that it often had to do with the amount of hard work occurring...but maybe it was a general fit issue).

My guess is that, in general, it's a different ball game for all corps today though.

[84BDsop]

Interesting, in comparison....back when I marched Cadet's (just a few years later than 84BDsop's BD experience) it wasn't uncommon to have folks in the hornline who not only hadn't marched corps before....but who played woodwinds normally and were learning to play brass to march in the corps

That still happens...I think the mello soloist in 02 PC was a woodwind player prior to marching. And SoCal Dream had a flutist turned mello in the 06 line...he learned a he went. Turned unto a fairly good player by the time the season actually started.