JimF-LowBari Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 My dad never liked the idea of corps starting on the field. He LOVED the old off-the-line numbers and drill. Well that ain't drum corps.... LOL Seeing older vids (1972 DCA Finals Sky/Rochester comes to mind) the end line is like a big letdown for me. Just so used to corps doing the in your face closer on the show that corps going away at the end is a wth? Yeah could park n bark outside the end zone but sound just lost in the big stadium. Not sure what the rules were when I started as we did DCA and RCA circuits and probably used some old drill bits. 1974 CG could be on the field and rest of the corps was just behind the goal line and backfield line. About 2 years later we were on the field but everyone still hungs around the backfield. And just can't remember when we could use yardlines and not just 50 yard line. About 1977 maybe.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I'm glad Jim beat me to the idea that there are no absolutes in the activity. 1985, almost 30 years ago, Suncoast did Florida Suite, all original music, but highly entertaining and well thought of today. So is all original music the issue, no. Two-Seven did Niner-Two in the late 70's, Madison did Strawberry Soup in the 70's or early 80's, well thought of, popular in spite of the fact Ellis was a mad genius writing in 9/2 for God's sake. Madison does Ellis last year, disappointed the Ellis fanatic that I am immensely, laid an egg with a show that could have been so, so, sooo much more than it was... So it's perhaps not what is being played. Accessibility of the charts, no matter what they're performing is the main issue. It doesn't have to be something known to the listener to get them to buy in. Case in point- 2014 Cabs. People really, really liked that show, even though it's all original. It also wasn't written to pander to the judges, nor the audience, it was just good content, good music. Sometimes, certain groups have pandered to one or the other, and it usually spells disaster for that organization. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2B or not 2B Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Being Old Style. I prefer that shows START left of the 50 Yard line. In any way they like. From straight down the Goal Line too Any Formation they like. Then the same in Reverse for the end. It seems to give a beginning and end to each Corps show. Start and build to the BIG ending. Have those "Fans in the Stands", Jumping up and Cheering BEFORE the show even Stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 To go with Ws last paragraph I never thought the issue was audience knowing the music as much as it having a melody that could be picked out by the audience. LOL never knew Cabs show was original music. And how many freaking times have I caught myself half whistling Niner Two. Especially after Mass Brass did it some years back, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 As for right tom left, I know some studies have been done that movement from left to right tends to be more logical and pleasing to our Western senses. Right to left movement tends to create stress and discord mentally- good drill designers have used that little tidbit over the last 30 or so years quite well at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 As for right tom left, I know some studies have been done that movement from left to right tends to be more logical and pleasing to our Western senses. Right to left movement tends to create stress and discord mentally- good drill designers have used that little tidbit over the last 30 or so years quite well at times. That made me flash back to the early 70's. The Herald News newspaper used to host a series of marching band exhibition shows three Tuesdays in October. 15 bands per show, with a 7-minute max. No judging, except Moe Kazazian doing timing. The show was held at Clifton HS stadium (where the Cabs Grand Prix is normally held. The Clifton HS Mustang band got to perform at two of the shows, as the "host". The main thing is that the shows HAD to go right to left, the opposite of drum corps shows of the day. I worked the event as a college music major at nearby Montclair State college. I was also working with the Glen Ridge HS band in 71, whose director was our (Garfield's) asst brass instructor in 1971. Well, it was his first year at Glen Ridge, and he wrote the drill going left-to-right, as was done by just about every corps and band (not in the festival). After working the first night and seeing the right-to-left drills, I broke the news to him. Two weeks before we were to perform, we had to reteach the entire show backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2B or not 2B Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 (edited) A lot of my thinking is about the "Fan in the Stands". It all seems to (me, anyway) Flow Better. It also gives the people sitting in the Stands in the Goal Line to 30 yard line more of a chance to connect to the Performance. Then with the show moving on to the 30 to 30 have the best advantage The move to the closing then gives AT First, at least a part. Their best viewing. Granting that the ending will most likely be closer to the 50 again. That too me, gives everyone a part for them to connect to the Corps on the Field. A Beginning and an End. I am not saying Each area gets 1/3 of the Show. The Center (30 to 30) area would clearly get more than 2/3s or more, of the show. Heck the first part might be Less than 1 and 1/2 Minutes . But that area would gain more of a chance to what is coming. Making their seat a little more worth the money they have paid. Just an idea to think about. Edited January 8, 2015 by 2B or not 2B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Oh well ... there goes my show concept for next year ... LOL ... NYNY is still legal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 NOTE: My posts here and above are speaking GENERALLY. We can all find exceptions in any era so just making sure that is understood. In going from low to high brow (still can't think of a better term) it's also that now we have themes in shows that rule all (yeah I'll say it). So if a corps played something that people really liked or became a corps signature tune you can kiss that good bye as "it don't fit the theme" (Thinking Carlos Mencia saying the last 5 words.) Now Cabs have to play "Hide The Rumps" to be able to say that they still play them (do they?). Also not too knowledgeble on it but didn't people complain here about "chop n bop" arrangements where it was pieces of songs instead of playing an entire song. And hey, the arrangements back in the day were more basic because of the missing valve and less instruments (full pit, etc) that could be used. Earlier corps would play a song and there would be a break between songs. Today there is a smoother slide/segue at times for some tunes which is more musical but a difference. Segue to me is part of the corps playing end of one song as rest of corps is coming in with the second (can't think of good example at present). And before my time every corps had a Color Pre which in most cases the music was known by about all. Lot more known than Doors, Chuck Mangy-dog, etc, etc,.... Again: Not saying right/wrong/good/bad, Just a dis-passionate (is that a word) discussion..... PS - to lighten the mood add 'Rocky' to Jeff/Andys list... unless it's the Matadors doing the 1980 fanfare... honestly.....a lot of it is the arrangement. A lot of the stuff played today, if written in ways that allow melodic phrases to flow and build in ways other than "oh hey, it's been 32 counts, time for a hold with body and a loud chord", would be a great thing and I think fans would take hold. But because the activity is at a point where visual, despite the weight on the score sheets, is the primary emphasis, it's still tough to get into stuff being played, but there has been a slight swing back the other way 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Color-Pre. One of those terms that makes me gag. Well, this thread is going downhill. Is respect too much to ask for? You are the same person who castigates anyone who complains about the latest changes. Maybe you should practice what you preach, and temper your own criticism. For example, do you have a similar reaction to anything patriotic (recent Troopers) or nationalistic (2014 Cadets)? If not, maybe you are like me, merely glad that color presentations are no longer mandatory. If so, you could have just said that, instead of dissing the entire concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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