2012 Contra/Tuba Lines

[rkfdPRphan]

Sometimes it helps to start with 16 or even 20, because if the corps has a show with a lot of jazz running, twists and turns, the contras really suffer, IMO. A lot of corps 'loose' one or two during the season - judging by the holes in the lines.

I'm not sure how many contras Phantom Regiment is fielding this year. I dont think all of them have been at each camp. But I am thinking there will be about 12....but my number is just a guess. Maybe a couple more. And, last week the volume was just fine.

[general_tsos_chicken2]

Sometimes it helps to start with 16 or even 20, because if the corps has a show with a lot of jazz running, twists and turns, the contras really suffer, IMO. A lot of corps 'loose' one or two during the season - judging by the holes in the lines.

I'm not sure how many contras Phantom Regiment is fielding this year. I dont think all of them have been at each camp. But I am thinking there will be about 12....but my number is just a guess. Maybe a couple more. And, last week the volume was just fine.

according to the drill chart they posted on their facebook page a while back, it's 16.

[zach_8vb]

Bones is going with 12. Been hearing some excellent sounds from the dogs this year.

[burgerbob]

Troopers have fourteen tubas this year.

[Bruckner8]

I personally think Corps really only need 12 Tubas. The more beyond that point seems like a bit of an unneccessary overkill and of dubious value. If I had an 80 number brass section and was given the choice of more tubas beyond 12, or more higher voices, even more middle voices, I'd take the extra high and middle, or even Bari's. 12 Tubas on a field give the low balance needed, imo. Corps like SCV and Phantom in 89 ( for example ) had 10 Tubas, and the sound seemed balanced among sections and certainly deep and loud enough. World Class Corps in the 70's, with maybe 52-60 brass had 6-8 Tubas. Corps today that have 66-80 brass and have 12 Tubas are just fine in Tuba numbers, imo. But thats just me. Brass arrangers that believe they need more is ok by me too.

Contra* in G <> Contra in Bb. The old contras projected outdoors much better than the B-flats do. The fact that hornlines are going to 80 is further proof that the entire G Bugle lines projected better than the B-flats, cuz only now are we starting to forget about the G Bugles. And when you expand the hornline, you need MORE of the lowest voices (proportionally) to counteract the acoustics of the outdoors. 16 contras of an 80 member hornline is 20%. When hornlines were 64 members with 12 contras, that was 18.8% (OK for G or Bb).

Another tidbit: Playing contra takes a great amount of effort. Playing it WELL takes a great amount of finesses and care. Trust me, you'd rather have 16 players playing at FF instead of 12 playing at FFF for equivalent balance.

Finally, with some drill writers not even paying attention to staging/acoustics, 16 is the absolute minimum for a Bb Contra line to be heard and felt when all are close to the back sideline, and the entire drum corps is playing full out. (If the synth is doubling them, forget about it...diff thread, lol)

SCV will be marching 16 (you're welcome).

*PS: I don't get hung up on instrument names/keys. For me, All of them are Tubas. The circular over-the-shoulder thing is called a Sousaphone (and they are made in diff keys too). The on-shoulder marching thing we know is called a Contra (regardless of key). I reserve "tuba" for concert instruments. For example, I've said this many times over the last few years "Hey folks, bring your tuba to audition camp since we may not have enough contras. No sousaphones!" See? perfectly clear.

[BRASSO]

Contra* in G <> Contra in Bb. The old contras projected outdoors much better than the B-flats do. The fact that hornlines are going to 80 is further proof that the entire G Bugle lines projected better than the B-flats, cuz only now are we starting to forget about the G Bugles. And when you expand the hornline, you need MORE of the lowest voices (proportionally) to counteract the acoustics of the outdoors. 16 contras of an 80 member hornline is 20%. When hornlines were 64 members with 12 contras, that was 18.8% (OK for G or Bb).

Another tidbit: Playing contra takes a great amount of effort. Playing it WELL takes a great amount of finesses and care. Trust me, you'd rather have 16 players playing at FF instead of 12 playing at FFF for equivalent balance.

Finally, with some drill writers not even paying attention to staging/acoustics, 16 is the absolute minimum for a Bb Contra line to be heard and felt when all are close to the back sideline, and the entire drum corps is playing full out. (If the synth is doubling them, forget about it...diff thread, lol)

SCV will be marching 16 (you're welcome).

*PS: I don't get hung up on instrument names/keys. For me, All of them are Tubas. The circular over-the-shoulder thing is called a Sousaphone (and they are made in diff keys too). The on-shoulder marching thing we know is called a Contra (regardless of key). I reserve "tuba" for concert instruments. For example, I've said this many times over the last few years "Hey folks, bring your tuba to audition camp since we may not have enough contras. No sousaphones!" See? perfectly clear.

Oh you're no fun. How can I " hate " on you with this, when I agree with 100% of what you just said. But be forwarned, I have my heavy artillary moved up to the front lines just in case you post something in the future that requires a rapid and quick deployment of rocket mortar fire.

Edited May 7, 2012 by BRASSO

[emc2]

Boston Crusaders will go on the field with 16 tubas, I'm told ( and in addition, take along tuba alts with them )

I think they have over 80+ horns. but will march 80. Should be a great year for Boston.

[TubaJon]

I'm just curious to see which corps are marching the full 16, the average 12, less, more, etc. Anyone have numbers?

I would suggest that 16 is the new average. The sad reality is that as musicianship is dying in the world in general, due to budget cuts or lack of interest. And tuba players were a minority to begin with. Because of this, a lot of your DCI tuba players arent tuba players at all, and either learn the horn just to march, or the corps switches some people that may not make it on their respective horns. So its more of a danger now to march 12 tubs when 3 or 4 of them are beginner tuba players. I know that from 1st hand experience. In 09 we marched 12 and two of them didnt know how to play the horn.

[bccadet09]

I remember the days of 10 contras...wasn't too long ago.

[oldbandguy]

I would suggest that 16 is the new average. The sad reality is that as musicianship is dying in the world in general, due to budget cuts or lack of interest. And tuba players were a minority to begin with. Because of this, a lot of your DCI tuba players arent tuba players at all, and either learn the horn just to march, or the corps switches some people that may not make it on their respective horns. So its more of a danger now to march 12 tubs when 3 or 4 of them are beginner tuba players. I know that from 1st hand experience. In 09 we marched 12 and two of them didnt know how to play the horn.

I'm sure that's the case with some DCI corps, but it's certainly not with the corps that I have personal knowledge of...in fact, with those corps there are actually more "real" tuba players now than there were back in the "good old days" when switching from other instruments was a lot more the norm.