jjeffeory Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Do you think this is driven by "survival?" I think it's more of a creative decision than anything else, with a supplemental benefit of potentially attracting a broader base of musicians (trombone players). I'm not sure this is a survival/reactionary type decision, and there are a TON of other things DCI could/would do if in survival mode. I really hope it hasn't gotten to the survival phase. I think it's more a creative thing with a bunch of other rationalization put in to sell it. Frankly, trombone players are already participating in DCI. There are many more trombone players than baritone players in most high school and college music programs. Most of the DCI baritones and euphs come from trombone, so attracting more people who want to do it is not very likely. Most trombone players who want to do it can easily do it... The french horn is a little less of a sure thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 It is more than that. There are reasons for drum corps and marching band to be different. Scholastic marching band prioritizes education over entertainment, and by definition employs whatever instrumentation "band" already uses. For the sake of being inclusive, the path of least resistance for marching band is to use the same kids on the same instruments they already play year round. Drum corps, in contrast, has no formal affiliation to pre-existing groups, and no obligation to be inclusive to their instrumentation. Drum corps developed their own take on field music. Faced with the need for self-funding, drum corps had to either adopt a more cost-conscious approach, or seek financial support for their pursuits, often in the form of a paying audience. Therefore, for many decades, instrument choices were based on what was most appropriate and effective for field use. Whether we continued to adhere to that principle over the past decade has been the subject of heated debate... but I digress. As long as drum corps remain independent, self-supporting groups, and scholastic bands remain scholastic, these principles do not change. Nice post. I particularly like the point that scholastic marching band instrumentation typically derives from scholastic concert band instrumentation (whereas drum corps instead could choose to use the instruments that create the largest sound outside--surely due in part to having roots in the military). That said, I have seen the occasional high school marching band that marches no woodwinds (or in one instance, only brass and saxophones), and even in my high school, which like most schools marches clarinets and flutes (about 75 of each, last I checked--the band is more than twice as large now as when I marched), there were certainly some people who switched from woodwinds to brass (or guard) for marching band season. I myself played bassoon in concert band and sousaphone in marching band. That's right: it's not just drum corps in which members are asked to switch instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) ...you can't. It's just silly to say: "you're really good; you're a drumcorps. When you started the season and weren't very good and you didn't have this experience, you were a marching band then. Now you're totally awesome; you're a drum corps". It's just mind boggling to me. It's the instruments that make a Drum Corps distinct from a marching band, or an orchestra, or a brass band, or symphony, or the Marines... LMAO.... corps I joined was rebuilding from a year plus off and we came in last for both shows we did in 1974 and all but last two in 1975. My question to the "drum corps is excellence" people is: At what point did we become a Drum Corps cuz we sure were not excellent. I go with instruments of horns and percussion only but then again that's the part I love about the corps sound... Edited February 11, 2014 by JimF-LowBari 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Just my humble opinion, but dci is now the musical equivalent of "New Coke" and we all saw where that went. I also think that this particular "evolution" has always been a part of the 'hidden agenda' in dci's mission statement. I have also been around this activity for more years than some of you have even been in existance. I am far from an expert in the field, but I do know what I like and have liked for all these many years, and this isn't it, sad to say. Again, JMHO. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I have also been around this activity for more years than some of you have even been in existance. I am far from an expert in the field, but I do know what I like and have liked for all these many years, and this isn't it, sad to say. Again, JMHO. Ray That's where I'm at Ray, I don't try to decide what is and is "Drum Corps" and heard griping about "that ain't Drum Corps" going back to 1975 (then it was marching bells and dropping Color Pre). If I like what is being done I either make the shows or buy the CDs/DVDs. If not, there is enough else to choose from. PS - You just "liked" me because you didn't have to worry about us (WSM) in 1975.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 That's where I'm at Ray, I don't try to decide what is and is "Drum Corps" and heard griping about "that ain't Drum Corps" going back to 1975 (then it was marching bells and dropping Color Pre). If I like what is being done I either make the shows or buy the CDs/DVDs. If not, there is enough else to choose from. PS - You just "liked" me because you didn't have to worry about us (WSM) in 1975.... Not true. We think along the same lines on many subjects in this hobby. And I would have "liked" your comments even if WSM was kicking our butts in '75! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) Not true. We think along the same lines on many subjects in this hobby. And I would have "liked" your comments even if WSM was kicking our butts in '75! LOL understood Ray, just saw a chance to kid you a bit and couldn't resist. And yes we do see eye to eye on a lot of things in this hobby.... including calling it a hobby. My in laws were Bridge playing maniacs, Kristas sister and hubby ride motorcycles, my family is into the old cars and I'm into Drum Corps. And calling DC a hobby helps the others understand why I was doing hot ###ed parades on the 4th of July. ("Yeah this crazy #### is MY version of Bridge and riding a Harley".) And 1975 was my first full season and got to see the worst in Red Carpet and the best of DCA, including the rain fest at DCA Finals. That was the year I learned to enjoy all corps regardless of "excellence". And for the record first two corps we beat were the second coming of the Interstatesmen and the one year Sr version of Blue Rock. Edited February 12, 2014 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I just looked, DCI is headed to Rockford in June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 That said, I have seen the occasional high school marching band that marches no woodwinds (or in one instance, only brass and saxophones), and even in my high school, which like most schools marches clarinets and flutes (about 75 of each, last I checked--the band is more than twice as large now as when I marched), there were certainly some people who switched from woodwinds to brass (or guard) for marching band season. I myself played bassoon in concert band and sousaphone in marching band. That's right: it's not just drum corps in which members are asked to switch instruments. That is one reason I chose my words carefully. There have been several ambitious programs who have purposely chosen something different. There was a noted BOA band (Jackson Academy) that, as I understand it, taught their woodwind players brass so that the band could go all brass/percussion. There have been a couple of HS bands that have used G bugles. And of course, quite a number with individual students switching instruments from concert to marching season (or putting the instrument away to be in the guard). But the vast majority of instrumental music students stay with their chosen instrument as they go into marching band. The mission of marching band is different from drum corps in that way. Because of that, marching band is judged differently to condone the all-inclusive nature of their instrumentation. The most obvious difference is in how balance and dynamic range are evaluated. In marching band, balance is an overriding priority because the woodwinds which nearly every band uses must be heard. Drum corps brass sections exploit the full dynamic range of their instruments in ways that are not condoned by marching band judges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 For all those wondering, here is where DCI is heading: http://www.dci.org/schedule/ You can search by corps, city, etc. Just so we don't have to get onto 10 pages, and we all know where DCI is heading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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