TOC/G7 Related Discussion

[corpsband]

You are " seriously deluded " if you read into my remarks that I believe, or support the proposition, that " Blast " is the future of DCI Marching Bands. You are likewise " seriously deluded " if you believe that more of the general public will be be edged by curiousity into perhaps taking their first look at a DCI show in their region if advertised as " Marching Bands " than as " Drum Corps ".

You're the one bringing up Blast as a model to emulate. I can only follow where you lead, Brasso.

And I don't think anyone here is suggesting that DCI market themselves as just another marching band. So your straw man is blowing in the wind.

When describing drum corps to a neophyte, the most common explanation is...."Well, it's kind of like a marching band on steroids".

As I said earlier, you can run from the label all you want. BUT IT"S ALREADY STAMPED SQUARELY ON YOUR FOREHEAD !! Whether you like it or not. Whether it's technically accurate or not. Whether it has negative baggage or not. Whether they play all brass instruments or not.

Sorry 'bout that.

Band nerd.

Edited April 3, 2013 by corpsband

[garfield]

I find it pretty funny to see everyone here running so freaking hard from the label.

Chalk it up to many years of practice.

[garfield]

Band nerd

.

owww... right to the heart.

:tongue:/>

[BRASSO]

You're the one bringing up Blast as a model to emulate. I can only follow where you lead, Brasso.

If someone tells you that there are lessons to be learned from some aspects of something, don't conclude that this is an endorsement of the whole shebang and that it should be emulated to the fullest, ie in this case your erronous conclusion from my remarks that DCI should go indoors, do commercial exhibitions with less than a third of the performers they do in competition now, and give up the football field gigs. My remarks spoke to trhe neccessity in my opinion of designing future shows that appeal to a much wider and diverse audience than simply a sop to the high school and college band community. We've done this now for quite a few years, and this approach has us in a financial precarious position now, and changes are required in product, and marketing, etc in order to turn it around. There are some creative suggestions made already on this thread on what DCI needs to do to grow a larger fan base, and begin to have greater audience growth for future years. What we call ourselves is not as important as whether what we call ourselves brings more curious first timers out to the shows, and once there, many like the shows enough to want to return. THATS the big picture, here, imo.

Edited April 3, 2013 by BRASSO

[MikeD]

No, they don't.

Whatever attendance requirement a high school (or college) director places on his students, it's still the student's choice to participate or not. I've known plenty of corps members who went to schools where that was the policy, and they told the director to get stuffed.

Frankly, I have zero respect for directors that try and stop their students in participating in drum corps because they might miss band activities in the summer. I think it does the band program as a whole a major disservice.

I was assuming these are kids who want to be in the marching band. Of course they can always choose not to be in it if whatever else they choose to do conflicts with the mandatory MB schedule.

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

No, they don't.

Whatever attendance requirement a high school (or college) director places on his students, it's still the student's choice to participate or not. I've known plenty of corps members who went to schools where that was the policy, and they told the director to get stuffed.

Frankly, I have zero respect for directors that try and stop their students in participating in drum corps because they might miss band activities in the summer. I think it does the band program as a whole a major disservice.

This was years ago, but the top bands in my area would not allow their members to do drum corps. And they didnt... I suspect they still have those policies in place. In fact, ive long suspected a good percentage of drum corps members were the talented kids from lesser programs. But thats only a hunch. It would be nice if DCI could fund some grad student's dissertation to get a long term look at membership trends.

