MGCpimpOtimp Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 I absolutely agree about 2008. A prerecording would have worked nicely. Heck, corps sample. Why can't they do the same with narration? The content in 2008 was meant to be performed by an older person. Also, it might have been better had they focused the story arc on a smaller period of time. If I remember correctly, the show was patterned after NPR's This American Life. In it, Ira Glass takes snapshots of life. The message about the pursuit of happiness would have still worked. Because in 2008 sampling was illegal haha! Everything HAD to be done live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Narration is the only thing about modern drum corps I hate. NO drum corps is not on a decline. It has shifted to other areas. I see more kids in music programs now than ever. They just don't play the same old songs you want them to so then it must be in a decline. Frankly I'm glad it makes you unhappy. I myself will just enjoy what parts I do like and tune out the ones I don't. All too often I see people lament about how it's getting to be too much like band. Have you seen band lately? Band is much more like drum corps these days. I think they are both coming towards a more common ground and it is a good thing. You bet I like the fact that drum corps was always very different but there comes a time when we can bend a little and accept things more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) I think the narration the Cadets used in 2008 could have worked had it been prerecorded by proffesionals. I suppose that would have been frowned upon though. At least in 2008, the narrators were not speaking right after they performed breakneck drill like in 2007, so they were able to speak more clearly without being out of breath. That '07 narration was, IMO, not good. To say the least. This I believe. My one gripe about 2008... more of a puzzlement, actually... if the interview was being conducted on National Public Radio, as the narrator said, then why were the interviewer and his subject on what sure looked like a TV/video interview set, and not in a radio studio? I worked in radio news... and local cable TV public-affairs programming... for a number of years... I know the difference. LOL. A complete disconnect for me. Edited April 27, 2014 by Fran Haring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGCpimpOtimp Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 At least in 2008, the narrators were not speaking right after they performed breakneck drill like in 2007, so they were able to speak more clearly without being out of breath. That '07 narration was, IMO, not good. To say the least. This I believe. My one gripe about 2008... more of a puzzlement, actually... if the interview was being conducted on National Public Radio, as the narrator said, then why were the interviewer and his subject on what sure looked like a TV/video interview set, and not in a radio studio? I worked in radio news... and local cable TV public-affairs programming... for a number of years... I know the difference. LOL. A complete disconnect for me. A lot of radio shows/podcasts are also filmed now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 I did not like Crown's narration last year... so I hope it does not lead to more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crownisking Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 I did not like Crown's narration last year... so I hope it does not lead to more. Did it ruin the entire show for you? Or was it just merely a mild annoyance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 It just depends on the delivery......live or recorded. If it's done right, Mandarins this past year nailed it IMO, it's great. But more corps have gotten it wrong than right unfortunately. They seem to think something since it's getting used year in year out, it's unfortunate when it completely ruins a show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 I believe fans will accept most anything IF it is done well, positively contributes to the show, gives the corps a little uniqueness to set the apart from the rest of the field and isn't cloying or talks down to the audience. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 In the wake of Crown's show last season... Do you expect to see more narration this season? Do you think designers are more willing to try it again? Has anything really changed since amplified voice was legalized? Who will use it this season? Who will do it well? Who will fail? Key thoughts... yes, something has changed since amplified voice was legalized. Design is now heavily influenced by the perception that using recently legalized sounds and devices = creativity. While voice is not new, its amplified and pre-recorded forms are. If I am counting correctly, only 9 of the top 25 refrained from using verbal communication with audiences as part of their show last year. We will see similar numbers of corps using voice this year, too. In a previous century, designers (in conjunction with performers) created a wide variety of sounds using just brass and percussion. But by 2004, that had clearly fallen out of favor, along with the conventional wisdom that if music and motion were not enough to get your point across without words, you were not designing effectively. Oh, the thread title asked an additional question - are audiences more accepting? Well, of course they are. What choice do they have? This has been going on for 10 years. The people who cannot accept it are gone from our audiences. So are the annual reports of growing aggregate attendance that preceded this change. And before this degenerates - I have actually tried green eggs and ham, metaphorically and literally. While they were good, I found that I prefer the regular eggs (and in drum corps, the brass/percussion flavor). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 (edited) Key thoughts... yes, something has changed since amplified voice was legalized. Design is now heavily influenced by the perception that using recently legalized sounds and devices = creativity. While voice is not new, its amplified and pre-recorded forms are. If I am counting correctly, only 9 of the top 25 refrained from using verbal communication with audiences as part of their show last year. We will see similar numbers of corps using voice this year, too. In a previous century, designers (in conjunction with performers) created a wide variety of sounds using just brass and percussion. But by 2004, that had clearly fallen out of favor, along with the conventional wisdom that if music and motion were not enough to get your point across without words, you were not designing effectively. Oh, the thread title asked an additional question - are audiences more accepting? Well, of course they are. What choice do they have? This has been going on for 10 years. The people who cannot accept it are gone from our audiences. So are the annual reports of growing aggregate attendance that preceded this change. And before this degenerates - I have actually tried green eggs and ham, metaphorically and literally. While they were good, I found that I prefer the regular eggs (and in drum corps, the brass/percussion flavor). audiences have been accepting things for decades. I remember back in the 70s an audience had to accept the Bridgemen and that style emerging onto the scene, the change in styles and themes emerging, color guards who danced and started to use other things other than the traditional forms or equipment, the list can go on. Many could say that, well the instrumentation didn't change, well maybe that's true but there still was change and there were many many things one had to accept or didn't have to. Many BITD did not accept the " NEW " form of drum corps, and YES it was a new form according to many. The good thing IMO was that even if you did not like the new form of Green Eggs , there was still enough of a menu for others to enjoy, as I believe there is now. , but it's jmo. Personally I enjoy having both. Edited April 28, 2014 by GUARDLING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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