2nd year for the synth....

[atlvalet]

I am flying out to the Murfreesboro and Atlanta shows. It seems like I won't need a barf bag like in years past (2007 Cadets being an all-time drum corps low for me).

[rkfdPRphan]

Maybe the quality of the synth system makes the difference we 'hear'?

Cheap keyboards make keyboard sounds....but cant a high end synth system (and a bit of pratice) match the type of horn or pit equipment they are trying to support?

Maybe that is it....some corps are using synth to support, while others use it to produce sound that no other piece of equipment out on the field can make?

Is it needed?

I am warming up to synth if its similar to the horns and pit equipment.

If its a sound of its own - I'm not liking it at all......

[MikeN]

I'm meh on electronics, but it's a darn sight better than voice.

Mike

[BozzlyB]

Maybe the quality of the synth system makes the difference we 'hear'?

Cheap keyboards make keyboard sounds....but cant a high end synth system (and a bit of pratice) match the type of horn or pit equipment they are trying to support?

Maybe that is it....some corps are using synth to support, while others use it to produce sound that no other piece of equipment out on the field can make?

Is it needed?

I am warming up to synth if its similar to the horns and pit equipment.

If its a sound of its own - I'm not liking it at all......

I gotta say that is about as close to the polar opposite of my opinion as someone could get. The LAST thing I want is a hornline "supported" by a synth trying to copy a brass sound. That IMO poisions the purity of a brassline, and I don't care how good or high quality the synth, the difference is palpable. I think the best uses of synth to date have been to create effects that you could not otherwise create with the existing instrumentation in drum corps.

[BozzlyB]

I'm meh on electronics, but it's a darn sight better than voice.

Mike

Word.

[ShortAndFast]

This year has been much, much better, from what little I've seen already. IMO, the addition of electronic instruments has worked far, far better than adding amplified voice.

Yes, it seems like we skipped the years of "let me show you my shiny new toy over and over and over..." that we went through with voice. I don't like synthesized brass sounds period - DCI should simply ban them. But aside from that, IMO electronics are being used reasonably well. There is still a little too much of "listen to my cool patch for 8 counts while we run to a set", but it's generally improved over last year. Some shows - Bluecoats comes to mind - are using it extremely well, to the definite benefit of their show.

[OState10]

Not too bad . . .still don't need the padding in the low end.

As long as we keep away from the narration and spoken word stuff, I can live with it.

Totally agree.

[Jeff Ream]

some I think overuse it, especially for low end and triggered effects that cover music up. some use it totally for a design crutch and I feel it hurts them

[skajerk]

Yeah. I'm with Jeff on this one. There are a few shows that I think would stand on their own w/o the keys or sound effects.

[Matt_S]

Who exactly is using it as a design crutch? This is one of those generic talking points that gets spread around, but no one ever takes the time to explain what they mean. Who is using synthesizers as a "design crutch" to their detriment, and what could they be doing instead that you would consider more creative? Though to be fair, I suppose you probably can't get to 130,000 posts unless you speak in generalities.