CCorps Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Just crurious; would you mind explaining why you want Miley to twerk? Depravity. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCorps Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I have a visceral reaction against narration in drum corps, just as I do to the use of synthesized sounds. It is not because such things cannot work from a musical or performance point of view. I think the Cavaliers used synthesized sounds very effectively in their Machine show. Like Duke Ellington said, if it sounds good, it is good. My real objection is that such "performance enhancers" detract from the actual music that the kids in the corps are making. When I was marching, one of my biggest thrills was that I was making real music with my peers, and for a live audience. I think I would feel slighted to have my musical efforts become just a back-drop for a narrated show, especially a recorded one. Now, I am long out to pasture and no longer hip. But I wonder what the kids marching today think about this. Do they feel like they are being supplanted by all the electronic gew-gaws and ghostly voices? Do their efforts to make real, analog music feel undermined by this digital artifice? No. At worst, they dislike it because it's silly. And sometimes, that's true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCorps Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I think the Cavaliers used synthesized sounds very effectively in their Machine show. Like Duke Ellington said, if it sounds good, it is good. So effectively that you couldn't tell the difference? Point made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifuarian Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Serious question... How is narration judged? The corps my son is marching with has stated that their show for 2014 will be a twelve minute "soliloquy." They've even hired a "story teller," Mr. Wayne Harris. No one knows. Including the judges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietcity Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) So effectively that you couldn't tell the difference? Point made. I am not sure what point you think is being made. The fact that the Cavaliers' "synthesized" sound was actually analog is pretty cool, and could be seen as support for the idea that synthesized sounds are not necessary. The same point has been made about SCV's helicopter and machine gun sounds made by the percussion in their "Miss Saigon" show. Edited March 25, 2014 by quietcity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I perhaps did not state my point clearly enough. I have no issue with mic'd performers. It makes a lot of sense, for all the reasons you state. A soloist can now play with delicacy and nuance, and still be heard. A naturally quiet instrument can be fully utilized. Rather, my issue is with inept use of narration and synthesized sounds. Call me old, but I think these artificial ingredients have in some cases detracted from, rather than enhanced, the wonderful music the musicians are making. Used with a heavy hand, these techniques steal the spotlight from the kids on the field. I am astonished and delighted by the incredible level of complexity and musicality in drum corps these days, compared to when I marched in the late 70s and early 80s. As such, I just hate seeing anything artificial getting in the way. If you will forgive the analogy, it reminds me of when a naturally beautiful woman decides to "enhance" herself with silicon, collagen and botox. OK, gotcha: thanks for the clarification. I personally struggle with my own opinion on that stuff. When done well, it's awesome and really adds to the show. I think when Crown did the Roch Star show highlighting the pianist (via synthesizer), it was great programming. And the "this is my rifle" section from Cavaliers' show a few years back utilized a really awesome synth patch (or maybe it was a different phrase, I don't remember off hand). I'm possibly a minority around here who doesn't mind the subwoofer subsonic bass enhancements of performances. To me it's all about design & performance: done well, I love it but down poorly it does detract. But that's really indicative of any design element, I think. It's easy to call out electronics or props because they're seemingly glaring, but there are also percussion features that seem out-of-place, visual "moments" that fail (Cavaliers wearing sunglasses = ugh), and other things. I get the negative reaction of artificial sounds, but don't you think that kind of goes out the window once we grounded the pit and ostensibly adopted an "anything goes" aspect to percussion design? A really effective helicopter sound is going to work whether it's brilliantly done acoustically like SCV 91, or done with via a synth patch. (though I agree with others, I LOVE 91 SCV, and think that percussion design changed the face and timbre of marching percussion with its inventiveness) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I think stuff done with percussion like that is a helluva lot cooler than anything coming out of a speaker. IDK. A great effect works regardless of how its created, I think. SCV 91 is a great example of acoustic effects (as is Cavaliers 06), but with a great designer it doesn't matter how the effect is generated, just that it's a great effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quietcity Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) IDK. A great effect works regardless of how its created, I think. SCV 91 is a great example of acoustic effects (as is Cavaliers 06), but with a great designer it doesn't matter how the effect is generated, just that it's a great effect. I partially agree with you. Like I said before, if it sounds good, it is good. But consider the aspect of showmanship. Part of great showmanship is creating an illusion that plays with your sense of reality. Consider why live acts like Penn and Teller, Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group are so popular, despite the fact that all their tricks could be easily imitated on a screen using computer graphics. Does it even make sense to watch a computer avatar "perform" magic tricks or acrobatics? As an audience member, hearing SCV's drum-line recreate, quite convincingly, the sound of passing helicopters is a much more gratifying bit of showmanship than if they just had just one person pushing a key to play a synth patch. And it must be much more gratifying for the show designers and performers as well, because it places such creative and performance demands on them. Edited March 25, 2014 by quietcity 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BozzlyB Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 At the risk of appearing to be excessively "persnickety," am I the only one who finds it to be rather odd that Corps may enlist the aid of adults to fulfill their needs for narration? I had always believed that Junior Corps were to consist of performing members who were aged 21 and under. To use an adult narrator (who, while not marching, playing, or utilizing guard equipment, still may be considered to be a contributing performer in a Corps' program) seems to be in violation of this very rule under which DCI operates. Sure, we'd all love to have the contributions of individuals such as Wayne Harris (or James Earl Jones, or any other adult performer with a strong, stentorian voice). But a performer is a performer is a performer...and DCI's age limitation rule would seem to exclude their usage. Somebody...please let me know where I'm missing the boat on this one. Agree 100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BozzlyB Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 The easy and obvious solution is to get narration of any kind off the rule books. I have yet to hear a show where I felt it was anything but distracting. But, unfortunately, I believe that ship sailed a while ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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