DITD Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Somebody posted a "wisecrack" idea on another thread and I thought I'd break it out into a new thread because while it's a bit hyperbolic (for now), isn't it the ultimate conclusion to what has been started by allowing synths? I know this was a wisecrack, but what if a corps actually did something like that? Okay...maybe they wouldn't ever actually record their entire show, but how long will it be until they record different parts of their show to "overlay" on the parts being played with the use of a keyboard? Perhaps they are doing an obscenely difficult drill and playing at the same time and they need to "supplement" the sound to cover their feet. Really...how far out is this? I don't think this could ever happen because amplified material must still be "performed" in real time by a corps member. Whereas the introduction of Bb horns, amplification, etc. reshape the integrity of the activity, this would effect the integrity of performance. IMHO, I don't see that ever happening. For example, a virtuosic trumpet feature that is prerecorded would not be able to be cued by the push of a synth button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DITD Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Granny: I've received a grant to explore the introduction of holograms to the field. Some day, my hope is all music will be pre-recorded by professional musicians and all marching will be done through the use of holography. The guard work will be computer generated. We'll all go sit in the comfort of our homes, put on 3-D headsets and will enjoy PERFECT drum corps performances from every corps. Wilson III, the grandsonputer of IBM's Wilson who won at Jeopardy will process it all and declare a winner. No gasoline expense for the corps, no sunburn, no bad seats. Nice. Then we could all use our artificial interface chips to digitally rant on Dcp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny Smith Posted July 26, 2011 Author Share Posted July 26, 2011 Really far: as in, never gonna happen far. Not meaning to pick on you, Granny, as generally your posts are pretty even tempered. But really, this uber reactionary fear mongering junk gets REALLY old It just hurts my feelings when people roll their eyes at me with an emoticon. The original "wisecrack" was hyperbolic, but to say that the scenario I laid out was fear mongering is unwarranted on your part because it is already happening! It is happening on the low end and has been for a couple of years now. Whether or not the goo is playing the part of the tubas is irrelevant. The fact is is that it is filling in that part of the musical score. You can bet synths will "fill in" other parts. While it might not be a trumpet sample being played on a keyboard as a trumpet part, it might be a piano or string part playing that musical part. OH WAIT! I think that's already happening. Parts that SHOULD be played by acoustic brass instruments are now being played by keyboards 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClutch Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 I don't do it for money but I do know quite a few who have learned to sell themselves for a ransom, be it arranging, writting drill or working camps. "Selling themselves for ransom" meaning "getting a job." So band is providing jobs even in our economic state. Money makes the world go round. That's just how it is. The question is, do you like the outcome. Do you like drum corps? If so, then it isn't just to stuff staff's pockets. If you like drum corps, the kids are doing what they enjoy, which is performing for you. The staff does get paid, yes, but it is very minimal and results in a product you enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbaManiac Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 (edited) Honestly, I think we'll hit a low point with over-used electronics in the next couple of years and then maybe it will begin to return to a more acoustic based art form. With the legalization of amplification in 2004, narration was the big "new" design toy to play with. These are the "heavy use of amplified voice" shows by year: 2004 Crown BAC 2005 Blue Devils Cadets (light use) 2006 Cadets Blue Stars Crossmen 2007 Cadets Crown (light use) Bluecoats (light use) 2008 Cadets Bluecoats 2009 no major "offenders" 2010 no major "offenders" 2011 no major "offenders" Notice a trend here? Hopefully electronics will run it's course the same way this did. Well, you really need to look at the pageantry activity in general to get the full picture. Narration has been dwindling across all circuits for the last couple years, not just in DCI. WGI, BOA, etc have all seen reductions in the types of shows that require full on narration. However the use of electronics in general has grown significantly in the past few years. The emphasis now being on sound effects, small vocal cues, and full on sampled pre-recorded singing (cueing each syllable individually) as well as creating bass rich texture that the show is built on top of. If DCI follows the lead of WGI and BOA (which it has been doing, and most likely will continue doing) then electronics will have more of a presence in the future, even as straight up narration dwindles. Edited July 26, 2011 by MarimbaManiac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Nice. Then we could all use our artificial interface chips to digitally rant on Dcp. Such rants will be uploaded wirelessly from our cerebral cortexes and on the other end, the same chip will sense the rant according to filter options set on the cloud-based user board settings. The "reader" will either read every post, read selected posts as determined by the chip to be in accordance with their desire to be calmed down or riled up that day, or will present a sense of the mood of the overall posts if the recipient doesn't have much time to spare at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cache_Money Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Why not just record the whole show, and just have the guard and sound people show up at the show? Kids wouldn't have to take an entire summer off; the corps could get rid of probably 3 buses, and several equipment trucks because you wouldn't need to cart around instruments; think of the savings on food and fuel!; you would eliminate most judges at the show because after the music judges did their thing at the beginning of the season, those scores would NEVER change...come to think of it, why don't we just have all the corps just record one performance, and anybody that wants to see it can just subscribe to FN and watch it as much as they want-that eliminates ALL the travel and everything and think of the money we'll save by not having to keep buying tickets all summer! Not only that, but then we could really teach the members to play CORRECTLY! (you know, indoors in a sound stage, where real musicians play) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Not only that, but then we could really teach the members to play CORRECTLY! (you know, indoors in a sound stage, where real musicians play) What an ignorant statement. There are plenty of "real musicians" that play an many kinds of outdoor venues each and every day. To say that "real musicians" only play indoors is trolling at best, and sheer stupidity at worst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cache_Money Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Well, you really need to look at the pageantry activity in general to get the full picture. Does this term grate on anyone else as much as it does me? "corps" calls to mind strength, precision, military bearing, marching "pageantry" calls to mind costumes, makeup, dancing, prancing and emoting I will admit that the latter may more accurately describe modern "drum corps" than the former, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Does this term grate on anyone else as much as it does me? "corps" calls to mind strength, precision, military bearing, marching "pageantry" calls to mind costumes, makeup, dancing, prancing and emoting I will admit that the latter may more accurately describe modern "drum corps" than the former, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I think of either this ... or.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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