Cappybara Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Can't the pit also use contras? Or better yet, can't the pit just use synthesizers and save the corps tens of thousands dollars? I guarantee you that within the next decade that some corps will use this logic as a justification for dumping synths (unlike dumping cymbals it makes a lot of financial, if not musical, sense). I remember in 2010 when Madison introduced its vaunted 20 man contra line (incidentally this is the year they cut their cymbal line). I didn't notice any real difference between their sound and the sounds of smaller contra lines. Of course I am a mere percussionist, but I know many brass players who made a similar complaint in 2010. Is it time that drum corps started cutting these ruinously expensive instruments? Uh what? Replacing contras with a synth is not the equivalent of replacing cymbals on the field with actual cymbals in the pit... A synthesizer sounds nothing like the sound of an actual horn. As for Madison 2010, I wasnt fortunate to watch it live (or 2011 for that matter which I believe had the same large contra line) but I can hear a pretty large difference in sound. Especially in the opener for both openers. THAT was a good low brass sound. Sounds like we both have very different ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Uh what? Replacing contras with a synth is not the equivalent of replacing cymbals on the field with actual cymbals in the pit... A synthesizer sounds nothing like the sound of an actual horn. As for Madison 2010, I wasnt fortunate to watch it live (or 2011 for that matter which I believe had the same large contra line) but I can hear a pretty large difference in sound. Especially in the opener for both openers. THAT was a good low brass sound. Sounds like we both have very different ears. The design and instruction in 2010 was much better than in 2007-2009 which IMO is why it sounded that much better. Recruiting was also at a higher level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifuarian Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) Uh what? Replacing contras with a synth is not the equivalent of replacing cymbals on the field with actual cymbals in the pit... A synthesizer sounds nothing like the sound of an actual horn. As for Madison 2010, I wasnt fortunate to watch it live (or 2011 for that matter which I believe had the same large contra line) but I can hear a pretty large difference in sound. Especially in the opener for both openers. THAT was a good low brass sound. Sounds like we both have very different ears. Of course I didn't say it was the equivalent. The equivalent - which I mentioned - would be putting contras in the pit (you can put anything up there!). I said it would be better. You could replace these heavy, cumbersome, and expensive instruments with a couple of keyboards. With a nice enough sound system you could fill a stadium with a fuller, richer bass sound than a whole corps of contras could produce, right? Even Madison with its 20 contras knew this. I could kind of hear the tubas in 2010, but what I heard most of all was a deeply satisfying WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM emanating from the pit. Edited October 12, 2014 by Rifuarian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) Of course I didn't say it was the equivalent. The equivalent - which I mentioned - would be putting contras in the pit (you can put anything up there!). I said it would be better. You could replace these heavy, cumbersome, and expensive instruments with a couple of keyboards. With a nice enough sound system you could fill a stadium with a fuller, richer bass sound than a whole corps of contras could produce, right? Even Madison with its 20 contras knew this. I could kind of hear the tubas in 2010, but what I heard most of all was a deeply satisfying WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM emanating from the pit. Better is completely subjective of course. A synthetic sound < actual contras, to me. Edited October 12, 2014 by Cappybara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HsJ3a6GWeMIndeed, certainly no musical contribution at all here. Especially not during a percussion feature. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HsJ3a6GWeM Indeed, certainly no musical contribution at all here. Especially not during a percussion feature. obviously in the lot (or indoor percussion) are entirely different venues. heck there are even times when you can hear them on the field too. but most of the time their contribution is NOT heard from the stands. so again.. visual distraction + parts mostly covered by the pit = we can think of something better to do with those 4 or 5 bodies. Edited October 12, 2014 by corpsband Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Better is completely subjective of course. A synthetic sound < actual contras, to me. not just you Cappy. and you're right that there's no parallel between thunderous goo and contras. fwiw madison may have had 20 bodies marching contra but im not so sure they were all actually playing. they were very tame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 agree that the cymbal line is musically irrelevant - I'd go so far as to say they are musically disruptive Yowza Yowza Yowza! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agogobell28 Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 (edited) Regarding contras - Suncoast 88 had a mere 7 K-90s, and their balance was immaculate - but of course, having an excellent Robert Smith book helps. And of course, Blue Devils 1984 fielding only 8 - that still was a great sound. But you know what could happen? They could have a cymbal line only for certain tunes - like they did in 1988. Malaguena had about nine cymbal players in the ending part, but more than half of those guys played in the pit in the rest of the show. Today that could happen again - only just don't have ANY cymbal line at all during some tunes. Edited October 13, 2014 by Agogobell28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 not just you Cappy. and you're right that there's no parallel between thunderous goo and contras. fwiw madison may have had 20 bodies marching contra but im not so sure they were all actually playing. they were very tame. They were playing. I hoped for more sound as well, but I know for certain they did all play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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