Is there anything the pit CANNOT do?

[fsubone]

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.

Pounding the bars I've always associated with improper teaching techniques, although I could be wrong. Not a percussionist. I was always told better technique was why they started amping them, and that the multiple sets of instruments allows for more voicings and more stuff to be done. At least that was the goal

[Jeff Ream]

be balanced with the rest of the corps

[jjeffeory]

Pounding the bars I've always associated with improper teaching techniques, although I could be wrong. Not a percussionist. I was always told better technique was why they started amping them, and that the multiple sets of instruments allows for more voicings and more stuff to be done. At least that was the goal

fsubone,

That's what I was told as well, and there were several cool effects that were made possible with the amps too. The 2004 Blue Devil's Summer Train Blues Mix show is a good example of that... I remember it being explained to me that the pit could stop pounding the bars and damaging the equipment; and the mallets would last longer too. Also the pit would better blend with the rest of the corps (battery and horns). I was told that the pit wouldn't need to resort to adding more keyboards so that they could double parts which would result in a better blended sound too.

I came into those first shows with amps with an open mind, but I looked at and listened to what the corps were doing with a critical eye. What I found was that the pit size kept growing, and the keyboard players were still using the same old technique. So the reasons given weren't really the reasons for adding amps.

I've come to the conclusion that more kids in corps is good, so adding more players is fine, but that there's also another thing happening: I think that the instrument makers had a hand in the passing of this rule change too. They could streamline their product lines and save money if indoor and outdoor equipment was the same, and I believe that this influenced adding amps as much as anything that has been given to us as a reason for amps... At this point, it's the herd mentality of explanation that gets regurgitated until it is the reality.

Same thing for synths, any-key brass, and now all brass. It's more about $$ than innovation, and if it's allowed, it's going to be used; that's how instrument makers get their advertising to the larger marching band world that follows DCI. The other things that are mentioned as the main reason sometimes seem to be the side effects of the real $$ reason.

So $$ interests have crept into DCI, which is one of the reasons I'm not a big fan of many of the instrument changes over the last many years.

[Stu]

... I think that the instrument makers had a hand in the passing of this rule change too.... They could streamline their product lines ...that's how instrument makers get their advertising to the larger marching band world that follows DCI....

Ding, ding, ding, same reasoning for the rule change of G to Bb; "Now your band can play the exact same horns, exact same drums, exact same keyboards, exact same electronics, exact same woodwinds (well not yet) as XYZ corps who just became DCI World Class Champions!" - Instrument Sales Rep speaking to Band Director

[year1buick]

Just a few off the top of my head:

cold fusion

divide by zero

eat just one Lay's potato chip ( at a time)

I'm sure there's lots more...

[CCorps]

Well, this rational could be applied to any marching member on the field. I mean, no one "needs" a hat. Corps wear them to complete the look of the uniform, that is, to achieve a "uniform" look.

As such, it is always a bit jarring to me to see the bare-headed members of the pit, as they always look a little, well, "out of uniform.". If their corps' normal headgear is intrusive, I would think they would want to adopt some kind of alternative head-gear, even if just a tam or cap or snood or something. Tuba players in some corps have done the same, as opposed to going bare-headed.

The headgear increases visibility and effect from the box. The lack of headgear minimizes the visual contribution of that mess making noise on the front sideline!

[Michael Boo]

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.

We saw a number of bands at BOA Grand Nationals this past fall mike their better players. My question is where does one draw the line? We were standardized at four marimbas, and then a fifth marimba was launched over the bows of the other corps' equipment trucks and the Marimba Non-Proliferation Act of 2007 went right out the window. Would six be more impressive? It will happen given time. As for trained ears...yes, they will hear a difference, when no one else is playing and one is sitting within close proximity. I remember when Karen Ervin brought out her "A Marimba Recital" and played some pieces on Kelon and others on rosewood. There was a marked difference, but there was a place for the Kelon, which was much more ringing. It actually was quite haunting for a couple of the chorales she played.

[Fred Windish]

I've never been a huge fan of the pits, at least not in the way they have grown in size. The bulk of it all is distracting to me.That has to be an enormous expense to any corps that doesn't have some sort of "sweetheart" deal. Plus, the shipping of it all. I'm no musician, but most of it sounds too much the same to me, and the way it is primarily used, as an interlude when the rest of the corps moves backfield, has become all too predictable for me. I would really like to see the size of that section reduced and replaced with more brass instruments.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Fred Windish

[Stu]

I remember when Karen Ervin brought out her "A Marimba Recital" and played some pieces on Kelon and others on rosewood. There was a marked difference, but there was a place for the Kelon, which was much more ringing. It actually was quite haunting for a couple of the chorales she played.

Herein is a DCI judging perception issue I see as a real problem. Rosewood bars do have a slightly different sound than kelon, but they also quickly get weathered in an outdoor activity and thus quickly wear out. And because judges within DCI seem to perceive rosewood as 'better' sound than kelon, corps which can afford to replenish rosewood marimbas each season have a huge perceived advantage over corps which utilize kelon due to their needing to keep instruments in great shape over many seasons.

[Delta05]

I believe you can use an electric guitar in the pit and even an effect to make an electric guitar sound like an acoustic guitar but you cannot use an acoustic guitar.