cowtown Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 The design is there. I'm wondering now if the performance will be. It has to get better if this show is going to get into the top 6, where it belongs, IMO. Could you expand upon that with some specifics as I do generally respect your opinion. maybe you could help me enjoy this show. After finally seeing it live last night I was left with the impression that it was a seriously flawed show, starting with the design. The guard gets lost with the lack of color; there is little visual ensemble clarity, it reads as a series of transitions. The horn line gets lost musically, they step on their impacts. There is nothing hum-able to my ears I felt like I was watching Gail Royer running around the field going ‘what happen to my corps, what happened to my big, fat melodies and graceful floating across the field….get me out of here’ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 no, you'll never like it. and that's fine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedb1975 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hey, I have a great idea for the Santa Clara Vanguard. How about playing above a mezzo forte at least ONCE in your show? Just a thought. I mean, it IS drum corps. And even if it wasn't, have you ever heard a professional symphony orchestra? They play loud. Why don't you? Just asking? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcialumni1989 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 nah, the brass performance is pretty bad right now. there's just no way around that. even in the ballad, which is full of long chords, it's out of balance and out of tune. that's a performance problem, not a design problem. this isn't like the mid-late 00s for them where they were being given uncleanable drill and music. the design has taken a huge step in the right direction since 09. performance needs to match the design, and they'll be fine. But aren't performance problems ALSO design problems too to a certain extent? I mean, I am sure the if the show was played perfectly it would be a more enjoyable to more folks, but isn't it the responsibility of the designers to write a show that is achievable by the members? You can't write a show in a vacuum. All the time you see people on here bag on high schools for attempting to do drum corps shows or programs that are just too hard. How is this different. SCV's hornline is not good. Plain and simple. They need an easier book so they can achieve it. You see people on here saying that SCV is going to be dangerous when they can play the show. However, once they play the show, then they will have to work on PERFORMING the show. Going beyond the notes and the technique and connecting to the music and the audience. As of right now, it is July 18th and they still can't play it. Meanwhile, other corps are performing, cleaning, and tweaking (changing) their shows to get them just right. One of the great things about the 2009 show for them was the fact that it was super simple. They had so little visual demand it was crazy, but you know what? Nobody cared! They sounded awesome, the drill looked cool, and the show was easy to follow. They were easily a crowd favorite that year. I am biased towards The Cavaliers and the idea of giving the noose back to SCV is not one that I would like to embrace, but in 2009 I would have been completely ok with SCV beating Cavaliers. They did more with less and they were far more entertaining. To me, that show was the example of good design. Intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, and most importantly: achievable. If I am going to give an example of how to write a show within your means, 2009 SCV is the model. Conversely, if I am going to give an example of how to write a show over your head, 2011 SCV is probably the example (well, at least from a brass standpoint). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe712002 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I felt like I was watching Gail Royer running around the field going ‘what happen to my corps, what happened to my big, fat melodies and graceful floating across the field….get me out of here’ OMG, this is brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplattSCV Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 God help you if you don't like something in SCV, Madison, or Phantom and say so on this forum. No mercy. anyway... I saw everyone in Ft Worth right out of the gate. SCV had a smokin drumline and horns that sounded like they were playing into a 60 mile per hour wind. The volumne would come and go and there were intonation (sp?) issues that bordered on Doppler Effect. I was and am still hopeful and assmumptive that clean (or cleaner) will come in time, but every remotely educated criticism has sounded the same to me. It's about to be the last week of August and if it is gonna happen it will need to happen quickly. Everyone else is cleaning too. Madison, Blue Stars, and Boston are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moe712002 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 It is amazing that EVERY YEAR, People say the SAME THING...If only if SCV could of executed the show! BULL CRAP!!! The corps get the same talent, the same average age...the same kind of people that want to be great! It comes down to the design people... You design for your members, Not JUST FOR YOUR OWN EGOS!!!! I hear ya, Bud!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nngs9 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 But aren't performance problems ALSO design problems too to a certain extent? I mean, I am sure the if the show was played perfectly it would be a more enjoyable to more folks, but isn't it the responsibility of the designers to write a show that is achievable by the members? You can't write a show in a vacuum. All the time you see people on here bag on high schools for attempting to do drum corps shows or programs that are just too hard. How is this different. SCV's hornline is not good. Plain and simple. They need an easier book so they can achieve it. You see people on here saying that SCV is going to be dangerous when they can play the show. However, once they play the show, then they will have to work on PERFORMING the show. Going beyond the notes and the technique and connecting to the music and the audience. As of right now, it is July 18th and they still can't play it. Meanwhile, other corps are performing, cleaning, and tweaking (changing) their shows to get them just right. One of the great things about the 2009 show for them was the fact that it was super simple. They had so little visual demand it was crazy, but you know what? Nobody cared! They sounded awesome, the drill looked cool, and the show was easy to follow. They were easily a crowd favorite that year. I am biased towards The Cavaliers and the idea of giving the noose back to SCV is not one that I would like to embrace, but in 2009 I would have been completely ok with SCV beating Cavaliers. They did more with less and they were far more entertaining. To me, that show was the example of good design. Intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, and most importantly: achievable. If I am going to give an example of how to write a show within your means, 2009 SCV is the model. Conversely, if I am going to give an example of how to write a show over your head, 2011 SCV is probably the example (well, at least from a brass standpoint). Thank you very little, Mr.Brightside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 God help you if you don't like something in SCV, Madison, or Phantom and say so on this forum. No mercy. anyway... I saw everyone in Ft Worth right out of the gate. SCV had a smokin drumline and horns that sounded like they were playing into a 60 mile per hour wind. The volumne would come and go and there were intonation (sp?) issues that bordered on Doppler Effect. I was and am still hopeful and assmumptive that clean (or cleaner) will come in time, but every remotely educated criticism has sounded the same to me. It's about to be the last week of August and if it is gonna happen it will need to happen quickly. Everyone else is cleaning too. Madison, Blue Stars, and Boston are good. yeah, time is running out fast. these dark shows with sophisticated designs oftentimes take longer to come together than the season will allow. happened with scv in 2000...needed another couple of weeks in the pan. but for 2011, i think that if they can get the brass issues under control, they can get the GE Music score up, too. It's a lot to get done....we'll see. I still think of 2009,2010, and 2011 together in terms of design philosophy: stay faithful to the brilliant source music, and let weber work his magic visually. the design is wonderful, and i really hope scv sticks with the staff they have right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralTsoChicken Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 graceful floating across the field….get me out of here’ I don't know... there is a lot of floating with that duck step marching that they got from cavaliers. SCV will never be Gail Royer's SCV again. That's okay by me. SCV will never march with ball-pivot-hip changes again. That's okay by me. All I want from SCV is for them to tone down the design a little bit so those kids can perform. I don't care if it is SCV with tons of Cavaliers staff, or even staff from the moon. Just give them a little less difficulty so they can perform. If tons of kids weren't sprinting for huge chunks of the show and marching large step sizes @190+... this corps would be unstoppable. Just imagine, they are where they are right now 6-9 range.... with THAT SHOW. If they make there show easier next year, it will be head hunting and SCV could very well take out everyone. There is a history of these corps that have incredibly hard shows and young kids, lightening up the next year and winning it all. Just look at 95-96 PR, 99-00 Cavaliers, 89-90 Cadets, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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