Amplification/Electronics: 2011 Season

[fsubone]

I honestly think the amps sound a lot worse now than they did back in, say, 2005. Back then I never noticed some of the problems I do now.

Could also be because back then, amps were only allowed for pits. There was no synth usage allowed, so it was just the pit and voice. But do I really need to remind everyone about "Seasons of Love" and "Beat Generation"....?

[soccerguy315]

I don't think synths double brass parts... all the time. They definitely use the synth for the big hit moments in the shows. But as far as the stuff in between there aren't synths doubling say a 16th note run in the mellos or trumpet melody... I'm pretty confident about that.

I agree that the synths are not literally doubling the entire horn book. They definitely do double parts on impacts and lower brass parts at some other points.

[Hrothgar15]

I agree that the synths are not literally doubling the entire horn book. They definitely do double parts on impacts and lower brass parts at some other points.

The funny part is people actually think that whatever "instrument" the thunderous goo is trying to emulate (nothing, really) could possibly blend into a brass ensemble. Sticks out like a sore thumb.

[HockeyDad]

You know, in my last two years in a hornline, I can't think of one time where I actually noticed the synth doubling our parts.... (I'm low brass by the way, the one people say is always doubled). When there's 75 other people around you, you can't hear much of anything else, especially given how far away the pit is usually from the players. I've never really heard a thing, unless I put on recordings, and really, really, really, really strain to hear it.

Being in the horn line, you'd be the last person to hear what it sounds like. You're concentrating on doing your thing. You don't know what it sounds like in the stands.

[fsubone]

Being in the horn line, you'd be the last person to hear what it sounds like. You're concentrating on doing your thing. You don't know what it sounds like in the stands.

Quite true, but someone brought up that us in the hornline hate having synths around, and I was trying to disprove that myth

[Mello Dude]

Quite true, but someone brought up that us in the hornline hate having synths around, and I was trying to disprove that myth

Let's put it this way, your horn line, and corps, would sound 1000x better without that synth covering up all the nice playing you worked on all year. Any time you drop to a mf dynamic level..forget it..the goo has utter domination.

[chaddyt]

just because it is the norm doesn't mean the kids like it though... I wonder what results you would get if you polled all the horn line members asking how they feel about synths doubling brass parts. I bet most of the kids would be against it.

Maybe you're right.

But hunches and bets don't really prove anything. Certainly not on a web forum. I could easily say that most of the kids would be for it and be no more correct or incorrect than you.

I think one of the main problems in this "traditional" vs. "non-traditional" drum corps boils down to something that was previously brought up... drum corps essentially "steals" from previous artists work and conforms it into its pre-defined idiom (brass and drums).

If you were to take the world's best beat-boxer and add it to the London Symphony Orchestra to create a sound never before heard, most people would call it innovative. But if you add that same beat-boxer to a drum corps, people would call it heresy.

I think the hard core, traditional "old schoolers" need to realize something. There is nothing intrinsically "original" about drum corps productions by definition. It all boils down to arranging and transcribing the works of other artists (with few exceptions). Taking "Phantom of the Opera" and putting it on the field with just brass, percussion and guard in the 80s is no more avant guard than putting "Phantom of the Opera" on the field with brass, percussion, guard, and VOCALS in the 2000s.

Times.

They are a' changin'.

[chaddyt]

Let's put it this way, your horn line, and corps, would sound 1000x better without that synth covering up all the nice playing you worked on all year. Any time you drop to a mf dynamic level..forget it..the goo has utter domination.

I'll agree with that.

But is that a synth problem?

Or more of an issue of balancing to the corps when rehearsing outside for 90% of the season vs. performing indoors the other 10%?

[Jeff Ream]

Well, that I'm not sure on. It could happen, but it might not happen. You never know. They could say we don't like this anymore, and bail on it to go back outdoors. We'll just have to wait and see.

if the price is right, they will. regional ticket prices will eventually go up to compensate

[Jeff Ream]

It hasn't been a decade though. it's been 6 years, and I'll give you that, it's been awhile, but look at how it's changed in that time. Amps and synths are now integrated into the music, they're part of the fabric of the show now. That's new. And most of these corps don't have a professional sound guy. It's usually a volunteer with some sound experience that can run the boards. I'm sure if they had the money, they'd go and rent a sound guy off Broadway, or grab Bon Jovi's sound guy. But they don't have that kind of money, so they take what they can get.

it's been 6 years and there are still balance issues with the amps.....and, oh, it never seems to affect scores either.

and honestly, if it's a volunteer, with enough practice, they should have it down by August.

but here's an issue no one ever thinks of...most of the regular season shows are outside. what, 5 shows total in a dome?

yeah that will cause issues