Edited April 3, 2013 by pearlsnaredrummer77

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

I do envision a day in the not too distant future where both camps of current day DCI Marching Bands fans ( or Drum Corps if one still prefers ) will be happy with the moniker of full acceptance that todays DCI units are in fact " Marching Bands " and that yesterdays DCI units... were in fact "Drum & Bugle Corps." While it may not be all that much of a thing with the non familiar, I do believe that proponents and supporters would like to acknowledge that there is a big difference, and that what is on the field now are" DCI Marching Bands", primarily made up of those from the High School and College Band community, and what transpired in earlier DCI were really not " Marching Bands " at all, but" Drum Corps" as conventionally understood. Perhaps we have already reached that stage. If so, then it will be incumbent on these" DCI Marching Bands" to see if they can turn the participation decline levels around as well as the loss of popularity around from when we once had with " Drum & Bugle Corps " in DCI and not today's ( or the near future ) acknowledged" DCI Marching Bands" that primarily now serve as a summer adjunct to the High School and College "Marching Bands ". I know some people ( mostly younger in age ) that do not want their DCI unit called a " Drum & Bugle Corps ", and I believe that they are entitled to that right. Conversely, there are also lots of former participants in "Drum Corps " ( generally older ) that do not want their former participation years ago to be referred to as participation with a " Marching Band ", and not that of participation in a " Drum & Bugle Corps". I believe that we should respect their wishes too re. what they participated in... or what future marchers will be participating in... and come to a reasonable and sensible consensus as to what it is you marched in. I marched in a " Drum & Bugle Corps ". It clearly was not a " Marching Band " as the term is conventionally understood. That said, as others here have articulated, it is alright and even preferable now that as we utilize more and more of the instrumentation, dance routines, ethos, vibe, etc of the High School and College Marching Bands, it is perferable to acknowledge that we have arrived.. or about too... where we now have DCI Marching Bands competing..... and begin to market it as such to as its proper branding now with the public.

Extreme Band League?

I am in agreement that once you took away or added to the drum and bugle corps model,particularly the synths, it morphed into band. if the model is simply to do music, include every instrument including vocals, rappers, woodwinds, etc. I dont see why folks think it should stop with electronics, guitar and bass! Limiting it because woodwinds arent YOUR particular preference will not help the activity modernize or adapt to a changing demographic. The fact is that the public doesnt like the current product DCI is dead.

[BRASSO]

"if they have a band program where band camp overlaps the drum corps season, they do indeed have the power to dictate what their students can do in the summer".

But why should they have such power (in your opinion) to dictate what a person does in their summer ?... whether its an overlap or not ? Why not let the Parents and their child decide for themselves ? I thought you were for the marcher getting to choose these things and to not be denied access to audition " for the Corps of their choice " in the summer, whether it effects another marching unit or not ? What happened to THAT ? Why should they be controlled by the dictatorial " dictates " of some Band Director out there as what is perceived by the Parent and child to be in THEIR best interests for the Marcher to pursue in the Marching Arts in THEIR summers off from School. The " overlap " is a difference without a distinction, imo. Its still at its most crucial, important, and fundamental level, a denial of choice of musical marching units for the Summer that ironically you Championed on here just a few days ago.

Edited April 3, 2013 by BRASSO

[BRASSO]

I dont see why folks think it should stop with electronics, guitar and bass!

Many currently don't pearlsnaredrummer77.

Poster MikeD here is just one of many that believes that anything a show designer wants in should be allowed in in DCI Marching Band summer competition. The belief as he's stated many times on here previously is... " anything goes " ( ie, allowed )

Edited April 3, 2013 by BRASSO

[MikeD]

But why should they have such power (in your opinion) to dictate what a person does in their summer ?... whether its an overlap or not ? Why not let the Parents and their child decide for themselves ? I thought you were for the marcher getting to choose these things and to not be denied access to audition " for the Corps of their choice " in the summer, whether it effects another marching unit or not ? What happened to THAT ? Why should they be controlled by the dictatorial " dictates " of some Band Director out there as what is perceived by the Parent and child to be in THEIR best interests for the Marcher to pursue in the Marching Arts in THEIR summers off from School. The " overlap " is a difference without a distinction, imo. Its still at its most crucial, important, and fundamental level, a denial of choice of musical marching units for the Summer that ironically you Championed on here just a few days ago.

Uh...no.

I never said a person could be splitting themselves into two groups at the same time. Looks like you do...so there is not a problem for you if a member belongs to, say, Surf and The Cadets at the same time since overlap is a "difference without a distinction" in your eyes.

It doesn't have any impact on another unit if a person auditions for a different one after he or she fulfills their contract to the first group.