2012 DCA Rules Congress - Baltimore, MD

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

So Pandora's Box is opened... At least it's the lesser of the Evils. I can see a tiny bit of merit to the amps argument (technique). However, if this is the foot in the door for the synths, I guess then it's only Alumni shows for me. I just can't stand the sound of the hybrid synth/brass (guitar, etc)

[N.E. Brigand]

But for me it is almost time to say "Good Bye DCA" to you also. (I said "Good Bye" to DCI about 15 years ago.)

I'm trying to figure out why someone would walk away from DCI c. 1997. Phantom had won the previous year with a beautiful Shostakovich show, Blue Devils were still very much in the mainstream, Scouts were going strong, Crossmen made top six for the second time... who could leave at a time like that?

[N.E. Brigand]

I'll be honest -- I'm agnostic to the change. It's being done thoughtfully and carefully (and amidst MUCH discussion, from what I hear), and the approach taken was the most conservative of the options offered, by far.

When I look at the problems offered by amplification, three things stand out -- nasty synth goo and horn part doubling (which is just pure, unadulterated ######## IMO), annoying/intrusive use of sampling and/or voice, and managing the mix. The first two of those problems are completely precluded under the rules option that was eventually chosen -- in fact, there were two options that I saw before the meeting, one conservative and one more liberal (synths, etc) and the directors made the adopted rule even more restrictive than what was proposed as the "conservative" version. Good for them. The mix issue to me is best exemplified by the SCV 2004 DVDs -- one of my absolute favorite brass books, and when I popped in the DVD I couldn't hear the brass over the pit. Ugh. That was, IMO, growing pains. The guys who would actually implement this at the staff/design level have done this for years in the marching band/WGI or even DCI communities by now, and they know what needs to be done to get the proper sound. I wouldn't expect a lot of experimentation here -- just expect some more expressive playing from the pit. Yay! Can we all agree that teaching kids to play more musically, and with a proper characteristic sound and technique for their instrument is a good thing?

And that gets me to the good part of this. What we risk is some doofuses screwing up the mix here and there. What we gain is, well, actually, it's a lot.

1. The kids who have been taught the proper way to play the instrument don't have to learn new (and BAD) playing habits when they shift to a DCA corps. If you don't think that affects band directors being willing to recommend DCA corps to their kids, well... I want some of what you're smoking.
   
2. I had one director tell me, with a lot of passion, that he spent almost ten grand on new mallet/keyboards a year ago, and in the course of just one season they are all but destroyed. At the same time, he can find a full up system to mike the pit for $5-7,000 that will last for a decade, and will allow his kids to play more expressively and not hurt themselves or the expensive equipment they currently bang the #### out of. Yes, amps are actually seen as a way to CUT costs...
   
3. DCA takes a position of being more able to readly accept former DCI corps into the fold when appropriate. I'll refrain from editorializing that point too much, but I think you gather what I'm saying. Position DCA to be flexible enough to pick up any slack if need be.
   

Really, I'm personally of the opinion that they took the wisest road here. They're not allowing voice, and it appears that they actually removed voice from the original proposal - and GOOD on them for that. They don't allow sampling, or synths, or any of the other things that I personally HATE about "modern" BOA/DCI pits. They're just saying, "We don't want to teach kids bad habits, which hurts recruiting, and damages our gear." Seems wise to me. They also gave the corps staffs time to thoughtfully implement this instead of just rushing into things a'la DCI when it came legal (ugh -- that year, just -- ugh). It was GOING to happen eventually, and it's happened in the best way it could have -- and with pretty good timing, too, I think. We'll see.

A note about George. Lots of folks have told us, he wasn't in the room for ANY of the talk about rules proposals, nor did Cadets2 submit any rules proposals. Even if he had been there, the vote wasn't his to cast. Personally, I think he probably just got bored with the whole meeting when they didn't hang on his every word during the morning session and bagged ### to go tweet and facebook some stuff.

