Triple Forte Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I would say that before instrumentation changes, there were still a lot of older alums attending shows. At least, that's what I remember from my marching days in the mid-90's. Now I don't see a lot of older alums sporting corps jackets and all that at DCI shows. 2. Adding woodwinds wouldn't replace the entire hornline. We're talking MAYBE 30-40 kids, if that. So how is that little amount supposed to grow a declining fan base? Will those 30-40 kids' parents/family/friends be MORE likely to attend shows than the 30-40 already in place? I guess my question is, what does he hope to attract that he isn't already getting?? That's exactly what i was thinking. Unless you increase the number of members allowed in a corps (again)....you are just filling the ranks with a different type of musician. I know some people don't like this (accessing a crowd)...but...I have been fortunate to be able to sit usually 20 or so rows from field level in between the 45 yardlines for fifteen seasons at the Allentown regional and for all three nights (qrt sems finals) at dci for seven seasons....and the makeup of the folks sitting in this area are mainly diehard (mostly legacy) and alumni....with some friends and family of marching members. If woodwinds are added..i would say most of the legacy and a good portion of alumni will bail. Who is going to pay the big bucks to take the seats? Wont be the HS kids...that's for sure.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 You know Janeway would kick all the Jedi's collective ##### with one phaser blast. Power of the force my ###! She was the second worst captain in Starfleet history (behind the one on Enterprise-B played by Cameron Frye). If you're going to use a Trek captain analogy, at least have the common decency to use Kirk or Sisko. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 the diehards of the 90s will e smaller in number first off...fewer corps. you NEED those diehards. And I dont see those diehards crying we need to have the exact same instrumentation as bands. again jeff...what die hards the 60s 70s how long do you think they ( we ) will be around...so many around my age have been done for a long time and MAYBE go to a show once a year....the die hard will change..unless you know a way to go on forever..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 But those groups are not the Major Leagues of Marching Music. The Cadets would still be the Cadets with a full WW section...as would any World Class corps. Its a bogus argument to try and look at attendance at a HS Band show..even the top, and try to compare it to DCI World Class. There are threads ad nauseum tying to figure out where the very best HS bands would place in DCI...nobody places them close to the top of World Class. yes they would be the Cadets...but they would also be playing in front of fewer people. as said before, the more they change, the more they drive away. band kids and moms and dads aren't enough bodies to replace those walking away. so, as some others probably said more eloquently, it's time for Hop to grow a set of balls and put up or shut up. create an ensemble with woodwinds. create your own Blast. show us it needs to happen. For all of his blather, he has offered no concrete proof drum corps is dying without them. he just talks his pie in the sky BS he uses day in and day out. if his theories were working so well, then the Cadets would have far more auditionees than they have been getting, and USbands wouldnt have to change names, C2 would be evaluated by DCI, and emails wouldn't be sent out last fall begging bands to pay their bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 As a matter of fact, I'm sure there are some folks marching this year that play woodwind instruments in the off-season. They must magically grow up and regress depending on what instrument they're holding. isn't it amazing that here we offer an activity with "musical education"...and how better to be educated to learn a new instrument if you're a woodwind player? I know, I know, using his own organizations name combined with logic usually ends up getting ignored Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 That's exactly what i was thinking. Unless you increase the number of members allowed in a corps (again)....you are just filling the ranks with a different type of musician. I know some people don't like this (accessing a crowd)...but...I have been fortunate to be able to sit usually 20 or so rows from field level in between the 45 yardlines for fifteen seasons at the Allentown regional and for all three nights (qrt sems finals) at dci for seven seasons....and the makeup of the folks sitting in this area are mainly diehard (mostly legacy) and alumni....with some friends and family of marching members. If woodwinds are added..i would say most of the legacy and a good portion of alumni will bail. Who is going to pay the big bucks to take the seats? Wont be the HS kids...that's for sure.... the good and bad thing about being around for quite a while is hearing the same ole arguments on how who will bail if something is added,,, themes, costumning, a pit, electronics, DCI in general, sure people leave..they always come and go..We like to blame it on lots of things other than changing times and interests...I dont thin WW would be added..maybe some of these sounds in the pit but dont think actually marching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Why not stop that as well? There's actual drum corps happening. we could if Hop would let it die Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Thanks for educating us on what we should and shouldn't talk about. Or here's a better idea...if you don't like it, don't open the ####### thread! Win-win! if someone disagrees with you, do you always have to be such an ###? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 In this case, they aren't. And I don't think George is all that serious about it, either. The list of difficulties that adding woodwinds would entail is a mile long. Woodwinds are a massive, expensive headache that no one really wants. Woodwind soloists in the pits - something I'm personally okay with - is as far as the woodwind thing will go. One observation, not really directed at soccerguy: Many people in the drum corps community, both on this forum and off it, make the assumption that band kids want drum corps to be just like band. It's easy to understand why some of us assume this to be true, but when you actually talk to band students you find out it's not usually. Even for woodwind players. let's be honest...cost never slowed Hop down when he really wanted something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nizerifin Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 We're getting woodwinds eventually, be it 5 years from now or 25. This process takes time but eventually the opinions that matter will slowly change and the rule will get passed. Now, I'm hoping for electronics reform definitely within the next five years to allow for loops and samples. Then.... things get wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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