The OFFICIAL Phantom Regiment Thread

[rkfdPRphan]

what about the quiet ending?

The ending IS quiet.

Almost the whole Corp is at the far right and back side of the field.

There is some marching but I wasn't up high enough to see what they were doing.

The horns are turned away from the audience.

One female guard member is hoisted high in the center of whatever thing they are doing.

I'm sure the program will 'evolve'.

As for an earlier statement about more tuba players coming later to make a total of 12 - I don't think tthats going to happen. There's just one spot where the deep horns are really used.

And, I think, I saw a synthasizer.

It's at the far left of the pit.

Didn't see it used much.

GO PHANTOM REGIMENT.

I won't see them again until Kalamazoo.

[chaos001]

The ending IS quiet.

Almost the whole Corp is at the far right and back side of the field.

There is some marching but I wasn't up high enough to see what they were doing.

The horns are turned away from the audience.

One female guard member is hoisted high in the center of whatever thing they are doing.

I'm sure the program will 'evolve'.

As for an earlier statement about more tuba players coming later to make a total of 12 - I don't think tthats going to happen. There's just one spot where the deep horns are really used.

And, I think, I saw a synthasizer.

It's at the far left of the pit.

Didn't see it used much.

GO PHANTOM REGIMENT.

I won't see them again until Kalamazoo.

see ya there!

[megadrive]

After last year's dissapointing show, it's sounding more and more like this is a show I can get behind.

Go Regiment!

[trumpetcam]

The ending IS quiet.

Almost the whole Corp is at the far right and back side of the field.

There is some marching but I wasn't up high enough to see what they were doing.

The horns are turned away from the audience.

One female guard member is hoisted high in the center of whatever thing they are doing.

I'm sure the program will 'evolve'.

As for an earlier statement about more tuba players coming later to make a total of 12 - I don't think tthats going to happen. There's just one spot where the deep horns are really used.

And, I think, I saw a synthasizer.

It's at the far left of the pit.

Didn't see it used much.

GO PHANTOM REGIMENT.

I won't see them again until Kalamazoo.

That worries me, at least from a perception standpoint. With so many corps already at 12, not to mention 16 and 20 (Scouts), what kind of subconscious impression could that give judges after a "down" year like 2009? I am hoping they can get at least 10 out there so they don't begin to look smaller than some of the younger DCI lines. It would be tough for Phantom to come out with less contras than say, Jersey Surf or Teal Sound (no disrespect to those organizations intended.) It could send the wrong message about where the corps is headed.

And very few "deep" moments seems troubling since Phantom is so based in low brass tradition. I'm sure there will be plenty of "beefy" moments of Euph/Tuba goodness in the show soon enough!

Edited June 18, 2010 by trumpetcam

[AlexL]

I just hope they arent planning on cranking a synth to make up for contra numbers....

[chaos001]

I just hope they arent planning on cranking a synth to make up for contra numbers....

the synths weren't even noticeable last night from what i hear...

[Bruckner8]

I just hope they arent planning on cranking a synth to make up for contra numbers....

That didn't stop the judges from rewarding BD or SCV last year, so I doubt that will be an issue.

Mark my words:The tuba may be going the way of the French Horn. Here are all of the "justifications" for replacing Tuba with synthetic sound:

1) People (audience, judges and designers) don't spend time trying to "delineate" the tuba sound. Only current Bluecoats and Crown (Past SCV, Star and Phantom) have forced audiences to notice the tuba/contra.

2) With amped pit, large hornlines, combined with snyth and bad staging, one can't even EXPECT to hear the tuba sound half the time. (unless there are at least 16. U basically need 18-20% Tubas, if you want to cover all of your bases.)

3) BD has more brass titles than anyone else. Name the last show were you can claim you've heard the tubas on every note.

4) Tuba is VERY DIFFICULT to play!! It's hard enough to play sitting down. It's hard enough to play whilst moving, with half of your vision taken away. Then add the stress on the mind learning to coordinate all of the movement, not to mention the strength required. And it still has to sound GREAT (somehow!). During the beginning of the season, it can be disconcerting to young tuba players when they see trumpeters flit and frolic across the field, whilst hearing the message "tubas, you suck" from the tower every 5 minutes. There's an ignorant, impatient mindset in current drum corps instruction about the time-frame required for young tuba players to succeed.

5) Synthetic bass is EVERYWHERE in modern culture. When you hear a single tuba player, in a practice room for example, it almost surprises you how "different" it sounds.

6) 1 Synth is a lot cheaper than 16 tubas.

7) It's much easier to clean a synth than 16 tubas.

