Ghost Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I have considered this. I'm just not sure if this will be worth it. It just doesn't look the same to me. I don't mean to come off as snobby, but I really wanna be in a group that's really gonna wow people in the crowd. Again, sorry if this makes me snobby, or snooty or whatever. Unless you're the second coming of David Child Tristan, (well then look him up) to me your best option, as others have mentioned, is OC. You currently do not have the physical ability; the corps you initially mentioned have an average corps age of over 19 (my guess); and the average mm has three or more years experience. How you have worded your posts does not show me a person with a lot of confidence. Go after the brass ring hard after a year with one of many "stepping stone corps". If you take too big a bite your first year it might be a frustrating year. Off season camps are nothing like what takes place beginning with ST. Hope the tough love you will receive will help guide you realistically. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Tristan; If you have not watched this in its entirety and contemplated it please do so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WWmM1jpM8I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeffeory Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) Tristan; If you have not watched this in its entirety and contemplated it please do so: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WWmM1jpM8I ..and this one as well! embedding the previous video Edited June 2, 2016 by jjeffeory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 When you make the decision to audition (no matter where), also make the decision to march that season with some Corps -- even Open or DCA. You won't regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Go try out with Music City. They are in state. Costs to your parents should be less than most others. Good luck to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) I want to put a fine point on the idea of going for your dream corps and having a fall-back lower-tier corps just in case... Let's be realistic. Last Nov, the _Kid went on a whirlwind tryout tour to learn the ropes of auditions, corps, staff, processes...the whole shebang. He wanted a call back last year but was realistic about the purpose of these trips, which was not necessarily to get a contract. We both learned a ton, hopefully some will apply to your position. Background: the _Kid is a snare drummer, was a month past his 16th birthday during last years audition season, and has been to fifteen finals with me - his first was in my arms. He knows the corps, studies the drumlines, knows the staffs and the writers/arrangers, and has his favorites. We also live in central Ohio, only several hours away from 90% of drum corps. The percussion caption head at his high school is the pit caption head at 'Coats, his battery tech in H.S. marched two years at BD on tenors, his snare instructor marches snare at RhythmX. Needless to say, he has LOTS of input guidance besides his own experience. Prior to audition season last year, he plotted out his schedule to attend 4 auditions in person and send in at least one video audition. He started with his "dream corps", which is not, necessarily, the one from which he plans to age out - he knows he might fall in love with wherever he first marches and never leave. His dream corps in his mind (and not the one from his instructors or his old man) is the one that's high enough up the chain of placement at which he can march on Saturday night (he wants that "roar of the crowd" like you do), really challenges him, and the one that gives him the instruction he desires from a staff he highly respects. He auditioned at BK, Academy, BlueStars, and Colts and he sent in one video audition. Did he get a contract? No. Did he learn a lot? Absolutely, YES, an invaluable amount that leaves him much better prepared for this November when he'll be 17. Some things he (and I) learned: 1. There are a BAZILLION drummers. At each of his auditions he was one of more than 15 - and at Academy and Colts one of more than 30 - snare drummers vying for, at most four spots. You won't have that problem but you can count on the competition for spots being the highest you've experienced. Some will embarrass you; most will challenge your confidence. Learn to love it to make yourself better and to not show your intimidation. Develop a good poker face. 2. Go prepared. Each audition had a personal audition where the _Kid had to play a prepared piece. Make this a great one as its the only time you'll have the undivided attention from the staff. Know the audition materials perfectly and don't slough off or think you can wing it. 3. Likely the people who get a contract will be buff physically but it's not the deal-maker or breaker. Most staffs know they'll whip you into physical shape if you have the mental attitude and drive to put up with their regimen of practice. 4. Be cautious of the idea that you have multiple chances to tryout at multiple corps. You don't, despite the _Kids multiple attempts. You really only have two chances because it's over two weekends that most corps schedule their auditions (there are exceptions and stragglers). By the time you get to audition at your second choice corps, it's likely that they'll be on their second round of auditions - the one to which the first round is "called back". In that audition you'll be going up against players who have already been seen by staff and called back. You'll be the new guy there, so you'll have to be even better than normal to stand out against someone who's already been called back (let alone a vet from a prior year). 5. Don't look for warm and gushy hand-holding or deep reflection/instruction on your talent. There's no time for that. These corps have a very short two days to sift through the players who will make their season and they don't have time or inclination to show you deep tidbits of how to improve. You might get a couple of comments but, likely, they'll say you're just not ready and to get some further instruction, lose 10 pounds, or grow up a year or two. 6. Not one of the audition staffs offered the _Kid a suggested corps for him to go to next, even when he specifically asked. Every one of them said "It doesn't matter. Just march, do indoor, or take lessons over the summer". This idea of an interconnected referral system between corps is non-existent in our experience. 7. Staff attitude varies greatly. Most were very nice, pleasant, encouraging, realistic, and thoughtful toward the kids who were giving a weekend (and a fee) to audition. Two experiences were really bad, personally, from the staff. One, in particular, that has a great reputation for developing kids and providing a great experience was really bad. Simply, be prepared to roll with the punches and stick out the whole weekend. 