Rules Congress

[MikeD]

Let me get this straight - synths are the only hope for DCA? Without them, it dies?

Synths in and of themselves...No.

Not remaining current and modern with available technololgy and concepts used in marching/music all over the US....Yes.

IMO, anyway.

[LegalEagle50]

When he wrote: "Yeah you know what - you're all right and I'm completely wrong. Nothing bad will happen to DCA as a result of all this."

Color me silly for getting one from the other.

[GUARDLING]

Okay, if we are going to have a discussion, we first need to get past this. I think that in most cases, when someone says their line-in-the-sand change will "kill" drum corps, they are merely stating that "drum corps", as they define it, will be gone as a result - not that the changed activity will repel every last fan and go extinct. Other marching arts have added electronics without repelling every last spectator.

Since you mention DCI, we should look at them. Yes, attendance is up a bit in 2014. What does that have to do with A&E? DCI made those changes 5 to 10 years ago, and attendance trends were not optimistic at those times. As for new corps, we did just see a growth spurt in 2014 after many years without. Again, I do not see how electronics has anything to do with that. In fact, the growth is focused in remote areas far away from the DCI home base, generated by corps with remarkably limited tour schedules.

I agree. But how? It seems that the new business model for DCA is to stay five car lengths behind DCI. Is that really their best strategy?

Back in the 1990s, DCA was very smart about developing class A. Regional expansion was another brilliant concept. DCA actually WAS growing when those ideas were their focus. Looking at the new DCI corps, there is evidence of further growth potential for whichever circuit reaches out to remote regions, and to programs with schedule constraints that conflict with traditional dates for world championships. DCI is making progress there. DCA, not any more.

You make it sound as if changes like A&E are necessary to draw people to the activity. But how has that worked out so far?

But DCA has not been sticking to tradition. They have been making all the same changes DCI has made, and apparently they are not impacting attendance positively.

Im going to address just one of you comments which I do agree with. Defining drum corps as they know it.This is very true.but that can be said of they years most people marched also. You can go back decades and generations have said the same about the ones who are saying it now. Remember 1972 " Drum Corps is dead " It aint drum corps . I remember the t shirts. 40 plus years later, here we are.

[N.E. Brigand]

I saw Minnesota Brass this season. They blew me away! I can say this with complete confidence: Sandy would have had his Congas lit up, like that house in National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation", If he was still alive today. If we could figure out how to put them on his uniform: That too!

The lights on MBI's drums (and on the giant prop sphere) were a great effect. I saw two high school marching bands do something similar with their drums this year: the Bands of America grand national champion, Tarpon Springs (FL), with a man vs. machine theme, and an Ohio band, Turpin, whose lights changed colors with each movement, illuminating white, blue, green, red for "Blinded by the Light", "Rhapsody in Blue", "Greensleeves", and "Paint It Black" ("I see a red door..."), respectively.

[N.E. Brigand]

Okay, so a corps that used hundreds of spoken words in their show had to explain to their members why electronics were okay pre-show, but not mid-show.

None of the kids I have ever spoken to as prospective marchers have ever asked why drum corps did not have A and/or E. When amplified pit and synth became staples, though, I would expect kids with marching band pit experience would have asked.

So do kids ask you why drum corps does not have woodwinds? Do they look at you like you have 4 heads when you explain?

Thanks for asking this question.

[Grandpa]

Can't get the quote thing to work...

Liz - perhaps the sarcasm of that post was lost on you.

Thanks guys for pointing out the extremely obvious things I would have, had you not beat me to it.

[JimF-LowBari]

LOL corps back in my day had the smaller (and lesser) corps going against the top ones in Prelims....

Been there, done that, still have the scars......

And heard "that ain't drum corps" in 1975. #### marching bells and doing away with Color Pre (start/finish line already gone).

[GUARDLING]

LOL corps back in my day had the smaller (and lesser) corps going against the top ones in Prelims....

Been there, done that, still have the scars......

And heard "that ain't drum corps" in 1975. #### marching bells and doing away with Color Pre (start/finish line already gone).

this is why the sky is falling because of this or that just isnt true. Just as it wasnt back in the day. And NO ( for those who think so ) corps did not disappear because of changes made in corps styles or like you mentioned the color pre not used anymore.

[Grandpa]

But Guardling, if no synth rule was passed, would the sky fall then?

Because I don't believe for a minute this addresses any "real" problems in DCA, it just indulges the designers' desire to have the things.

[GUARDLING]

But Guardling, if no synth rule was passed, would the sky fall then?

Because I don't believe for a minute this addresses any "real" problems in DCA, it just indulges the designers' desire to have the things.

maybe it wouldnt but the point is IF corps want to move into this century and use what could be available to them. WHY NOT. You seem to be against this merely because it changes what you believe drum corps is or should be. You say designers desire to have things but then it becomes the few who desire NOT to have things. So then here we are..lol....wanna bet who prevails? Synths or whatever will not kill drum corps. There are way to many other factors that can and maybe should have long before the bells and whistles.