friceox Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 1991 SCV Miss Saigon opening Helicopter effect nothing like it since. 1993 Cadets Opener with the small pit area on right side of field at goal line. Also Snares using individual chime tubes in opener. The entire hornline and battery percussion had small energy chimes on the field in 2003. They had little pouches that they stored them in while not playing. You can hear them in the intro and ballad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Star bowing the keyboard instruments in their '86 show was a nice effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinigit Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 I definitely agree that the SCV helicopter effect was awesome. The Blue Devils 2003 horn arc space chord stuff is definitely one of the more memorable recent special effects (not involving electronics). I have been doing a lot of watching on the Fan Network (getting my $79 worth haha). The Bluecoats 2010 baritone solo is a really cool example of combining live instruments with synthesized effects. The Glassmen 2009 synth effect that blends into the hornline as they turn front field is awesome too. Several other corps continue to integrate electronics in the pit with the corps proper. Of course the 2000 Cadets show where the trumpets play each others horns is classic. The Cavaliers in 2005 alternate between flugel and trumpet (and I think play both at once?) The Freelancers in 1991 had a pic trumpet player who played a solo while being carried by a tuba player and another horn player.. I think they were playing too? The Blue Devils in 2004 utilized pedal tones and the mellophones used large cones to create a doppler effect. Phantom in 2007 (c. 6:30 mark) hornline turns front field during a silent guard toss (so loud!). Hey this is fun! Any other cool moments you can think of? Think compositionally as well, like sections of shows that trade subsection features (Cadets 2000, Cadets 2007), or the way instruments are utilized for their sonic characteristics. The most vivid example of this in my mind is the use of the mellophone as a lead instrument, a sonority that cuts through all else and carries the counterpoint (basically any of Phantom's writing over the last six years or so). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyWonder1911 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 There is a corps this year using harmon mutes for the trumpets in the beginning of the show. I'm not going to mention who it is, because I just don't want to give it away. Go see the shows. It is a top 8 corps. As far as the Bluecoats solo w/synthesizer/recording... I think it would have been better if they had actual members playing both parts - even if it sounded a little bit less quality, it would have pleased me more to actually see the members playing the parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyWonder1911 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Oh...well I guess my signature gave it away. Oops... Not to mention my avatar....sheeeesh! Edited June 12, 2011 by BoyWonder1911 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shostahoosier Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Oh...well I guess my signature gave it away. You could always delete your original quote since it hasnt been quoted yet. I liked that weird pit thing that Santa Clara used in 1995 and I think a few other years in the 90s too. I dont know what its called, but it had a really deep sound. They used it in the Arabian Dance section of "The Nutcracker"...or I guess "Not the Nutcracker" lol. I also loved a lot of the acoustic sounds that the Cavaliers used in their "Machine" show, as well as the DJ "record scratch sound" that they used in the opener of their "Firebird" (97) show. That was cool and unexpected. These things were all so much more creative than using a patch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 If for any reason you need a train effect that isn't a whistle, listen to the end of Troopers 08. Pit folks with wire brushes on timpani. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Mr. Kinigit, what band is this, and how big is it? In particular, how big is the percussion? Since you are doing Louis Bellsom some drum set set would be nice, but that is not really a college band thing. Most college bands like to march in, play, and march out taking all their stuff with them. FYI the SCV helicopter thing was done with bare bass drum heads, not sure of the mallets but wood mallets would probably be best. This could be done cheap and easy, but I'm not sure how a helicopter effect will advance your musical theme. And I've always been a fan of cymbal features. You could copy some SCV cymbal things, and there are other great cymbal lines out there also besides SCV. See the "Sex Cymbals" of the 80's era Velvet Knights. And no matter how desperate you get, do NOT use Stomp style trash cans, trashcan lids, etc. The best kind of effects for college crowds is if you can get the student crowd to participate, especially by singing, like Elvira, Roll out the barrel. My drum corps style college band starts out the show with a run-on by the band 220 bpm, followed by the crowd yelling "Dubba-ya!" (drum lick) "VEE! (drum lick) "YOU!" (drum lick) "W - V - U!!!" Then start the music. Edited June 12, 2011 by wvu80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 There's always the Renegades "anti-pit". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinigit Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Mr. Kinigit, what band is this, and how big is it? In particular, how big is the percussion? Since you are doing Louis Bellsom some drum set set would be nice, but that is not really a college band thing. Most college bands like to march in, play, and march out taking all their stuff with them. FYI the SCV helicopter thing was done with bare bass drum heads, not sure of the mallets but wood mallets would probably be best. This could be done cheap and easy, but I'm not sure how a helicopter effect will advance your musical theme. And I've always been a fan of cymbal features. You could copy some SCV cymbal things, and there are other great cymbal lines out there also besides SCV. See the "Sex Cymbals" of the 80's era Velvet Knights. And no matter how desperate you get, do NOT use Stomp style trash cans, trashcan lids, etc. The best kind of effects for college crowds is if you can get the student crowd to participate, especially by singing, like Elvira, Roll out the barrel. My drum corps style college band starts out the show with a run-on by the band 220 bpm, followed by the crowd yelling "Dubba-ya!" (drum lick) "VEE! (drum lick) "YOU!" (drum lick) "W - V - U!!!" Then start the music. I was actually in the Pride for a couple years, and I wouldn't classify it as corps style whatsoever (back then we pronounced double u instead of "dubba-ya"). The band I work for has around 200 members, and a full pit and battery. It is essentially a drum corps with a woodwind section; its a well balanced band. We actually do have a drumset player normally. The helicopter effect probably wouldn't fit anywhere in this year's show, but it is cool. We have a cymbal line, but they are pretty well taken care of. There will be several zany percussion effects, some of which are borrowed from some recent indoor drumline shows. Our student population at football games is quite small, so we aren't going to get into crowd participation. We have used special effects in the past, but we are trying to push it even further this coming season. I'm leaning towards more electronic instruments integrated into the show. Edited June 12, 2011 by kinigit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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