Dr. Beat

[Mello Dude]

Exactly. Even in grad school, I was checking my etude studies in the practice room against a metronome and discovering massive disparities at times.

That's the point. Individually it's our responsibility to practice with said devices to be able to play exercises correctly. But, an exercise is NOT playing music in an ensemble.

[perc2100]

That's the point. Individually it's our responsibility to practice with said devices to be able to play exercises correctly. But, an exercise is NOT playing music in an ensemble.

Right, but what you may or may not know/understand is that each individual (especially rookies) interpret time/pulse a little bit differently. Some musicians play slightly 'behind' the beat (read: NOT dragging, just a hair on the backside of the beat), while others play slightly 'ahead' of the beat (again, not rushing, but a tad on the front of the beat). This is a hard concept to teach without a metronome constantly reminding students of the exact spot the beat is on, as well as the exact spot each member MUST play (sometimes this varies, depending on a section's placement on the field at the time).

Timing is a VERY complicated, in in our activity marching/playing in perfect unison time is integral/vital to the performance. Every session musician on earth, be it the London Symphony recording the latest John Williams soundtrack, or Lady Gaga, or an LA session guy playing on thousands of commercials, must use a click track while recording regardless of expertise/experience. Also MANY live bands play to a click track, wether that click is pre-recorded music of some sort or musicians playing to a click in their in-ear monitors. In my experience, this is done so subtly that most audience members don't even notice it's going on.

Rehearsing with the met in our activity is VITAL, regardless of the experience or practice habits of members.

[Mello Dude]

Right, but what you may or may not know/understand is that each individual (especially rookies) interpret time/pulse a little bit differently. Some musicians play slightly 'behind' the beat (read: NOT dragging, just a hair on the backside of the beat), while others play slightly 'ahead' of the beat (again, not rushing, but a tad on the front of the beat). This is a hard concept to teach without a metronome constantly reminding students of the exact spot the beat is on, as well as the exact spot each member MUST play (sometimes this varies, depending on a section's placement on the field at the time).

Timing is a VERY complicated, in in our activity marching/playing in perfect unison time is integral/vital to the performance. Every session musician on earth, be it the London Symphony recording the latest John Williams soundtrack, or Lady Gaga, or an LA session guy playing on thousands of commercials, must use a click track while recording regardless of expertise/experience. Also MANY live bands play to a click track, wether that click is pre-recorded music of some sort or musicians playing to a click in their in-ear monitors. In my experience, this is done so subtly that most audience members don't even notice it's going on.

Rehearsing with the met in our activity is VITAL, regardless of the experience or practice habits of members.

I absolutely understand that. Also understand the met is not the be all and end all of timing. Even the met on the field has a delay when the corps is spread 10 to 10. Having used the met, extensively, it's not always the answer. While it DOES provide a great foundation and consistency of the tempo, it also is a fallacy to not think that there MUST be a compensation by the players on the field in regards to ensemble placement. I suppose, if you lined the back sidelines with speakers and moved the pit to the rear and added a click track you could make it pretty simple to listen back! :)

Edited May 18, 2011 by Mello Dude

[soccerguy315]

UGH My bad!

haha just giving you a hard time... personally, I enjoyed watching it, lol

[DrillmanSop06]

How many drum corps subscribe to the theories that these "experts" are putting forth? None of them, you say? Amazing!

[Bob984]

I think some people misunderstood my post..........

First of all, let me say that I indicated that SOME corps (not everyone) overuse Dr. Beat in musical ensemble rehearsal. The key word is SOME. I also believe that it is difficult for the performer to play perfectly in tune, emotionally, with outstanding phrasing and interpretation when the beat frequency is blaring.

Some mentioned about click tracks in the studio, and referred that perhaps I have not been there........I've done many studio sessions, so don't write about what you don't know. Yes, initial tracks are laid to a click most of the time, but when I record, I have it audible, but not blaring in my phones, and it is nowhere close to as loud or blaring as Dr. Beat. After bass and drum tracks are laid, I never use it beyond that point.

I never indicated that people do not perform well. However, I would argue that some corps might play with better feel, interpretation, and phrasing if the Dr. wasn't used as much at rehearsal. I stand by that. I understand that you might want to use it while getting timing locked in difficult drill sets. However, I really don't think it is very necessary or highly musically productive when working on music in concert formation in a gym. To each his own, and if the corps wants to use it for hours on end (like SOME do), so be it.

I totally stand by my assertion that Dr. Beat and Gok blocks are UNACCEPTABLE DISTURBANCES DURING A CORPS' PERFORMANCE. It CAN be avoided. Are you going to tell me that a corps can't stop for 10 minutes while a corps is on the field, then start for 10 minutes after they play their last note, until the next corps is on??? We have a gazillion cell phones....I don't think that would be a hard message to send to instructors' phones. There are also these wonderful things called drum pads. They can be used so players can stay warmed up and loose right until the gate. Brass players can buzz on mouthpieces. NOBODY's warmup is more important than somebody else's performance. Every corps can be adequately warmed up without disruption of anyone's performance. I do think penalties should be assessed if a corps disrupts another corps performance. Period. It is on the books, but never enforced. Ever. If a corps needs a ton of warmup, then they should arrive at the show sight 90 minutes BEFORE the show starts. Then, non-disruptive warmups (or between corps), after the show starts.

