JimF-LowBari Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 (edited) But how many people came into corps knowing how to read music? Now you have to. To me that would be captioned in the more good talent area. How you view the word talent and the OP used it may be on two different levels Steve. I don't take what he's saying as offensive at all. I agree with him for that matter. The kids coming into drum corps now know more than what I saw 20 years ago. You can put a chart down in front of them on day 1 and they can play thru it. There's no hey lets go take a break and chart out fingerings time. They also have a background of having been playing in school for most, many years, as opposed to coming off the street and picking up an instrument for the first time. Maybe it was his choice of wording that rubbed you the wrong way but the sentiment is 100% correct IMO. Reading music and charting out fingerings can two two different things Liz. I started as a Jr in HS with Westshoremen and had to write out the fingerings because I played trombone. I could read music as far as playing a horn but just didn't know the fingerings. Took me two seasons until I felt comfortible enough not to write them on the charts. And the members who started not knowing how to read music were from the 1960s. (I started 1974). And I still have to mark some notes because of fast runs and/or hairy key signatures thanks to playing 3v. With the exception of the pre-1974 vets I can only think of one corps mate I've come across who didn't have previous horn experience when they started in a DC horn line. And that person started as a CG member who switched to horn. Edited January 1, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Reading music and charting out fingerings can two two different things Liz. I started as a Jr in HS with Westshoremen and had to write out the fingerings because I played trombone. I could read music as far as playing a horn but just didn't know the fingerings. Took me two seasons until I felt comfortible enough not to write them on the charts. And the members who started not knowing how to read music were from the 1960s. (I started 1974). And I still have to mark some notes because of fast runs and/or hairy key signatures thanks to playing 3v. With the exception of the pre-1974 vets I can only think of one corps mate I've come across who didn't have previous horn experience when they started in a DC horn line. And that person started as a CG member who switched to horn. we had to read music way back in the early 60's. i believe that is what helped us to win a lot of show's. ed mizma the horn instructor and collin campbell and steve gadd on drums were strong believers. as was doug klienhans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 (edited) This! Removed in the interest of decorum. (H.B.) Edited January 2, 2011 by hairbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) Removed in the interest of "decorum". (H.B.) Edited January 2, 2011 by hairbear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalieguy Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Then you do in fact, recognize that DCA had plenty of talent BEFORE the changes in DCA's "culture" occured? after all, such "talent" is indeed a matter of record. I agree that the performance of current editions of DCA corps have become much more physically DEMANDING. Please listen to a recording of the 1979 Reading Buccaneers and then tell me that hornline is somehow LESS talented and from an "ensemble" standpoint, LESS demanding than current hornlines. That 1979 Hornline was years AHEAD of it's time by any judging criteria you choose to apply. I am all for DCA becoming "younger". After all, somebody has to "carry on" when MY generation retires from the activity. I can do without the "less bad" portion of your revised statement. Nice selection of an example HB !! One of my best memories in DCA was watching that show from the back side in Hershey..I still went nuts and I WAS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE FIELD !! Your point of excellence before the advent of speed-merchant drills and 3 valves/any-key brass etc. is SPOT ON baby!! Pat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Nice selection of an example HB !! One of my best memories in DCA was watching that show from the back side in Hershey..I still went nuts and I WAS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE FIELD !! Your point of excellence before the advent of speed-merchant drills and 3 valves/any-key brass etc. is SPOT ON baby!! Pat Thank you Pat, however my "example" most likely was ignored, along with my "point". The direction of this thread has changed and I am off to find a more enjoyable "distraction". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 well that's not playing an instrument. you can't understand an instrument if you can't read. and i know someone who played in another corps that to this day can't read and i'm sure he will pop up hear about it. I know someone who still has fingering written in for him year after year and he's been doing drum corps here in PA since the 50's.......and I'd say he understands a mellophone well enough to be in a Hall of Fame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I know someone who still has fingering written in for him year after year and he's been doing drum corps here in PA since the 50's.......and I'd say he understands a mellophone well enough to be in a Hall of Fame. that shows you what a crock the hall of fame is. how can you not b read music and be in the hall. sorry but if ya can't read then your just going thru the motions. this guy you speak of dosen't understand the instrument. he just play's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) we had to read music way back in the early 60's. i believe that is what helped us to win a lot of show's. ed mizma the horn instructor and collin campbell and steve gadd on drums were strong believers. as was doug klienhans. Re-read my post and it sounded like I might have inferred that all the pre-1974 corps members could not read music. Meant that some (at least one anyway) of those vets started out not reading. Only knoew that cuz my first night with the corps the guy next to me handed me a pen and growled "Mark first, then play" after I finished he laughed and said "That's how a lot of us started, welcome to Westshore kid". No idea if the "us" was the horn line or trombone players. Or if they were still with the corps in 1974. But within 2-3 years very few of those pre-1974 hrm line members were left. Think most just stuck around until the corps got on it's feet. By them most of the horn line was HS or college aged. Think Sun and us had the youngest average age at the time. Edited January 2, 2011 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastone Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 that shows you what a crock the hall of fame is. how can you not b read music and be in the hall. sorry but if ya can't read then your just going thru the motions. this guy you speak of dosen't understand the instrument. he just play's it. I think you should re think your statement, talent has very little to do with the ability to read music. Buddy Rich didn't read music, would you say he didn't understand his instrument. There are plenty of cats who could read the hell out of a chart but had the timing of a rock and therefore didn't accomplish much. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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