Holes

[jonnyboy]

There have always been people, usually brass and sometimes guard, that wait until summertime to fill cheap or free holes. There are always corps that end up offering a fee-reduced membership just to fill a hole. It is way easier to fill a hole than re-write drill.

When I marched, we always picked up a few people at the first few shows. Some kids did this a few years in a row! The kids just didn't want to bother with winter camps it seemed, and these kids lived within two hours drive of the corps. It just seemed like every season we would write the drill hoping to fill the line, go on tour 5 bodies short, and pick up people along the way. Then we would spend hours and hours catching people up. I never knew the deal, but I suspect they marched for free or a greatly reduced fee.

It is the nature of the current activity. If you can't commit to a corps over the winter, or you can't afford to audtion and pay dues, or you really aren't hell bent on marching but would like to, why not just wait till summertime and see what is out there?

[TerriTroop]

Regarding tuition:

I suspect some corps will allow late joiners to pay over time after the season, but I also suspect that is not something that is automatically offered and may not be offered at all to people they don't already know. (i.e. vets who were taking a year off.)

For those that don't realize it, drum corps tuition doesn't even come close to paying the actual per-member expenses for the year. That's why there are development directors, satellite activities and organizations, performances in parades and other non-competitive events, alumni organizations, etc. being utilized to bring in additional funds. Suggesting that a corps to go in the hole in the amount of tuition has more impact than you might expect.

[gbass598]

My friend said that at the glassmen souvie trailer had a sign for mello bari and a bass drum

So are they officially down another bass drum after replacing #3?

[MotorCityMusician]

So are they officially down another bass drum after replacing #3?

4 must be injured. If I was better or had money I could fill any of those.

[rapidtransit9]

Teal Sound has a few open brass spots. Email randy@tealsound.org or call 850-591-2621 for more information.

[baribloos]

Now that we had a good rant:-)can we keep discussing/posting holes?

[CuriousMe]

George Hopkins posted this on his FB:

Cadets need High brass player who can march , play and has major corps experience. Fiscal discounts apply. E mail gino@yea.org. ASAP

[AlexL]

Regarding reduced\free dues for late joiners, obviously there is a balance, they dont want too many trying to take advantage of that and purposely joining late for the decreased dues.

At the same time, much of the time that hole was already paid for by a member who will now go home and not get their dues refunded. So if someone comes in, even for free, their dues have already been paid. On top of that, you have to consider what the variable costs are of adding a member. Most costs in drum corps are relatively fixed on a per-member basis. Theyre buying a full line of horns\drums either way, taking the same amount of trucks and buses either way, the only big change is the food, which is fairly small on a per-member basis when cooking in bulk size like corps do. So given that 99% of the costs will be the same whether there are 149 or 150 members, if that corps can get a few hundred bucks off of someone willing to fill a hole, that corps is still better off than if they had the hole still there and didnt have that few hundred bucks.

Also, you have to consider that filling the holes, is good for the rest of the paying members. The experience is much better if the show isnt hampered by something like open spots.

[Callawyn]

As of yesterday, Crossmen have 2 bari and 1 trumpet spots to fill. They have some guard spots also I believe.

[gbass598]

There is probably a fine line to filling holes. While they can prorate dues and all of that, consider that some holes come open because someone has quit or had to go home from tour. In most cases, I bet those people had already paid their dues in full. If someone comes in and takes their spot, they theoretically could march for free and it wouldn't cost the corps anything because the previous member already paid. They could charge the new person some sort of member fee and that would essentially be pure profit for the corps.