One Band, One Sound

[Jeff Ream]

that sounds very nice.

can you be specific?

look around...we're a touring production. how do other touring productions advertise.

DCA has been running a commercial in Rochester the last few years promoting the event. Not sure if it works, but it looks good. And, if smart ( and I havent seen yet) it's very easy to use the same footage and adapt it for local markets.

what do those HBCU schools do to promote their bands? yes the football game gets shown, but want to know what part gets the highest ratings? the 10 minutes before halftime and halftime. why the 10 minutes before? People tuning in and waiting for the bands.

[Lance]

even into the 80s, many local shows were tied into community events...and helped draw in people that may not think about drum corps more than when they hit town every year. But with the demise of local corps and the push to national touring, those shows died off. One good example of a show still around is the Barnum show in Bridgeport CT every year for DCA. it's been mostly DCA, but DCI once or twice, and the town pumps the show hard. Even funnier is the Hurcs are quote un-quote the hometown team, yet the Cabs are almost always the fan favorite corps.

Also, let's take Mr Hopkins words last year...about rewarding those who use the music of dead white guys.

so what did he do last year while complaining about the system? Yeah he used the music of dead white guys. Now trust me, I'm not exactly thrilled to see a ton of top 40 radio's stuff hitting the field, but I remember a long time ago thinking the music of Bernsteins Mass would be a snooze fest.

and I have the Mass cd, and trust me, a lot of the stuff on there would, IMO suck on the field...but it's all in the arrangement.

One thing that has become more and more prominent is the fact that it's advertised "what you see in June is not what you'll see in August". Sure, corps made changes back in the day, but not to the level you see now. How many corps have the same ending in June they do in August? Few. And as a result people stop going in June, even if it's their only chance to see corps live. And shows still incomplete after 3/4 weeks of spring training?? Really? I can understand dirt. I think the average fan can understand early season wont be crystal clean. But incomplete?

as for PR.....yes band kids are important. But it's been a major focus for years now....what the guys in charge have wanted for years. The same guys who now say the system is broke...the ones who created the same system thats broken. Maybe it's time to let PR people come in who arent drum corps people and take a look at some things. it may work, it may not. But success is not defined in doing the same things over and over and not seeing results. Get more involved in local communities. I remember DCI East coming to Allentown and it was all over the local media. Now it's like page 6 in the paper. I'll give YEA one thing...I've seen them get stuff into newspapers 2 hours away from show sites pushing their events. granted newspapers are phasing out, but I also know at the few YEA run events I have been too, I see more than die hards and local band kids in the crowd.

that was a lot

let's start with the music part, and the whole "rewarding the music of dead white guys". you said it like it's a bad thing, and then brought up dead white guy bernstein, and say it's all about the arranging (which I happen to agree with).

what about every PR show pretty much ever? pretty much the music of dead white guys down the line.

so when talking about good music for a show, is it about the quality of arranging or isn't it, because your response is all over the place

I'll ask again. What is it that dci should change to cater to the diverse crowd you think it used to have or could have?

[Jeff Ream]

that was a lot

let's start with the music part, and the whole "rewarding the music of dead white guys". you said it like it's a bad thing, and then brought up dead white guy bernstein, and say it's all about the arranging (which I happen to agree with).

what about every PR show pretty much ever? pretty much the music of dead white guys down the line.

so when talking about good music for a show, is it about the quality of arranging or isn't it, because your response is all over the place

I'll ask again. What is it that dci should change to cater to the diverse crowd you think it used to have or could have?

I didn't say it like it was a bad thing. Hopkins said it like it was a bad thing. I used his words. And to a point he's right, tho, to be technical, I think Len was still around when Cadets did Mass the first time

But, more to the point, there was more experimentation with repertoire in that era of DCI. I don't see nearly as much now, and yes, the arrnaging has become, well, less musical.

and I'm not saying every corps has to abandon the dead dudes. For some, it works. What made the Cadets so unique for a period of time was the experimentation. SCV and Phantom the classical. BD and Crossmen the jazz. Madison could give you all 3 in a show.

So, i gave you a lot above, but I think one area DCI can go to possibly help is to make music more of a priority.

