Emergence of the Front Ensemble

[Fran Haring]

I could be wrong, but I think 1982 was the first year in which corps were allowed to "ground" the pit.

I remember in 1980, we (DCA's Sunrisers) grounded our tympani... but from what I recall, the drums were set on the field proper (inside the front yard line), not in what is now the "pit box."

But I think it was 1982 when we also grounded our mallet instruments. All two or three of them. LOL

[IllianaLancerContra]

We had grounded pit in Pride of Cincinnati with concert marimba, xylophone and vibes (crank timps and timbales also) in 1981.

Did you put them on the field or over the front sideline? IIRC they had to be on the field-proper until 1982.

[flammaster]

They pulse to keep time because dutting would be stupid right up front.

in 15 my son was one of the biggest pulsers for BD but he really gets into it. He is very passionate which is why he has never looked for a job teaching. They seek him out.

Edited August 28, 2016 by flammaster

[Sideways]

"The Pit" - leading cause of ensemble problems since 1982. ;)

[MikeD]

A lot of the smaller high schools in Kentucky still use the multi bass stack.

The ones being discussed were two (or three in a few cases) bass drums laid flat, the bottom head removed, and the drums tuned to some sort of pitch range to give the allusion of timpani prior to marching timpani taking over. They were kind of an intermediate short-lived setup. I played double bass in my first field corps in 1969. Two regular "flat" thumper basses were hooked together...very heavy.

Manufacturers did start to actually create sets of multi-basses for a short time. Blessed Sac had a guy named Bernard who was an amazing triple bass player...quite a showman with stick crosses and stuff. He was actually a cellist who would leave BS practice in Newark NJ and take the train to Philly where he was going to school to study cello.

We used snare slings to hold them...one across the left shoulder, one the right and one across the back to keep the drums from bouncing.

When I played tri-tom in Garfield in 71, we used the same snare-sling setup.

[DAvery]

The ones being discussed were two (or three in a few cases) bass drums laid flat, the bottom head removed, and the drums tuned to some sort of pitch range to give the allusion of timpani prior to marching timpani taking over. They were kind of an intermediate short-lived setup. I played double bass in my first field corps in 1969. Two regular "flat" thumper basses were hooked together...very heavy.

Weren't those called "flap jacks"?

[3PoC]

Did you put them on the field or over the front sideline? IIRC they had to be on the field-proper until 1982.

They were on the field in 81.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEHtV6_7g9o

[MikeD]

Weren't those called "flap jacks"?

I never heard that term, but it may have been a regional thing.

Now that you mention that term, I do recall double/triple basses being called bingity-bongs in my area sometimes, due to the type of sound they produced.

[garfield]

Bad technique.

Of course, if you listen to some arguments for removing the drum judge from the field, technique is a throwaway and percussion should be judged solely on the basis of what can be heard perceived from the sidelines or from the box.

The FE doesn't need amps to be heard from the sidelines and, apparently, technique is unimportant in the holistic, in-total, judging of today's productions. So, technique be darned, get rid of the amps and just wail away!

[garfield]

They pulse to keep time because dutting would be stupid right up front.

in 15 my son was one of the biggest pulsers for BD but he really gets into it. He is very passionate which is why he has never looked for a job teaching. They seek him out.

I remember you making this argument last year (and illustrating your pride in your son! Good for him!).

I have never been able to square your contention, however, considering the pit is the one, singular section of the drum corps that has a nearly continuous, unobstructed view of the drum major(s). Further, pulsing is a visual cue, seemingly used during playing but, while playing, most FE eyes are focused on their keys or instruments (battery pit mostly excluded except tympani, who is usually looking away from the other FE members anyway!). And, when they're not playing, most all pit members are focused on the DM.

I've never, ever seen any other idiom of percussion keyboard/aux percussion bob-and-weave with the veracity of modern drum corps, and I still thinks it's a visual acting expression (not unlike BAC's "crazy keyboard girl in '16) more than any other useful (or useless) explanation.