quietcity Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 (edited) It's great news *if* they have plans to make significant musical contributions to the show. If it's all visual, why bother? Cymbal lines have been musically irrelevant since the advent of the pit in the early 1980s. Their raison d'être for the past 30 years has been to provide visual panache. The battery is rather limited in its ability to express itself visually, and the cymbals can add a kinetic, high-energy flair that would otherwise be missing. I for one get a thrill out of seeing an excellent cymbal line like SCV's, and I am delighted that Madison is bringing their cymbals back. Edited October 4, 2014 by quietcity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 The guard is generally a completely visual element, and isn't billed as anything else. Most cymbal lines of late are billed as musical elements that bring absolutely nothing to the table in terms of music, but rather become a completely visual element, and a distracting one at that. I couldn't disagree more about cymbals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Not even close they aren't.... Obviously it's a matter of opinion... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlamMan Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Cymbales are missed. When I marched Scouts the Cymbal line was the heart & soul of the drum line. Moose & the crew were inspirational & funny as h e l l. Every Drum Corps should march a Cymbal line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 excellent news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 excellent news! Adding more percussionists is NEVER a bad thing, am I right?! (added the pirate emoji because I don't see it enough) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 (edited) If cymbal lines are irrelevant to the music, then one could say the same thing about all drums. And horns. Tympani are disappearing from front ensembles; electronics provide that sonic color. Take that idea to its logical end: There's no need for the drum line or horn line. Electronics can do the job. Just put a couple DJs and their MacBooks on the front sideline, and fill the field with 148 members of the color guard. I say: Welcome back, cymbals. I've missed you. Edited October 6, 2014 by 2muchcoffeeman 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 If cymbal lines are irrelevant to the music, then one could say the same thing about all drums. And horns. Tympani are disappearing from front ensembles; electronics provide that sonic color. Take that idea to its logical end: There's no need for the drum line or horn line. Electronics can do the job. Just put a couple DJs and their MacBooks on the front sideline, and fill the field with 148 members of the color guard. I say: Welcome back, cymbals. I've missed you. This is a good point, and it is really all a matter of personal taste. I think another factor about cymbal lines that folks might overlook/not realize is the relative cost of furnishing a cymbal line is relatively inexpensive (vs, say, adding 3 marimba players, or another five bass drums for a dual bass line, etc): especially given a common endorsement deal where cymbal replacement costs nothing (even re-wrapping keyboard mallets has a nominal fee). Costs of housing/feeding the members is there (and the same for all, regardless of instrument), the cost of the actual instruments in very reasonable. This is one reason why so many WGI groups have cymbal lines. Cymbal lines are also a great way to get someone marching experience who maybe isn't quite good enough for the other battery sections. I know in World Class drum corps that reasoning might not exist much anymore, so that argument might be moot. But even beyond the basic personal tastes of a cymbal line there are several other practical applications that make a cymbal line favorable. Other corps may choose to utilize grounded cymbals in the front ensemble to create the music effect, and add more guard members to enhance the visual program; but cymbal lines to have a great place in the activity, and it's nice to see one being added back into the fold!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 oh lord... not a good sign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Dixon Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Cymbal lines have been musically irrelevant since the advent of the pit in the early 1980s. Their raison d'être for the past 30 years has been to provide visual panache. The battery is rather limited in its ability to express itself visually, and the cymbals can add a kinetic, high-energy flair that would otherwise be missing. I for one get a thrill out of seeing an excellent cymbal line like SCV's, and I am delighted that Madison is bringing their cymbals back. agree that the cymbal line is musically irrelevant - I'd go so far as to say they are musically disruptive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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