I'm opposed to amplification (though not energetically so), but your fine post is good enough to almost make me change my mind.

That said, as regards the points I have bolded:

(A) A shortfall of just $12,000 was enough to nearly shut down the DCA corps that reportedly has most often called for electronics over the years. Long term, this change may represent a financial savings, but I hope those corps that can't afford this cost in the next two years aren't penalized by the judges.

(B) A looming problem is that proponents of synthesizers don't seem willing to let the change stop with just pit amplification. They appear to see this as their foot in the door.

Also, and I don't mean this as a criticism of you particularly (or not too much), but must comment regarding this:

It was GOING to happen eventually, and it's happened in the best way it could have -- and with pretty good timing, too, I think. We'll see.

It has been charged on these forums that only pedants complain the loss of agency caused by the passive voice.

Obviously I disagree. Rule changes don't just "happen". What you mean to write is: "I wanted this change to happen". Because if you didn't, you wouldn't treat it as an inevitability. Consider: you clearly don't want synthesizers. Are they going to "happen" anyway? And if so, why?

[Fran Haring]

I'm trying to figure out why someone would walk away from DCI c. 1997. Phantom had won the previous year with a beautiful Shostakovich show, Blue Devils were still very much in the mainstream, Scouts were going strong, Crossmen made top six for the second time... who could leave at a time like that?

No squad drills.

[N.E. Brigand]

This makes for a fascinating parallel to the current discussion; I had no idea there had been a controversy about technological change in the history of table tennis:

Ping-Pong Wizard

I like this line: "You don’t know you’re a purist until you discover an impurity in something you care about".

[Kyle B]

I have no desire to return to Rochester to watch championships. Not saying I won't, but it would have to be a really good year for drum corps for me to go back there as a spectator.

I absolutely hated it there as a performer. Only thing that did make me miss it this year was the temperature the weekend of champs. Rochester was in the low 70's while Annapolis was in the 90's with massive humidity.

[OldStyleCorps]

I'm trying to figure out why someone would walk away from DCI c. 1997. Phantom had won the previous year with a beautiful Shostakovich show, Blue Devils were still very much in the mainstream, Scouts were going strong, Crossmen made top six for the second time... who could leave at a time like that?

I can not remember exact year. BUT, I can tell you "Phantom Regiment" to this day is one of my Favorite Corps. Along with the Madison Scouts. Both every Yesr. (I do watch the Vidio's) Then for some reason I can not figure out, The Cavaliers the year they did "Machine".

I am disabled and have to sit low and, all I get to see and hear is the Pit. Then also the Cost of tickets for bad seats does not help.

Edited December 11, 2012 by OldStyleCorps

[donincardona]

i find it curious that DCA will be going back to my home town rochester. with the stadium in such a bad area and all the corps complaining why would they go back the last year there i understand DCA made no real money and attendance was down.

as far as amps go. well let's just say an era will be gone. DCA is now going to move into something else. but i'm not as progressive as most in drum corps any more. so my interest will be even less so except that i will follow the scores as always but it just won't matter to me. it has changed to much for this old timer. it's for the young just as in my day the old timers felt like me now.

[zorf]

So with the placement of Mics to record the shows, the pit has already been to dominant in the DVD. We really need to figure out a better way to record the audio that more realistically replicates the live performance.

[Kamarag]

I have no desire to return to Rochester to watch championships. Not saying I won't, but it would have to be a really good year for drum corps for me to go back there as a spectator.

I absolutely hated it there as a performer. Only thing that did make me miss it this year was the temperature the weekend of champs. Rochester was in the low 70's while Annapolis was in the 90's with massive humidity.

I wish I could up-vote this more than once. I absolutely agree with Kyle on this. Unless I become associated with a corps in 2014, 2013 will be my last as a Championships spectator for a while. man, I loved Annapolis, and can't wait to sit in the same prime seats as this past year.