8. Audition fees are a powerful driver. The idea of a callback is exciting to a kid, but it's revenue to the corps. One corps called back 25 drummers to second camp to try out for two spots. Be cautious of "the callback" if you get one, and be realistic about your chances of getting a contract by understanding the dynamics of how many are getting called back for how many spots. Remember, call-back weekends for first-round corps are the first weekend for first auditions for second round corps. You may be passing up a first round audition at a more realistic corps by accepting a less-than-realistic call back to a first round corps. Remember, audition fees are a great motivation for the corps to offer you a call back. Be skeptical if you're one of a whole bunch being called back. 9. Audition costs. All told, I spent about $2000 flying and driving the _Kid around the country, including audition fees and my costs to travel with him to Houston (only because he had to stay in a hotel the night before the audition). In my mind, a very justifiable expense to pay for the education and experience he (we) got about the whole audition process, and considering the life-long benefits that I expect his experience to pay back to him. Granted, I have the ability to afford the cost and we could have saved about $500 each by cutting back the number of auditions. In the end, every dollar spent was worth it and, from my perspective, a great family bonding experience (my daughter went to Dubuque with us and volunteered to work as I did). At the very least, paying to learn how to audition to maximize your chances of actually making a corps so that you gain those life experiences is just a process. 10. Maybe exclusively for drummers because there are so dang many of them, but forget video auditions. The one the _Kid did was his best performance because he had the chance to edit his video. The corps didn't even have the decency to send him a "No Thank You" reply. Never heard a word from them. 11. Be prepared to be told that you're just too young. Many corps' average age puts a 17 year old at the very bottom of the age limit and many corps are just not willing to take a chance on a young, homesick kid who might quit in spring training when there are x-many other 18 or 19 year-olds who are more mature and can be taught. 12. Go for Gold. The _Kid wanted BK above all others, and he was the last to be cut on the second day of auditions. And the staff member who cut him personally expressed to him how difficult her decision was. Point is: he was THAT close to making his "dream" corps. At 16. Marching Saturday night. Playing THAT book of music. Learning from THAT staff. I see it in his eyes - knowing he was THAT close to it made him want to work for it that much more. This November the _Kid will audition at only two corps. He now knows the bar he has to cross and he's focused solely on it. His second corps is his fallback and he will be at their first audition. The money I'll save in audition expenses will go towards tour fees, and my family may get to see him march on Saturday night, in the Big House. It's all on his shoulders and now he has a much clearer picture of what he has to do to slay the beast. Edited June 2, 2016 by garfield 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcifanforlife Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 You should audition with the Blue Stars. They hold all of their winter camps in Indianapolis and is easy to get too. It costs almost as much to march in an Open Class Corps as it does a World Class corps. World class is the only way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Well "said" G! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 You should audition with the Blue Stars. They hold all of their winter camps in Indianapolis and is easy to get too. It costs almost as much to march in an Open Class Corps as it does a World Class corps. World class is the only way to go. a) This is the exact same mentality as the G7; (It costs as much to march Blue Stars, which is a lower corps struggling each year to just make finals, as it does a G7 which are always competing for the Gold. So G7 is the only way to go.) b) No less than 7 OC corps beat at least 2 WC corps in 2015 DCI competition. c) Many OC corps treat their performers with as much if not more care and respect than some WC corps d) Many times there is more one-on-one quality instruction at the OC level as opposed to the WC level. e) So, while WC is the top level, WC is 'not' the only way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfirwin3 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) With respect to the physical demand issue... Anybody who has been there knows that you will be conditioned to handle the program. It's a non-issue. Unless you have an abnormal health restriction (cardiac/respiratory, blood disorder, etc.), you will be MADE to get through the program through the training process. It's inevitable. If you have a little bit of extra weight, you will lose it and then some. If you can't quite run a mile without walking, you will be conditioned to run several without too much trouble. Stellar fitness is not a prerequisite... but it will become essential, and will be granted through training process (particularly during the move-in spring training weeks and then the first couple weeks of the tour). The opening camps will deal with basics of playing and marching. The marching sessions are 'visual block' in nature, in an indoor environment, with lots of breaks, stopping and instruction. There are young people in some of the world class contenders who are great musicians and while they have been fans of drumcorps for a long time, they have never marched before. There are people in those groups (not many, but a few) who have never heard a drumcorps live before they showed up to camp. The organization of your choice will teach you everything that you need to know with respect to marching. You just have to show them that you are the best "sponge" on the gym floor or the turf. The percussion has more prerequisites to deal with... but you are a horn guy (from what I recall in your post). I don't know of any organization that will snub you or treat you like garbage if you don't know something. What they are looking for is the person that only needs to be taught something once. Just go and do it. Don't think so hard about it. Edited June 2, 2016 by cfirwin3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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