Rules Questions

[gak27]

2 hours ago, jwillis35 said:

A drumline lays down a groove and keeps time. It's a metronome. Dutting on the field is keeping time. Metronome. A drum major counting, a consistent high-hat beat on 1 & 3 or 2 & 4 is a metronome. The drum major conducting is a silent metronome. It's all a matter of interpretation. 

 

I think the difference here is that in all of your examples, a human is responsible for maintaining a given tempo over time and humans are susceptible to "drift".  Setting a mechanical/electrical metronome/click track eliminates that "human error" aspect.

[cowtown]

9 hours ago, MGCpimpOtimp said:

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

Thanks for the answer

 That’s a really bad rule then as we see there is a work around where a vocal can be used as a click track. Guess DCI will have to decide.

I tend to fall in line with Kamarag with regards to click track, they can be difficult to work with and can kill musicality and phrasing. I like to learn a piece, check it against a click track and then lose the click track

 

The small ensemble amped brass, massive color guard would change the entire makeup of the activity so I would think it’s self-limiting. I’m not sure that band geeks want to give up playing for dancing and if they do the musical rep would change greatly as it would not have the band geek support it'd have to be a lot more pop, it would be summer wgi and I’m not sure there is a market for that with regards to members or audience 

 

maybe that's the way to go, kill and start over

[jwillis35]

2 hours ago, gak27 said:

I think the difference here is that in all of your examples, a human is responsible for maintaining a given tempo over time and humans are susceptible to "drift".  Setting a mechanical/electrical metronome/click track eliminates that "human error" aspect.

Totally agree with you. Just throwing those examples out there. 

[Guitar1974]

I attended the Hamilton show last night and really enjoyed all the corps.  I was sitting on about the 40 yard line and immediately in front of most the corps speakers.  I was surprised how much of the horn line was being pumped through the speakers- a lot of brass, not just "thunderous goo"- the whole line.  The lines sounded phenomenal, but it left me wondering how they'd sound unplugged.  The soloists all played through mics and were heavily processed- delay/reverb/etc.  Bluecoats especially seemed to lean on the amps- it was a cool effect when they played backfield and were coming through loudly in the amps, but it really showed how much "support" the amps can provide.  Kinda like hearing a singer who sounds great but knowing you are likely hearing autotune and lots of studio buffing... I wonder how much processing and amp support we are really hearing.

In relation to the rules, it seems it is somewhat of a free-for-all now in regards to amplifying horns.  I guess technically 10 horns could mic up and part everyone's hair with pure amp horsepower like going to a Metallica show and it'd be okay per the rules?  Seems odd to me, and takes away some of the mojo of a purely acoustic line IMO.  Are there rules about horn amplification anymore?

 

[84BDsop]

On 6/26/2017 at 10:23 PM, Jeff Ream said:

it could make them worse too if a section goes off the rails. Remember technology doesnt cure all.

*cough cough* 04 SoCal Dream when the battery completely took off on my during "Jupiter."