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Can someone explain the G Bugles?


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The DCI/BOA situation harming each other is a revolving door, started imo by BOA, where BOA began emulating DCI (in many way including cost to participate); then DCI began emulating BOA (in many ways including the cost to participate); and it has now gotten to the point where the huge number of HS age youth who used to make up a large portion of the mid to lower placing corps are provided rather high quality BOA services by their home high school program (and the hs youth are now financially obligated to fork out a few thousands of dollars in due each marching band season to be a part of that hs band). See post #49 by MelloMatt and get back to me on whether or not my contention is on the right track or not.

While I am sure there are at least a few kids from BOA who can't march corps because of band cost/time, there are 25,000+ HS in the US, of which I have seen estimates of 4,000 or so that compete at some level. VERY few participate in BOA in relative terms.

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B-flats are cheaper to make, and more popular. B-flats are easier to play, since the newer members are already used to them, and the sounds they hear.

BITD, maybe three hornlines per year sounded AMAZING. Now, you can hear amazing hornlines in 7-8 place, and VERY GOOD below 12th. This is proof that they are "eaiser" to work with, to learn.

That said, I still PREFER the sound of a G hornline, but only the AMAZING ones. There aren't any of those anymore, no, not even Statesmen. The 80-member hornlines of today, with 16 contras, make me forget about Gs, slowly.

For those who claim they sound the same, I say "good for you!" TO me, G bugle lines sound "Lower" and more natural to orchestral music and pipe organs. Lots of C Major, G Major and D Major BITD. Today it's all B-flat, F and E-flat.

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B-flats are cheaper to make, and more popular. B-flats are easier to play, since the newer members are already used to them, and the sounds they hear.

BITD, maybe three hornlines per year sounded AMAZING. Now, you can hear amazing hornlines in 7-8 place, and VERY GOOD below 12th. This is proof that they are "eaiser" to work with, to learn.

That said, I still PREFER the sound of a G hornline, but only the AMAZING ones. There aren't any of those anymore, no, not even Statesmen. The 80-member hornlines of today, with 16 contras, make me forget about Gs, slowly.

For those who claim they sound the same, I say "good for you!" TO me, G bugle lines sound "Lower" and more natural to orchestral music and pipe organs. Lots of C Major, G Major and D Major BITD. Today it's all B-flat, F and E-flat.

I don't always agree with Bruckner, but this is probably the best and most accurate summation on the subject I've read on DCP.

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While I am sure there are at least a few kids from BOA who can't march corps because of band cost/time, there are 25,000+ HS in the US, of which I have seen estimates of 4,000 or so that compete at some level. VERY few participate in BOA in relative terms.

We could expound on the correlation between the rise of HS quality and the various corps exiting from DCI topic; but since this is a thread about G bugles I do not want to cause a Mod to engage in helping me hijack a thread. :tongue:

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B-flats are cheaper to make, and more popular.

I have spoken with people at both the Kanstul and Yamaha factories. If the tooling is calibrated for making G brass instruments they are no more or less expensive 'to make' than Bb or C or F or any other key. The materials, processing, et al are the exact same. The Bb-G issue is not a 'cheaper to make' issue; it is nothing more than the demand side (retail) flat not desiring G instruments from the supply side (manufacturing).

Edited by Stu
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BITD, maybe three hornlines per year sounded AMAZING. Now, you can hear amazing hornlines in 7-8 place, and VERY GOOD below 12th. This is proof that they are "eaiser" to work with, to learn.

Quick question... what is considered BITD in this case...

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Quick question... what is considered BITD in this case...

"Back in the day", maybe?

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Ummm... it was a question of what era was being considered as BITD, not what does BITD mean. Was BITD the '70s?... The '80s? He wanted a time frame as a reference.

Right, sorry. Awkward moment ...

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I have spoken with people at both the Kanstul and Yamaha factories. If the tooling is calibrated for making G brass instruments they are no more or less expensive 'to make' than Bb or C or F or any other key. The materials, processing, et al are the exact same. The Bb-G issue is not a 'cheaper to make' issue; it is nothing more than the demand side (retail) flat not desiring G instruments from the supply side (manufacturing).

Maybe it would be more precise to say that Bb/F instruments are cheaper to own. While they may cost the same to manufacture, if you consider resale value, the Bb/F instrument are cheaper to own.

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