An Open Letter to DCI

[breezemont]

The fact of the matter is that we are on the declining edge of the baby boom and via choice, or natural selection there will be fewer fans as the population bubble of baby boomers continues to pass us by. It's pretty simple actually.

Math is not your strong suit, is it?

World population in 1981: 4,529,899,224

World population in 2012: 6,991,800,919

2 billion more possible drum corps fans since I aged out.

You want simple?

I'll tell you what simple is - follow the money.

If drum corps was truly about the kids, it wouldn't cost thousands of dollars to march, it would be free.

Although it could be some BS conspiracy from DCI to push the last of you guys... I'm of the same age bu

t exclude myself from your ranks because I really love where DCI is going!

Good for you!

Just remember, we used to be happy about it too...

ps. The heavy hitters in DCI right now are my age or older. Take that for what it's worth.

[AnaheimAlumni]

Julian,

It took balls to write your letter and hang it out there for everyone to see. I agree with your assessment completely, though for me it's not about one corps, rather the activity as a whole. I bailed out after 2003 for pretty much the same reasons, even though most of the turn offs(synths, etc.)weren't even being used yet, I could see that they were coming. The directors used very liberal wording when proposing their changes intentionally to allow the overuse of electronics, all the while pretending it was ONLY so the pit players could be heard without hurting their hands. We now know that it was just a ruse. I want to comment to one thing and that is your describing drum and bugle corps as DCI. What you call DCI was once known simply as drum and bugle corps. DCI has blurred that line ever since Don Pesceone retired and it ruined drum and bugle corps.

Long live drum corps.............oh wait, never mind.

[Martin I. Zing]

Citation? This should be pretty obvious... look at how Blue Stars, for example, needed to radically change in order to get more kids interested in participating.

They couldn't draw the numbers when they were hanging on to the more traditional approach with more traditional uniforms. They overhauled pretty much everything from top to bottom... drew the kids... moved from OC to top 6 in a very short timeframe.

Kept on this path, lost their individual identity and brand, tried to look and sound as much as possible like the Blue Stars of Indiana® and . . . last night, lost their spot in the Finals.

[Carolina09Spirit]

To the OP: I give you props and respect for putting your words of opinion into a logically-stated statement. Not many people on here have the capability of doing such a thing. Whether I agree with your post or not is irrelevant, but the fact that it's a thought-out statement, and something that takes knowledge to formulate, is impressive. This activity needs more people like this, instead of the ones who jump on message boards and say "Well, didn't like their show." If you state it with accuracy and respect (with a little bit of knowledge), you will be respected.

[breezemont]

Kept on this path, lost their individual identity and brand, tried to look and sound as much as possible like the Blue Stars of Indiana® and . . . last night, lost their spot in the Finals.

ouch.

[Phantom1701]

I have only been watching DCI for 3 years. But I totally agree that there is no need for synthesized sound and voice-overs etc. I liked the music in the Blue Devils show, but totally hated the overall design. Can you really even tell if someone is out of step or line when it is such a cluster.....? I also have to admit I have never been a big fan of major use of props and gimmicks both at DCI and in Bands of America etc. I want to see solid marching and music. If I want to see a theatrical production, I will go to the theater.

Agree with all of this, 100%. Thank you.

[MikeD]

And for the record, I already miss drum corps. (Not so much the synths, amplification, and dance, but actual drum corps). :-)

'Actual drum corps' includes 'synths, amplification, and dance'.

[Grandpa]

I have only been watching DCI for 3 years. But I totally agree that there is no need for synthesized sound and voice-overs etc. I liked the music in the Blue Devils show, but totally hated the overall design. Can you really even tell if someone is out of step or line when it is such a cluster.....? I also have to admit I have never been a big fan of major use of props and gimmicks both at DCI and in Bands of America etc. I want to see solid marching and music. If I want to see a theatrical production, I will go to the theater.

I agree with you on the design but you have to admit - this is where the smarts of the BD staff shows.

The "cluster" you refer to can indeed hide problems.

The tail thing on the uniform blowing out behind the member masks interval errors at higher tempos.

The extended periods of narration give the horns a chance to get some air back in the lungs.

The slower pace of playing sections while surrounded by lots of running around give the visual a layering while keeping the playing sections steady.

As someone wiser than me said a couple of days ago - they know how to max out the sheets.

[zig zig ZAG]

And how many were watching online throughout the season? How many attended the theater show? Sorry, I don't buy your swan song.

Um, in the 80s, when I happened upon a certain performance of Appalachian Spring on a PBS rebroadcast a month after finals (yes, many PBS stations used to broadcast finals several times), many, many more people saw DCI around the country on TV than see anything on the internet or in theaters.

And many more fans came to live shows, from regionals to finals. I attended finals a couple times where half of an NFL stadium or college stadium with over 90,000 seats was full. And a couple million saw the PBS live broadcast or rebroadcasts.

The fan base has been dramatically shrinking.

Pretty soon it will be closer to the fan base of high school marching band or winter guard: exactly the two most baneful influences on DCI that have made my interest wane dramatically.

[84BDsop]

0:10-0:14

That is all.