That may require a rework of the scoring system. I know in the circuit I judge in, there was a push to use DCI's system...but it would have made things 50/50 in terms of visual to music. It's 60/40 to music now ( and yes, visual usually calls the show), the directors wanted it to stay that way. And maybe, DCI should look at a similar thought. It could help.

if DCA, the circuit labeled as stuck in 1960 as many on here label it can shake it up, surely DCI can.

[Lance]

I agree 100% with making music more of a priority....but I don't think that will necessarily bring in a more diverse crowd.

[BrownThunder]

I really hate how people who align themselves with DCI see themselves as a bunch of "know it all elitists." Fact: DCI and Drumline quality bands are two different forms of entertainment that exist under the same artistic umbrella. Why would anyone want to actively put down a facet of the same activity they participate in? Drum corps and HBCU bands all expect to perform up to their personal expectations and use different methods from one another to achieve them, but that doesn't necessarily negate the others. For those of us who choose to participate in a drum corps and gain that experience, there are multitudes of students who choose to participate in HBCU ensembles and gain that experience. It's silly that we automatically assume that drum corps have perfected a "right" way of teaching, when in reality, both divisions of marching ensembles have perfected their own respective way of achieving their goals. Lastly, how do we know that HBCU kids are blogging about how ridiculous they think DCI is, cause that very well be the case.

[garfield]

I really hate how people who align themselves with DCI see themselves as a bunch of "know it all elitists." Fact: DCI and Drumline quality bands are two different forms of entertainment that exist under the same artistic umbrella. Why would anyone want to actively put down a facet of the same activity they participate in? Drum corps and HBCU bands all expect to perform up to their personal expectations and use different methods from one another to achieve them, but that doesn't necessarily negate the others. For those of us who choose to participate in a drum corps and gain that experience, there are multitudes of students who choose to participate in HBCU ensembles and gain that experience. It's silly that we automatically assume that drum corps have perfected a "right" way of teaching, when in reality, both divisions of marching ensembles have perfected their own respective way of achieving their goals. Lastly, how do we know that HBCU kids are blogging about how ridiculous they think DCI is, cause that very well be the case.

Then wouldn't that put them in the same class of "know it all elitists" into which you pigeon-hole drum corps fans on DCP?

Would you then hate all marching artists under the umbrella?

Or, in your world, do we all just need a group hug?

Edited December 22, 2010 by garfield

[BrownThunder]

Then wouldn't that put them in the same class of "know it all elitists" into which you pigeon-hole drum corps fans on DCP?

Would you then hate all marching artists under the umbrella?

Or, in your world, do we all just need a group hug?

Nah, just saying that our criticism for their take on the activity should be valid and insightful. And also, in my world, I'm a firm believer of being understanding and trying many different ideas and concepts. BTW great emoticons lol

[garfield]

Nah, just saying that our criticism for their take on the activity should be valid and insightful. And also, in my world, I'm a firm believer of being understanding and trying many different ideas and concepts. BTW great emoticons lol

OK, I respect that and agree. My take on their activity is valid and insightful to me. I was understanding when I watched Drumline and tried my first viewing of a "show band", and I concluded that it's not worth my time.

IMO, while we may share horns and drums, putting Drumline and Drum Corps in the same league is an insult to Drum Corps.

Edited December 22, 2010 by garfield

[BozzlyB]

OK, I respect that and agree. My take on their activity is valid and insightful to me. I was understanding when I watched Drumline and tried my first viewing of a "show band", and I concluded that it's not worth my time.

IMO, while we may share horns and drums, putting Drumline and Drum Corps in the same league is an insult to Drum Corps.

Pretty much my thoughts to a tee.

[BrownThunder]

In reference to Drumline the movie (I think we have strayed away from actually comparing the movie rather than comparing the bands it represented), I personally enjoyed the struggles it evinced in the life of a competitive musician. We saw kids fight for audition spots, try to fit into ensembles, fight the pressures of "taking the easy way out," and how the Southern Classic served as momentous occasion for pride as well as strong indication that bands across the country use opportunities like a competition to raise money for uniforms.

If you remove yourself from the actual musicianship demonstrated in the film, then you can take a lot from it and be able to relate to the characters and the plot line. Aside from that, don't try and learn music from that movie and I think Orlando Jones performance in 'The Replacements' was far more inspiring. And Zoe Saldana is HOT.