HornTeacher Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 The marching band I teach was VERY small back in 2002, after the single HS split into two. We had a total of 32 people, including 6 guard, 6 percussion, 10 winds and 1 DM. At one show, we had more parents moving pit and props than we had members! We wireless micced most of the winds, including the 2nd trumpet, our baritone horn player, our tuba, the four clarinets, and the tenor sax. We did not mic our first trumpet player, the two piccolos and the two altos. It worked out very well for us, actually, as we ended up 3rd of 16 at our USSBA 'A' class champs with just over a 90, and we were moved to the Open division for 2003, where we have been ever since. Congratulations, Mike. It is obvious that you are one heck of a teacher. Your kids are fortunate -- I hope they realize that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Congratulations, Mike. It is obvious that you are one heck of a teacher. Your kids are fortunate -- I hope they realize that. Thanks! Wireless mics can help if used carefully; I'm not sure throwing them on 60 or 70 horns is ever going to be something we'll see in DCI, at least I hope not. It helped us in very specific areas, but that was all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HornTeacher Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Cappybara...may I IM you? Nothing bad, I assure you. However, I'd like to clarify a point I was expressing earlier in the thread, and your response to it. I would welcome the "philosophical" discussion on this, but I don't think it necessary to bore the entire readership with our respective points of view. Suffice it to say, you and I are a whole lot closer on this matter than I think you realize. Again, it's all good. Very good. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Cappybara...may I IM you? Nothing bad, I assure you. However, I'd like to clarify a point I was expressing earlier in the thread, and your response to it. I would welcome the "philosophical" discussion on this, but I don't think it necessary to bore the entire readership with our respective points of view. Suffice it to say, you and I are a whole lot closer on this matter than I think you realize. Again, it's all good. Very good. Thank you. Of course. No need to ask for my permission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 No marching unit NEEDS a state-of-the-art electronics/sound system. However, many (most? all??) of the highly competitive units already use an expensive system. I'm guessing they aren't getting these for free either. Why do many/most/all of the highly competitive units use such a system? Because one unit (or a couple of units) decided to use them when electronics were approved, and now it has become the norm. If you don't use one of these systems, you are competitively behind the others that do. Thus, the activity becomes more and more expensive all around - corps budgets, corps dues, travel expenses, ticket prices to support all of these increased costs, etc., etc., etc. One or two designers decided a few years ago that their unit wanted to amplify their solos and add effects to the sound output. Now, this is the norm (at least the amplifying the solos is). What would prevent designers in the (near?) future from choosing to mic every brass player? Probably only the cost of the equipment right now. you'd be amazed how little state of the art stuff is being used out there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 If so, where does the human voice fall? Voice is a legal "instrument" in DCI and has been sampled/patched/not performed live lots of times already. Vocal amplification was specifically proposed and approved along with amplification of pit percussion. No gray area there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bsader Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 (edited) Any soloist who would allow their live performance to be substituted for a "perfect" recording ain't worth their salt. I don't have a problem if the solo is amplified so as to project, especially if that solo is weaving in and out of the full ensemble. I also think playing a recorded perfect solo would be or at least should be demeaning to the entire ensemble. It would be as if they were admitting to their audience that even their best player couldn't be trusted to perform at the highest level. I was a soloist, and yes, I do wish I could take one back and cringe a little every time I'm subjected to it (I guess I couldn't be trusted on that night) but allowing a solo to be played as a recording takes away from the overall integrity of the performance. Besides what will the future hold? Entire Corps using some sort of holographic technology to project their prior recorded "perfect" performances on to the field from the stands....And in first place with a perfect score.....everyone! Yes, I know that G.E. would still be the deciding factor but I couldn't help being a wise ###. As far as my acceptance of amplification? The truth is we can't all project like Maynard Ferguson the reason being even Maynard Ferguson doesn't project like Maynard Ferguson as he is amplified. He uses a microphone, doesn't he? Edited September 22, 2014 by Bsader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 (edited) Vocal amplification was specifically proposed and approved along with amplification of pit percussion. No gray area there. Right, but there seems to be some confusion about what sort of prerecording is allowed. Obviously there has been plenty of prerecorded voice lately, some of it by people who aren't even performing on the field, and with Bluecoats 2014, even plainly prerecorded brass. When synthesizers were approved starting in 2009, there was a "one stroke, one note" rule. That restriction seems to have fallen by the wayside but without many fans ever noticing an announcement of the change. And so the question is: why can't a corps just hire Al Chez to record a trumpet solo for them? What rule prohibits that? And why doesn't it prohibit vocals from being prerecorded? (Or for that matter, Bluecoats' pitch-bend this year?) Edited September 22, 2014 by N.E. Brigand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bsader Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I think it is important for contributors not to turn speculation into fact. This isn't CNN, MSNBC or FOX NEWS. All of this will only cause unnecessary paranoia, pettiness, and the creation of covert operations teams representing Corps vying to uncover each others dirty secrets and dirty laundry. Having said this I believe everyone who has toured with a Drum Corp knows that it is #### near impossible not to end up with dirty laundry. Can we at least agree on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Bsader, You are correct that speculation and facts are not the same thing. However, there is a value to perusing ramifications of new rules as they are applied in fact or as they may be (speculation) applied for the future. That discussion is the basis of this thread. Your above post could be read as defensiveness as if there is something hidden. I believe most of the posters in this thread are affirming their preference for a live performer being judged. The questions remain of how pre-recorded performances are considered in judging and in audience appreciation. To impugn motives for people raising questions doesn't further the discussion but could be perceived as a ploy to divert it. JMHO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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