jwillis35 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 ATTENTION CORPS THAT PLACE IN THE TOP 6 COME AUGUST: If you choose to not amplify anything other than your marimbas and use no synthesized sounds in your 2012 programs, contact me via DCP and I will cut you a check for $750. I'll put my money where my mouth is. I know $750 isn't much, but it is what I can graciously donate to someone who removes this distraction from their show. While I can fully appreciate your gesture, if it means staying competitive because the show the corps is doing calls for some electronics, then placing in the top 6 is for more valuable than $750, or $2,000, or for that matter $25,000. Placing high means recruiting, it means more kids coming to your camps (and that alone can bring in $50,000 plus). It means endorsement money, free uniforms, etc. When you think of it, a drum corps is largely funded by the marchers, the early camps, fundraising, souvie sales, and endorsements or sponsorships. Alumni and donors comprise the bulk of the rest. The money that we, the fan, put forth is really a drop in the bucket in large part because those gate fees are split between all the corps in the competition, and, of course, DCI and the sponsor of the show keep a percentage. So there is no incentive for these groups to get rid of something that they see as necessary and part of the creative show process. I am not totally wild about electronics, but as I said in my last post, I really like how some of the corps are using them this year. The Cavaliers and Cadets could not have done their shows without them, and neither could Carolina Crown. Well, they could, but the effect would be lost. I, personally, want the electronics to stay, and I think they will. I just want the corps to be careful. We must also remember that a part of this equation should be about what the marchers of today want. I want the kids of today to enjoy shows they like, to march with the corps that best represents who they are and what they love. If this is to happen we can't make blanket statements like "what's good for me should be good for them," or "this is the way it was and always shall be," and then expect all the drum corps to adhere to styles and rules that one segment of the population feels is best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralTsoChicken Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 While I can fully appreciate your gesture, if it means staying competitive because the show the corps is doing calls for some electronics, then placing in the top 6 is for more valuable than $750, or $2,000, or for that matter $25,000. Placing high means recruiting, it means more kids coming to your camps (and that alone can bring in $50,000 plus). It means endorsement money, free uniforms, etc. I promise you, a Corps can be competative without synthesizers. Electronics and Synthesizers are not judged, except in the context of some percussion performance and some GE. I've yet to see a setting where either of these added to the performance or were enforcing what is on the sheets. I'd also like to point out, of the thousands of band students I work with, I've never met one in the flesh that was pro electronics. Even in the ensembles I work with that DO use them, they are generally opposed as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I promise you, a Corps can be competative without synthesizers. Electronics and Synthesizers are not judged, except in the context of some percussion performance and some GE. I've yet to see a setting where either of these added to the performance or were enforcing what is on the sheets. I have seen plenty of shows where electronics added wonderful things, and I've also seen the opposite. Also, I am sure a corps can be competitive without electronics, my point is that they are not going to with everyone else using them. And besides, I think they WANT to use them. I'd also like to point out, of the thousands of band students I work with, I've never met one in the flesh that was pro electronics. Even in the ensembles I work with that DO use them, they are generally opposed as well. I am a band director, too, and I have met many students who are interested in electronics, so I guess we work with different types of students. There are always going to be different types, just like in drum corps. It's never going to be one way or the other. There will always be a smattering of styles, needs, instrumentation, etc. I welcome that providing they do things with good taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralTsoChicken Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I have seen plenty of shows where electronics added wonderful things, and I've also seen the opposite. Also, I am sure a corps can be competitive without electronics, my point is that they are not going to with everyone else using them. And besides, I think they WANT to use them. You probably have already stated this... but where has it added wonderful things? I'm not asking in a rhetorical way, I will genuinely sit down and listen to these shows again an try to see if I can agree. Agreed, many on staffs want to use them, many do not. As for everyone else using them, so they will too... that just doesn't seem to be much of a factor? You agreed they could be competitive without them, then said they will use them because everyone else will? I think the great majority of corps chase competativeness, not others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralTsoChicken Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I guess we work with different types of students. LoL, I've given up trying to predict how kids will feel about certain things :-) Now, according to Murphy's law, every student I interact with this MB season will LOVE THEM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowrider Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 ATTENTION CORPS THAT PLACE IN THE TOP 6 COME AUGUST: If you choose to not amplify anything other than your marimbas and use no synthesized sounds in your 2012 programs, contact me via DCP and I will cut you a check for $750. I'll put my money where my mouth is. I know $750 isn't much, but it is what I can graciously donate to someone who removes this distraction from their show. I will add $250 for an even $1,000.00! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuriousMe Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Surely it's worth re-examining every rule change after a few years of experience, isn't it? Really? Is that still true if it's been examined continuously since it was enacted? I can accept that amps are here to stay. But there's only so much you can do to ruin a show with amps. Synths are another story. So many shows in the past three years I enjoy far far less than I otherwise might because of the synths.Just this year, Spirit and Glassmen both have put out shows that are more visually and musically thrilling than they've been in years, but the inappropriate synth impacts totally ruin it for me. I know that's just an opinion, and I'm sure a lot of people aren't bothered by it, but for me, it's like what Grampa said, it's embarrassing. I would not want to show this to drum corps newbies. I know I'm not alone in this. But what I don't get is how the lack of those synth impacts would ruin those shows for anyone else or be a serious negative at all. At best, the synths add a little color here and there. But at worst, they can ruin an entire show. That just seems like a really bad tradeoff to me. I think the heart of this is that no one is forcing anyone to use synths. At the end of the day, the reality is that folks who design shows think it adds to the show, even if many disagree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 The Mods being unwilling to change my DCP name from Howdy to Mikey only makes matters worse. My friends in the drum corps world all call me Mikey. probably 'cause there's ALREADY a mikey on DCP?? choose an *unused* name and I'm sure they'll change it. until then , don't complain about being called Howdy when that's your username on DCP. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Anybody else annoyed with all this elctronic crap and mics ? All the balance problems they create are not worth the effects they create. Sorry George H..lets let Drum Corps be Drum Corps. Really? Again? Really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralTsoChicken Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Please don't call me General... call me Lord Byron VIII of Edinburough I ask respectfully... because the mods won't allow me to make that name change. I tried... that bawker's a sneaky one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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