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Rules Congress


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Jim...i'll put it this way:

The alumni show, from many sources, breaks even at best on DCA weekend. even in the supposed All Age Drum corps capital of the world, Rochester NY. if you look at the crowd there, or even with Hanovers standstill show, you see the crowd size grow....later in the show when others are done performing

if alumni corps got the support from the people crying about tradition, Hanover would need a room twice the size of York Suburban to hold the show. The Forum would have sold out forever.

That audience base is literally dying off. I once saw Five Stars list, and I was told every year 10-20 people would be crossed off due to death.

Tell me something I don't know. And plenty of folks in the Alumni type corps (at least the ones with eyes open) know it too.

Just want to point out you're missing my point in my response to Johns post which I misunderstood. And not sure of your point in this either unless you think I'm blind to the future of this genre of corps. Why do you think Hanover changed from parade style about a decade back.

As for "tradition" whose tradition? I suspect some people would NOT like some things Hanover does (singing how dare they????). And some "traditional way of playing" some corps do leave me cold so goes both ways.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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Except that in this case, apparently the kids--or "the future" as you put it--are implicitly complaining that DCA doesn't have any synthesizers, and in response, DCA makes changes.

Although I remain baffled at the idea that there are tuba players out there trying to decide whether or not to join a corps, and deciding against it because the corps doesn't have a synthesizer.

You're right, they don't think that way. They do, however, tend to think things like "Hey, that corps does way cool stuff with electronics, and it looks like fun. I'll go there."

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Someone on one of the Facebook threads said 'well people are too hung over to get up and go"

bull ####.

I've been hung over and at the alumni show. it's just a #### poor excuse from those types of "fans"

I've been told we don't care since we slept in some years, Tell that to the lady who some years has to decide to go to Finals or Alumni cuz her body sez if you go to both you will be hurting for a long time since stadium seats dont recline.

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You're right, they don't think that way. They do, however, tend to think things like "Hey, that corps does way cool stuff with electronics, and it looks like fun. I'll go there."

But in six years, very few DCI corps have done "way cool stuff" with electronics. I doubt anyone could name even ten shows with memorable electronics use, of the 150+ shows that have used synthesizers.

Edited by N.E. Brigand
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But in six years, very few DCI corps have done "way cool stuff" with electronics. I doubt anyone could name even ten shows with memorable electronics use, of the 150+ shows that have used synthesizers.

They absolutely could. You underestimate the power of today's high school corps-geeks.

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They absolutely could. You underestimate the power of today's high school corps-geeks.

I was unclear, since I didn't mean to besmirch the mental power of high school corps-geeks: I mean that there simply aren't ten memorable electronics moments in DCI's six years of using synthesizers, so that said corps-geeks would get stuck not due to brainiac limitations but for want of material.

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No question in my mind, some of the instrument and effects changes already introduced by DCI can be very successful for DCA, too. To me, the 2014 DCI performances were the best I've ever seen or heard ever since DCI was formed. The shows were greatly enhanced by the changes, for the most part. DCI also regained some respect for unbroken melodies, but that hasn't been a real issue for DCA all along. Regardlesss, the electronics, effects, etc. elevated the DCI product and gave those shows broader appeal.

My concern is with DCA's much smaller audience base. A base that, if it becomes smaller, presents a greater problem for a DCA, than a DCI. The DCA base is absolutely older and traditional. The 'age' part is a significant issue for reasons already stated. I fully agree, DCA needs to 'freshen-up.' However, some of these same transitions will not be as easy for DCA corps and DCA's current audience base, as they were for a much more capable DCI organization.

But, with patience and a more subdued introduction by DCA corps, changes like these will eventually pay-off, I think.

Edited by Fred Windish
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Except that in this case, apparently the kids--or "the future" as you put it--are implicitly complaining that DCA doesn't have any synthesizers, and in response, DCA makes changes.

Although I remain baffled at the idea that there are tuba players out there trying to decide whether or not to join a corps, and deciding against it because the corps doesn't have a synthesizer.

not all synth parts are tuba doubling

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However, some of these same transitions will not be as easy for DCA corps and DCA's current audience base, as they were for a much more capable DCI organization.

You really think fans of Reading or Hawthorne or Minnesota won't be as rabid for their corps if they roll out electronics? I don't. Heck, five gets you ten that 95% of those same fan bases didn't even notice all three corps used amplification last year.

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Not all synth parts are tuba doubling.

Of course not. That wasn't my point. My point was: who, besides synth players, is deciding for or against deciding a particular corps based on whether or not that corps uses synths? And if they are making such decisions, how would they express their reasons?

Now it's true that in a tuba player's case, given the amount of thunderous goo for 2009-2012 especially, that I have to imagine the thinking goes like this: "I'm not a very good player, so where will heavy use of synthesizer mean that I'll have less to play and my inadequacies will be less noticeable?"

Now sure, there is one corps who has both made generally effective use of electronics and featured the tubas as much or more than any other, but so far, they've been the exception not the rule.

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