Is DCI becoming a 'non-marching/little drill' activity?

[bicsta]

I think the vast majority of world class corps have a limited amount of non drill.  Everybody does the occasional mid show reset; that is, out of time everybody walk/run to a new form.  Many corps sparingly do individual, intentionally out of time body movements.

That's fine!  It adds variety.  But as far as adjudication goes, it should be a problem.  These moments do not require the skill that ensemble moments do.  They should receive no credit for viz proficiency. When corps rely on them too much, scores should suffer. If corps are instead rewarded for this unjudgeable schlock (my term, copyright pending), we will undercut the visual part of the activity.

If I wanted to see a bunch of kids standing around doing their own thing, I would go to a pre-K dance recital.

[Bobby L. Collins]

22 minutes ago, Crowding60 said:

I just can't resist. Wow; epic game of intellectual one-upmanship. 

Since everyone gets to express their opinion, here's mine:

In drum corps, like elsewhere, it's adapt or die. You can complain, but drum corps is going to continue to change. It has to. Yes, I loved G bugles - and I'm apparently older than all of you (I played in 68 - 69). I love the Sr. Corps of the 50s and 60s. And the great soloists who came out of that era.

G bugles sound different than B flat because they have a larger bore - and more conical, so they are inherently louder. It's like an outside instrument vs. an indoor instrument. I play a G baritone today - a Kanstul 3 valve, and boy, it is a handful to play in tune. Since I grew up playing a Besson trumpet, I feel confident expressing the opinion that G bugles are not near as easy to tune as B flats. Not to mention that we, ahem, put a whole lot of air through those Gs which makes it even more difficult to keep in tune. But it is a unique sound and I miss it dearly.

 

Okay, the activity has moved on. I still go to shows. I love some shows, and hate others. I hate some aspects of today's corps, and love others. Some are greatly entertaining; others, meh. My mom, 83 years old, still goes to shows and still likes them. DCI is doing something right.

 

Here's the clincher: as I see the kids exiting after their performance, marching with military bearing, absolutely focused on what they're doing, I see . . . me 40 years ago. Some things haven't changed at all. This is a great activity.

I say again, having myself played on a myriad of bugles over the years, that the only intonation problems with bugles is on the performer, and not the hardware.  No matter the instrument, it's up to the musician to play in tune, whether it's a Xeno, or a Dynasty, or a Conn, or a Ludwig, or even a Gretsch.

And you trying to wax poetic about watching kids marching with military bearing while wearing a spandex one-piece is beyond laughable.  I mean, you've got to admit that, right?

[oldcadetsop]

3 hours ago, Bobby L. Collins said:

I say again, having myself played on a myriad of bugles over the years, that the only intonation problems with bugles is on the performer, and not the hardware.  No matter the instrument, it's up to the musician to play in tune, whether it's a Xeno, or a Dynasty, or a Conn, or a Ludwig, or even a Gretsch.

And you trying to wax poetic about watching kids marching with military bearing while wearing a spandex one-piece is beyond laughable.  I mean, you've got to admit that, right?

Appears you have an agenda, and that's ok. That said,  I think you have a bigger problem that you are worried about current uniforms as you have said multiple times. Maybe you should look in the mirror as you seem so concerned about spandex.

[saxfreq1128]

On 8/9/2017 at 6:47 PM, Treefidy said:

Not sure what you are watching, but I'd love to see a comparison of drill books between SCV and BD...

What does BD's number of drill books (which they don't use) have to do with how much SCV marches and plays? I'll answer for you: Nothing. I didn't mention BD. You're literally only bringing them up because they're in my signature. Good for you. 

Anyway: I wasn't sassing SCV; I love both shows and think they're both incredibly hard to pull off visually, for different reasons. And "Must constantly march while playing" is not really my standard. But I think that the hardliners on this subject are giving SCV a free pass. I see a ton of body without playing in SCV's show; I see a ballad that's also largely one or the other; etc. I see a modern drum corps show that seems to have people convinced it's more old school than it is, and I'm curious about that.