Jump to content

Then vs Now


Recommended Posts

9 hours ago, Stu said:

Just like performers, there really are no more or no less great arrangers from yesteryear to today. The difference is that arranging emphasis has changed.

In the early days of DCI, the seventies, arranging was about staying as true as possible to the source material within the rather severe limiitations of the available instrumentation. Writing for those archaic horns were a trick to say the least! Some arrangers did it well, others were not so good.

Then in the eighties and nineties it was about creative melody, phrasing, identifiable musical communication, with better quality 2 valve then 3 valve G brass allowing for more complex writing. Only now it was also done with ever increasing visual enhancement and complexity. Some arrangers did it well, others not so well.

Then around and post Y2K it flipped to where the drill and movement drove the design bus and sound became the underlying enhancement. The brass did switch to Bb/F, but the visual driven arranging lead to chord, chord, run, chord, run, hit;... Music that was almost too disjunct both melodically and phrase wise to listen to when heard apart from the visual motion. Some arrangers handled that well, others poorly.

Now it is about staging. Little musical snippets here, then move to a riser and play musical snippets there, then lay on the ground in a pose and play a musical snippet, stage, move, stage... Again some arrangers are doing that well, others not so well.

I will say though that while I have favorites from each decade from 1972 to 2018, my personal arranging preference is how music was handled during the mid eighties through the late nineties.

Well summarized.  I will contend that the level of expertise and creativity in arrangements in the '70s was at least if not greater than today, due to the "primitive" instrumentation then.  It is amazing what some of the arrangers did.  Creativity is best expressed when there are restrictions, not when there are no restrictions. 

The "music" today (and not just Drum Corps) is but a sound track to the visuals. 

Closer to the OP subject, while we can discuss if the scores would be the same yesterday or today, the relative merit of the corps would still hold and the best that year would still win.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/6/2019 at 10:15 AM, Bob P. said:

Well summarized.  I will contend that the level of expertise and creativity in arrangements in the '70s was at least if not greater than today, due to the "primitive" instrumentation then.  It is amazing what some of the arrangers did.  Creativity is best expressed when there are restrictions, not when there are no restrictions. 

The "music" today (and not just Drum Corps) is but a sound track to the visuals. 

Closer to the OP subject, while we can discuss if the scores would be the same yesterday or today, the relative merit of the corps would still hold and the best that year would still win.

Kind of fits in the overall gist of what you are saying but for a handful of years I have felt...

Today the execution and talent level is at the highest it had ever been however the content was far better (Although in many ways it's getting better) years ago. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
16 minutes ago, GlassmenBtone said:

I used to love drum corps, but the amplification and electronics have ruined it for me. If you prefer the mic'd up horn lines of today over the bugles from thirty years ago you have horrible taste

I love the horn lines of 30 years ago, but I can't agree with that statement. Just as staging has changed and pushed the limits of GE year after year, so too has the need for unique solutions to vertical staging, higher speed drill etc. There were some incredible "Park and Bark" moments in the past that still make the hair on my neck stand up. But there are also some moments with today's groups that have the same effect. "New School" may not be everyone's cup of tea, but taste is very subjective. 

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/17/2019 at 10:48 AM, Weaklefthand4ever said:

I love the horn lines of 30 years ago, but I can't agree with that statement. Just as staging has changed and pushed the limits of GE year after year, so too has the need for unique solutions to vertical staging, higher speed drill etc. There were some incredible "Park and Bark" moments in the past that still make the hair on my neck stand up. But there are also some moments with today's groups that have the same effect. "New School" may not be everyone's cup of tea, but taste is very subjective. 

Meh, the whole vertical thing is overdone.  You shouldn't need it to win GE.  Apparently some one took higher, faster louder a little too literally.  Props for points judging isn't the best way.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/17/2019 at 11:14 AM, GlassmenBtone said:

I used to love drum corps, but the amplification and electronics have ruined it for me. If you prefer the mic'd up horn lines of today over the bugles from thirty years ago you have horrible taste 

Personally, I still love drum corps, since seeing my first show in Sept of 1963. 

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

there were maybe 3-4 brass lines per year until the mid 2000s that i would put on my mp3 player.   

from 2007-ish to 2010, that grew to 6-7.

since 2012, it's pretty much the entire top 12 plus 1 or 2 semifinalists.  

just my personal taste.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Lance said:

there were maybe 3-4 brass lines per year until the mid 2000s that i would put on my mp3 player.     from 2007-ish to 2010, that grew to 6-7.    since 2012, it's pretty much the entire top 12 plus 1 or 2 semifinalists.   

Yes, brass lines of more corps are better overall, but for mp3 stuff, I'd probably reverse the numbers.  Mainly, for me, the songs are truncated too much, and seeing the drill seems to tie it all together.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...