Now That Soloists are Plugged-in

[glory]

I wonder how that solo in 2010 would have been NOT enhanced...

Why wonder? It was wonderful.

Sorry to single you out, but if that's what you were thinking when you could have been listening to something wonderful, something that worked beautifully in the musical context, then your mind failed your senses. And why? To enforce an arbitrary standard on what constitutes good artistry no matter the obvious excellence of the performance? How does that make sense?

I once had a date with a young lady who complained she couldn't enjoy Chinese dishes that included carrots. It was her view that carrots weren't an authentically Chinese ingredient, making any Chinese dish with carrots somehow less enjoyable. I continued eating at the restaurant. Never went out with her again.

Good food is good food. Good music is good music.

HH

[bobby burke]

Here we go again: If you are going to state that the subject of amplifying soloists, or allowing any non-bugle non-drum into the activity, is the final nail into the coffin where Drum & Bugle Corps are buried, you must (to be consistent with your reasoning) also state that: a) the beginning of the coffin was when a valve was added to a bugle (because it no longer was a bugle from that point forward); and b) the the inner-liner for that same coffin was instituted when bells/xylophones (i.e. non-drum percussion instruments) were allowed in a "Drum" & "Bugle" Corps. Otherwise, you will be inconsistent within your argument.

[bobby burke]

Granted.I am one of those purists.That said, I never stated or implied that adding one valve,rotary,2 valves,3 valves to an existing bugle changes the essence of the instrument.It is still a bugle by the basic definition. Bells..or glockenspiels..I think i spelled that right..! ,were part of traditional Drum Corps going back to the 40s.I think you will admit that the introduction of some of the instruments and ideas have more in common ,at least to the untrained eye and ear,with an orchestra or at the very least a traditional marching band.Ultimately Drum Corps to stay alive and be competitive with other interests has to make room for more possibilities of attracting members.I guess to that end enhancement,different voicing ,and instrumentation is almost a given.Please don't misinterpret my sentiments as not wanting the activity to move forward with the times.As someone that was lucky enough to play a few solos in my time..projection,heart,and feeling were the watch words of my day.No mas

[Stu]

I don't think so. A&E brings a profound change to the activity, as would woodwinds. Bugles to valved bugles to trumpets is a tiny, insignificant change comparatively.

...tiny, insignificant change (to you), but to others the allowance for grounded pit, or the switch from G to Bb, was both profound and traumatic! All I was getting at is that there has not been purity in drum corps since, what, the 1920's? And to go off the deep end to call A&E the nail in the coffin of the death of drum corps is, IMO, overly dramatic!

[Ghost]

Also, it could be interesting to see some more exploration of of eastern and african percussion... tabla could be pretty cool, for example.

What other possibilities are out there?

Time to call in Mickey Hart for another Planet Drum gig.

[skywhopper]

...tiny, insignificant change (to you),

I didn't say that. I said, it's tiny and insignificant compared to A&E.

[Stu]

I didn't say that. I said, it's tiny and insignificant compared to A&E.

Running the risk of getting into a ping-pong match here, but... there are plenty who post on DCP who would "not" call those other changes tiny and insignificant compared to A&E. The only definitive terms you can convey in your postings are that they are tiny and insignificant (to you) compared to A&E.

[soccerguy315]

I can't believe the instructors passed this amplified brass instruments rule... honestly. What a joke.

[badoo]

To the extent that all symphony orchestras should have the same string/wind/percussion instrumentation; yes. Otherwise the ensemble is no longer a symphony orchestra, or in this case a drum & bugle corps. It is fine for a symphony, or a drum corps, to use peripheral items outside the norm to enhance the whole as long as the rules allow for such items. However, when the "prominence of focus" turns a symphony, or a drum corps, into a rock band with electric guitars, a wind ensemble (with woodwinds), or an Indonesian Gamelan ensemble, then the unit is no longer a Symphony or a Drum Corps but something entirely different.

You think all symphony orchestras have exactly the same instrumentation? Interesting.

[Liahona]

Why wonder? It was wonderful.

Sorry to single you out, but if that's what you were thinking when you could have been listening to something wonderful, something that worked beautifully in the musical context, then your mind failed your senses. And why? To enforce an arbitrary standard on what constitutes good artistry no matter the obvious excellence of the performance? How does that make sense?

I once had a date with a young lady who complained she couldn't enjoy Chinese dishes that included carrots. It was her view that carrots weren't an authentically Chinese ingredient, making any Chinese dish with carrots somehow less enjoyable. I continued eating at the restaurant. Never went out with her again.

Good food is good food. Good music is good music.

HH

Seriously?

I am not sure if I agree with amplified brass being good artistry at all...but if you say so I won't argue with your opinion about it...As a brass player myself I think amplified brass is a joke. I'm not sure how Chinese food relates here either...but since you want to use a food analogy I like oranges better than apples....yet I think both are still quite tasty fruit...