What do you think is wrong with Drum Corps today (if anything)?

[cixelsyd]

I think the intent is to enhance. the end result however is to cover up

Nailed it. Yes, that designer thinks it is so clever to fill every millisecond of the show with some different noise coming out of those speakers. But for those of us who want to hear the quality of a full hornline releasing a note in perfect unison, well, we cannot have that pleasure anymore. The pit people gush about getting to use softer mallets, while I can no longer hear the brass playing softly because of the constant 16th note phrasing of 8 to 10 marimbas/vibes playing forte non-stop, amplified another 20 decibels electronically.

[skywhopper]

That is not what they do. They enhance the sound of the corps, not cover it up.

A synth *changes* the sound of a corps. "Enhance" implies a positive change, but many folks disagree. Certainly, synth can and is often used to cover for a weak low brass section or just generally weak low brass arrangement or staging.

[dcibrando]

A synth *changes* the sound of a corps. "Enhance" implies a positive change, but many folks disagree. Certainly, synth can and is often used to cover for a weak low brass section or just generally weak low brass arrangement or staging.

right... in HIGH SCHOOL BANDS... not drum corps

[Steve Knob]

I'd like to see a regional open class with 4-5 regional championships with NO thought of going to finals, unless the corps thought they were ready to move into national open. Let smaller groups be regional corps again, and if they build a stable, long-term organization, then they can move on. The SoundSport thing is a step in the right direction, but I'd like to see a place for full-field corps too. Something that people don't remember/know is BITD when there were hundreds of corps in the US and Canada, many of them didn't go to finals, and everybody was ok with that.

As to show design, I'd just like groups to actually play what they say they are playing, not something made of tiny snippets glued together with "impact" moments and drum solos. No "inspired by" or "in homage to" stuff. If you say you are playing "XYZ in F# minor", then actually play "XYZ in F# minor". Key of horns, electronics, voice overs, and all that stuff is not the problem. As someone in our activity one told me, "Play great, march in step, and if you throw it up in the air, catch it". Quality of execution and quality of product, that is what makes drum corps drum corps.

[cixelsyd]

you won't see a change in classes until you see a changein how corps are paid. going back to Open would be a huge blow to Pioneer financially.

honestly....it's time do away with classes. 40 corps performing in Indy? hell thats 2/3 of scholastic A in Dayton for percussion, 1/2 for guard.

With only 40 corps left, I hesitate to suggest any change from what the surviving corps want to do. But then again, that may lead to a single class outcome anyway just through attrition.

[skywhopper]

right... in HIGH SCHOOL BANDS... not drum corps

I would say that most of the top six corps use synth quite often to cover for or assist their low brass. The contra line is often not audible over the synth, so it's impossible to say how they're performing, although reports from Phantom's one performance without the synth were not positive. When it's blended with the brass choir sound and played in the right octave, the synth bass is often hard to distinguish, except by volume, unless there's a bad mix (which is often) or you're sitting too close to the PAs (a third of the audience). Some people prefer that sound. I think drum corps sounds better without it.

That's just the lower octaves. Middle voices are "enhanced" with synth quite often as well. And then there's the additional horns-down time for synth features, which some corps use way too much. Synth is not an interesting or unique sound. 72+ brass players is.

[N.E. Brigand]

Synth is not an interesting or unique sound. 72+ brass players is.

Preach it, brother.

I find it strange that so many people in drum corp leadership positions have apparently long grown bored of the sound that makes drum corps special, and want to supplement and/or replace it with something else.

[Jeff Ream]

Nailed it. Yes, that designer thinks it is so clever to fill every millisecond of the show with some different noise coming out of those speakers. But for those of us who want to hear the quality of a full hornline releasing a note in perfect unison, well, we cannot have that pleasure anymore. The pit people gush about getting to use softer mallets, while I can no longer hear the brass playing softly because of the constant 16th note phrasing of 8 to 10 marimbas/vibes playing forte non-stop, amplified another 20 decibels electronically.

let's take it one step further...the sound systems used aren't cutting it. of course, that would require more $$$ to upgrade. many of those running the boards aren't trained professionals. stadiums change from night to night, so that also alters accoustics. in the band world I see tons of units taking the time to run a sound check. In DCI I rarely see any.

[seepoo]

Inept judges!!!

[Pete Freedman]

I would say that most of the top six corps use synth quite often to cover for or assist their low brass.

...

That's just the lower octaves. Middle voices are "enhanced" with synth quite often as well.

....

I can't hear it, so I'd like some evidence of what we're talking about. Can you cite some example corps/year on FN with a time stamp (or description) of where the low brass (or other brass) is really the synth/recorded sound?

If what you're saying is true, then collecting a list of examples should help embarrass DCI into possibly fixing the problem, or at least attempting to address it in some way.

That said, I see no reason DCI allows recorded/synthed brass or percussion. It's easy to ban (relatively) and there's no conceivable reason not to, in a judged activity.

You could go further and ban any recorded or synthed content while any brass or percussion instruments are playing. That would be more controversial.

But at least no artificial brass or percussion sounds during a judged drum and bugle corps show! And no super-human humanoid robots in the color guard either. It's really a no-brainer! Has anyone even attempted to offer a justification for it (the synth, not the robots)?