I play the baritone good Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Well, I wouldn't call what BD does easy per se, they just make it look easy. There's a big difference. At the same time, it's not like they're marching Cadet shows. Let's be real here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 You've said this twice now -- please explain what this means. Very curious to hear more. I know I'm not being very clear, but it is difficult for me to put it into words. Allow me to ramble a bit..... Part of the difference in musical styles I think comes from BD's integration of percussion and brass. The norm seems to be to have what the brass is playing be the main focus of the music, and the percussion is accompaniment. What I find in many recent BD shows is that the percussion and brass share equal importance even in full ensemble moments. Sometimes the percussion (even the drum line) have the musical lead, even the "melody," and the brass acts as the accompaniment.... like they are the percussion. I know other corps do this as well, but I think BD uses this technique as their main musical foundation, instead of just an effect. I also often feel like the Blue Devils adapt their source music for drum corps in a different way than most others. It is often more heavily arranged with large sections not resembling the original at all. Small musical snippets are sometimes developed extensively, almost to a fault. How many times in the last few shows does is sound like the music has all of the sudden been reduced to something resembling a warm-up exercise? It has been completely broken down and dissected. Visually..... I'll let others comment on guard as that is not my expertise... but drill-wise...... To me they are definitely in a league of their own when it comes to the way their drills have been constructed lately...... not that it is any better or worse.... just much different. I would describe it as much more "organic" and free flowing. It is not as flashy or visually striking and seems to exist completely to serve the music or feature the guard..... not creating as much effect on its own. Another way I would describe their drill is less "set oriented." It seems they pay just as much attention as to how the form looks for every single count of the show as how it looks at specific "sets." For this reason, I believe it is extremely difficult to march and clean because members often take altered step sizes even within a single move. .... just some of my thoughts, maybe more later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tja273 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I would describe it as much more "organic" and free flowing. It is not as flashy or visually striking and seems to exist completely to serve the music or feature the guard..... not creating as much effect on its own. Another way I would describe their drill is less "set oriented." It seems they pay just as much attention as to how the form looks for every single count of the show as how it looks at specific "sets." For this reason, I believe it is extremely difficult to march and clean because members often take altered step sizes even within a single move. Tez - You nailed this one...think more "choreography" than "drill" or "sets". Oh...and I have no idea about uniforms either, other than the guard which will be very colorful this year (and not likely as blinding bright as last year). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I know I'm not being very clear, but it is difficult for me to put it into words. Allow me to ramble a bit.....Part of the difference in musical styles I think comes from BD's integration of percussion and brass. The norm seems to be to have what the brass is playing be the main focus of the music, and the percussion is accompaniment. What I find in many recent BD shows is that the percussion and brass share equal importance even in full ensemble moments. Sometimes the percussion (even the drum line) have the musical lead, even the "melody," and the brass acts as the accompaniment.... like they are the percussion. I know other corps do this as well, but I think BD uses this technique as their main musical foundation, instead of just an effect. I also often feel like the Blue Devils adapt their source music for drum corps in a different way than most others. It is often more heavily arranged with large sections not resembling the original at all. Small musical snippets are sometimes developed extensively, almost to a fault. How many times in the last few shows does is sound like the music has all of the sudden been reduced to something resembling a warm-up exercise? It has been completely broken down and dissected. Visually..... I'll let others comment on guard as that is not my expertise... but drill-wise...... To me they are definitely in a league of their own when it comes to the way their drills have been constructed lately...... not that it is any better or worse.... just much different. I would describe it as much more "organic" and free flowing. It is not as flashy or visually striking and seems to exist completely to serve the music or feature the guard..... not creating as much effect on its own. Another way I would describe their drill is less "set oriented." It seems they pay just as much attention as to how the form looks for every single count of the show as how it looks at specific "sets." For this reason, I believe it is extremely difficult to march and clean because members often take altered step sizes even within a single move. .... just some of my thoughts, maybe more later. I think Blue Devils are definitely leading the way as far as modern show designs are concerned: they are designing a great marriage of drum corps/WGI. As mentioned by another poster, the focus is on staging and choreography, and not so much set-set marching. Their music lately as been snippet of familiar melodies contained in a bigger picture of more original music. The percussion often carries the melody, and you describe what I perceive as their musical design just about perfectly. Blue Devils seem to approach their drum corps design almost exactly the same way as WGI show design. While some corps lately have produced shows that "felt" like a WGi design (Bluecoats in particular the last couple of years seem to be trying to meld WGI guard + WGI percussion + DCI), BD and Scott Chandler have achieved that perfect blend of DCI/WGI design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoutnout Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I think Blue Devils are definitely leading the way as far as modern show designs are concerned: they are designing a great marriage of drum corps/WGI. As mentioned by another poster, the focus is on staging and choreography, and not so much set-set marching. Their music lately as been snippet of familiar melodies contained in a bigger picture of more original music. The percussion often carries the melody, and you describe what I perceive as their musical design just about perfectly. Blue Devils seem to approach their drum corps design almost exactly the same way as WGI show design. While some corps lately have produced shows that "felt" like a WGi design (Bluecoats in particular the last couple of years seem to be trying to meld WGI guard + WGI percussion + DCI), BD and Scott Chandler have achieved that perfect blend of DCI/WGI design. Many Many of the G7 as well as from BS and BAC, Glassmen and more are WGI designers. Show concepts and viauals and the " newer production " all come from or have that WGI influence for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 (edited) 'Scoutnout' 'Jun 6 2010, 11:55 AM' post='2800228']Many Many of the G7 as well as from BS and BAC, Glassmen and more are WGI designers. Show concepts and viauals and the " newer production " all come from or have that WGI influence for sure. While that's obvious, I think no other corps has successfully found the 'formula' (for lack of a better word) the way Blue Devils have. Many of those corps mentioned have aspects and influence of WGI design, but only Blue Devils have found the right way to bring that design aspect and meld it with drum corps design. I think in the next four-five years it will be more the norm as more of the top corps figure out how to compete with BD's designs. But I don't think any other corps has found the perfect marriage (yet) of DCI + WGI the way BD have. Edited June 6, 2010 by perc2100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 13 World Championships, not placing below 5th in over 30 years, 20+ brass titles, multiple other caption titles(not sure how many in what captions), and other things like people who won the ring with a different World Class corps choosing to age out with BD will kinda do that, don't you think? 82, 84, 86, 90, 92, 95, 97, 98, 99, 01, 03, 06, 07, and 09 for colorguard... !! G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCC99Man Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 I would describe it as much more "organic" and free flowing. "Organic" - The visual staff CONSTANTLY uses this word. Not only in the drill, but all the way down to the individual body movement, technique, and overall performance feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdevil08 Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 "Organic" - The visual staff CONSTANTLY uses this word. Not only in the drill, but all the way down to the individual body movement, technique, and overall performance feel. I most certainly agree with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 "Organic" - The visual staff CONSTANTLY uses this word. Makes sense, what with them being from northern CA and all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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