SCV Still dropping

[MikeN]

The average WC "kid" is a 19 year old, full-time student majoring in music in college. You're seriously arguing that college students have no attention span?

Mike

[84skyrydr]

I think the lowest SCV could go is 23rd unless I am mistaken.

[Virtu0sity]

I believe the Cavaliers do not allow cell phones on tour.

True. I have a couple buddies in The Cavaliers this year and they are only allowed their cellphones on free days.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Virtu0sity

[jplattSCV]

Those of us hat marched in the 70 & 80 cound not hold a candel to owhat these kids are doing today. Cell phones and facebook R U Kidding. Go on tour, watch and learn. These kids put us to shame. If you marched in the 70's and IF you whent on a national tour then you shou know what went on. If not then I understand why u dont know what your are talking about.

I agree. If you are distracted by a cell phone you won't make it a week on tour. If anything cell phones make it better. I remember wasting tons of time either looking for a pay phone or waiting in line for a pay phone. Now THAT was a distraction.

Facebook on the other hand could be a distraction not because they are posting but because they have to end up hearing too much negative opinion. People like us never shut the #@#$ up about what we don't like. The corps may say they don't care about that, but its human nature to get irritated by that. And that just creates tension which cold make it more difficult to focus in rehearsal. But, that is a major stretch. I think today's members have grown up with Facebook as a norm so they probably can separatefrom it better than all of us fogies.

The kids in the corps have nothing to do with any phantom problem that people perceive. There is no problem if you ask me. There are fewere corps. The ones that remain are all better by comparison if you ask me so somone has to come in 8th, 9th and 10th.

[Rifuarian]

Those of us who have been teaching for more than ten years see it in our students. Today's marching members are also today's students. They study and complete homework assignments at the same time they are watching TV/movies, IMing friends, texting other friends, and listening to their IPods. How much academics do they really retain? Not much. Another side effect of this lifestyle is that the kids have trouble hearing what is said because their brains have not been trained to focus on a single idea. A brain is similar to any muscle and must be trained to function more effectively. Today's kids are used to having thoughts come into their brains without having to do the cognitive work to understand the meaning of those thoughts. If the kids do not develop their ability to logically reason, will they truly understand the need to concentrate for longer periods of time? If they do not concentrate for long periods of time, how will they be able to focus enough to hear the changes that the caption heads want implemented in the show.

I agree that many kids today (and adults too, for that matter) have difficulty concentrating on a single task. Many of the college students I teach are 100% confident that they can listen to a lecture, post on facebook, text, etc. while still getting everything they need out of whatever class it is they're attending. The fact that I'm not that much older than them makes the difference that much starker . . . the world really has changed in significant ways in the past 10-12 years.

That said, I feel that kids who participate in drum corps are exceptional in their ability to focus on their task. It's always been that way, and I've seen no evidence that shows it's any different now. The experience of tour may be a bit different with cell phones and the like, but I have no doubt that if SCV or any other corps would ban it (some already have) if they felt it interfered in any way with the mission of the corps. And while they might grumble about it, I doubt such a ban would dissuade many kids from marching.

Edited August 6, 2010 by Rifuarian

[mellofan]

Mr. Fudd:

Yep, I didn't march a nationwide tour with drum corps. My small corps was on the road for a couple of weeks at a time, so there is no way for me to understand exactly what happened on those tours. My daughter is finishing her 7th year marching in World Class drum corps. I have volunteered time, spent hours watching rehearsals, and listened to the instructors. I have seen first hand the impact that this activity has had on her; however, today's dedication may appear different than the dedication of the members from past decades. My intention was not to slam today's kids but respond to this:

I saw a few individuals at SCV’s rehearsal that had “it”, but not the collective.

Today's kids are working in a way that in "normal" for them. Unfortunately, it may appear less intense to us based on our memories of our youth. The kids who have the intestinal fortitude to march drum corps are truly those who should be able to get past these distractions, but that doesn't mean that the outside distractions still aren't present.

My hope was to shed some light on the changes that are happening outside the world of drum corps that impact this activity. The changes in our society cannot help but have an effect on this activity that all of us love (in our individual way). Some of us are resistant to change. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The problem comes when some of the changes in our society (technology) can actually have unintended negative side effects.

That being said, my hope is that SCV will pull a 6th place finish one week from tomorrow. Their show is tough, but if they do what their instructors ask them to do, they will be successful. I am not sure that any of the corps that are not already in the top five will be able to break into that "elite" group.

[Eric M. Buckman]

Closed Forum...Now that makes me FOMALOL...gosh you guys crack me up!

[Jim C]

I was at the Rome show last night, and to me it's a tremendous waste of talent for the designers to write a show such as that for SCV. This is what they came up with after one of SCV's best shows of all time last year? I love SCV but this show had me shaking my head. This show is on the opposite end of the spectrum from what they did last year. I don't get it - why would the staff think it would be effective to follow up last year with this? I thought their mantra was going to be, "the music comes first"? From their most melodic, musical presentation of last year to the effect-absent, dissonant, angry offering this year. Like I said, I'm a long time SCV fan and I hope next year they get back to something less obtuse and more crowd friendly. I love you guys, and will continue to love you, but that's the truth.. . . . .Jim C

[ajwdad]

Mr. Fudd:

Yep, I didn't march a nationwide tour with drum corps. My small corps was on the road for a couple of weeks at a time, so there is no way for me to understand exactly what happened on those tours. My daughter is finishing her 7th year marching in World Class drum corps. I have volunteered time, spent hours watching rehearsals, and listened to the instructors. I have seen first hand the impact that this activity has had on her; however, today's dedication may appear different than the dedication of the members from past decades. My intention was not to slam today's kids but respond to this:

Today's kids are working in a way that in "normal" for them. Unfortunately, it may appear less intense to us based on our memories of our youth. The kids who have the intestinal fortitude to march drum corps are truly those who should be able to get past these distractions, but that doesn't mean that the outside distractions still aren't present.

My hope was to shed some light on the changes that are happening outside the world of drum corps that impact this activity. The changes in our society cannot help but have an effect on this activity that all of us love (in our individual way). Some of us are resistant to change. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The problem comes when some of the changes in our society (technology) can actually have unintended negative side effects.

That being said, my hope is that SCV will pull a 6th place finish one week from tomorrow. Their show is tough, but if they do what their instructors ask them to do, they will be successful. I am not sure that any of the corps that are not already in the top five will be able to break into that "elite" group.

this is very well spoken. My kids in corp definitely are focused, get it, and deliver a work ethic that is impressive. Having said that, they definitely do things differently that BITD. But, to underestimate their intensity or dedication would be folly.

[Lightness]

I was at the Rome show last night, and to me it's a tremendous waste of talent for the designers to write a show such as that for SCV. This is what they came up with after one of SCV's best shows of all time last year? I love SCV but this show had me shaking my head. This show is on the opposite end of the spectrum from what they did last year. I don't get it - why would the staff think it would be effective to follow up last year with this? I thought their mantra was going to be, "the music comes first"? From their most melodic, musical presentation of last year to the effect-absent, dissonant, angry offering this year. Like I said, I'm a long time SCV fan and I hope next year they get back to something less obtuse and more crowd friendly. I love you guys, and will continue to love you, but that's the truth.. . . . .Jim C

It is not THE truth - it's YOUR truth.