Best tuba section in dci

[Eric M. Buckman]

In my opinion, the guy that started this thread is probably a Bluecoats fan and wanted to draw attention to how much butt the Bluecoats tubas kick. And its obvious that the Bluecoats have the best tubas, and most exposure, coolest feature. If you wanted a catagory that is a total blowout for the Bluecoats, its the tubas.

Not really...Bluecoats exposed not even close...oh the Tuba solo...yeah..well try the entire show and drill nothing to write home about, they are very stong talented line one of the best... but by no means the best...anyway...we won't go there...Star of Indiana "Tuba Line" Contra section did just as well with a much more difficult arrangement...LOL and just as tough of drill.

[Bruckner8]

Not really...Bluecoats exposed not even close...oh the Tuba solo...yeah..well try the entire show and drill nothing to write home about, they are very stong talented line one of the best... but by no means the best...anyway...we won't go there...Star of Indiana "Tuba Line" Contra section did just as well with a much more difficult arrangement...LOL and just as tough of drill.

OK,so let's breakdown Bloo's "tuba exposure."

Opening statement: Tubas and Euphs alone, concert G mp, nothing in front of them.

Opening LOUD statement: entire hornline in UNISON,tubas up front, side 2...field brass judge there every single time

Opener, middle LOUD hit in Eb, tubas behind upper brass, but coming across the middle, with no one in front of them except guard

Opener next entrance...all 16 in a line, with nothing in front of them, can hear every single note, and judge can get in front of them

Opener closing hit,company front to end, tubas in an arc front sideline

...and alot of it split into two parts....

2nd number, opening soft stuff..easy, until the middle F, low F octave drop...nothing in front of them

2nd number LOUD statement in Bb minor...one line of trumpets in front for a bit, then tubas in front with 8x2 block

...then their feature...which includes 100% body movement (not just marching or standing still)

After that..STANDARD "in the back" drill for tubas (the ONLY part of the show I'd call "non-exposed")

..and not to mention 3-way splits in tuba feature (4 if you count the soloist, lol)

ballad...tubas IN FRONT THE ENTIRE TIME, ####. Are you blind? 2-way split, melodic lines too, double-####. Can you not hear what they are doing? mostly in double-time. Yes, easy music when sitting down. Not so easy in drum corps.

Closer, opening statement, tubas in front side 1, starting on Low F, and rising from there, climaxing in a tuba line company front on side 1

Closer, backfield side 2 next to drums, tubas in 2x8 block, playing "the vamp" split in octaves, with lower octave on Low G and Ab THE ENTIRE TIME, forte, growing to fortissimo, all on the back hash OR FURTHER. NO DRUM CORPS WRITER WOULD EVEN TRY DOING THIS, triple-####. Granted,at this point you can't get in front of them, but you can certainly tell what they're doing, how difficult it is, and how EXPOSED it is. NO ONE CAN SUCK! The lower part wouldn't even be heard by most tubas lines OF ALL TIME. It wouldn't even BE WRITTEN b/c of that fact. The closer alone is a testament to tuba excellence, Bloo style.

...entire closer split in 2 parts

Finally, you can hear EVERY SINGLE NOTE of their show, even in the bass-muddling dome. If that's not exposure, I don't know what is.

I'll be happy to provide a similar lick-by-lick example for other shows, but I can't understand the ignorance coming from people saying Bloo's book is somehow easy, or unexposed.

EDIT for typos

Edited August 14, 2010 by Bruckner8

[BDCorno]

Like anyone can actually HEAR them anymore. All I hear is synthisized goo coming from the subwoofers.

ding ding ding....we have a winner! Turn of all the low end claptrap, let's hear everyone's entire book (not just a 30 second feature here or there) and I'll get back to you.

[AnaheimAlumni]

ding ding ding....we have a winner! Turn of all the low end claptrap, let's hear everyone's entire book (not just a 30 second feature here or there) and I'll get back to you.

Yea shouldn't there be a topic, "who has the loudest bottom end synth to replace a Contra line".

[wilme861]

I would actually say Crown's staging IS poor, and it's costing them competitively. All of their impact moments are in large, spread out forms that leave individual members of the brassline very exposed. Because of this, judges are able to nitpick about individual inconsistencies much easier than a corps who hides its errors in compact drill forms. I really respect the risks Crown takes in doing this. Very few - if any - corps attempt what Crown does, and it's nice to see that. But they have to realize that taking those risks without being absolutely perfect will cost them in terms of the numbers.

I would take that risk every year if I had to do so. Maybe they'll change that philosophy around next year but I seriously doubt it. If I was still marching with them, I would want to be challenged like that ensemble is getting challenged the past couple of years. The staff has done their job of designing a show that could win. Just so happens that the members haven't been able to execute perfectly yet but I'm just impressed with how close they have actually come to nailing the show. If the execution was there, this year would win the championship in most years. Just so happens that again, there is 5 great shows that could have been champions this year.

[FHdork]

Thanks Bruckner - you're the only one to post REASONS why you believe Bluecoats have the best line. Most of the rest of us just have opinions...and we all remember what opinions are often compared to...

