One stroke, one note synth requirement in DCA?

[N.E. Brigand]

Skyliners' show included samples from the song "Lean On" by Major Lazer (original video below).

However, to my ears, it seemed like each syllable in the sampled lyric was being triggered separately, sounding somewhat like this:

"All" ... "we" ... "need" ... "is" ... "some" ... "one" ... "to" ... "lean" ... "on". With the beginning and ending of each word slightly cut off.

I felt this was rather awkward.

Am I right about how the sound was generated? And if so, is that due to a DCA rule governing electronics use, which would forbid use of the passage in its entirety?

(Trying to remember if any other corps included prerecorded music in their show proper--as opposed to preshow, e.g. "The Girl from Ipanema" in MBI's preshow and a historical recording in Cabs' preshow.)

[Spandy]

From the 2015-16 DCA Rulebook:

APPENDIX D - Guidelines for Amplification in DCA
Definition
Use of keyboard synthesizers, and amplification voice, and of "pit" percussion is permitted. However, the use of pre-recorded music, and pre-recorded singing is not allowed. Pre-recorded effects and or narration may be used; however, no single, triggered, electronic sound may produce rhythmic intent.

[N.E. Brigand]

Thanks very much!

In that case, since Skyliners weren't penalized, then they must not have actually sampled the original song ("the use of pre-recorded music and prerecorded singing is not allowed")--so I guess they created each syllable themselves using the keyboard?

[Kamarag]

There will be a huge push to remove the remaining restrictions on electronics and amplification at the upcoming rules congress. Frankly, I hope the are lifted, as I believe DCA can and will be both innovative and entertaining when it comes to electronics in future seasons. The three years of restricted electronics rules have shown corps get it, and are ready to expand.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Kamarag

[N.E. Brigand]

There will be a huge push to remove the remaining restrictions on electronics and amplification at the upcoming rules congress. Frankly, I hope the are lifted, as I believe DCA can and will be both innovative and entertaining when it comes to electronics in future seasons. The three years of restricted electronics rules have shown corps get it, and are ready to expand.

Well, I do think there is a legitimate concern to be considered: in this case, if the rules had already been changed to allow for sampling the original recording, wouldn't that enable Skyliners to get "credit" (at least in terms of effect and communication) for the performance of Major Lazer?

[BigW]

The credit would be given for the usage and context within the program and how it enhances the effect. It would also have to be timed correctly and also balanced to the ensemble effort.

Look. I can buy a Koenigsegg CCX and drive it down the 50, park the beast, and tell you I spent a cool million or so on props. Is it effective? Did it enhance the show experience and content? Still you have some people who come into critiques stammering about all their props and why they didn't beat someone who only used a few. The mere existence of electronica or an object in a show guarantees nothing. It's how it's used, abused, or sometimes, not used.

There can be a tendency for some to think all they have to do is spend a lot of money, cart out the stuff and it makes some magic difference. It's how the extra things are used within the framework. Bluecoats won because of brilliant integration and scoring to create something exciting and artistic. People still had to go out there and play their (insert something interesting here) off and march them off, too.

[shofmon88]

The rule may also be a way for DCA to ease its copyright burden.

[N.E. Brigand]

The credit would be given for the usage and context within the program and how it enhances the effect. It would also have to be timed correctly and also balanced to the ensemble effort.

Look. I can buy a Koenigsegg CCX and drive it down the 50, park the beast, and tell you I spent a cool million or so on props. Is it effective? Did it enhance the show experience and content? Still you have some people who come into critiques stammering about all their props and why they didn't beat someone who only used a few. The mere existence of electronica or an object in a show guarantees nothing. It's how it's used, abused, or sometimes, not used.

There can be a tendency for some to think all they have to do is spend a lot of money, cart out the stuff and it makes some magic difference. It's how the extra things are used within the framework. Bluecoats won because of brilliant integration and scoring to create something exciting and artistic. People still had to go out there and play their (insert something interesting here) off and march them off, too.

Bluecoats certainly are an example of (mostly) doing it right. I have grumbled before about, e.g., Raiders using extensive samples of John de Lancie's audio book of Poe's poem, "The Raven", in their show a few years back. It seemed to me that de Lancie (best known to the general public as Q from Star Trek) was doing a lot of heavy lifting for the corps with his superior narration and they shouldn't get credit for that work.

But maybe they weren't. I have no way of knowing if the judges were in fact telling the corps, "I'd give you a higher score if only one of your members was narrating this live".

[Jeff Ream]

There will be a huge push to remove the remaining restrictions on electronics and amplification at the upcoming rules congress. Frankly, I hope the are lifted, as I believe DCA can and will be both innovative and entertaining when it comes to electronics in future seasons. The three years of restricted electronics rules have shown corps get it, and are ready to expand.

DCA adjusted better and faster than DCI who still has issues

[Jeff Ream]

Bluecoats certainly are an example of (mostly) doing it right. I have grumbled before about, e.g., Raiders using extensive samples of John de Lancie's audio book of Poe's poem, "The Raven", in their show a few years back. It seemed to me that de Lancie (best known to the general public as Q from Star Trek) was doing a lot of heavy lifting for the corps with his superior narration and they shouldn't get credit for that work.

But maybe they weren't. I have no way of knowing if the judges were in fact telling the corps, "I'd give you a higher score if only one of your members was narrating this live".

They wouldn't say it. They'd give credit for how it's used. Is it too loud? Covering up the corps? Button pushed late ruining the intended effect? That's all the sheets ask the judges to care about