An Open Letter to DCI

[danielray]

It's also markedly different from Schoenberg. Electronics and indecipherable themes are to Drum Corps what serialism and atonality was to Beethoven. They are radical departures from what had worked for a very long time. We now see a return to more traditional art music, but too many people refuse to give it a chance because they've been burned by bad music in between. The same cycle will happen to drum corps. I only hope that when it comes back around, there will still be fans in the stands to notice.

Not sure I'm following...

If by "what had worked"... you mean composers actually got work... then that makes sense. But, music doesn't work or not work... it just is... you dig it or you don't.. that is the great thing about being human... individual perception.

There is a return to more accessible tonal music by contemporary composers, because composers need to eat. What can you sell loads of? Middle School Band music.

The offshoot of this is Wind Ensemble music, which is commodity... simply filling a demand. Much of it is the musical equivalent of Domino's Pizza.

There is plenty of interesting and very creative stuff out there.... and just because it may not be tonal, doesn't mean it is necessarily bad... just different.

Serialism was an intellectual exercise, musical equivalent of a Rubik's cube. If you don't feel any emotional response from it, good... you're not supposed to.

Music can be many, many things... but unfortunately many educational institutions are placing too much emphasis on traditional theory in their composition programs. I studied composition at Juilliard, for example... TV/VCR repair courses would have been more useful if the aim was to create anything genuinely innovative. It is basically a Morton Gould clone factory.

Anyway, would love to see even more exploration... would love to see analog patch synths out there... see funky eastern instruments. Teal Sound's exploration was very interesting... and a thread I'd love to see pulled on (Crown???).

There is so much out there... such much uncharted sea, why stay where it is known and same and safe?

Edited August 11, 2012 by danielray

[Phantom1701]

I'm not walking away from the activity yet, but it's getting close. For the most part I agree with the OP. Microphones for soloists and synthesizers that are louder than parts of the ensemble just cheapen the whole experience for me. I love the raw power of the brass and percussion through only the abilities of the players and nothing more. I think putting a microphone on a soloist is insulting. If one isn't loud enough, then make it a duet.

Scatter drill is another story. There is too much of it and the anticipation of waiting for the kids to hit a form through a complex series of movements has been lost. Now if you are on the 35 and need to get to the other 20 you just break rank and run over there, bobbing and weaving around props and other kids trying to run past you to hit there spot.

For indoor percussion/WGI....I have no problem with it because it is an entirely different animal. There is no brass and no yard lines. So scatter and synthesizing other sounds that cannot be produced otherwise makes a bit more sense in that format. But DCI worked and worked very well before all of this and can again without it.

I realize I'm in the minority here and that's fine. Most of younger crowd grew up with all of this in marching band anyway, so it seems perfectly normal for them. I do appreciate many of the current shows. In fact there are a couple I really love, so I'm not ready to step away from DCI entirely.

As to the OP's points about BD, I think they really epitomized drum corps as I came to know it and appreciated it for all those years. But they are now the poster child for the new era. That's their prerogative and if the judges continue to reward them, then you will see more and more corps fully make to the move to their style of drum corps. For now I can watch DCI and enjoy the corps that are holding on to traditional drum corps as much as possible. But when they all start to mirror what BD and a few of the other corps are doing, that will be the end of it for me.

[JulesBry]

My gripe is certainly with the judging community. They encourage design that most people don't really dig. Cronyism certainly exists and has not improved with new system. Judges not evaluating the "now" but the corps season. Gaps open up between corps that although not impossible, are highly improbable. The TRUTH in judging just seems to be gone and that really contaminates the entire validity to competition.

Exactly. If there were some diversity in scores, at least in the general effect categories, I could stick around. But if every last judge believes that the general effect of every show is roughly the same, that suggests that either their opinions aren't honest or that my opinions aren't welcome in DCI. Either way, I no longer feel at home here.

[danielray]

Exactly. If there were some diversity in scores, at least in the general effect categories, I could stick around. But if every last judge believes that the general effect of every show is roughly the same, that suggests that either their opinions aren't honest or that my opinions aren't welcome in DCI. Either way, I no longer feel at home here.

Um... did you happen to see Cadets GE scores? Cavaliers?

