What rule would you propose for the 2019 DCI tour?

[CrownBariDad]

2 hours ago, mfrontz said:

Burn the tarps.

Fixed it for you.

[whitedj2002]

3 hours ago, NakedEye said:

Two guard judges at major events. The groups are all achieving such levels of excellence, with different approaches to choreography, that judge preferences for one style over another seemed to be more an issue.

Weird, dramatic swings in placement from event to event all season.

I like! Both judging the entire ensemble? or 1 on Equipment and 1 on Movement? …  on the field or box? 

[drumcorpsfever]

Reign in the extreme use of amp boosting.  When the Colt CADETS are the loudest corps, something is very wrong. 

[bluesman]

Limit the number of brass players using microphones to no more than 6.  We are to the point where corps can simple crank up the volume of it's horn line and blast the sound through speakers without any additional output from the performers.

How many times this year did posters in the forums on DCP complain about the amplification of a soloist or the brass line. A particular corps which will go unnamed was called out several times for turning up the volume on it's mic'd horn line to the point that it became unpleasant to hear.  I've been almost directly in front of a brass ensemble only to hear the sound coming from 30 yrds away.  

It's gotten to the point that we don't know what is coming from the marching members and what it being produced by someone at a mixing board. The slogan "Is it live or is it Memorex?" comes to mind.  I am actually opposed to the use of microphones in Drum Corps in general, but I realize that you can't put toothpaste back in the tube and once show designers get their hands on a new toy they aren't going to give it up

So....... I propose that the number of brass players with microphones be limited to no more than 6.

Edited August 13, 2018 by bluesman

[Ghost]

3 hours ago, Eleran said:

At a minimum, it's about time they separate Percussion into separate judges for Battery and Pit, since it's ridiculous for them to be running back and forth between the two, especially when they have to go all the way around the huge pits of today and avoid all the speakers and mics, etc.  

Don't forget, they have to be in condition to also navigate around props and mm.

[jeffmolnar]

It’ll never happen, but I’d love for there to be some sort of weight limit on props. Like you can only have props up to a certain amount. Heh.

[Spatzzz]

1 hour ago, mfrontz said:

In the same breath you can say:

It's simple, possible and well known how to make tarps work safely, AND

You have no idea why 2 of the 3 corps in finals that had their performers march on the tarps couldn't make them work safely.

Unless DCI makes you or someone else qualified the tarp czar for enforcing best practices, I suggest we ban them since the corps have proven they can't do them right. But that's not going to happen, because DCI as an organization is not responsible for what the corps do, right? DCI's hands are tied.

Your solution to an obvious situation where performing members are regularly put into situations where no one has control over the physical environment is to say 'they'll get it right eventually' and 'there are risks involved in drum corps?' Sounds like a great plan going forward. Doesn't sound like we could be risking serious injury, maybe with a few lawsuits thrown in.

Yes, I did say that in the same breath. Implying that both staffs did a poor job with a problem that is pretty easy to mitigate. That is on them not the tarps.

Again, I will point out that if all you are concerned about it member safety (something we SHOULD care about) then we need to do something with all of these as well.

1. High velocity drill in close quarters with blind pass throughs. Collision danger. 
2. Integrating the color guard with the brass in tight quarters as someone could get hit with flying equipment. 
3. High tempo marching. Cardiac stress and well as repetitive stress injury potential.
4. Guard work in general. Broken fingers, hands, cuts, concussions are all possible and will occur to members over the course of the summer.

My point being that the members know they are going to be putting their bodies through a lot of stress over the summer and everything they do comes with some dangers and risks. I think you just don't like tarps and are using member safety as a means to make your creative preference known.

Either way we are not going to agree I'm sure.

Edited August 13, 2018 by Spatzzz

[Land_Surfer]

1.  No electronic instruments 

2.  No electronic sound systems

3.  Limit the size and quantity of props to only what can be carried in by the members themselves

Its time for DCI and its corps to be drum and bugle corps again and stop trying to be something they aren't.  The last 5 or so years have really taken their toll on the activity.  BLAST is not drum corp and vice versa, and drum and bugle corps are not marching bands.  As I sat and watched finals it became even more obvious that it is truly an activity of the "haves" and "have nots" (those who can afford high-end premium electronics and props vs. those who can't) and the "have nots" out weigh those that "have."  It wasn't so long ago that a premium instructional staff was one of the greatest expenses next to food and transport.  Brass and percussion instruments can always be used a couple more years, especially with the right instructional staff.  Not today!  The focus today is to be all things to all people.  Drum corps is not for everyone, staff included, that's what made it so unique and intriguing and captured so much attention and following.  It truly caused young people to have to be great in order to be able to be a member, and when they left they were even better.  It was often lead by passionate expert instructors, some of whom you'd never guess we're musicians by their day job, that were specialized in and focused on drum and bugle corps.  It truly was special.  There was so much more done with so less, not long ago, that made it so pure!  Today, it reminds me of a highschool band competition.  I, and every other member, not too long ago, joined drum corps to go beyond marching band and DCI was it.  

If we lose the "have nots" we lose drum and bugle corps.

 

 

Edited August 13, 2018 by Land_Surfer

[Lead]

1 hour ago, bluesman said:

Limit the number of brass players using microphones to no more than 6.  We are to the point where corps can simple crank up the volume of it's horn line and blast the sound through speakers without any additional output from the performers.

How many times this year did posters in the forums on DCP complain about the amplification of a soloist or the brass line. A particular corps which will go unnamed was called out several times for turning up the volume on it's mic'd horn line to the point that it became unpleasant to hear.  I've been almost directly in front of a brass ensemble only to hear the sound coming from 30 yrds away.  

It's gotten to the point that we don't know what is coming from the marching members and what it being produced by someone at a mixing board. The slogan "Is it live or is it Memorex?" comes to mind.  I am actually opposed to the use of microphones in Drum Corps in general, but I realize that you can't put toothpaste back in the tube and once show designers get their hands on a new toy they aren't going to give it up

So....... I propose that the number of brass players with microphones be limited to no more than 6.

This. It is deceptive to the judges and to the fans. When you see one corps go out and set a microphone up every 5 yards across the front sideline, it's intended to create an illusion that something is there that really isn't.

No "range of field" mics, and put a limit to the number of individual mics used.

[NakedEye]

3 hours ago, Cadevilina Crown said:

Ban tarps, or figure out ways to make the use of tarps less dangerous to the MMs (knowing designers, they'll probably go with the latter).

I don't like tarps because no matter what is printed on them, the glare from the lights makes them largely unreadable in many cases, so a waste of expense and effort, but that said:

The smart way to go about regulating them would probably be to set a minimum square footage/dimension area. Smaller tarps seem to be much more of a problem than larger ones, as they are much easier to kick up/dislodge with an errant foot placement than ones with more surface area. The Cavaliers' ones were so skinny that they flipped up easily and were impossible to position the same way twice, so marchers couldn't properly anticipate where they would be on the fly. I'm disappointed in their staff on this one. They were a problem as soon as they were added and I don't remember one show all season where at least one kid didn't have an issue with them. Troopers had some trouble with those small circle ones last year as well, I think?