Field Judges

[charlie1223]

Field judges seem to me they are no longer needed and their ability to judge accurately is severly limited and based on chance (as in where they are standing on the field.

The percussion judge misses close to 75% of front ensemble playing and gets rushed unfocused reeads of batteries as they fly and zoom around the field. They get in the way half the time and I always hear how " they are out of position" to accurately read certain passages.

The brass judges samples are of individual or groups of players but isn't the brass line greater than the sum of its parts?

And the field visual performance is asked to judge all members of the corps? From individual technique of brass members to colorguard? The breadth is to wide and his field of sample is too limited!

If we are no longer on the tick system why do we need field judges getting in performers faces, risking their safety, and creating a bit of an eye sore on the field.

We should judge shows completely from an audiences perspective. After all these shows are getting higher and higher in production value and I don't think we need a green shirt chasing after members. If you think about it, it does disturb the professionalism of these performances.

We may be loosing some details but if an audience member can't appreciate the nuances why is it in the show?. It may force designers to change their staging or bring more focus to the details that only a field judge could see or notice.

I think one of the worst judging changes was getting rid of the percussion 2 judge. It was so valuable that we evaluate drum corps percussion ensembles as a whole.

Thoughts?

[burgerbob]

You have to judge the individual. A lot of the older people on here don't seem to understand that. (< skip over this part if you're just going to focus on it)

The feet scores aren't based on how it looks from the box... they're based on every single member individually looking the same, and hopefully looking good.

Brass is the same. Everyone sounds loud from the box and mostly together. It's not until you get down to the field that judges can say, "hey, this whole section sounds bad. Some players aren't contributing and the 3rds are totally out of tune." It might sound okay from the box, but so do marching bands. Drum corps is about the details.

Edited August 28, 2012 by burgerbob

[BRASSO]

You have to judge the individual. A lot of the older people on here don't seem to understand that.

How " old " ?..... .. 25 ? 35 ? 45 ? 55 ? 65 ? 75 ? or 85 ?

[garfield]

You have to judge the individual. A lot of the older people on here don't seem to understand that.

I would suggest that many "older" people on here marched under the tic system and so are more keenly aware of judging "the individual" than those young pups who marched under the "build-up" method.

[Jeff Ream]

you absolutely need field judges. Especially in stadiums with a roof, certain things will never be seen or heard upstairs. Even in outdoor venues, you can't get everything upstairs.

[garfield]

you absolutely need field judges. Especially in stadiums with a roof, certain things will never be seen or heard upstairs. Even in outdoor venues, you can't get everything upstairs.

I wondered how long it would be before you chimed in here...

[burgerbob]

I would suggest that many "older" people on here marched under the tic system and so are more keenly aware of judging "the individual" than those young pups who marched under the "build-up" method.

Then why does it seem to be these same people that don't want field judges? I might be generalizing, I realize.

[garfield]

Then why does it seem to be these same people that don't want field judges? I might be generalizing, I realize.

While I don't know for certain, something tells me that the OP doesn't qualify for the "older" title...

Charlie, are you a geezer?

[Jeff Ream]

I would suggest that many "older" people on here marched under the tic system and so are more keenly aware of judging "the individual" than those young pups who marched under the "build-up" method.

you still need the inidividual on the build up system.

think about this: DCI tweaked the sheets this year. The corps themselves.

Guess what remained?

Judges on the field.

It's obvious theywant them. I've asked several percussion folksin DCI why the judge remains downstairs, and they said "one, you'll miss a lot. Two, you go upstairs, then you have two people doing the musical ensemble judges job. Three, in the venues now used for the biggest shows, forget it....you lose voices like...well...the battery".

[KAW]

I think the OP makes some good points, I'm not positive how to implement them but they have sound logic.

I will throw one additional item out there. Get rid of the tapes. There is no way a judge can take in what is going on while running a verbal commentary. It's humanly impossible to spend 15 seconds commenting on something and continue to adjudicate. The usefulness of the tape is far over rated.

I've often watched other judged events (some with arts components) and marveled at how different the drum corps approach to judging is. Skating doesn't seem to have the need for a judge on the ice or doing a tape. But they do have compulsories - now there's an idea.

Gymnastics doesn't have a judge standing under the uneven bars making sure the toes are pointed and legs together- the judge has to see that from their vantage point.

Wind ensemble competitions don't have judges among the sections, they sit about where the audience would.

In all honesty I think its a hold over from the uniform inspection- the belief that each individual must be judged.