jwillis35 Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 It's a great use of electronics (synthesizer) and it adds greatly to the show. Love it!!! But Bluecoats offer so much more than just this one effect. And for those that want to know what it is, if you listen closely it's a sawtooth wave on a synthesizer (edited to their liking, and somewhat similar to the "Jump" sawtooth wave used by Van Halen). The Van Halen effect was created using an Oberheim OB 8 or OB X synth...and absolute beast of an analog board. I do not believe there is any sample of the Bluecoats brass in that mod wheel/joy stick effect (could be, but I don't hear it). Not sure how they are doing it, but most synth programmers use a joy stick or mod wheel and program the range for the pitch bend. Again, it's a great move by Blooo and, as I said in another post, I believe their show this year will change how many use these devices. They've always done this sort of thing well (The Bluecoats), but their continued success at this type of design is turning heads, and giving fans a new perspective and some fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geluf Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 So, a third valve was needed why? Huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesman Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Could it have been more than just mic placement that made the improvement in the way the pitch blend sounded Saturday? It had blown me away in Akron, but not since. Could the acoustics of the stadiums have made some difference as well? Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) I do not believe there is any sample of the Bluecoats brass in that mod wheel/joy stick effect (could be, but I don't hear it). Not sure how they are doing it, but most synth programmers use a joy stick or mod wheel and program the range for the pitch bend. Again, it's a great move by Blooo and, as I said in another post, I believe their show this year will change how many use these devices. They've always done this sort of thing well (The Bluecoats), but their continued success at this type of design is turning heads, and giving fans a new perspective and some fun. According to the Bluecoats it is a sample of their hornline....nothing more..... and that is what it sounds like to me. When you digitally manipulate an acoustic sound to that degree, it begins to sound quite fake... plus we are hearing it through loud speakers. I agree that it does sound similar to a "sawtooth" but there is nothing really that leads me to believe that it isn't a sample of the real thing. Also, if you can find a recording of the show from the press box or higher up in the stands (where the distance to the speakers is not significantly different than the hornline)... then the sound blends much better and is much less "synthesized." Edited July 22, 2014 by Tez 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Could it have been more than just mic placement that made the improvement in the way the pitch blend sounded Saturday? It had blown me away in Akron, but not since. Could the acoustics of the stadiums have made some difference as well? Thoughts? It is all about recording mic placement.... and the mix the recording engineer decides on. I am pretty sure the Bluecoats never "turned it down"..... it is just the mics are usually on the worng side of the speakers. The Akron show and San Antonio were the only ones to have mics actually on the speakers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frachel Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Yeah it'd be cooler if the actual corps did it but it's pretty much impossible to do it at that volume and in sync. Why is it so hard for people to appreciate a show, technology or not? It still sounds ####### cool. Why is it so hard to stop telling other people what they "should" like or appreciate. And while we're at it how about reading my post again where I said it was one of my favorite shows this year but I simply didn't get all the craziness/hoopla/etc over the pitch bend. I didn't even say it was bad or that I didn't like it, simply that to me it's nothing all that fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadevilina Crown Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 All I can say is, the pitch bend is definitely one of the most "OH-MY-G*D-WHY-DIDN'T-I-THINK-OF-THAT-BEFORE" moments in all of DCI's 42-year history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlemm Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 All I can say is, the pitch bend is definitely one of the most "OH-MY-G*D-WHY-DIDN'T-I-THINK-OF-THAT-BEFORE" moments in all of DCI's 42-year history. I agree, although not quite as jaw-dropping as Phantom Regiment killing their own drum major. But this year, indeed I concur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbandguy Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) The pitch bend is indeed a sampled patch of the Bluecoats brass...recorded at one of their camps. Brass arranger Doug Thrower came up with the idea. Coats electronics wizard Vince Oliver made it work. BRILLIANT!!! Edited July 22, 2014 by oldbandguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Huh? I was suggesting (at least in my own mind) that the brass were 'lipping' the change in pitch. And if they could do that, then why a third valve on the brass. Or any valve at all for that matter. I guess I will go take my meds.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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