arrangerx Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 It's been quite a while Chuck. My opinion (which of course is only that) is based on the notion that it seems the problems corps have related to electronics never seem to get fixed, which leads me to believe there are little to no consequences from a scoring standpoint related to electronic related problems. However, I was wrong that one time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 What are the chances of getting rid of electronics? Is it really necessary? What are the chances of getting rid of "Themes" and get back to playing recognizable music? If DCI wants to make the consumer happy...is this the way? Comments? (I am sure there will be plenty). all i'll say here is they won't go away, balance issues will continue to be ignored, and corps still won't use them creatively, they'll just go for the tried and true of low end synth thats way too loud and some effects. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 And for this reason, the degree to which they enhance or detract should be reflected directly on the sheets. It's time to start holding corps accountable for the disasters created by electronics, and rewarding for when they work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 marching members rock... yes. And what was taken away was the one difference between "drum & bugle corps" and "marching band" - the bugles. If there is another difference besides complexity of show - please enlighten the world. Hate to burst your bubble, but if you're going to take that specific a tack, you should know that a bugle is defined as brass instrument with no valves. So technically drum and bugle corps stopped being that long before the switch to Bb. The second a valve was added, they stopped being bugles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 seriously...variety in concepts are good and different ways of thinking are good. We should never think or want everyone to feel the same. Except for judges, based on your posts in the dinosaur thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 So... with all the complaining, what are some solutions? the new sheets were a start.now the application of the sheets as intended is the key 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 That is just a derogatory term created by a person who dislikes low end synths. Meaningless. yes, I love the addition of the bass below the tuba range...it does a great job of creating an even fuller sound than before. It is not 'overwhelming' in most cases...and where it is too heavy hopefully they corps suffers score-wise. To those who dislike it in any way, shape or form, ANY low-end sound is overwhelming, so I just discount those comments. it's a derogatory term used by many people who detest the overpowering application of low end synth in far too many shows, both indoor and outdoor that do in fact cover up the rest of the music ensemble. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Powell Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hate to burst your bubble, but if you're going to take that specific a tack, you should know that a bugle is defined as brass instrument with no valves. So technically drum and bugle corps stopped being that long before the switch to Bb. The second a valve was added, they stopped being bugles. go ahead... take a look at definitions. Look at a little look at the history of trumpet, cornets and post horns while you are at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 go ahead... take a look at definitions. Look at a little look at the history of trumpet, cornets and post horns while you are at it. Doesn't change the fact that a bugle, by definition, has NO valves. Drum and bugle corps was no longer drum and bugle corps stopped adhering to your definition the day that they allowed valves on the instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrangerx Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Thing is - it isn't really all that varied. EVERYONE does it. Watching the FN this year I really had the impression the corps were going through a checklist - ticking the boxes. Horn line dancing - check. Guard dancing - check. Drums posing during feature - check. Electronics - check. It stops being variety when everyone does it. It loses impact and interest and just becomes variations on the same recurring theme. You mean like the checklist in the late 70's and early 80's? Rockford file? Check. Scatter drill? Check. Concert arc? Check. Weepy closer? Check. Drum solo? Check. Brass pick up flags or streamers? Check. Soprano soloist? Check. High mark time? Check. Company front? Check. Make form and rotate slowly from side 1 to side 2. Check. Play Spanish sounding music? Check. Play same closer as last year? Check. Or the checklist of the 90's? Dancing soloists or lovers running to meet each other? Check. Brass small ensemble? Check. Take this block, and rotate it. A lot. Check. Pass guard through horns? Check. Found newest wind band piece with ink still drying on it? Check. 2000's? Do the lower body thing? Check. Guard do gymnastics? Check. End in key of Bb? Check. Play soft and call it tone quality? Check. Got new mics... should probably sing/talk into them? Check. Snare soloist? Check. Ballet positions 1, 2 and 3? Check. There are derivative visuals in every era. There are derivative musical ideas in every era. Again, there are always groups in every single era that set the standards, and groups that follow the trends. The things that don't work well tend to drop out of sight after a few experiments. Not hearing anyone sing "Rent" songs lately, ya know? And yowsa, yowsa, yowsa... was short-lived. Narration? Some still try it... but what do you bet that it's a phase? Stick around for a while and watch. You'll see. It always comes back to music. Always. Whether on the move or standing still... it's still about the music. Let's have fun, and get specific. Want to? That would be fun! Who had a theme specifically that you didn't like? Could the theme have worked with different music? Could the theme have worked with different visual? Was the theme good, but the design unclear? Was the theme good, but the performance level too poor? Were there abrupt changes in continuity that didn't allow you to be in the moment with the corps on the field? Who used electronics poorly? Was it a balance/blend issue? Was it a tonal/frequency choice? Was it because the tone/sound picked seemed out of context somehow? What would have made it work better? (0 points for answers like "make it go away") Who had music that left you scratching your head? (0 points for just typing "Blue Devils") Was it because you didn't know the original piece? Was it because you knew it so well in a different context? Was it because it didn't seem to make sense in this context? What would you program specifically? What artifacts from the past would you bring back? What would you avoid -- specifically? What new would you bring to the table? Now look objectively at your list, then your birth date, look and see which songs correlate most closely to the music you listened to between ages 10 and 25, and really check to make sure that your ideas aren't just your favorite old junk tape from your old IROC or Trans Am. Nothing wrong with those pieces... but is that objectively what you think is best, or just what you know best? (Not sure when your music was written? Go to www.allmusic.com and look it up). Interested in more substantive analysis. Hopefully we're not just having another thinly-veiled "I hate the Blue Devils" conversation. I do find value in reading comments on DCP... but reading specific ideas is always a more engaging exercise to me. all the best, Chuck Naffier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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