CrownLeadSop Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 If a horn instructor was already advising her students not to participate in drum corps because they'd have to switch to mellophone, how likely is she to advise her students to participate in a drum corps where they'll either (a) stand around doing nothing for most of the summer as the French horn soloist in the pit or (b) mostly marching mellophone with the occasional French horn solo up front? Because it seems highly unlikely that any corps is going to march their French horns. You are much more likely to get an amicable response if you are able to explain that the student will play horn every day of the summer. Not mellophone, but horn, in some capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Now to add to that, here's what i think will really happen.....this year, a lot of wait and see. year 2 is the kicker...do people walk, or just cut back? my hunch is cut back. Still, that's a dent in the coffers at DCI HQ and the corps wallets. And how many people will go to shows in year one not knowing what was passed? Not like all buts in the stands surf for DC in the offseason. On the other hand how many will go to their first show and think "Gee I didn't know DC had these" thinking that's the way it always has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie1223 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) It depends how many people are like Jeff, who, as he already noted, vastly cut back his drum corps support ten years ago due to the changes. If there are plenty more like him, imagine how much better the recent attendance would have been had DCI not made changes which nobody seems to believe improved the numbers. (When one argues on these forums that amplification and electronics didn't help attendance, one is told that they were never intended to do so!) How would the membership and talent be? How good would the shows be designed if the instructors no longer we're excited about the limitations put on them or if they felt their talents weren't maximized? I mean, it very we'll may have been a possibility that attendance would have been higher but I think it's important to understand that keeping the fans happy is a part of a larger equation and it's not selfish for producers of drum corps to also have their needs met in a creative, financial, whichever way... After all without them none of this would technically exist... So did we sacrifice an increase in attendance so that the needs of the producers of drum corps were met? Maybe? It's a give and take and the balance will probably be in constant flux. But I don't want this to be interpreted as the fans don't matter like it often is repeated on here. They do obviously matter but it's not the ONLY thing that matters. We need suppliers and we need those who demand what is being supplied. And it gets crazy because we're not talking about iPhones here but passion filled art, music, design, and creativity. Edited February 10, 2014 by charlie1223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 You are much more likely to get an amicable response if you are able to explain that the student will play horn every day of the summer. Not mellophone, but horn, in some capacity. No. If they don't know what marching band is, they're going to hear marching band and it won't matter what else you say... If you had said, outdoor Blast! or something like that, it may garner a different reaction. Marching band is just a tainted word to many college professors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) hmmmm really? there's some spectators that now think they are designer, directors, fashionestas, etc etc...if someone changes a sock color there are some which predict the end of the world.....hilarious.....funny thing ( just my own experience ) I have a few friends from my marching days....that were the absolute worst at what they did but now critique crown or bd.....but not from a point of preference but a point of what they all do wrong...lol.......priceless................but....hey maybe youre right...were all spectators I guess...some pay some dont I guess Thats correct. If you attend a show, and come thu the gate... no matter what you think you are, or whether you payed or not... if you are breathing, have vision, and are deemed conscious ( the only real qualifications ) then you are indeed a " spectator " at that event, Guardling. Edited February 10, 2014 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 As a horn player, I don't want to see horns on the field. And any horn player who's so concerned about their embouchure that they are afraid to play mello shouldn't be doing marching band at all. There are far worse dangers on the field to your lip muscles than a mello mouthpiece. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 How good would the shows be designed if the instructors no longer we're excited about the limitations put on them or if they felt their talents weren't maximized? Are the musical arrangers frustrated because they have to create a show in which the players march? Why is it fair to require drum corps to include marching? Imagine the level of playing they could write for it they knew the players were sitting still like a symphony! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Thats correct. If you attend a show... no matter what you think you are, or whether you payed or not... if you are breathing, have vision, and are deemed conscious ( the only real qualifications ) then you are indeed a " spectator " at that event, Guardling. ok I'll buy that...........although you ignored the rest of what I said ..thats ok..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie1223 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Are the musical arrangers frustrated because they have to create a show in which the players march? Why is it fair to require drum corps to include marching? Imagine the level of playing they could write for it they knew the players were sitting still like a symphony! Well, I mean we can talk about extremes if you'd like but I'm talking about more mild changes like electronics and trombones. I don't design corps shows nor do I run a corps but I imagine they have desires and needs that make them want to spend their time creating drum corps. It's their prerogative what kind of show they want to perform because they are investing their time into it. The audience and attendance will decide if they enjoy it too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Well, I mean we can talk about extremes if you'd like but I'm talking about more mild changes like electronics and trombones. You say these are mild changes while not marching would be extreme. Others may not agree. Whenever this subject comes up, I ask my interlocutor to define what drum corps is, so we can decide what actually is extreme. Would woodwinds be extreme? Some regular participants in this forum, not to mention at least one leading corps director, would say no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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