How does this community feel about fielding cymbals?

[2000Cadet]

They do walk on water...

Lol excellent pic.

[luvs me sum mello!]

Like fish in a bucket.

They're just cymbals, people.

[bass5]

I wonder how many people who were cut from drum lines were excited to march cymbals instead. Anyone know of any? I'd seriously like to know.

Me for one. I may be a "dino" but I auditioned for the Scouts for bass drum or tenor before the 1975 season.

I was told I could march bass 4 (which was bigger than me) or be the cymbal section leader.

I chose cymbals and loved every second of it.

There are only 135 people (or was it 128 then) that can say they marched in the 1975 Scouts and I'm proud to say I'm one of them.

The only thing I didn't like about the Scouts 2010 show was the guard playing the cymbal line parts in Slaughter.

I loved the guard but they're not percussionists.

[Madrid]

LOVE 'EM!!! Wish there were more of them!!! For all of those that are still marching them and teaching them - Thank you!!!

Edited November 7, 2010 by Madrid

[MarimbaManiac]

Ok let's inject a little bit of reality into this discussion.

Yes, you can achieve the same musical effects as a cymbal line in the pit by simply having a drum set player with a variety of effect cymbals and implements. sticks, brushes, mallets, metal beaters, coming in contact with crash, ride, china, splash, sizzle, high hat, and spiral cymbals can replicate every musical effect that you can get from a cymbal line (and more). All of which can be micd so that the effects are actually heard instead of lost in the din of the drumline. Throw in an accessory player to do orchestral crashes and you have the musical job of 4-5 people on the field done with 1-2 people in the pit with a competent arranger, and achieved at a higher level due to being stationary and amplified.

That means that the only thing a cymbal line actually lends to a fall/summer marching program is a visual effect opportunity, and a status symbol. It's up to each program coordinator and caption head to decide whether or not they would like to take 4-5 people out of other sections to take advantage of that (in my opinion small) advantage, or reassign those people to another instrument.

It's a matter of taste and preference, that is all. However let's not try to buttress our arguments by falsely claiming that cymbals add a unique musical texture. It's simply not true.

Edited November 7, 2010 by MarimbaManiac

[2000Cadet]

Ok let's inject a little bit of reality into this discussion.

Yes, you can achieve the same musical effects as a cymbal line in the pit by simply having a drum set player with a variety of effect cymbals and implements. sticks, brushes, mallets, metal beaters, coming in contact with crash, ride, china, splash, sizzle, high hat, and spiral cymbals can replicate every musical effect that you can get from a cymbal line (and more). All of which can be micd so that the effects are actually heard instead of lost in the din of the drumline. Throw in an accessory player to do orchestral crashes and you have the musical job of 4-5 people on the field done with 1-2 people in the pit with a competent arranger, and achieved at a higher level due to being stationary and amplified.

That means that the only thing a cymbal line actually lends to a fall/summer marching program is a visual effect opportunity, and a status symbol. It's up to each program coordinator and caption head to decide whether or not they would like to take 4-5 people out of other sections to take advantage of that (in my opinion small) advantage, or reassign those people to another instrument.

It's a matter of taste and preference, that is all. However let's not try to buttress our arguments by falsely claiming that cymbals add a unique musical texture. It's simply not true.

And I think if this were the case, there would be a push to have cymbal players on the field as opposed to using them in the pit.

[soccerguy315]

Ok let's inject a little bit of reality into this discussion.

Yes, you can achieve the same musical effects as a cymbal line in the pit by simply having a drum set player with a variety of effect cymbals and implements. sticks, brushes, mallets, metal beaters, coming in contact with crash, ride, china, splash, sizzle, high hat, and spiral cymbals can replicate every musical effect that you can get from a cymbal line (and more). All of which can be micd so that the effects are actually heard instead of lost in the din of the drumline. Throw in an accessory player to do orchestral crashes and you have the musical job of 4-5 people on the field done with 1-2 people in the pit with a competent arranger, and achieved at a higher level due to being stationary and amplified.

That means that the only thing a cymbal line actually lends to a fall/summer marching program is a visual effect opportunity, and a status symbol. It's up to each program coordinator and caption head to decide whether or not they would like to take 4-5 people out of other sections to take advantage of that (in my opinion small) advantage, or reassign those people to another instrument.

It's a matter of taste and preference, that is all. However let's not try to buttress our arguments by falsely claiming that cymbals add a unique musical texture. It's simply not true.

and you can achieve the same musical effects as a snare line by having one snare drummer in the pit

[MarimbaManiac]

Actually...you can't.

One of the main functions of the drumline is providing a pulse center for the corps/band. It's mobile, but it holds the group together and anchors them to one tempo. Without that pulse center the horns that are spread out over 100 yards and the pit lose cohesiveness. A front field percussion section has a much harder job achieving this task because of simple physics. The time it takes sound to travel back from the pit to the horns, and then forward from the horns to the pit causes listening forward impossible.

This is why ballads are one of the hardest things to put on the field from a pulse perspective. Slow tempos and the tendency of the legato hornlines to slow down mixed with the absence of a strong pulse center makes ensemble cohesion difficult to achieve.

So, no. For many reasons, a drumline in the pit doesn't achieve the same goal as a drumline on the field.

[2000Cadet]

and you can achieve the same musical effects as a snare line by having one snare drummer in the pit

I love when people use this argument. Snare players play a lot more than cymbal players. Like someone said before, cymbals are used a lot for "color". How can you equate what a cymbal does as to what a snare drum does?

Snare players:drumlines::Trumpet players:hornlines.

Actually...you can't.

One of the main functions of the drumline is providing a pulse center for the corps/band. It's mobile, but it holds the group together and anchors them to one tempo. Without that pulse center the horns that are spread out over 100 yards and the pit lose cohesiveness. A front field percussion section has a much harder job achieving this task because of simple physics. The time it takes sound to travel back from the pit to the horns, and then forward from the horns to the pit causes listening forward impossible.

This is why ballads are one of the hardest things to put on the field from a pulse perspective. Slow tempos and the tendency of the legato hornlines to slow down mixed with the absence of a strong pulse center makes ensemble cohesion difficult to achieve.

So, no. For many reasons, a drumline in the pit doesn't achieve the same goal as a drumline on the field.

I think this pretty much kills any argument of putting snare drummers in the pit.

Edited November 7, 2010 by 2000Cadet

[soccerguy315]

why not just use the bass drums for the pulse?