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5 hours ago, Musicman1084 said:

That would be awesome.

That would be #########.

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9 minutes ago, Tenoris4Jazz said:

That would be #########.

lol I was wondering if anyone was gonna respond to that comment. Sounds horrific to me

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1 minute ago, Musicman1084 said:

You don't think it would be a great idea?  I mean, it's only logical that it's the natural progression of the activity......

I think at some point, somebody is going to have to stand up and change this progression path.  It's one thing to be a dinosaur and react negatively to all change, it's quite another to let a plethora of changes occur, and then not be able to get back to any kind of drum corps identity.  If we let this natural progression occur, at some point our activity will look no different than WGI or musical theatre.  The only difference would be the turf stage instead of a gym or amphitheater. 

I don't mind the influx of electronics, but when you take away the raw power found in a 60-80 person hornline, that's a drastic change. By miking up small ensembles and leaving a good portion of the GE up to the guard, we are encouraging this change of direction. I love the types of sound that can be produced on a symphonic stage or delicately mixed in a recording studio, but those aren't the sounds I want to hear when I'm on those bleachers as a spectator.  However, maybe I'm in the minority now, and the show designers are always going to adapt to the perceived demand of the audience and the judging community. 

I'm rambling, and my points probably aren't coming out as coherently as I'd like, but I guess my overall point is that groups are going to be relying too heavily on the microphones soon, and it's going to change show design, and how new people approach this activity.

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1 minute ago, Western Burger said:

I think at some point, somebody is going to have to stand up and change this progression path.  It's one thing to be a dinosaur and react negatively to all change, it's quite another to let a plethora of changes occur, and then not be able to get back to any kind of drum corps identity.  If we let this natural progression occur, at some point our activity will look no different than WGI or musical theatre.  The only difference would be the turf stage instead of a gym or amphitheater. 

I don't mind the influx of electronics, but when you take away the raw power found in a 60-80 person hornline, that's a drastic change. By miking up small ensembles and leaving a good portion of the GE up to the guard, we are encouraging this change of direction. I love the types of sound that can be produced on a symphonic stage or delicately mixed in a recording studio, but those aren't the sounds I want to hear when I'm on those bleachers as a spectator.  However, maybe I'm in the minority now, and the show designers are always going to adapt to the perceived demand of the audience and the judging community. 

I'm rambling, and my points probably aren't coming out as coherently as I'd like, but I guess my overall point is that groups are going to be relying too heavily on the microphones soon, and it's going to change show design, and how new people approach this activity.

I agree 100% with you. I hate the unnecessary covering of the brass sound with electronics and synths.

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18 minutes ago, Western Burger said:

I think at some point, somebody is going to have to stand up and change this progression path.  It's one thing to be a dinosaur and react negatively to all change, it's quite another to let a plethora of changes occur, and then not be able to get back to any kind of drum corps identity.  If we let this natural progression occur, at some point our activity will look no different than WGI or musical theatre.  The only difference would be the turf stage instead of a gym or amphitheater. 

I don't mind the influx of electronics, but when you take away the raw power found in a 60-80 person hornline, that's a drastic change. By miking up small ensembles and leaving a good portion of the GE up to the guard, we are encouraging this change of direction. I love the types of sound that can be produced on a symphonic stage or delicately mixed in a recording studio, but those aren't the sounds I want to hear when I'm on those bleachers as a spectator.  However, maybe I'm in the minority now, and the show designers are always going to adapt to the perceived demand of the audience and the judging community. 

I'm rambling, and my points probably aren't coming out as coherently as I'd like, but I guess my overall point is that groups are going to be relying too heavily on the microphones soon, and it's going to change show design, and how new people approach this activity.

it's going to grow, if anything. all of it.

as i've said before, dci is turning into primarily dance troops with some fantastic featured musicians. i don't think the level of performers we're seeing in the top corps want the progression we're seeing to stop. 

 

 

 

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18 minutes ago, Lance said:

it's going to grow, if anything. all of it.

as i've said before, dci is turning into primarily dance troops with some fantastic featured musicians. i don't think the level of performers we're seeing in the top corps want the progression we're seeing to stop. 

 

 

 

As an aside to this... I caught a YT upload by one of our forum members of a BD 1993 encore run (the Don Ellis show), and I thought to myself...  'Things really aren't any better today than that musical performance right there.  But they sure as heck aren't worse either.'

I think that we just have to recognize that what we see today IS drumcorps.  It's not something else... or becoming something else.  It just IS.

Even if a time came when the powers (and fans) that be wanted to have sackbuts and sarrussophones on the field along with electric mezzo-alto accordion (okay, I made that last one up)... it would still, at that time, be drumcorps.

I think in the end, the things that torque fans the most are the 'creative' additions that come across as forced and awkward.  You can find programs and performances that have extensive application of controversial elements that are remarkably NOT awkward.  This is the holy grail in design... to innovate something that is not only accepted, but also enjoyed... maybe not even specifically noticed.

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High all, voice samples (i.e. singing, speeches) are allowed to have rhythmic intent, other samples are not. Last year DCI told us that their rules do not allow for a click track to be used. At San Antonio both in the lot, and during the show, we gave them a pair of headphones and invited them to listen to our center marimba's in-ear mix so they felt good about everything being on the up and up.

From a practical standpoint, everyone marching having in-ears would never work. Because the performers are moving around, the delays would have to be adjusted in REAL TIME for EACH PERFORMER. As of right now, that technology doesn't exists; but I'm sure someone is working on it :-D

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32 minutes ago, cfirwin3 said:

As an aside to this... I caught a YT upload by one of our forum members of a BD 1993 encore run (the Don Ellis show), and I thought to myself...  'Things really aren't any better today than that musical performance right there.  But they sure as heck aren't worse either.'

I think that we just have to recognize that what we see today IS drumcorps.  It's not something else... or becoming something else.  It just IS.

Even if a time came when the powers (and fans) that be wanted to have sackbuts and sarrussophones on the field along with electric mezzo-alto accordion (okay, I made that last one up)... it would still, at that time, be drumcorps.

I think in the end, the things that torque fans the most are the 'creative' additions that come across as forced and awkward.  You can find programs and performances that have extensive application of controversial elements that are remarkably NOT awkward.  This is the holy grail in design... to innovate something that is not only accepted, but also enjoyed... maybe not even specifically noticed.

This really boils down my feelings on the current state of DCI. I don't mind some of the more controversial elements that are new in the last several years, as long as they're implemented well. And unfortunately, that's not the case for most corps.

Honestly, it's similar to G bugles in a way. The top hornlines could do amazing things with bugles, but some of the bottom corps, not so much. They're difficult instruments to be sure, and it takes a certain level of competency to make them work to their potential. Electronics, amplification, and singing, those are the G bugles of this era. It takes a competency of design, coordination, and technical know-how to get them to work effectively.

I do worry that things will progress too far though, as others have said. Drum corps can really be boiled down to a few elements: large and powerful brass sections, machine-precise drumlines, and impressive visuals. Change anything too much, and it will no longer be drum corps. We're seeing bits of it already: rolling around on the ground, amplifying entire hornlines. It's a precarious position.

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