perc2100 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 (edited) FWIW I've both performed and taught groups that did the Macy's and Rose Parades, and Macy's has more strict guidelines for performances. IDK which one is more difficult to get in, but I personally enjoyed Macy's more (and maybe only slightly because as a percussionist the Macy's parade is shorter & more manageable ). Something about performing and hearing the band echo off the NYC skyscrapers is just awesome (even if the pre-show blocking rehearsal suuuuuuuuucks) Edited December 5, 2014 by perc2100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Do they check the repertoire all that closely?? If so, is it for timing reasons, or is it in the interest of "festive programming?" If it is the latter, I seem to recall an appearance by JMU a few years back (I'm guessing 4-5 years, but since time seems to go quicker as I age, it might be closer to 6 or 7) who rocked the cameras with "Get It On" from their Chase medley -- hardly what I would think of as being "holiday" or "festive." No complaints from here whatsoever -- it made the whole parade for me. Absolutely. I marched in the Rose Parade and you have to have your repertoire set a year in advance and it cannot be changed. Each piece has to be a certain tempo so that the parade goes on schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoln Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 The last times I was involved with groups in Macys, yes they do check the rep. closely. We had to send audio recordings, and a month or so out we had to send a video of the visual/musical performance that the band would be playing on camera. Macy's then gave us "notes" and we had to accommodate. IIRC, there was something about the amount of counts/seconds there can be drum-only phrases and maybe even a specific amount of seconds for "park & bark" (i.e. a maximum amount). I believe they also have a certain type of rep. they prefer, though there is of course some leeway (we gave them a few options and they chose the piece/arrangement they wanted): not necessarily festive programming per say (one year we did a Beatles medley, and it coincided with the Anniversary of Lennon's death and for whatever reason Macy's dug that - we honestly hadn't though of that anniversary at all when we talked to them about the rep, but we ran with it when Macy's dug it), but I got the sense that they maybe didn't want esoteric and preferred more populist (ish) stuff. I've seen bands who didn't necessarily do this and went with successful BOA program rep. so there's not a hard/fast rule or guideline. There is definitely a timing specification for the broadcast portion, at least. They're pretty strict, or at least they know exactly what they want/what works for them and they demand performing ensembles do it. Do you know if Macy's pays the rights to the music being used? When I saw that Madison was playing a version of Happy, my first thought was how expensive the rights were to be able to perform that song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Since all I saw was the 30 seconds of TV part, did they use a street beat of any kind, or were there no breaks? How does it work up there? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 (edited) Mike, Here's their drumbeat (not used below 36th street, the TV Zone.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSCGGeBDKxc A BOA-like run to your first set once given the ok and then one tune glides pretty much into the next with only a few counts for horns up or down or spin around. Nothing like Cadets 2005 trap drum set feature. Parade route and protocols were drastically revised since after the year the loose balloon knocked down the lightpost which left a fatality when it fell. NYPD and Homeland used the opp to "convince" Macy's to re-write many protocols for better streamlining and safety. It is not like a DCI/WGI or band contest performance at all. Lincoln asks an interesting question which begs another I meant to ask but forgot. Who actually wrote Madison's arrangements? Smith, Boerma, or ??? Brothers??? Edited December 5, 2014 by xandandl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Mike, Here's their drumbeat (not used below 36th street, the TV Zone.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSCGGeBDKxc A BOA-like run to your first set once given the ok and then one tune glides pretty much into the next with only a few counts for horns up or down or spin around. Nothing like Cadets 2005 trap drum set feature. Parade route and protocols were drastically revised since after the year the loose balloon knocked down the lightpost which left a fatality when it fell. NYPD and Homeland used the opp to "convince" Macy's to re-write many protocols for better streamlining and safety. It is not like a DCI/WGI or band contest performance at all. Lincoln asks an interesting question which begs another I meant to ask but forgot. Who actually wrote Madison's arrangements? Smith, Boerma, or ??? Brothers??? Boerma did the featured number. Smith did the route piece, but it had edits, not sure if those were his. But Happy was Boerma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Both were quite nice. Ditto on both instrumental and vocal MYNWA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Do you know if Macy's pays the rights to the music being used? When I saw that Madison was playing a version of Happy, my first thought was how expensive the rights were to be able to perform that song. I don't know; maybe that's part of why they want to solidify rep. so far in advance. I would think that's on NBC/Macy's (or whoever officially runs the parade) as those rights would be broadcasting. The bands obviously are supposed to get permission to arrange whatever charts. NBC/Macy's might have a blanket contract with ASCAP or something for live music performance broadcast: that would be my guess. I honestly don't remember the rights stuff the last time I was at Macy's: I was fairly young then and I likely wouldn't have paid much attention to that type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totaleefree Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 I have to wonder where the Front Ensemble,(Pit) players fit in on a formation like this, did they carry banners, play a tenor, practice on a battery instrument ? I am sure they are a part of the corps and marched. Fortunately they no longer have marching Tympani or Vibes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I have to wonder where the Front Ensemble,(Pit) players fit in on a formation like this, did they carry banners, play a tenor, practice on a battery instrument ? I am sure they are a part of the corps and marched. Fortunately they no longer have marching Tympani or Vibes. When I was in HS in the early 90's, the front ensemble did indeed march with old-school marching xylos and vibes. For the Rose Parade in particular they switched off every so often (we had something like double the students than instruments) so they didn't kill their back: I don't recall what the front ensemble did for Macy's. I've taught groups where the front ensemble played auxiliary instruments (of course the TV camera gets a closeup of the front ensemble mallet player marching the Rose Parade with finger cymbals), marched battery drums, carried the banner, or even played a secondary wind instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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