What's next in the evolution of DCI? Make your predictions here.

[BRASSO]

Several more Corps go inactive because of financial issues.

Seems like safe bet if we utilize recent historical trends as the basis for such a prediction.

[MichaelMello]

Banjos, and more cowbell.

[crownisking]

[fsubone]

Seems like safe bet if we utilize recent historical trends as the basis for such a prediction.

Same could have been said about the decline from 75-85, when 50% of active corps folded. Glory days indeed. DCI has continued on though, even with the less number of corps. The ones that are still around do seem to be on stronger financial footing than most used to be BITD

[Jeff Ream]

1) both the tic system and the build up system do little at all to eleviate what is fundamentally an " extremely subjective " enterprise, as judges are being asked to do the impossible, ie compare and contrast whollly disparate shows, where even the instrumentation utilized in competition is no longer uniform. BOTH the tic system and the build up system have issues, with neither being better in my opinion in its attempt to make a wholly subjective enterprise, ie judging shows, any less subjective than it has always been.

2) the judges are held as accountable today as they have ever been... as the judges are pretty much the same judges we've always had. There are no recent provisions put forth that make the judges more accountable, and noone in DCI has put forth such a new policy for " more accountability " ( not that I'm asking for this... just pointing out that fundamentally these judges are held to the same levels of accountability as they have always been)

3) you ( nor others ) have explained at all what judge ( brass perf, percussion perf. ) handles the rock guitar playing by the rock guitariist in terms of execution, proficiency, string utlization, technique, etc. You have told us that the rock guitarist is judged only in the " effect, ensemble " areas. This much no doubt is true. But either the Percussion judge or the Brass judge judge the proficiency, execution, technique, etc of the rock guitarist musician on his or her musical instrument utilized in field competition. Otherwise this instrument would be the first ever not to be judged in the technical profiency realm. This has been true since the beginning of Drum Corps competition itself., ie judges in percussion or brass judge the proficiency and performance execution and proper technigue of that instrument played by the musician in Drum Corps competition. So you are incorrect when you state that you have stated if its in the domain of the percussion judge(s) or the brass judge(s) that handles performance and execution of the rock guitarist technical proficiencies, (quite apart from its levels of effectiveness on the effect captions,). You are entitled to state.. " I don't know the answer ".. but its entirely a different matter altogether to tell yourself that you answered the question and that the recipient of the non answer " just won't accept it " ( the non answer to the question ).

accountability for judges is at an all time high actually. with digital recording being done, now caption heads can go in and listen to recordings any time they want to be sure judges aren't saying anything dumb, or putting out a number that doesnt match the commentary. In the old days...please. it was such a good old boy network that people who were horrible got gigs year after year just because of who their buddies were.

and yes, if you read carefully, it was addresses where the guitar player could be adjudicated. You just don't like the answer.

[IllianaLancerContra]

Same could have been said about the decline from 75-85, when 50% of active corps folded. Glory days indeed. DCI has continued on though, even with the less number of corps. The ones that are still around do seem to be on stronger financial footing than most used to be BITD

The question is,"When have too many corps gone for DCI to remain viable?" Unfortunately, we won't know until we are there, and then it will be too late.

[cixelsyd]

Well actually no... the answer is not clear.

True, that answer was a "hot mess" - but there was one thing clear about it. Nowhere was the word "performance" mentioned. Apparently, the guitar is judged for effect, but not necessarily evaluated for performance. I wonder how many other electronic devices exploit this loophole.

[GUARDLING]

1) both the tic system and the build up system do little at all to eleviate what is fundamentally an " extremely subjective " enterprise, as judges are being asked to do the impossible, ie compare and contrast whollly disparate shows, where even the instrumentation utilized in competition is no longer uniform. BOTH the tic system and the build up system have issues, with neither being better in my opinion in its attempt to make a wholly subjective enterprise, ie judging shows, any less subjective than it has always been.

2) the judges are held as accountable today as they have ever been... as the judges are pretty much the same judges we've always had. There are no recent provisions put forth that make the judges more accountable, and noone in DCI has put forth such a new policy for " more accountability " ( not that I'm asking for this... just pointing out that fundamentally these judges are held to the same levels of accountability as they have always been)

3) you ( nor others ) have explained at all what judge ( brass perf, percussion perf. ) handles the rock guitar playing by the rock guitariist in terms of execution, proficiency, string utlization, technique, etc. You have told us that the rock guitarist is judged only in the " effect, ensemble " areas. This much no doubt is true. But either the Percussion judge or the Brass judge judge the proficiency, execution, technique, etc of the rock guitarist musician on his or her musical instrument utilized in field competition. Otherwise this instrument would be the first ever not to be judged in the technical profiency realm. This has been true since the beginning of Drum Corps competition itself., ie judges in percussion or brass judge the proficiency and performance execution and proper technigue of that instrument played by the musician in Drum Corps competition. So you are incorrect when you state that you have stated if its in the domain of the percussion judge(s) or the brass judge(s) that handles performance and execution of the rock guitarist technical proficiencies, (quite apart from its levels of effectiveness on the effect captions,). You are entitled to state.. " I don't know the answer ".. but its entirely a different matter altogether to tell yourself that you answered the question and that the recipient of the non answer " just won't accept it " ( the non answer to the question ).

do you judge the a cow bell on the technical? a car rim when used for effect, a whistle or rain stick?......as I said you are looking for an answer to a question set in a system from bitd. it's not the same. AS far as judging BITD you couldnt or wouldnt question a judge. fight maybe, curse alot, call them out or report them based on criteria? never ..i still hear the words, well I call it as I see it...that doesnt fly now.

Edited April 23, 2014 by GUARDLING

[Slingerland]

The question is,"When have too many corps gone for DCI to remain viable?" Unfortunately, we won't know until we are there, and then it will be too late.

I'd argue that a pro-active response to that question, establishing a clear set of tiers (Premier and Whatever), with a clear set of financial expectations on both ends of the equation would go a long way to stabilizing the activity. But the current open-ended approach to membership isn't doing much to build a foundation that can be used to build the overall brand of DCI in the minds of potential sponsors or audience members.

[cixelsyd]

I'd argue that a pro-active response to that question, establishing a clear set of tiers (Premier and Whatever), with a clear set of financial expectations on both ends of the equation would go a long way to stabilizing the activity. But the current open-ended approach to membership isn't doing much to build a foundation that can be used to build the overall brand of DCI in the minds of potential sponsors or audience members.

What is open-ended about DCI membership? At this point, the only way to become a member corps is if the current member corps vote you in.