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

[Jeff Ream]

"Solutions", et al, Mike. I specifically stayed away from identifying specific supposed solutions of the past in order to focus on the main issue, which is the future and efficacy of following a management team whose "solution set" has not expanded the activity as was anticipated when they were adopted.

My understanding, from a pretty reliable source, is that from '95 to '01 attendance at finals averaged 21,000. 2010's finals attendance is rumored to be "...down a thousand or so". Suffice it to say that the entirety of this teams solution package over the last decade or so did not produce the expansion of the activity as was anticipated.

The question still is: "Is it different this time?"

I'd question that source, as in 2002 Dan A said at the Friends luncheon that finally DCI Finals was back over 20k paid. now if you add in other events in the week and freebies to sponsors and wristbands maybe.

[kickhaltsforlife]

This is why people who know nothing about music make fun of all marching band, including drum corps. Geeks acting like they're somehow better than other geeks because of what their instruments are made of as they march around tooting on them. "Ooh, the thing that you're tooting on is made of plastic or wood. Mine's made of brass and it has valves. Neener."

I don't want to see woodwinds in dci, either, but come on. lol.

It's not that I'm better than them because I play brass. It's the fact that they are wearing that uniform, playing an instrument that is bastardizing the activity I love. I love the marching activity as a whole... but what I really love is the brass and percussion. Inaudible flute players just don't look right on the field. And they will RUIN the drum corps sound more than even synths do... and they #### it up pretty #### well. I HATE that my ear is distracted by the booming artifical bass sound at every impact of even the best corps ( CROWN, BD... I'M TALKING TO YOU... best horn lines and you still gotta boost the bass... GIVE ME A BREAK)

There are plenty of clarinet players that are awesome musicians.... many greater musicians that I will ever be. And I don't really care what the outsiders call us, and make fun of us about.

Sorry... I'm just sick of the bull #### coming from DCI lately.. more specifically from a handful of the directors.

[Rifuarian]

It's not that I'm better than them because I play brass. It's the fact that they are wearing that uniform, playing an instrument that is bastardizing the activity I love. I love the marching activity as a whole... but what I really love is the brass and percussion. Inaudible flute players just don't look right on the field. And they will RUIN the drum corps sound more than even synths do... and they #### it up pretty #### well. I HATE that my ear is distracted by the booming artifical bass sound at every impact of even the best corps ( CROWN, BD... I'M TALKING TO YOU... best horn lines and you still gotta boost the bass... GIVE ME A BREAK)

There are plenty of clarinet players that are awesome musicians.... many greater musicians that I will ever be. And I don't really care what the outsiders call us, and make fun of us about.

Sorry... I'm just sick of the bull #### coming from DCI lately.. more specifically from a handful of the directors.

Edit: Read the post you were responded to, realized you were talking about bastardizing drum corps specifically, not all marching activities.

A woodwind player in a high school marching band isn't bastardizing anything. Musically they may not make much sense, but they certainly belong there because it's a defining aspect of that activity. Likewise there are many things we do in drum corps that make little sense, but we do them anyways just because.

Edited September 17, 2010 by Rifuarian

[kickhaltsforlife]

Edit: Read the post you were responded to, realized you were talking about bastardizing drum corps specifically, not all marching activities.

A woodwind player in a high school marching band isn't bastardizing anything. Musically they may not make much sense, but they certainly belong there because it's a defining aspect of that activity. Likewise there are many things we do in drum corps that make little sense, but we do them anyways just because.

FTR I agree with your response before the edit also.

[JeffP]

Wouldn't go, that's what BOA is for. I've already lost interest going to DCI shows the past couple of years. I used to go to 3-4 shows here in the South, now I only go to the Atlanta Regional and that was a stretch this past year to convince me to go.

[bawker]

I think we should wait until an ACTUAL proposal for woodwinds shows up before we get worked up.

Hop already proposed saxes a few years ago . . .circa 2002 or so.

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

It's not that I'm better than them because I play brass. It's the fact that they are wearing that uniform, playing an instrument that is bastardizing the activity I love. I love the marching activity as a whole... but what I really love is the brass and percussion. Inaudible flute players just don't look right on the field. And they will RUIN the drum corps sound more than even synths do... and they #### it up pretty #### well. I HATE that my ear is distracted by the booming artifical bass sound at every impact of even the best corps ( CROWN, BD... I'M TALKING TO YOU... best horn lines and you still gotta boost the bass... GIVE ME A BREAK)

There are plenty of clarinet players that are awesome musicians.... many greater musicians that I will ever be. And I don't really care what the outsiders call us, and make fun of us about.

Sorry... I'm just sick of the bull #### coming from DCI lately.. more specifically from a handful of the directors.

Some people just can't seem to fathom that some folks prefer music produced by BRASS instruments and PERCUSSION instruments. PERIOD. Doesn't need 'enhancements' and for those that like enhanced music, they have thousands of HS bands to enjoy. So enjoy them.

Also, I don't think the instrument debate is a matter of being 'cool' or 'uncool' it's a matter of preference & musical taste...

[audiodb]

Nothing, really . . .but, we're not looking for loyal customers here, just dollars. The "legacy fan" is already a derisive term to some directors, so why not?

Loyalty = more dollars, and thus should be part of the equation.

We're on the same side here, but, really, when was the last time that fan input was truly taken into account for any kind of creative rule change?

Well, "audience impact" is one of the sections on the rule change form, so it is clearly intended to be part of the criteria for evaluating proposals.

Now, regarding university-sponsored drum corps....

It's promising enough that Greg Orwoll brought it up as a possible fix to monetary woes due to national touring in DCW. I don't want it to take place, either . . .but the simple fact it's discussed at that level means there's a possibility of its occurrence.

I think that's more wishful thinking than reality. If universities were indeed interested in sponsoring competitive summer marching groups, their own bands would already be doing it. In the absence of that, and given that there has only been one temporarily-sponsored drum corps, I'm not convinced that there is much hope there. But perhaps if our corps directors all become college professors just so they can pursue funding via internal channels, they can turn the tide.

[audiodb]

hint: it is possible for kids who don't "pay the bills" yet to someday get jobs and spend just as much as you and all of your important friends do right now.

OK. So while we're waiting for them to storm the turnstiles in some future decade, what should we do?

[audiodb]

please explain where "it got us", and make sure to include how you know whatever it is you're talking about is directly and 100% linked only to recent proposals and no other factors whatsoever.

i'm not big on the direction of dci, but these absurdities about it being in danger and dying and in its death throes and all of the other histrionic sky is falling talk has been around for a long time.

So has the tactic of nullifying all points by demanding "proof".

To answer your question, I think Bawker summed it up pretty well with the remark about how recent rule changes seem to ignore fan sentiment. Perhaps fans haven't been sufficiently proactive in making their sentiments known. I know that when the "any-key" (sic) brass change was going up for a vote, I didn't bother saying anything because I was assured by a DCI insider that the proposal had no chance of passing. Three days later, it passed. Oops.

If you don't mind, I'm going to voice my opinions before the vote from now on.