AlexL Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) You have a good point. I find my "expertise" in the marching arts really hinders my enjoyment of watching small "lower" corps. It has also affected my enjoyment of watching high school bands perform. (I am not trying to take away from what those groups do. They work hard and deserve a lot of credit.) I remember when I saw my first live DCI show and how I thought all the corps were awesome and that it would be so hard to choose the winner. Now when I am at shows or watching online I find myself analyzing the design and being much more critical. Maybe it's a sign that I should start up judging. I also think that if you have marched with a corps you perception will be changed. I think those that have never marched or are just the "casual fan" will find all the corps amazing like I once did. This is most definitely true. After being trained to notice the nitty gritty stuff that separates the top corps from the lower corps, it becomes harder to get enjoyment out of the lower levels. I was the same way at my first shows, watching every show, enjoying most of them (and the ones i didnt werent due to lack of 'impressiveness' but just because i didnt like the material. This probably happens for long-time fans too who learn the same things over time, but id imagine it happens faster for those who have marched. Edited June 22, 2011 by AlexL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 This is most definitely true. After being trained to notice the nitty gritty stuff that separates the top corps from the lower corps, it becomes harder to get enjoyment out of the lower levels. I was the same way at my first shows, watching every show, enjoying most of them (and the ones i didnt werent due to lack of 'impressiveness' but just because i didnt like the material. This probably happens for long-time fans too who learn the same things over time, but id imagine it happens faster for those who have marched. If I look at my own drum corps appreciation curve, it went something like this: Marching years: idolized my favorite top groups and wanted to help make my own corps better like them. (sometimes frustrated by the lack of forward motion, but stuck with it and was very glad I did.) Immediately after marching years: lot groupie and annoying know-it-all in the stands (yes, I can admit this. I dare others to do the same. ) A few years later: grad school, very little time for drum corps - one show a year (Houston), no more lot groupie, just there to support the activity a little bit but still highly critical of every single little thing (oblivious to the fact that I likely drove people around me nuts when talking to my other drum corps friends in the stands) Early married years: tried to play drum corps evangelist to disinterested spouse - mission failed miserably, but at least the idea that drum corps would continue to be an important part of my life was pounded into spouse's brain. A few years later as a parent of a young child: seeing drum corps through young, unspoiled eyes really makes this a lot more fun! Now (child in lower grade school): Lot groupie for my home team only (love to help hype!) In the stands, I like to sit back and enjoy what everyone has to offer and let my critic's ears and eyes go a little slack as needed for each corps. Sure, I recognize what is holding back a hit or makes a ballad lackluster or whatever, but I can compartmentalize the critic's voice in my head now. I like this phase. A LOT. Not everyone has the same path/approach to drum corps observation. And that's just another expression of the beautiful diversity of this activity. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profhill Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Yes I'm a snob. I want everyone to be good and in my old age I can't handle anyone being bad. Why would I want to spend time watching something that's bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Been an avid drum corps fan for almost 15 years now..... I have still never once witnessed a drum corps show that I didn't enjoy at least in some way. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvah Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I really hope you do know that your fourth point is completely untrue. There really is no other way to say it. I wish you could be a little more explicit about what you think is untrue. There are many opinions in #4 that are not commonly held. I guess you don't agree that most of today's musical arrangements are done by amateurs whereas they used to be done by pros. I admit that I don't know who is doing to arrangements for any of the corps today. They sound amateurish to me, they must not be getting paid much--you tend to get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I've been through the whole spectrum, starting in HS band when I thought every show was the greatest thing ever put on the field (especially before I could afford the cassettes and really understood there was more than a top 12). Then I thought I knew everything about drum corps, then got online (back when that was a big deal) and discovered I didn't really know *anything* about drum corps, then bought and watched so many shows that they stopped being quite so impressive, to getting slightly burnt out and jaded about practically every corps, and now finally just taking it for what it is and really enjoying myself. The enjoyment I get from it has changed from execution, to music, and now more of a total package appreciation. I don't enjoy the music on its own so much anymore - very few songs make my iPod playlist recently - but I do sure enjoy the total show experience more now. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOOHOO Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) I wish you could be a little more explicit about what you think is untrue. There are many opinions in #4 that are not commonly held. I guess you don't agree that most of today's musical arrangements are done by amateurs whereas they used to be done by pros. I admit that I don't know who is doing to arrangements for any of the corps today. They sound amateurish to me, they must not be getting paid much--you tend to get what you pay for. That's my point. How can you make that statement when you don't even know who's doing the arrangements? That's doesn't make any sense. It makes it hard to take what you say seriously, especially when simply looking at the corps' websites would tell you who the arrangers are. Edited June 22, 2011 by WOOHOO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geluf Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I guess you don't agree that most of today's musical arrangements are done by amateurs whereas they used to be done by pros. I admit that I don't know who is doing to arrangements for any of the corps today. This statement does not jive with your earlier accusation that "recent age outs are writing the books in most cases". That is not a statement of opinion, you stated it as fact, when you had no actual evidence to base it on. WOOHOO has no need to be more "explicit" about what they think is untrue. You made a baseless accusation, you got called out on it, and now you're trying to deflect by throwing out yet another completely fabricated statement as "fact", i.e. "they must not be getting paid much". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvah Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 This statement does not jive with your earlier accusation that "recent age outs are writing the books in most cases". That is not a statement of opinion, you stated it as fact, when you had no actual evidence to base it on. WOOHOO has no need to be more "explicit" about what they think is untrue. You made a baseless accusation, you got called out on it, and now you're trying to deflect by throwing out yet another completely fabricated statement as "fact", i.e. "they must not be getting paid much". wow, looks like I've touched a sore spot. Gee, could you possibly be one of the amateurish arrangers I'm describing? Can I ask you some questions? If its not the skill of the arrangers that has caused the decay of the drum corps show, then what is it? Do you think that you and your peers are producing anything close to what was done 20 years ago in your activity? Do you not have the talent in the horn line? Are the judges sheets prejudiced against horn arrangements? I place the fault on the show designers and arrangers, who I perceive as mostly young "kids" with very limited musical experience. If corps paid for actual arrangers to do their horn books, they wouldn't be as musically bad as they are. What I say is my opinion, I don't need to qualify it as such. There used to be professionals who did horn arrangements for DCI, and these people were also university music professors. It seems to me we don't have any university professors doing horn arrangements now. Am I wrong? Or am I spot on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOOHOO Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) wow, looks like I've touched a sore spot. Gee, could you possibly be one of the amateurish arrangers I'm describing? Can I ask you some questions? If its not the skill of the arrangers that has caused the decay of the drum corps show, then what is it? Do you think that you and your peers are producing anything close to what was done 20 years ago in your activity? Do you not have the talent in the horn line? Are the judges sheets prejudiced against horn arrangements? I place the fault on the show designers and arrangers, who I perceive as mostly young "kids" with very limited musical experience. If corps paid for actual arrangers to do their horn books, they wouldn't be as musically bad as they are. What I say is my opinion, I don't need to qualify it as such. There used to be professionals who did horn arrangements for DCI, and these people were also university music professors. It seems to me we don't have any university professors doing horn arrangements now. Am I wrong? Or am I spot on? You could look it up. It's not hard with the internet. Besides, when did being a university professor in and of itself ensure arrangement success? Edited June 22, 2011 by WOOHOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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