Contra94 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I am a fan of electronics IN MODERATION. I (like many others) don't just want all the parts being played on pads and synths. I want to horns/percussion to melt my face off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badoo Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Take all the electronics out from this year's show and there's a tremendous amount of variety. If you think shows before electronic were the "same programs over and over" then you're missing something very big. Personally I feel it mainly lets the designers and arrangers be lazy. How can we get this idea across, or how do we translate this sound from the original source music? Rather than having to be creative they can just throw in an audio clip or a sample. I also think there was a tremendous amount of variety in the way that electronics were used this year, were there not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesBry Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I am a fan of electronics IN MODERATION. I (like many others) don't just want all the parts being played on pads and synths. I want to horns/percussion to melt my face off. Could they at least make it illegal to double acoustic parts with electronic instruments of similar timbre? Perhaps then we would at least have the peace of mind that what you hear is what they are playing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesBry Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 One of the most egregious moments from the QFs broadcast was a close-up of a pit (can't remember which corps). You could hear a carillon-style ringing of chimes, you could see the entire pit standing motionless, and you could see a set of chimes being unused. Apparently, they chose to play a recording of chimes rather than actually playing the chimes that were present. That to me is an inexcusable shame. Isn't the purpose of Drum Corps to feature the performers? I'm sure any of those stationary pit members could have played the part (it wasn't even difficult). I just don't get it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendy328 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Fully agree. I didn't see/hear one use of electronics that I felt was necessary and couldn't be handled by standard drum corps instruments. No it wouldn't sound exactly the same as the original, so what? As for props - I probably liked Blue Stars the best but certainly could have lived without them. BD and Cascades just cluttered up the field. The front side screens used by so many corps just brought back some of the less stellar memories of the 80s. I thought Crusader's giant bedsheet thing was very well done, but when did lights become legal? I thought the exact same thing...flashlights? Next step might be those massive spotlights that twirl around a large venue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lameisrob Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I'm not a huge fan of electronics, but I know that mallet players don't have to tear up their wrists as much. I also believe you shouldn't rely heavily on anything when performing outdoors in the summertime. That being said, I feel Spirit of Atlanta's 2011 "ATL Confidential" show was the best use of electronics to date in DCI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baridon09 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 No it wouldn't sound exactly the same as the original, so what? its almost like you are saying that the original should have used and instrument instead of voice... I'm sure that part of the reason the Cadets picked Angels in the Architecture was the vocal part from the original. To say that the original vocal part of a band piece is too much for a drum corps show is just silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I also think there was a tremendous amount of variety in the way that electronics were used this year, were there not? I wouldn't call it variety to use different recorded voices and songs for intros and transitions than the previous corps used for intros and transitions, but that's not really my point anyway. I was responding to the idea that drum corps was the "same show over and over" until electronics came along. The variety this year came from the show designs and visuals and brass ensemble sound and musical choices, not from the electronics, which are usually used to cover up problems or to get around a creative challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 That being said, I feel Spirit of Atlanta's 2011 "ATL Confidential" show was the best use of electronics to date in DCI. Wow, to me, Spirit was second only to Glassmen as the worst use of electronics from World Class this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 One of the most egregious moments from the QFs broadcast was a close-up of a pit (can't remember which corps). You could hear a carillon-style ringing of chimes, you could see the entire pit standing motionless, and you could see a set of chimes being unused. Apparently, they chose to play a recording of chimes rather than actually playing the chimes that were present. That to me is an inexcusable shame. Isn't the purpose of Drum Corps to feature the performers? I'm sure any of those stationary pit members could have played the part (it wasn't even difficult). I just don't get it! Agree 100%. That was the Troopers. I had exactly the same reaction when I first saw them live. Why is that better than having someone play the same thing live? I hope they got some feedback from the judges on that, but maybe they didn't since they left it all season, when I can't see any reason they needed to do so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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