Perhaps you can answer a question: how much of Bluecoats book has bottom end synth doubling?

[Bruckner8]

Thanks Bruckner - you're the only one to post REASONS why you believe Bluecoats have the best line. Most of the rest of us just have opinions...and we all remember what opinions are often compared to...

Perhaps you can answer a question: how much of Bluecoats book has bottom end synth doubling?

I know this much: Bloo NEVER doubles the tuba AT THE SAME PITCH (unless the tubas are staged effectively, or the dynamic is consistent with good ensemble).

If you listen carefully to Bloo's low end synth this year, it's either a low end effect or an octave OR TWO below the tubas (which I've suggested on these boards before, as good use of low end synth).

The 12 count Bb major hit in ballad: Tubas on "tuning Bb" for 8 counts with synth doubling with Bb two octaves lower. The last 4 counts NO SYNTH WHATSOEVER + tubas split Low Bb + Tuning Bb. That's how to use a synth and a hornline to make an amazing musical effect.

I repeat: Bloo's tubas can be heard on EVERY SINGLE NOTE. That is not true for any other tuba line out there. Kudos to Bloo's electronics people for "getting it." Bloo has been consistently scoring very well in GE and Ens Music. Maybe there's a correlation.

[TheMusicLives]

Being exposed isn't about how many people are in front of you. It's about the specific drill form. You'll notice that the tubas are right up front for Crown's ballad too (sitting down, playing with one hand, I might add). The Bluecoats play in a lot of so called "power forms," with the brass reasonably close to each other.

Crown's show:

Opening Mahler segment, Bb minor - spread literally endzone to endzone, coordinating 16th and 32nd notes with no pulse from the drumline (while doing body).

First Mahler impact - STILL spread endzone to endzone. Tuba actually winds up on the 50. Descending quarter note triplets beginning on high F, culminating in low C resolving to Bb minor.

Triplet runs - hornline spread out (30 to 30 I believe) with no drumline pulse. Tuba runs beginning on E in the staff, descending triplets at 192 bpm.

Next Khachaturian impact - virtually crown's only "power set."

End of Khachaturian - hornline spread out to the side 2 15 yard line. Tubas jazz running right up front.

Danzon No. 2 - tubas begin far away from the front and behind the drumline, leaving no audible pulse.

Danzon impact - again, hornline spread 25 to 25. Tubas walk an amazing tango bass line spanning an octave and a fourth, from A below the staff to middle D. Again, more body.

Nimrod - the most exposed moment in dci this season. A capella brass. Tuba right up front, brass judge there every time, sitting and playing with one hand. Bass line again spans an octave and a fourth, from low C to high F.

Nimrod impact - tubas kneeling right up front.

Nimrod, last chord - hornline spread endzone to endzone, front sideline to back sideline, in a hugely exposed X, giving judges the chance to sample any player they want.

Mahler reprise - tubas playing a segment of the Mahler bass line, feet in double time, taking large strides as far out as the 15.

Reprise impact - company front spanning 10 to 10. Tubas far away from drumline pulse. After the company front, the tubas jazz run at 208 bpm playing high Fs, coming in for sixteenth note pickups with no pulse.

Promise of Living - another company front, tubas streched from 45 to 5. Mahler chorale before ends on low F, triplets during the turnaround end on high F, meaning a two octave turnaround in four counts.

THAT'S exposure. All that Mr. Bruckner (great choice of name, by the way) pointed out is how the Bluecoats tuba book is written.

[Geneva]

Crown's intro is amazing for sure. After seeing everyone in Dallas, that was one of the 4-5 top moments that made impressions on me. But, its still pretty subtle. I aged out in 1992. My parents have been to finals most years even since I aged out (This year included). But, I still have to point them to some things that they would never have noted are amazing and difficult. That intro is a perfect example of that. They would likely never have noticed that it was that difficult.

I'd still say that Bluecoats are the best utilized too. They realized how good they are and staged them in such a way that even noobs can tell they are great.

Staging is important. Look at any of the years where Cadets won and you will see what great staging will do for you. Look at many years where SCV struggled during the 90's and you will see some awful staging.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that Crown has poor staging. Not at all. I am just saying that sometimes making thnigs obvious is a good thing. Bluecoats make it obvious.

Very good points. I concur.

[supersop]

I'm still trying to figure out how ensemble spreads can be counted toward being the best Tuba section in DCI.

Yes, it's difficult ensemble work, but that has nothing to do with the book or how well it was played.

The OP poll question does not imply visual demand placed upon the performers..... if it had asked .......

Who had the most difficult show visually and musically with regards to Tuba's in DCI? ... then it would count in this thread.

I think the best overall book belonged to Blue Coats. I think the best performance of their book belonged to Blue Coats. I think the 2nd most enjoyable book to listen to was Scouts. But 2nd overall best tuba section would belong to Crown. The most difficult and best executed total package with regards to visual and music .......... INT! Hands down!!!!!

Disclaimer: I really don't care where you are on the field or how fast you're jazz running. If the visual keeps you from playing a well written book at the highest level of execution .... maybe the visual should have been watered (because I'm tired of watered down brass books).

Edited August 15, 2010 by supersop