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Fan Reactions to Bluecoats "Pitch Bend" Ending 2014


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So are you calling those people haters??

I can use the word dislike if you want... My point being that people tend to resist change as much as possible and I've noticed a lot of people will maintain a stubborn attitude no matter what. I don't have to call someone a "hater"

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I can use the word dislike if you want... My point being that people tend to resist change as much as possible and I've noticed a lot of people will maintain a stubborn attitude no matter what. I don't have to call someone a "hater"

Maybe those people just feel like the pitch blend, or whatever idea some corps are using, isn't their cup of tea. Surely YOU can agree with and respect that, correct?

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Maybe those people just feel like the pitch blend, or whatever idea some corps are using, isn't their cup of tea. Surely YOU can agree with and respect that, correct?

Of course. However, the person I was referring to in my post is completely against electronics in general, so the situation is a little different. But of course I know not everyone isn't going to prefer a certain musical passage, a specific use of an idea, etc.

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Of course. However, the person I was referring to in my post is completely against electronics in general, so the situation is a little different. But of course I know not everyone isn't going to prefer a certain musical passage, a specific use of an idea, etc.

Hmmmm...true.

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I see this talk similarly to how the Blue Devils and Cadets get "bashed", though they are both tremendously successful corps'. The reason they get "bashed" is, in my opinion, that they continually perform at a very high level. Bluecoats is in this discussion, and therefore...let the nitpicking commence!

Boy isn't this the truth. The first corps I truly became a fan of was the Cadets (Garfield at the time). I was young and they were changing the activity. Bluecoats were my hometown/home state corps, but they were still a DII corps at that time. Fun to watch, but I didn't get to see them as often. Liking Garfield back in the day was easy, but dealing with negative opinion was not as easy when I was young. I didn't understand it. Then I learned more of the stories behind the scenes. Learned about Hopkins pushing for change, and I saw the Cadets continue to push interesting concepts in their shows. Some I liked, some I put up with, some I couldn't stand. The dislike for that corps, at least on the forums, almost seemed unreal and vicious. Yet I knew a lot of folks liked them too.

Bluecoats have been entering into this territory for years because they have been SUCCESSFUL. Even without a DCI Title they have clearly challenged every corps out there and have victories over all of them on given years. But even being highly successful and not having won the BIG one brings much debate and criticism. They were beat up for not cleaning their visual program better in 2007 when they clearly had a brass and drum line that could have won top honors any given night. They were criticized for the ending in 2006, for their use of electronics early on until people realized how good they were at using them, and their guard has taken a beating over the years (like it's all their fault).

Clearly Bluecoats have THE SINGLE MOST TALKED ABOUT moment in a show this season. Whether you like it or not, their pitch bend joystick effect with synth and brass is the most discussed thing in any show. The only thing that comes close, I think, is the Cadets narration/lip-sync or Blue Devils supposedly easy show (cough). But any time something begins to receive a lot of praise, like Blooo's pitch bend, there are bound to be those who don't get it, don't like it, or just can't stand others talking about it.

Yes, welcome to the elite club, Bloooo! The longer you stay (and I hope that's a long time) the more criticism you will receive. As for now, they are still the young darlings who have only been top 3 one other time, so the fans will cheer for them in mass en route to a medal position--and just maybe a DCI Championship. SCV scares me with their drill and the room the grow, but I'm not sure about their music book. If anything, I still think Carolina Crown is dangerous and can make some waves. In the end, however, I believe it's a 2 horse race for the title (BD and Cadets), and Bluecoats simply need to clean, tweak, and hold off the pack for that 3rd spot.

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Boy isn't this the truth. The first corps I truly became a fan of was the Cadets (Garfield at the time). I was young and they were changing the activity. Bluecoats were my hometown/home state corps, but they were still a DII corps at that time. Fun to watch, but I didn't get to see them as often. Liking Garfield back in the day was easy, but dealing with negative opinion was not as easy when I was young. I didn't understand it. Then I learned more of the stories behind the scenes. Learned about Hopkins pushing for change, and I saw the Cadets continue to push interesting concepts in their shows. Some I liked, some I put up with, some I couldn't stand. The dislike for that corps, at least on the forums, almost seemed unreal and vicious. Yet I knew a lot of folks liked them too.

Bluecoats have been entering into this territory for years because they have been SUCCESSFUL. Even without a DCI Title they have clearly challenged every corps out there and have victories over all of them on given years. But even being highly successful and not having won the BIG one brings much debate and criticism. They were beat up for not cleaning their visual program better in 2007 when they clearly had a brass and drum line that could have won top honors any given night. They were criticized for the ending in 2006, for their use of electronics early on until people realized how good they were at using them, and their guard has taken a beating over the years (like it's all their fault).

Clearly Bluecoats have THE SINGLE MOST TALKED ABOUT moment in a show this season. Whether you like it or not, their pitch bend joystick effect with synth and brass is the most discussed thing in any show. The only thing that comes close, I think, is the Cadets narration/lip-sync or Blue Devils supposedly easy show (cough). But any time something begins to receive a lot of praise, like Blooo's pitch bend, there are bound to be those who don't get it, don't like it, or just can't stand others talking about it.

Yes, welcome to the elite club, Bloooo! The longer you stay (and I hope that's a long time) the more criticism you will receive. As for now, they are still the young darlings who have only been top 3 one other time, so the fans will cheer for them in mass en route to a medal position--and just maybe a DCI Championship. SCV scares me with their drill and the room the grow, but I'm not sure about their music book. If anything, I still think Carolina Crown is dangerous and can make some waves. In the end, however, I believe it's a 2 horse race for the title (BD and Cadets), and Bluecoats simply need to clean, tweak, and hold off the pack for that 3rd spot.

Everyone loves an underdog.

**Exception made for DCI: Unless you're an alumnus of a top corps :tounge2:

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Bluecoasts use and integration of electronics is some of the best I've heard yet. imo.

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Since some are getting bent out of shape about the bend not being performed live, how about this... Since all brass instruments are now legal (including trombones), why not add a full slide to all conventional instruments, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpigL8sv8bI.

The slide+valve trumpet has obviously already been invented, but it is not common at this point. Same with the valve+slide trombone. I would like to see DCI continue the "evolution" of brass instruments OTHER THAN gradually becoming marching band with standard band instruments. I'd be excited to see something new like this, in terms of instrumentation. But devolving into marching band with mics, electronics and standard band instruments is basically going back to the better high school marching bands I remember from around the early 90s.

But I digress... With slide horns, corps could play things like the bend live, albeit not as perfectly as the synth. (And if you consider that a challenge, then so be it.)

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I think all the people saying they are "not impressed" by the pitch bend have lost touch a little. Of course the execution is not supposed to be "impressive." It is the idea and concept and way it fits into the show. If you experience a live performance of John Cage's 4'33", you are not supposed to come away being "impressed".... but you will likely be affected by it, or at least remember it. Art is not all about virtuosity.

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It's been a while since I've posted in DCPland so thought I'd chime in.

For those of you who know me, you know I can't stand the use of electronics. Especially mic'd vox. For those who don't know me, well now you know.

I'll put it simply... I LOVE this show! My dark-horse of the year.

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