8) Corps want bigger color guards and pit (Summer Winter Guard); the numbers have to come from somewhere! Audiences and judges are programmed to expect color guards to not be precisely together...that same latitude doesn't fly for hornlines, where tubas are the biggest, most-visible instruments. By replacing tubas with guard, you've just increased some visual scores by a tenth or two.

With all of those strikes against the tuba, it's no wonder corps have difficulty finding enough players. Who would want to work SO HARD, just to be disrespected by ignorant staff (instruction and design)? Who would want to carry around the bulkiest, most-difficult instrument all summer in the heat, knowing full well the synth is doubling your every note? Tubas players are NUTS. One has to have a screw loose (or two) to want to play tuba in modern drum corps.

On the other hand, I haven't heard Crown or Bloo looking for players. In fact,I saw Bloo's first uniformed full run last night. All 16 players on the field, and 2 alternates at warmup. Bloo's had 17-18 players since cuts in January. I trust the same happens at Crown. These two corps seem to "get it" as far as tubas go. Honorable mention to Blue Stars...I really think they're going to join Bloo and Crown as a destination for modern tuba players.

Otherwise, we may as well jack up the synth, and quit pretending that the tubas matter. SCV and BD in 2009 got a good jump on that....and the judges/audience seemed to agree.

[bawker]

Otherwise, we may as well jack up the synth, and quit pretending that the tubas matter. SCV and BD in 2009 got a good jump on that....and the judges/audience seemed to agree.

Why not propose a judging tweak next off-season to demand that synth "padding" and/or electronics/amplification issues are noted (and scored as as such, just as a blown attack or release would be)?

Surely, there has to be some sort of support for that at the instructor level?

[general_tsos_chicken2]

That didn't stop the judges from rewarding BD or SCV last year, so I doubt that will be an issue.

Mark my words:The tuba may be going the way of the French Horn. Here are all of the "justifications" for replacing Tuba with synthetic sound:

1) People (audience, judges and designers) don't spend time trying to "delineate" the tuba sound. Only current Bluecoats and Crown (Past SCV, Star and Phantom) have forced audiences to notice the tuba/contra.

2) With amped pit, large hornlines, combined with snyth and bad staging, one can't even EXPECT to hear the tuba sound half the time. (unless there are at least 16. U basically need 18-20% Tubas, if you want to cover all of your bases.)

3) BD has more brass titles than anyone else. Name the last show were you can claim you've heard the tubas on every note.

4) Tuba is VERY DIFFICULT to play!! It's hard enough to play sitting down. It's hard enough to play whilst moving, with half of your vision taken away. Then add the stress on the mind learning to coordinate all of the movement, not to mention the strength required. And it still has to sound GREAT (somehow!). During the beginning of the season, it can be disconcerting to young tuba players when they see trumpeters flit and frolic across the field, whilst hearing the message "tubas, you suck" from the tower every 5 minutes. There's an ignorant, impatient mindset in current drum corps instruction about the time-frame required for young tuba players to succeed.

5) Synthetic bass is EVERYWHERE in modern culture. When you hear a single tuba player, in a practice room for example, it almost surprises you how "different" it sounds.

6) 1 Synth is a lot cheaper than 16 tubas.

7) It's much easier to clean a synth than 16 tubas.

8) Corps want bigger color guards and pit (Summer Winter Guard); the numbers have to come from somewhere! Audiences and judges are programmed to expect color guards to not be precisely together...that same latitude doesn't fly for hornlines, where tubas are the biggest, most-visible instruments. By replacing tubas with guard, you've just increased some visual scores by a tenth or two.

With all of those strikes against the tuba, it's no wonder corps have difficulty finding enough players. Who would want to work SO HARD, just to be disrespected by ignorant staff (instruction and design)? Who would want to carry around the bulkiest, most-difficult instrument all summer in the heat, knowing full well the synth is doubling your every note? Tubas players are NUTS. One has to have a screw loose (or two) to want to play tuba in modern drum corps.

On the other hand, I haven't heard Crown or Bloo looking for players. In fact,I saw Bloo's first uniformed full run last night. All 16 players on the field, and 2 alternates at warmup. Bloo's had 17-18 players since cuts in January. I trust the same happens at Crown. These two corps seem to "get it" as far as tubas go. Honorable mention to Blue Stars...I really think they're going to join Bloo and Crown as a destination for modern tuba players.

Otherwise, we may as well jack up the synth, and quit pretending that the tubas matter. SCV and BD in 2009 got a good jump on that....and the judges/audience seemed to agree.

that's funny because I definitely heard more synth 'helping' out the low brass from crown last year than any other corps...

[zachariaswmb]

I talked to a member last night, and asked him about the tuba situation. They have 12, but four of them are out due either to minor injuries, or just getting out of school. Never fear, DCP. Regiment will always be a Fat Bottomed Corps that will make your rockin' world go 'round.