If DCI were to allow woodwinds, would you continue to support the acti

[ShortAndFast]

I'd probably give it a chance before leaving. DCI designers are not known for showing restraint and good taste with their shiny new toys, but who knows, ww could be a first. I can at least imagine that I might like a talented ww soloist in the pit.

Honestly, though, a lot of what I like about drum corps is the sound of the brass choir. The sound of a marching band doesn't appeal to me, and I find high school and college band shows uninteresting. So it's hard to imagine that I'd remain a long-term fan if that's the direction DCI goes.

[LancerLegend]

I'll never look back. I have my albums, I have my CD's and DVD's to remember the old days. Nothing lasts forever, and I'll always have the best of friends.

It'll be time to find a senior corps and have some fun.

[jetman1287]

Point taken, but I believe that the uniqueness of dci from the rest of the marching activities around the world is what distinguishes it as DCI.

I don't particularly like the use of amps... and had there been a poll created 10 years ago asking if I would support dci if amps were used, I would vote the same way I did today - depends on how the rule is written. I was always for Bb horns. I absolutely hated my 2-valve euph and would have loved to run over it with my pickup truck in hopes I could make it sound better afterwards. I sang a joyous praise when the Bb rule passed and welcomed in with open ears at the 2000 championships.

But getting back to your post - I think you're right in talking about not giving up because of WWs alone, however as I suggested, maybe there can be a separate division just for those corps. It seems that we are resorting to woodwinds just to add the next obvious thing but also the least interesting. What happens 10 years after that? electric guitars? tarps that light up and play certain tones when you step on it? Didgeridoos? Fireworks?

In speaking of innovation - more does not always mean better. Or, in other words, quantity over quality.

There will always be a question floating around every activity asking "what can we do to make this activity better?" Unfortunately we are now having the "Star Wars" effect, where George Lucas and company clearly felt that adding all that garbage to the new trilogy would make it better, as well as those special additions to the originals. Not trying to go off topic here, but this is what I kind of see happening in drum corps.

There are many Star Wars fans out there that either love or hate the use of the CGI in the movies... as it is the same with some of us fans who loved the way dci was in the 80's... but now, it's just not all that special anymore. Yeah, it's still cool, there's a lot of stuff happening on the field... But this is a case where I say that more is not necessarily better. More is just that... more! But we don't need more. We just need high quality, high paced and... well, just HIGH playing!

By the way... has anyone here ever seen or heard the European British Brass Band competitions? If so... how would you feel if they decided to start adding woodwinds? But before you answer that question - first ask yourself, why would you even ask that question when you're talking about brass band groups?

A good post :)

Honestly, I feel like WWs are more important than amps. The electronics are mostly there so designers have more toys to play with. How many people do they actually bring in to the activity? VS the number we could have involved (by both marching and attending shows) if they aligned with schools as mentioned in the DCW article and included WWs.

A safe start would be creating a separate division. People would walk out the first year or two, complain a lot, but I don't think they'd leave for good.

[TwoValves]

I wonder how similar the poll results would be if this were asked 10 years before amps, 10 years before the switch to Bb, etc ;)

I wonder how many fans from 10 years before those changes are STILL fans who support the activity in the way they did then? It would seem a fair number are not.

[sax1210]

I'll go back and change my statement.

Here's what I'll do.

I'll go to the lot at the first show after WW are brought into the fold.

I'll see which corps are using them and which aren't.

If I find a show on the schedule that has enough corps that I want to see who don't use WW, I'll go.

If a corps at that show uses them, I will wait until the opening note and then stand up and walk out.

I will then go to their souvie booth and pull out a $100 bill and set it on the counter.

I will then tell them, "Oh I'm sorry, you're not a drum corps." and then remove my money and walk away.

Better yet, maybe I'll bring monopoly money and demand them to let me purchase souvies with it.

I'll go a step further ... I'll demand a refund from the corps for their portion of my ticket price.

If there were ever reason for drum corps fan$ to bring forward a class action lawsuit in seeking an injunction against the voting membership for changing our beloved activity beyond the point of recognition ......... this would be one of those times.

Edited September 3, 2010 by sax1210

[lindap]

I said yes, however, I finally get time in my life to get to DCI finals this year and now this thread...sheesh...quit messin' with my mind! :-)...personally I'm a purist but have an open mind. However, if I hear one squeek from those ww in open air I'm outta there. Good golly, I've been going to indoor youth concerts for years, those ww squeek alot; hard for me to keep an open mind when my ears aren't hearing it. However, if you play me some brass and sweet beats; I'll keep on listening.

[luvs me sum mello!]

I can't wait for it to happen to see everyone get all butt hurt about it.

[soccerguy315]

If woodwinds are alowed, has anyone thought of this situation: Avon, Carmel, Ceterville, Marian Catholic, L.D. Bell, et al could, if they desired, compete in DCI.

Their shows would probably not be very good 9 months after they perform them at BOA.

[GGarrett]

Wow... a lot of "no's" ... but I do understand. Completely. I would hate it, too. Just not the right instrument for a Drum & Bugle corps, for sure.

Besides, it's just impossible to look bad ### playing:

Woodwinds in general:

Accordians:

Lap top computers:

Saxaphones:

(thanks to whoever it was that made this picture... wasn't me, but credit due to whomever...)

[AlexL]

If woodwinds make it to the drum corps field, im done.