bill Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 You don't need to.... Until the music analysis judge says they can't hear the soloists over the corps. Beltone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Do we really need to mic them? I remember a time when the Blue Devils had soprano, and even after, trumpt soloists that didn't need a mic to be heard. I remember in Malaguena from Cadets 2003 that they didn't need a mic to play the triplet part(granted Jon Schipper did the same part in 1996 without a mic and was louder). But do they really need a mic? If so, can't they get people with stronger chops. Just my thought. One could surmise that the important solos already go to the people with the strongest chops. But playing in a musical manner that is unforced and playing in a forceful manner that is terror on the lips are choices that staffs feel they need to contend with today. Either way, I'm comfortable with entrusting the professionals we bring in to teach the members with making the decisions on what is best for their corps and their members. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 A couple weeks back, I saw a world renowned brass quintet playing in a pretty small concert hall. Each horn was mic'd... clipped to the bell. There were also some cool moments where they were using effect pedals, etc. Made me think there is definitely not enough exploration of these types of effects in drum corps. Every group coming out with the exact same instrumentation and textures is mighty boring. May be fine for the purists out there, but time marches on... so to speak... and different generations have different tastes and wish to explore in their own unique ways. Mic'ing isn't something that should be seen as weak or a cop out, but an opportunity to explore different arrangements than traditionally and different tonal colors and textures. That said, it is perfectly fine not to like it. Everyone digs their own thing, but competitive junior drum corps isn't ever going to be frozen in time. This is simply how it is. There are some other alternatives that are either more fixed in time or evolve at a different sort of pace. These groups might be a better match for some and any additional support for any groups out there is a good thing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 A couple weeks back, I saw a world renowned brass quintet playing in a pretty small concert hall. Each horn was mic'd... clipped to the bell. There were also some cool moments where they were using effect pedals, etc. Made me think there is definitely not enough exploration of these types of effects in drum corps. I think that the Bluecoats the last few years have been trying to do that kind of stuff, altering the sounds coming out of the horns for different effects. It seems pretty cool what they've been doing with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats34 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I am a music technology minor at my university, and I love the electronic aspect of drum corps. If you look throughout the history of drum corps, it always evolved to stay relevant with the time. Like it or not, electronics are a huge part of music today, so of course drum corps would adapt to it. In most of the electronics being used, it is still a member playing, so what if there are some effects added to their playing? It's the way that music is going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 In most of the electronics being used, it is still a member playing, so what if there are some effects added to their playing? It's the way that music is going. Nothing about marching on a football field in military-like uniforms, playing mostly classical music on instruments designed for the most part in the 1800s has ever been about "the way that music is going". The only way drum corps survives is if it's unique in some way. The more you try to make it like other musical activities, the *less* interesting it will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbandguy Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I've seen quite a few VERY strong trumpet players over the years...Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinson, Bill Chase, John Harner to name a few. Almost always playing inside an auditorium (not a stadium). Always had a mic in front of their horn. Obviously it can/has been done in drum corps without amplification, but it never evere bothered me when I heard the guys listed above using it...and I never heard anyone questioning their "ability." I too love the way the Bluecoats (especially) have used their amplification of brass more for tonal effect than volume. Like most everything else...it can be well done or not so well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I've seen quite a few VERY strong trumpet players over the years...Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinson, Bill Chase, John Harner to name a few. Almost always playing inside an auditorium (not a stadium). Always had a mic in front of their horn. Obviously it can/has been done in drum corps without amplification, but it never evere bothered me when I heard the guys listed above using it...and I never heard anyone questioning their "ability." They were miked, were they being amped within the auditorium? I doubt it was necessary for people to hear assuming the auditorium had appropriate acoustics, but even if they were amped, so was every other player in the band, and I guarantee the auditorium they were playing in spent more on the audio gear than any DCI corps spends on their entire set of instruments. I have two objections to miking brass soloists: One, it sounds terrible. The amped sound through the small PAs doesn't mix well with the rest of the corps. Second, the challenge of designing and performing a live show that can be enjoyed unamplified is greater than when you allow amplified soloists (and all the rest). Being able to amp a soloist is, yes, far far easier than finding a player who can really scream or getting your corps to play mezzo-piano. I don't come to drum corps to watch people do things the easy way... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats34 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 They were miked, were they being amped within the auditorium? I doubt it was necessary for people to hear assuming the auditorium had appropriate acoustics, but even if they were amped, so was every other player in the band, and I guarantee the auditorium they were playing in spent more on the audio gear than any DCI corps spends on their entire set of instruments. I have two objections to miking brass soloists: One, it sounds terrible. The amped sound through the small PAs doesn't mix well with the rest of the corps. Second, the challenge of designing and performing a live show that can be enjoyed unamplified is greater than when you allow amplified soloists (and all the rest). Being able to amp a soloist is, yes, far far easier than finding a player who can really scream or getting your corps to play mezzo-piano. I don't come to drum corps to watch people do things the easy way... I don't think it's necessarily taking the east way out. For example, in the 2nd movement of this here's bluecoats show, the trumpet solo is in front of a mic. I have watched him do the solo in rehearsal without a mic and he could easily play over the corps. But since they are adding a bit of effect to it, it's in front of the mic. It doesn't change the fact that he is an awesome player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 They don't need to be mic'd, it's just playing it safer. I personally love an unmic'd solo that is loud as hell, and can come out over the hornline. Granted, when the hornline is on the front sideline playing FFF, I would understand the need. But even then, the trumpet solos in Crossmen 2004 were LOUD. There's many other examples. Some players may need a mic, but you've got to be able to play a solo loud if you're in drum corps. If you ever have the opportunity to hear the 1974 or 1975 Hawthorne Muchachos, give them a listen. The whole show was written around their soloist, who could be heard no matter what volume the rest of the corps was playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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