Why Blue Devils Win

[WestCoaster]

Why not? Are you saying they didn't improve?

The Blue Devil drumlines of the 80's can hold their own against any other, from any era.

Some of the finest drumming DCI has ever had.

[chaddyt]

Not to the extent it's done now, but certainly the arrangements of the winners were beginning to get choppier (Cavies 92, Cadets 93)...but the trend started even earlier than that, I'd say.

Cadet's 93 was pretty darn close to Holsinger's original composition.

[84BDsop]

Cadet's 93 was pretty darn close to Holsinger's original composition.

As was Gavornka Fanfare in 92 for Cavies....In fact, GF sure seems like a straight transcription (will have to compare them again)

There was one section of the Holsinger that I WISH Cadets had kept...can't really describe it...was in the last couple of minutes...ah well.

[dcialumni1989]

As was Gavornka Fanfare in 92 for Cavies....In fact, GF sure seems like a straight transcription (will have to compare them again)

Jack Stamp did not feel the same way.... he was pretty angry with the corps for changing his music that year.

[Todd Tanji]

I don't think most kids enter the activity strictly to win.....if they did, a whole

lot of them would be disappointed.

That said, the kids and the audience deserve a quality judging system and quality

judges that FULLY REWARD the shows on any given night at any given show.

Effect judging, especially music, is warped, and has been for quite awhile. The furor

that is growing will hopefully instigate some change.

What do you think would happen if fans went to football games and it was

obvious that the officials were blowing many, many calls consistently? There would be change.

Instant replay has gone a long way to insure that officials are not calling games, but

the winning team is winning through THEIR performance, not through the acts of officials.

If the judges continue to over-reward programs with mediocre, poor, choppy, or boring musical

arrangements which do not connect with the majority of the audience, we can expect a further

erosion of the fan base, especially if more corps mimic this type of production in an effort

to win contests.

GB

I didn't say that the kids just want to win but you can bet your life that take the judges' feedback

VERY seriously and it drives their motivations immensely.

And it is FAR from obvious that the DCI judges are "blowing calls". Just because you don't like something

doesn't mean it is not great. We all have our own personal taste and differ in what we call "entertaining".

Maybe a little respect for diversity of personal taste is what is lacking here.

And as far as popularity is concerned, I will say this YET AGAIN: the Blue Devils are NOT HURTING

for fans.

[84BDsop]

Jack Stamp did not feel the same way.... he was pretty angry with the corps for changing his music that year.

Some composers get bent out of shape if you change one note. The only significant change I can remember off the top of my head was hosing the double tounguing in that end section that restates the one in the beginning.

If it was my music some corps wanted to do, I'd be overjoyed.

[dcialumni1989]

Some composers get bent out of shape if you change one note. The only significant change I can remember off the top of my head was hosing the double tounguing in that end section that restates the one in the beginning.

If it was my music some corps wanted to do, I'd be overjoyed.

I completely agree, but I guess Jack Stamp thinks he is the reincarnation of Gustav Mahler.

[dcsnare93]

I don't think most kids enter the activity strictly to win.....if they did, a whole

lot of them would be disappointed.

That said, the kids and the audience deserve a quality judging system and quality

judges that FULLY REWARD the shows on any given night at any given show.

Effect judging, especially music, is warped, and has been for quite awhile. The furor

that is growing will hopefully instigate some change.

It seems like you're asking more for a judging system that fully rewards the shows YOU like.

What do you think would happen if fans went to football games and it was

obvious that the officials were blowing many, many calls consistently? There would be change.

Instant replay has gone a long way to insure that officials are not calling games, but

the winning team is winning through THEIR performance, not through the acts of officials.

The Blue Devils DID win because of THEIR performance. Not really sure how you could claim otherwise.

If the judges continue to over-reward programs with mediocre, poor, choppy, or boring musical

arrangements which do not connect with the majority of the audience, we can expect a further

erosion of the fan base, especially if more corps mimic this type of production in an effort

to win contests.

GB

Exactly what corps are full out mimicking the "BD approach" this year?

Edited July 14, 2010 by dcsnare93

[84BDsop]

I completely agree, but I guess Jack Stamp thinks he is the reincarnation of Gustav Mahler.

Hell...how many composers have had new people listen tpo their work BECAUSE of a drum corps using it?

[WestCoaster]

Cadet's 93 was pretty darn close to Holsinger's original composition.

True.

Maybe it was the move towards that TYPE of music which is more frenetic that I'm trying to illustrate.

Anyway, like I said the trend started long before that (about 10 years before, in fact). Most corps used to play entire tunes. Four or five of them. Then a few got into the whole "concept show" where the beginning and end of the tunes wasn't quite so defined, the shows became more seamless (Garfield 84 is a great example of that, I'd say, even moreso 85 and 87). Somewhere along the line that excellent innovation went too far, and we started getting these chop shop shows everyone is complaining about today.

So, in short, blame Garfield.