cixelsyd Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Show design has nothing to do with it. I've been in and around drum corps since 1964, so I have seen plenty of old-style shows. It's a phony conceit to think that drum corps are not marching bands. It is far more phony to contend that they are. Including woodwinds in a field performing ensemble changes everything. Maybe this was not the case back in 1964, when even a winning band could unleash brass and percussion to drown out the woodwinds. Today, a band like that would be at the back of the competitive pack. Proper ensemble balance requires a different approach to playing (and arranging, to an extent). This is the reason you never hear that wall of brass sound at a marching band contest. It is a whole different artform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 It is far more phony to contend that they are. Including woodwinds in a field performing ensemble changes everything. Maybe this was not the case back in 1964, when even a winning band could unleash brass and percussion to drown out the woodwinds. Today, a band like that would be at the back of the competitive pack. Proper ensemble balance requires a different approach to playing (and arranging, to an extent). This is the reason you never hear that wall of brass sound at a marching band contest. It is a whole different artform. Calling drum corps a 'marching band' is not based on the presence of WW or not. There are all-brass marching bands. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Calling drum corps a 'marching band' is not based on the presence of WW or not. There are all-brass marching bands. then,.........what is it based on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 then,.........what is it based on? well i guess if you go back far enough in history drum corps came from some king of bands. but we're talking hundreds of years ago. i mean we had fife and drum corps going back to the colonies. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Calling drum corps a 'marching band' is not based on the presence of WW or not. There are all-brass marching bands. And there are drum corps with woodwinds, if semantics is your thing. But you do understand that drum corps and marching band are two different activities, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 And there are drum corps with woodwinds, if semantics is your thing. But you do understand that drum corps and marching band are two different activities, right? they are sub sets of the same genre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) And there are drum corps with woodwinds, if semantics is your thing. But you do understand that drum corps and marching band are two different activities, right? Neither "drum corps" nor "marching band" are "activities". As far as a musical ensembles go, drum corps is indeed a sub-set of marching bands. To claim otherwise is farcical. In the case of "musical activities", DCI and DCA are activities, as are competitive marching band and exhibition show band. They are similar, sharing a lot of the same equipment and methods. But they are obviously not identical. Edited January 3, 2013 by Kamarag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Calling drum corps a 'marching band' is not based on the presence of WW or not. There are all-brass marching bands. True, take Ohio State for example. Of course, we use the term "drum corps" pretty loosely. When has a corps ever only marched drums? If you go back to drum and bugle, DCA and DCI never truly marched bugles in their literal sense. Technically bugles were not longer in ensembles as soon as a valve was added. For the record, I am sure everyone is perfectly happy with having more note options to choose from when arrangers are creating the music with the instrument choices they have in today's groups. I am personally not against any electronics in drum corps (when done tastefully). It just adds to the color pallet and makes things more interesting. I do not like woodwinds in drum corps because I think it changes the sound too much. There are some great college marching bands out there with the same kind of tallent that drum corps have... so I do not need go watch a drum corps show to see good woodwinds. I already have that outlet. Just personal preference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearlsnaredrummer77 Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 True, take Ohio State for example. Of course, we use the term "drum corps" pretty loosely. When has a corps ever only marched drums? If you go back to drum and bugle, DCA and DCI never truly marched bugles in their literal sense. Technically bugles were not longer in ensembles as soon as a valve was added. For the record, I am sure everyone is perfectly happy with having more note options to choose from when arrangers are creating the music with the instrument choices they have in today's groups. I am personally not against any electronics in drum corps (when done tastefully). It just adds to the color pallet and makes things more interesting. I do not like woodwinds in drum corps because I think it changes the sound too much. There are some great college marching bands out there with the same kind of tallent that drum corps have... so I do not need go watch a drum corps show to see good woodwinds. I already have that outlet. Just personal preference... Take your argument and consider that for those of us who like our brass undiluted with synths,etc. To me and many others, that sound needs nothing to "make things more interesting." I feel that people who like music with marching music with synths, electric guitars, basses, etc., have HS Marching band, some College bands and DCI. I don't care what goes on in those circuits. Folks can do what they like there. They can have Kanye, Kim and the baby rapping with one of the units for all I care. But why are the fans of that style of music so intent on converting the last bastion of brass and percussion music(DCA)? Why does every marching form have to be exactly the same? After they finish with DCA will they go after the fife and drum corps and drum and baton units? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Take your argument and consider that for those of us who like our brass undiluted with synths,etc. To me and many others, that sound needs nothing to "make things more interesting." I feel that people who like music with marching music with synths, electric guitars, basses, etc., have HS Marching band, some College bands and DCI. I don't care what goes on in those circuits. Folks can do what they like there. They can have Kanye, Kim and the baby rapping with one of the units for all I care. But why are the fans of that style of music so intent on converting the last bastion of brass and percussion music(DCA)? Why does every marching form have to be exactly the same? After they finish with DCA will they go after the fife and drum corps and drum and baton units? Well, you have to look at what you see DCA as... I do not see DCA as a different medium. I see it as drum corps that is produced on the weekends only. I do not dislike groups that use less or no electronics and find it interesting to see effects that can be made without them, however, I do not dislike groups that use them and have seen just as many great shows with them. I guess it just comes down to what you think DCA is... I personally do not see it as an alternative from a performance perspective, but a rehearsal and cost (to the member) perspective. I imagine the people proposing and passing these rules think the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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