Someone please explain e=mc^2 to me, because I really don't like/g

[Pete Freedman]

For the following I'm reading into your term 'motif tapestry', and I've very sorry if I've done it wrong.

How's this for a description of what you may mean:

For a large and distinct segment of the audience:

1. Drill is great.

2. Symbolism is not great, unless it's both dead obvious AND a simple popular subject.

This includes:

2a. Symbolism via props. (Giant blue balls and wormholes)

2b. Symbolism via dance. (not that dance itself isn't great, but dance intended to evoke an idea isn't great.)

3. Straightforward arrangements are great.

4. Nuanced arrangements are not great (if they stray too far from what is familiar.)

Summary: Don't provoke thoughts, provoke feelings. For this audience, drum corps should stimulate the limbic system (the emotional part of the brain), and let the cortex (the thinking part) take a nap.

If this is what you mean, then I think you are right. As to how many this affects, and everything involving the word "should" that's another matter.

Again, sorry if I got it wrong, the term "motif tapestry" is a bit vague.

[N.E. Brigand]

If I close my eyes, I hear pure First Circle.

Yeah, I'm not sure that BK 2013 is the best example to use of fragmentary modern arranging.

[Stu]

For the following I'm reading into your term 'motif tapestry', and I've very sorry if I've done it wrong.

How's this for a description of what you may mean:

For a large and distinct segment of the audience:

1. Drill is great.

2. Symbolism is not great, unless it's both dead obvious AND a simple popular subject.

This includes:

2a. Symbolism via props. (Giant blue balls and wormholes)

2b. Symbolism via dance. (not that dance itself isn't great, but dance intended to evoke an idea isn't great.)

3. Straightforward arrangements are great.

4. Nuanced arrangements are not great (if they stray too far from what is familiar.)

Summary: Don't provoke thoughts, provoke feelings. For this audience, drum corps should stimulate the limbic system (the emotional part of the brain), and let the cortex (the thinking part) take a nap.

If this is what you mean, then I think you are right. As to how many this affects, and everything involving the word "should" that's another matter.

Again, sorry if I got it wrong, the term "motif tapestry" is a bit vague.

In many cases within the world of DCI arranging today there is way, way, way, more (4) Nuanced Arrangements than (3) Straightforward arrangements. I am not against the use of nuance as a transitional tool or hinting of things to come or evoking things from the past, wonderful effect can come through nuance; but imo, yes in imo, the nuance should be used sparingly as a tool and the straight forward should be the bulk of the show. However, if you have been following my friendly debate with Guardling, the reason (4) Nuance has become the overwhelming norm today is that in most instances the music is no longer at the forefront equal to visual, but music has become a supporting backdrop to what it is now 'all' about which is the visual. I am not speaking 'for' the audience just 'observing' the audience; the audience explodes when straight forward music is combined with great visual; and many times, if not most of the time, they do not come near to having the same reaction when great visual is combined with nuanced music arranging. SCV Les Mis, Cadets Angels and Demons, Regiment Spartacus, are prime examples of mostly straight forward, with some nuance as a tool for transitions and evoking other parts of the show, combined with great visual which caused the audience to explode. And it is not about the musical content itself (classic symphonic, modern minimalism, rock, jazz, broadway, etc) all of which can be, and has been, utilized in a very communicative manner over the years; but, to me, it has to about keeping the bulk of the music straight forward so the audience can grasp a hold of the phrasing and melody and not musical nuance to use merely as backdrop support to the all mighty visual. And that is what I meant when I stated that shows today having too much musical motif tapestry.

[kcbari]

Being an old guy and very music focused (drill is secondary to my --hoped for--emotional response to music), I fell asleep during the quarter finals performances of several corps, Blue Knights being one of them.

So many corps' designs are the same anymore that I was bored by all but 4 corps..."motivic fragment, drum/run, same motivic fragment up a 1/2 step and faster, drum/run, same motivic fragment up ANOTHER 1/2 step but now with a mellophone counter-melody...chord...pose to hide dirty drill set, fade into next motivic fragment section of show...".

Yep, I'm a cynic.

I miss emotional responses to the power of the performance in the moment by the kids in front of me instead of intellectual "appreciation" for the designers' purported "cleverness".

Bah, time to go smoke a cigar and wonder where my gray hairs came from so fast...;-)

[Stu]

Being an old guy and very music focused (drill is secondary to my --hoped for--emotional response to music), I fell asleep during the quarter finals performances of several corps, Blue Knights being one of them.

So many corps' designs are the same anymore that I was bored by all but 4 corps..."motivic fragment, drum/run, same motivic fragment up a 1/2 step and faster, drum/run, same motivic fragment up ANOTHER 1/2 step but now with a mellophone counter-melody...chord...pose to hide dirty drill set, fade into next motivic fragment section of show...".

Yep, I'm a cynic.

I miss emotional responses to the power of the performance in the moment by the kids in front of me instead of intellectual "appreciation" for the designers' purported "cleverness".

Bah, time to go smoke a cigar and wonder where my gray hairs came from so fast...;-)

Hey Guardling; you need to step up and respond to this and defend your premise; come on now; don't be shy; stand up for the way things are and why things today are more inline with the way things need to be; come on, don't be shy now.

[DonR]

This includes:

2a. Symbolism via props. (Giant blue balls and wormholes)

I get where you are going, but maybe you should have substituted "100 plastic poles" for "wormholes". Crown's wormhole worked on a several levels. At the most basic, it was a nice magic trick, and everybody's happy when the guy gets the girl.

[Jeff Ream]

1998 Crossmen. Hands down.

Resume your urination contest.

wow you just whizzed on his peerade

:tongue:/>

[Jeff Ream]

i agree with your last statement BUT I also say that if someone needs to know the story line that bad and like some pick out some small thing they thought didnt connect to the theme and cant see enough in the show to be " entertained " either that corps did something wrong that there isnt enough to hold interest or the viewer needs to go get a beverage and wait for another :doh:/>/>/>

PS: you may not believe it BUT there were many who also felt that way in 08..many

When you watch a show, and you get e=mc2 announced to you, and then you see the focus going to two characters you think are in love but aren't sure....yeah you get confused because where does love come into Einsteins theories as they are fed to you in school? It's a topic you hate and try to stay awake during :tongue:/>

That's coming from an 18 year old watching Crown who didn't know the source material.

or better from a 68 year old..."Enstein was a science math/nerd. Who'd think women would want him?"

two qoutes said in my living room watching finals

[fsubone]

Just some Einstein quotes on love, for those who don't get the point of the love poem in the middle.

1. The laws of gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.

2. How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?

3. When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, you think it’s only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think its two hours. That’s relativity.

4. Love is a better teacher than duty.

5. Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed.

6. When you trip over love, it is easy to get up. But when you fall in love, it is impossible to stand again.

[garfield]

Just some Einstein quotes on love, for those who don't get the point of the love poem in the middle.

1. The laws of gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.

2. How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?

3. When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, you think it's only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think its two hours. That's relativity.

4. Love is a better teacher than duty.

5. Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed.

6. When you trip over love, it is easy to get up. But when you fall in love, it is impossible to stand again.

What a great post! Thanks a ton for these. You and I (and a few others) know that Crown's staff were reading these when they were planning their show.

Great stuff.