I actually can see the disturbance of the pitch of Dr. Beat keeping a corps from coming back to a school, as some have stated, and I don't think the music disturbs neighborhood people as much as the "blaring non-stop Dr. beat". To some, it is all a disturbance, and we can't do much about that.

In summary, I think that SOME may want to consider how much they use it, but I am not telling them to do anything..........they can rehearse however they want.

In terms of disruption at shows, I believe we need change. We have the technology to instantly tell every corps when they can play and when they must stop. If that's not acceptable, they can get to the show earlier (just like the corps on 1st and 2nd have to.)

GB

[Big Adam]

I think some people misunderstood my post..........

First of all, let me say that I indicated that SOME corps (not everyone) overuse Dr. Beat in musical ensemble rehearsal. The key word is SOME. I also believe that it is difficult for the performer to play perfectly in tune, emotionally, with outstanding phrasing and interpretation when the beat frequency is blaring.

Some mentioned about click tracks in the studio, and referred that perhaps I have not been there........I've done many studio sessions, so don't write about what you don't know. Yes, initial tracks are laid to a click most of the time, but when I record, I have it audible, but not blaring in my phones, and it is nowhere close to as loud or blaring as Dr. Beat. After bass and drum tracks are laid, I never use it beyond that point.

I never indicated that people do not perform well. However, I would argue that some corps might play with better feel, interpretation, and phrasing if the Dr. wasn't used as much at rehearsal. I stand by that. I understand that you might want to use it while getting timing locked in difficult drill sets. However, I really don't think it is very necessary or highly musically productive when working on music in concert formation in a gym. To each his own, and if the corps wants to use it for hours on end (like SOME do), so be it.

I totally stand by my assertion that Dr. Beat and Gok blocks are UNACCEPTABLE DISTURBANCES DURING A CORPS' PERFORMANCE. It CAN be avoided. Are you going to tell me that a corps can't stop for 10 minutes while a corps is on the field, then start for 10 minutes after they play their last note, until the next corps is on??? We have a gazillion cell phones....I don't think that would be a hard message to send to instructors' phones. There are also these wonderful things called drum pads. They can be used so players can stay warmed up and loose right until the gate. Brass players can buzz on mouthpieces. NOBODY's warmup is more important than somebody else's performance. Every corps can be adequately warmed up without disruption of anyone's performance. I do think penalties should be assessed if a corps disrupts another corps performance. Period. It is on the books, but never enforced. Ever. If a corps needs a ton of warmup, then they should arrive at the show sight 90 minutes BEFORE the show starts. Then, non-disruptive warmups (or between corps), after the show starts.

I actually can see the disturbance of the pitch of Dr. Beat keeping a corps from coming back to a school, as some have stated, and I don't think the music disturbs neighborhood people as much as the "blaring non-stop Dr. beat". To some, it is all a disturbance, and we can't do much about that.

In summary, I think that SOME may want to consider how much they use it, but I am not telling them to do anything..........they can rehearse however they want.

In terms of disruption at shows, I believe we need change. We have the technology to instantly tell every corps when they can play and when they must stop. If that's not acceptable, they can get to the show earlier (just like the corps on 1st and 2nd have to.)

GB

I will give you a standing ovation when you are the first staff member to win a championship with these demands lol. (I hope you take that as a joke).

As far as during shows, corps should be penalized for Dr. Beats being heard from the stadium but I haven't been to a show in the last two years where this has truly been a problem. But as a member and for the parking lot junkies, "the lot" warm up is part of the whole corps experience for everyone. So to take away loud corps and kick butt drum exercises would also take away a huge part of what we love about corps. As much as no one wants to hear a dr beat during a corps show, they don't want to hear a warm up on mouthpieces and drum pads either.

I hear you though, you pay good money to go see a show and you hear beep beep beep off in the distance during someone's ballad and it really destroys the moment for you. But my favorite moments were always in the lot, as a member and spectator, with a db or not. So unfortunately this is one of those things where there isn't a simple solution on either side. But a corps ignorance for the stadium performances should not go addressed and that's more of an issue with the higher ups in the activity than a dr beat.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Big Adam

[Bruckner8]

This needs to be said: Timing is THE ONE THING every judge can hear, and is easily played back on the tape. Intonation has some leeway (Equal Temperament vs Pure Intervals, or "I know it when I hear it"...very subjective). Quality of sound is subjective. Player-to-player consistency is subjective (trust me, it's rarely perfect, due to human nature, so the judge has to decide "what's close enough?")

Timing is NOT subjective. Either the ensemble is together, or it's not. If a program coordinator wishes to argue "we meant to not be together; it adds to our darkness metaphor," that's fine, but it had better be the same way every time thereafter.

It's also the easiest thing "to clean," since everyone is usually in agreement that it's happening! (A timing issue)

My point: Even the worst staff can hear bad timing. Even the worst judge can hear bad timing. Even the worst visual judge can SEE bad timing.

This is why timing is worked on MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IN THE ACTIVITY. The better groups know from their experience, and their current membership level, how often to use the Dr beat, and in what contexts. IMHO, if one wants to teach young people a good sense of internal time, use a Eurythmics class, good dance instruction, or something like it, instead drum corps ensemble Dr Beat time. Otherwise, all the memberships really learns is how to shut-up the instructor by playing with the Dr Beat (and the instructor wonders why it doesn't translate to the show).