wackywords Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Discuss. Edited February 6, 2012 by wackywords Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blucru Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 OK, I'll play. I vote for percussion simply based on the number of spots on average in the drumline,and the sheer amount of talent at an audition camp. I've heard of corps having a nine spot snare line and having a couple hundred hopefuls show up for a chance at one of those nine spots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 snareline. too many kids get cut from that and refuse to consider other sections 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 snareline. too many kids get cut from that and refuse to consider other sections With things like the Super Bowl focusing just on snares (this goes for DCP also; nobody was wondering who the bass drummers were in the National Anthem); with most of the DCI Lot videos focusing just on Snares; with most High Schools placing the best players on Snares making them the elite; ad infinitum... is it any wonder why most of the youth drummers want Snare or nothing? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Has to be percussion. WIth your standard drumline size of 8/4/5, they have the smallest sections in the corps. And with so much talent going for so few spots, it's always the most competitive. And probably the reason that even towards the bottom of World Class, the percussion can be a much stronger section in comparison, just because of the size of the talent pool versus size of available spots 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euphman89 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Also going to go with percussion. So many people at camps for a finite amount of spots, even at the middle of the pack world class corps like Glassmen. Also, I don't really know how many times I have ever heard of a percussion spot opening up mid-season, or open spots going into spring training, whereas I hear all the time about guard and brass (especially low brass) holes. Possibly because you have to be juuuust a little bit (or a lot) crazy to willingly play baritone, euphonium, or tuba on tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWhacker Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Snareline for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old skool drmmr Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Percussion, guard, brass, in that order. Percussion is the obvious choice because of sheer numbers. Guard is next because it is so individually exposed. The horn line is very far down the totem pole from those two. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Also, I don't really know how many times I have ever heard of a percussion spot opening up mid-season, or open spots going into spring training, whereas I hear all the time about guard and brass ... I think the issue with filling an open hole in battery mid season is that integrating the new player/marcher isn't an simple as it is in the rest of the corps. Best/worst example was last year where Cadets snares were imbalanced between angels and demons for just this reason. An angel snare (I think it was an angel) was injured early in the tour. They opted for imbalance over replacement because it seemed the greater risk to integrate a new angel into the drill/book even in June. Had it been a horn, I doubt they would have hesitated to plug the hole even though the hole probably would be less obvious. As for the broader question, I'm not sure the gap is a big as some would have us think. When you consider that the entire percussion section is typically more than 30 (about the size of the guard and nearly half the horns), you realize there are spots to be had even if you can't march snare or whatever. HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) I think the issue with filling an open hole in battery mid season is that integrating the new player/marcher isn't an simple as it is in the rest of the corps. Best/worst example was last year where Cadets snares were imbalanced between angels and demons for just this reason. An angel snare (I think it was an angel) was injured early in the tour. They opted for imbalance over replacement because it seemed the greater risk to integrate a new angel into the drill/book even in June. Had it been a horn, I doubt they would have hesitated to plug the hole even though the hole probably would be less obvious. As for the broader question, I'm not sure the gap is a big as some would have us think. When you consider that the entire percussion section is typically more than 30 (about the size of the guard and nearly half the horns), you realize there are spots to be had even if you can't march snare or whatever. HH And if they'd march plates again, there could be even more spots available. Fascinating information H, thanks. And I'll agree with Ream; a top-5 corps director who responded to an email of mine last year made this very point. My budding snare drummer would do well to learn matched-grip as well and play on mutli-pads. "There's a great value in a kid who can play more than just snare. Maturing on multis and playing snare later is ideal. Every hotshot drummer wants to play snare. They call them "the front line" for a reason." When I thought about this for a while I started noticing proof. Ever seen a parade line led by tenors or basses? In my day, our line changed twice by mid-season and, one year, we brought in a "quads" player two weeks before finals. Edited February 6, 2012 by garfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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