[JulesBry]

Anyway, would love to see even more exploration... would love to see analog patch synths out there... see funky eastern instruments. Teal Sound's exploration was very interesting... and a thread I'd love to see pulled on (Crown???).

There is so much out there... such much uncharted sea, why stay where it is known and same and safe?

I'm all for experimentation as long as we're all honest about our opinions and there is room for diversity. If you want exploration in an activity that is judged according to its "general effect", then there must be room for people, even judges, to disagree. That's not happening in DCI.

Of course, if exploration is the supreme goal, let's get rid of judging altogether and let the art speak for itself. I'd also be fine with that for as long as the resultant product remained recognizable as drum corps (as opposed to a rock band or symphony orchestra).

[JulesBry]

Um... did you happen to see Cadets GE scores? Cavaliers?

Yes, but that's no what I meant. My point is that each corps general effect shows should vary from judge to judge based on whether or not that particular judge found the show effective.

[Plan9]

OP, I for one would hope you stick around, as much for your ability to form your thoughts, as your thoughts. I get that you're frustrated with outcomes and it appears you are down to one last bullet to fire....unfortunately you're firing it at yourself.

The outcome you want, and the one that would keep all the planets aligned for you with DCI, comes down to this: A corps needs to put a better designed show on the field than all the other corps, and they will prevail. I loved Cadets 2011 almost from day 1 and knew it was the right formula. I loved BD as well (big Burt fan), but I knew that Cadets had a powerful design and that was that....game over.

Yes, there are things about the new electronics that bug the Dinos, but we love our Dinos here on DCP and they keep us from losing sight of the traditions of DC, without which cheapens the quality of the activity. Look at the closing ceremony last night....Dinos all....and wonderful.

Even if you don't like the 2012 outcome, take a minute and think about that Regiment MM or that Scout or Crusader or Crossman that's putting out his or her best for us...but your disfavor with outcomes rejects them all..... and I really don't think you could make them understand.

P.S. My guess is, you'll be peering between the chain link fence next year!

Edited August 11, 2012 by Plan9

[GUARDLING]

I'm all for experimentation as long as we're all honest about our opinions and there is room for diversity. If you want exploration in an activity that is judged according to its "general effect", then there must be room for people, even judges, to disagree. That's not happening in DCI.

Of course, if exploration is the supreme goal, let's get rid of judging altogether and let the art speak for itself. I'd also be fine with that for as long as the resultant product remained recognizable as drum corps (as opposed to a rock band or symphony orchestra).

i swore no DCP this week..way to busy in Indy BUT I have to ask with all due respect...you say expermentation is ok , diversity is good...so far we agree BUT seems like then you want these things as long as the judging community or a certain amount of people agree with what you think...well it doesnt work that way...when you have people who disagree, you also have groups of people who agree

[JulesBry]

BUT seems like then you want these things as long as the judging community or a certain amount of people agree with what you think...well it doesnt work that way...when you have people who disagree, you also have groups of people who agree

I'd be happy if even a few judges agreed with me. They don't all have to reflect my opinion. I just can't believe that every judge in every competition believes that BD has the best show in DCI this year. Unanimously? Really? I'm sorry, but that isn't my idea of a diversity of opinions.

[JulesBry]

Even if you don't like the 2012 outcome, take a minute and think about that Regiment MM or that Scout or Crusader or Crossman that's putting out his or her best for us...but your disfavor with outcomes rejects them all..... and I really don't think you could make them understand.

P.S. My guess is, you'll be peering between the chain link fence next year!

I've thought about that a lot, too, and I don't know if I have a good answer. I suppose the best I can say is that I've tried to do that for the past several years, but now, I'm just tired of weeding through so many uninteresting shows to see the good ones. I tried to do it again this year, but I just couldn't stay interested. You can't change what excites you. If I could, I'd be glad to stick around.

As a side note, what is the response to those same kids who work really hard on a show they believe in only to be beaten every night by a show that makes no sense to them? How do you explain that every judge in DCI thinks their show's design is subpar because it's too much of a crowd pleaser and not "artistic" (aka distant, strange, enigmatic) enough?

Maybe I'll be at the fence next summer, but right now, I don't see that happening.

Edited August 11, 2012 by JulesBry