DrumManTx Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 (edited) Ok, I'll give my two cents. I think some corps need to take a lesson from the Blue Devils, and let a staff stick for a few years. At first, I can understand things being a little bit iffy, but give some a few years and they could solidify. I thought Crowns percussion took a step in the right direction this year, I thought they were miles ahead of 2012 personally. Maybe that's just me. I think Blue Stars got ahold of an amazing staff this year, and the show was A LOT better this year in terms of visual design, brass, and being able to follow it. It wasn't my favorite show from this year, not by a long shot, but I think that this staff, given a few years, will pump out some amazing products. Troopers, KEEP THEM. KEEP THEM PLEASE. If this year is any indicator, they have a perfect new staff to move them forward. Pacific Crest has had two VERY solid years, keep that going! Of course there are exceptions, in my opinion: The Academy's design staff completely dropped the ball this year. I saw amazing talent performing a bad show. That can only take you so far. Bluecoats Guard and Visual programs, have been ok, but keeping them from moving up. They sound freakin phenomenal. Get them marching well and to a good visual book, and hello top 3. Maybe some new voices in the design department as well, the vague deeper meaning shows were cool at first, getting kind of old, though this year was a step in the right direction. They have the talent to win. Crossmen's visual program cost them their shot at staying in finals. The drill was BAD. Sorry. Everything else is in great shape. I'll echo what I said about Bluecoats to Madison. Playing very well, but the visual program is not up to par. Phantom has had three years with this percussion staff, and 2013 was the worst for them out of the three placement wise. I think that's a sign that this just is not going to work out. He does amazing stuff with indoor lines, but it's just not translating to the field marching very well, at all. Edited August 14, 2013 by DrumManTx 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I know Cadets have all the main players coming back for next year... Brass, Arranger, Drums & Drill. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I know Cadets have all the main players coming back for next year... Brass, Arranger, Drums & Drill. I'm going to take a shot in the dark here, and say that the Top 4 from last year retain their design staff, and most of the instructional staff. Why mess with what seems to be working? Not like these Top 4 are flash in the pan corps, they're very good, and are consistently near the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCI-86 Posted August 14, 2013 Author Share Posted August 14, 2013 1376513122[/url]' post='3312195']I know Cadets have all the main players coming back for next year... Brass, Arranger, Drums & Drill. i wonder what they will do about the guard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recketscience Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 (edited) While I have loved the fact that Spirit has made a major turn around and stayed true to their roots. I think they are ready for some new visual blood. The music writing and musical performances have been excellent. The corps has also proved they can deliver when it comes to overall performance and commanding an audience. The drill and guard are too dated to be competitive. I think both of those areas have grown a lot since a few years back, but haven't grown with the rest of the corps. Nothing against those people personally. Edited August 14, 2013 by recketscience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd&10 Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Crossmen need to change percussion arrangers not drill designers. Boston needs a new drill designer in a big way. Academy needs to lose the entire design team. Ok, I'll give my two cents. I think some corps need to take a lesson from the Blue Devils, and let a staff stick for a few years. At first, I can understand things being a little bit iffy, but give some a few years and they could solidify. I thought Crowns percussion took a step in the right direction this year, I thought they were miles ahead of 2012 personally. Maybe that's just me. I think Blue Stars got ahold of an amazing staff this year, and the show was A LOT better this year in terms of visual design, brass, and being able to follow it. It wasn't my favorite show from this year, not by a long shot, but I think that this staff, given a few years, will pump out some amazing products. Troopers, KEEP THEM. KEEP THEM PLEASE. If this year is any indicator, they have a perfect new staff to move them forward. Pacific Crest has had two VERY solid years, keep that going! Of course there are exceptions, in my opinion: The Academy's design staff completely dropped the ball this year. I saw amazing talent performing a bad show. That can only take you so far. Bluecoats Guard and Visual programs, have been ok, but keeping them from moving up. They sound freakin phenomenal. Get them marching well and to a good visual book, and hello top 3. Maybe some new voices in the design department as well, the vague deeper meaning shows were cool at first, getting kind of old, though this year was a step in the right direction. They have the talent to win. Crossmen's visual program cost them their shot at staying in finals. The drill was BAD. Sorry. Everything else is in great shape. I'll echo what I said about Bluecoats to Madison. Playing very well, but the visual program is not up to par. Phantom has had three years with this percussion staff, and 2013 was the worst for them out of the three placement wise. I think that's a sign that this just is not going to work out. He does amazing stuff with indoor lines, but it's just not translating to the field marching very well, at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 i wonder what they will do about the guard? Wasn't 2013 Year One for much of the guard staff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Johnwooton Posted August 14, 2013 Popular Post Share Posted August 14, 2013 That did not necessarily mean he wants, or should have, the 2014 job as Regiment Caption Head. He became a two-week consultant, I think, to help a friend with a transition from indoor way of thinking to an outdoor way of thinking and to help with his Alma-mater corps. He is a person of integrity, a great educator, and one heck of a musician. But being a consultant is vastly different that the huge time and resource commitment it takes to be a Designer or Caption Head. His duties to his university professorship, his own band in which he performs, his family, his age, his (possible) attitude of 'been there done that now it is time to move on', all combined may be far more important than sacrificing all of the time, energy, and effort required to bring a corps back up to potentially winning a chunk of medal. To quote a wonderful line by Michael Cain from the movie. Prestige, "Obsession is a young man's game". I am 50 but I think in pretty good shape. I am starting to hear writing and playing that fits my style of writing and playing much more now. The 90's were horrible, I did not fit in any drum corps. Now lines are getting credit for playing with proper technique and playing loose. The lines that are still playing that short cut technique game are losing. I am excited over the progress in the drum lines the last few years. Cadets were for real, BD played like men and weren't dirty, SCV was smooth, Blue Coats were playing big and Blue Stars were perhaps my favorite... they were doing things that no one else is doing... hitting drags on cold attacks! I haven't heard anyone do that since the early 80s! So keeping with the times is not important. Taking something technical and making beautiful music with it. THAT is hard to do and is the challenge with drum corps. Not new licks or gimics or instruments. I still have chops, more so than most of my college students. Anyway, thanks for thinking of me. I am not saying I am going back to drum corps, but it would be more feasible now then it has been in 25 years since my kids are all grown up now. I enjoyed working with Regiment last year for a couple of weeks but there were issues that needed to be covered in November. My drum corps phone (rotary dial, cause I'm so old) isn't ringing, so I will keep singing and playing pan on the Gulf Coast till it does. I will say one thing, if I were to go back teaching drum corps, it wouldn't be to suck. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 i wonder what they will do about the guard? hopefully keep them - young group and had a good season and learned I'm sure some lessons/experience -- ending up in 5th by finals... with experience they should move up to top 3 -- plus (I would imagine) no towers to tote around next summer - that certainly hurt the guard program/score IMO this past summer they are a top indoor bunch that I think learned a lot about DCI this past year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Wasn't 2013 Year One for much of the guard staff? yup - the old staff went to SCV which barely beat them at finals... give it another year and I think Cadets will be in great shape as other are mentioning in this thread - stability is HUGE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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