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Dear Show Designers


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but to dumb down the music to me would turn me away from the sport. Just my 2 cents.

And therein lies the problem. See, playing wind band, symphonic, and the usual fare doesn't make it smarter. It makes it safer. If anything, finding cool and creative ways to incorporate the suggested music in this thread would be far smarter than most of what's happening currently.

Pop, rock, game, electronics...those things don't dumb down the activity at all. Returning to the same dreck over and over? That's dumb.

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And therein lies the problem. See, playing wind band, symphonic, and the usual fare doesn't make it smarter. It makes it safer. If anything, finding cool and creative ways to incorporate the suggested music in this thread would be far smarter than most of what's happening currently.

Pop, rock, game, electronics...those things don't dumb down the activity at all. Returning to the same dreck over and over? That's dumb.

If I hear any more Stravinsky, I might figuratively punch a wall.

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And therein lies the problem. See, playing wind band, symphonic, and the usual fare doesn't make it smarter. It makes it safer. If anything, finding cool and creative ways to incorporate the suggested music in this thread would be far smarter than most of what's happening currently.

Maybe dumb down was the wrong verbage to use. I honestly wish more Corps would do an original show as Suncoast did in 85. Most of my HS staff were on staff there and I was exposed to it quite a bit. Midnight in Miami is still one of my favorite songs!

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I agree with the sentiment and am still waiting for the Cavaliers to do a Surfjan’s Illinois show. But I don’t share your faith in the designers being able to pull it off. The designers like the judges are often out of touch and I don’t think they know how to listen to that stuff any more or what makes it good and then be able to translate it to the field. Recent examples of pop songs in drum corps have often been piano driven, soft-rock covers of the originals. Seems designers need someone else to show them the way…Creep was not the Radiohead version, Mad World was not based upon the Tears for Fears original and the Lady Gaga stuff this year seems more faithful to her piano versions than the radio version.

There use to be a lot of pop in drum corps in the 70s and many of the designers are from that era….and they got old and now try to out bando each other and seem lost in their little, isolated bando worlds. I say bring on the new blood, bring me the new designers and allow those new designers to succeed in scores and placements on the field. I cringe every time I hear a 50 year old man telling me what kids want and think is cool because I know it ends up like Sara Jones, in tears.

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I just started this thread and, besides realizing how antique I am, it renewed a question I've had for a long time and never had answered:

What's the relative cost comparison of underwriting a whole, new original piece v. transcribing/arranging and paying royalties?

Is "original" work cheaper than paying royalties?

How is the comparison made?

Are there enough writers out there to supply the activity with "A Florida Suite-type" quality?

Or is this thread about transcribing existing non-mainstream music sources onto the football field and, in which case, wouldn't there still be royalties to be paid?

Sam or anyone?

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I just started this thread and, besides realizing how antique I am, it renewed a question I've had for a long time and never had answered:

What's the relative cost comparison of underwriting a whole, new original piece v. transcribing/arranging and paying royalties?

Is "original" work cheaper than paying royalties?

How is the comparison made?

Are there enough writers out there to supply the activity with "A Florida Suite-type" quality?

Or is this thread about transcribing existing non-mainstream music sources onto the football field and, in which case, wouldn't there still be royalties to be paid?

Sam or anyone?

If I'm not mistaking Robert Smith wrote Florida Suite, while also being the director, Not sure if any extra compensation was given or not

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I agree with the sentiment and am still waiting for the Cavaliers to do a Surfjan’s Illinois show.

I don't have a baby, but if I did... thrown.

But I don’t share your faith in the designers being able to pull it off. The designers like the judges are often out of touch and I don’t think they know how to listen to that stuff any more or what makes it good and then be able to translate it to the field. Recent examples of pop songs in drum corps have often been piano driven, soft-rock covers of the originals. Seems designers need someone else to show them the way…Creep was not the Radiohead version, Mad World was not based upon the Tears for Fears original and the Lady Gaga stuff this year seems more faithful to her piano versions than the radio version.

BD could do it. I suspect Jay Bocook could do it. But yeah, I agree... there's always a "buffer." JUST DO IT, YOU GUYS!

There use to be a lot of pop in drum corps in the 70s and many of the designers are from that era….and they got old and now try to out bando each other and seem lost in their little, isolated bando worlds. I say bring on the new blood, bring me the new designers and allow those new designers to succeed in scores and placements on the field. I cringe every time I hear a 50 year old man telling me what kids want and think is cool because I know it ends up like Sara Jones, in tears.

Yep. Difference is that show design has progressed somewhat. I think we can avoid schmaltzy pop today. I'm certainly not trying to hear Mack the Knife for the sake of playing a pop tune. Let's just get some new blood going.

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I just started this thread and, besides realizing how antique I am, it renewed a question I've had for a long time and never had answered:

What's the relative cost comparison of underwriting a whole, new original piece v. transcribing/arranging and paying royalties?

The advantage -- as demonstrated by Cavaliers -- is that integration with the visual program can be PERFECT.

I wouldn't have any idea what it costs, but I bet it's a nice luxury to have. I think Robert Smith was on staff at Suncoast at the time, so I'm sure he got paid. Unclear, though.

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