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Is there anything the pit CANNOT do?


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One of the reasons the Front Ensemble is dressed differently is this: I had this explained to me years ago by one of my two bosses when I worked HS.

If they look identical to the rest of the unit, what happens is that by human nature, your eyes and mind will bleed them into the on-field forms and visuals, which causes the visual package to be less effective and not look as good. The different appearance keeps both elements separated in the viewer's mind. The hats also add visual clutter and activity up close to the viewer, it will tend to make the viewer not look beyond the front ensemble. They'll tend to cause the viewer to fixate.

All of this is very true, believe me. Not just some magic mumbo-jumbo stuff. :satisfied:

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usually yes. At least in terms of pit amping. It means the kids can play with much better technique and musicality, since they don't need to pound the bars to be heard over the ensemble.

Which is why I don't understand why we need five marimbas and four vibes as standard now. (I asked a respected pit arranger once and was told it was for the richness of sound. Well, we've got electronics now; we can make things as rich as we want.) As long as I'm on my soapbox, I also don't understand (as a marimbist) why so many corps swap out their synthetic keyboard keys for far more expensive rosewood keys for performances. Really...get a few feet back and who is going to tell the difference? And don't get me started on a pit member striking a triangle and then doing that vibrato motion with their hand. It works in a recital hall, but on a drum corps field? Sheesh.

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Interesting points, Mike.

The thing is, Judges see use of high end techniques and should be crediting it. An on-field percussion judge in position would hear all of the above. So basically- all of the nuance is for one person ideally positioned to hear it. :satisfied:

Now the whole richness of sound, I'd at least think you've got multiple players which could result in deeper chordal structures, and yeah- you could turn up the reverb or a speaker- but wouldn't that cause the for lack of better term the "Thunderous goo" people like to kvetch about? Wouldn't you get a cleaner sound by using more actual instruments and less electronics?

I think that;s one for the acoustics/electronics people to answer, I guess.

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Which is why I don't understand why we need five marimbas and four vibes as standard now. (I asked a respected pit arranger once and was told it was for the richness of sound. Well, we've got electronics now; we can make things as rich as we want.) As long as I'm on my soapbox, I also don't understand (as a marimbist) why so many corps swap out their synthetic keyboard keys for far more expensive rosewood keys for performances. Really...get a few feet back and who is going to tell the difference? And don't get me started on a pit member striking a triangle and then doing that vibrato motion with their hand. It works in a recital hall, but on a drum corps field? Sheesh.

Completely agree, to the point that I'm smiling as I read this. Having said that I'm not going to (and my sense is that you are not) criticize the pit member for utilizing techniques taught them by their staff. And yes, having read dozens and dozens of your pieces I don't want to suggest you're implying that criticism.

Sometimes I think the answer to these gianormous pits that grew from a single marching set of bells, and 4 marching (barely tuneable) tymps is "Because we can..."

We just got used to seeing those numbers up front - maybe it's good simply because it opens up that many more positions for young musicians, but my sense is that the optimum corps size is now a little less than the 150 on the field.

Still love huge corps, but hate to see corps going out of business because they can't afford to outfit or move that many people - especially because they don't really require them all.

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Completely agree, to the point that I'm smiling as I read this. Having said that I'm not going to (and my sense is that you are not) criticize the pit member for utilizing techniques taught them by their staff. And yes, having read dozens and dozens of your pieces I don't want to suggest you're implying that criticism.

Sometimes I think the answer to these gianormous pits that grew from a single marching set of bells, and 4 marching (barely tuneable) tymps is "Because we can..."

We just got used to seeing those numbers up front - maybe it's good simply because it opens up that many more positions for young musicians, but my sense is that the optimum corps size is now a little less than the 150 on the field.

Still love huge corps, but hate to see corps going out of business because they can't afford to outfit or move that many people - especially because they don't really require them all.

Good post, Ray.

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...

Now the whole richness of sound, I'd at least think you've got multiple players which could result in deeper chordal structures, and yeah- you could turn up the reverb or a speaker- but wouldn't that cause the for lack of better term the "Thunderous goo" people like to kvetch about? Wouldn't you get a cleaner sound by using more actual instruments and less electronics?

...

I realize that many corps get good deals on the equipment and then sell them after a certain time, so there isn't that much cost involved in the equipment itself. But...five marimbas and four vibes takes up a lot of space on equipment trucks and there has been a cost to making the trucks able to handle all that, plus multiple timpani. (Some corps have had to buy a new truck tractor better able to handle the additional equipment.) I call it the "pit arms race." If one corps decides to up the ante, others will soon follow. It's just how things work. (I'm not ragging on the front ensembles or the arrangers. I love what corps are doing...now more than ever. I just wish it didn't come with such a hit in the logistics.)

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usually yes. At least in terms of pit amping. It means the kids can play with much better technique and musicality, since they don't need to pound the bars to be heard over the ensemble.

That's what I thought it was going to do too, but in reality, even though they CAN play with much better "indoor" technique, you'll find that so many corps still pound the bars anyway and now they're always heard over the ensemble. The blend is terrible. There are too many keyboards.

Generally I think many of the changes to the pit have been good, but I see both sides....

That's my observation after the rule change was passed and I really looked at how the pit was playing.

Edited by jjeffeory
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I realize that many corps get good deals on the equipment and then sell them after a certain time, so there isn't that much cost involved in the equipment itself. But...five marimbas and four vibes takes up a lot of space on equipment trucks and there has been a cost to making the trucks able to handle all that, plus multiple timpani. (Some corps have had to buy a new truck tractor better able to handle the additional equipment.) I call it the "pit arms race." If one corps decides to up the ante, others will soon follow. It's just how things work. (I'm not ragging on the front ensembles or the arrangers. I love what corps are doing...now more than ever. I just wish it didn't come with such a hit in the logistics.)

Salient points as always, Mr. Boo. But don't you think (well, maybe HOPE?) that there will come a corps who will see this for what it is, and refuse to enter the "race?" Like many other things in life, all it takes for change is ONE...since very few in our society (and I say that only relatavistically) have the cajones to be "the first." However, once one steps forward and says "This is b#######...we're not sucking in," others seem to magically follow. And soon it become a groundswell for change.

I'm sorry for the length of the rant...but the thoughts areno less than genuine, nevertheless.

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Which is why I don't understand why we need five marimbas and four vibes as standard now. (I asked a respected pit arranger once and was told it was for the richness of sound. Well, we've got electronics now; we can make things as rich as we want.) As long as I'm on my soapbox, I also don't understand (as a marimbist) why so many corps swap out their synthetic keyboard keys for far more expensive rosewood keys for performances. Really...get a few feet back and who is going to tell the difference? And don't get me started on a pit member striking a triangle and then doing that vibrato motion with their hand. It works in a recital hall, but on a drum corps field? Sheesh.

Why have so many horn players when you can just mic up one from each section? It's cooler and more impressive to have more people play the same thing. Trained ears can hear the difference between rosewood and synthetic bars. I'm not going to name names, but two of the "big 3" manufacturers synthetic bars sound AWFUL especially when they're mic'd.

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