Sideways Posted September 16, 2016 Share Posted September 16, 2016 Madison marched a lot of cymbals at the end of their '88 show and that worked out well form them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 Pretty simple. There are 14 people in the front ensemble that can add that color or sound to the ensemble without sacrificing 4 or 5 marching spots on the field. Yes pretty simple. and I do see the reasoning. However, I just think a creative and expressive cymbal like just adds a nice "flare" to the field production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 Cymbal lines started going away in the early 90's with some exceptions for tradition sake. I do miss seeing them. SCV is a very traditional corp and they are the only top 6 corp that still use them. Like the previous comment said...the front ensemble replaced them. To be honest in today's scoring I don't see them as a factor in GE scoring. I find that fact: "I don't see them as a factor in GE scoring", disheartening, Considering how much work, creative skill and the countless hours the quality cymbal lines put in mastering their "craft." I have had a pleasure of meeting, touring and befriending a number of extremely skilled and imaginative cymbal techs who have taught at SCV and THE ACADEMY. Both Lines have always commanded such respect and provided their Corps with extremely valuable leadership and mentorship skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 You can't say they have any specific value assigned to the sheets. But they add value to a show musically and visually. Sadly they're too easily replaced by brass or guard Yes Jeff, that certainly seems to be the case. The eliminated 4-cymbal positions will be added to THE ACADEMY's Guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 hard to find really knowledgeable cymbal techs as well. i really enjoy a great cymbal line -- but i never watch the mediocre lines (which are far more common). adding without distracting is also a somewhat magical art. Yes Indeed Corpsband, "Magical Art". I liked the way you put that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted September 17, 2016 Share Posted September 17, 2016 Yes Indeed Corpsband, "Magical Art". I liked the way you put that. just lucky enough to have been around a couple true cymbal craftsmen who loved their art form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 Cymbal lines keep being killed off....so the techs disappear. And in indoor they've become far more visually used than musically Brilliant Observation Jeff. In watching the artistry displayed in the WGI Percussion Ensembles the cymbalist ARE much more readily "observable." hence more apt to score GE/Visual Points. I'm finding a good deal of the comments within this thread extremely enlightening and this has really helped me better "accept" THE ACADEMY"S and other Corps decision and reasoning in not fielding cymbals lines. In essense, it IS Extremely easy for a 4-5 member cymbal line to disappear, making it that much more difficult to follow and focus on them within a 100 yeas football field, getting "lost" in the midst of a 150 member Corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 The junior corps where I marched... there were times when we wished some of our bari players waved their horns instead of playing them!!! Fran, couldn't help but LMAO with your comment. Brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 They are fine for indoors but they don't make sense visually outdoors. They are a very visual instrument and can be distracting. Imagine if 5 baritone players waved their instruments around the majority of a show. I never considered cymbals as being "visually distracting" actually just the opposite...... However, I can see how you've come to that conclusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorpsRelic Posted September 17, 2016 Author Share Posted September 17, 2016 I think there's an argument to be made that cymbal lines really don't contribute much musically at all, particularly since holding for ride cymbals went out of fashion. I think they make a *much* larger musical contribution in indoor percussion, due to the intimate nature of the performance venues and the acoustics of the venues. You're right that they do make a visual contribution, but it's not always in a positive way (except for the very top cymbal lines that have their design considered in the whole, as opposed to the lines that pretty much write their own stuff). I love cymbal lines in indoor, but not in outdoor. As was stated above, the front ensemble can make any musical contribution a cymbal line can, and almost always in a more effective way. After reading your comments over several times, Kamarag. "The Dawn Broke" ( - : this further explains to me why Cymbal lines are more effective, visually entertaining, and more appreciated in DCI's Annual I & E Performance Showcase, which I must take the liberty to point out that, THE ACADEMY Cymbal line (and Bass Drum Line!) both were awarded Gold Medals for their ensemble presentations in 2015. Sadly yet Smartly, THE ACADEMY decided to by-pass the 2016 Performers Show case deciding to focus their full attention on "cleaning" for their Thursday, Friday AND SATURDAY NIGHT World Class Championship performances ( - : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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