Drum Corps in the year 2040

[Triple Forte]

On 6/28/2019 at 10:00 AM, HolyNOLA said:

If you look at it from a business standpoint, the marching members are the "customer" of the corps, since they are the ones paying the majority of the costs for operations. With the way things are going with excessive props, constant uniform changes, more instruments, etc etc, corps are pricing out their customers. You can't blame rising dues on fuel...that has come down significantly over the last 10 years and looks to remain steady for many years to come. 

 Exactly I mean are members really going to pay 8 to 9 grand to March for a summer ?

[Rich Cline]

Triple Forte    491 DCP Fanatic Posted 1 hour ago (edited)

  On ‎6‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 5:51 AM, GlenI said:

I hope not. But why do you say this?

 Basically I don’t think drum Corps will be around it in its current form with tours and contests in 10 to 15 years because the model is unsustainable way too expensive. I mean how much are members going to be paying to be in i10 years from now 8 - $9000 ? 

Reply:

Sad but true. Look at last contest with Crown. There was Crown with 150 + band members playing together. This is what the G-7 argument was all about in 2010 on CNN:

Liink:

Trouble at 'Marching Music's Major League' - CNN.com

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/08/12/drum.corps.trouble/index.html

You have Blue Devils this season marching with Electric Guitar and Violin. One other corps I saw this week had two electric guitars.  And look at DCI. They have moved from streaming their own shows with Box 5 Productions, then Blaire Productions, then Brightcove streaming service to now using Flo Sports who are totally bad. It's a simple case of follow the money.  DCI has a business model that does not work. So DCI tried to produce DVD's and CD's which has not worked and are now trying to entice subscribers to "Digital Downloads" which are not selling either. From the Field Podcast use to be FREE, now it's bundled under the Flo Marching subscription. Meanwhile DCI is putting a lot of effort into promoting Soundsport, etc. but they are having issues just trying to handle what's on their plate already.

 

It's just a matter of time and a vicious circle. More members evolve out of Drum Corps into positions as Band Directors. They try to make their bands look and sound more like Drum Corps. We will see more and more band/orchestra type instrumentation as the activity continues. Enjoy the activity while it is here because it will be much different in the future.

Actually what happened with Star of Indiana evolving into the Broadway adaptation of Drum Corps is the most likely scenario IMO.

 

 

[GUARDLING]

37 minutes ago, Rich Cline said:

Triple Forte    491 DCP Fanatic Posted 1 hour ago (edited)

  On ‎6‎/‎28‎/‎2019 at 5:51 AM, GlenI said:

I hope not. But why do you say this?

 Basically I don’t think drum Corps will be around it in its current form with tours and contests in 10 to 15 years because the model is unsustainable way too expensive. I mean how much are members going to be paying to be in i10 years from now 8 - $9000 ? 

Reply:

Sad but true. Look at last contest with Crown. There was Crown with 150 + band members playing together. This is what the G-7 argument was all about in 2010 on CNN:

Liink:

Trouble at 'Marching Music's Major League' - CNN.com

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/08/12/drum.corps.trouble/index.html

You have Blue Devils this season marching with Electric Guitar and Violin. One other corps I saw this week had two electric guitars.  And look at DCI. They have moved from streaming their own shows with Box 5 Productions, then Blaire Productions, then Brightcove streaming service to now using Flo Sports who are totally bad. It's a simple case of follow the money.  DCI has a business model that does not work. So DCI tried to produce DVD's and CD's which has not worked and are now trying to entice subscribers to "Digital Downloads" which are not selling either. From the Field Podcast use to be FREE, now it's bundled under the Flo Marching subscription. Meanwhile DCI is putting a lot of effort into promoting Soundsport, etc. but they are having issues just trying to handle what's on their plate already.

 

It's just a matter of time and a vicious circle. More members evolve out of Drum Corps into positions as Band Directors. They try to make their bands look and sound more like Drum Corps. We will see more and more band/orchestra type instrumentation as the activity continues. Enjoy the activity while it is here because it will be much different in the future.

Actually what happened with Star of Indiana evolving into the Broadway adaptation of Drum Corps is the most likely scenario IMO.

 

 

Sort of right as far as a circle BUT remember a few decades ago it was drum corps people who infiltrated the Band community for the money and THEY were the ones who brought the drum corps style to the band world ( and still do ) We are and have been one and the same for many decades already.

[PamahoNow]

49 minutes ago, Rich Cline said:

Reply:

Sad but true. Look at last contest with Crown. There was Crown with 150 + band members playing together. This is what the G-7 argument was all about in 2010 on CNN:

 

I'm confused about this statement.  How is the last contest with Crown playing with the band members, Sad but true.  I'm pretty sure that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the G7 proposal.  I'm guessing you are inserting a red herring for some other purpose.

[Rich Cline]

Sorry if I confused you. The point that I was trying to make is that Drum Corps are integrating more and more with bands and we are seeing more and more band/orchestra type instrumentation along with the brass. The sections that I am referring to from the G-7 article are as follows:

"In the wake of the economic crisis, the G-7 want a new touring schedule in 2011 that will concentrate the top acts at shows in a bid to draw new fans and increase revenue for these corps"

"Traditionalists fear Hopkins will pierce the last remaining veil that separates DCI's brass-based sound from their high school and college marching band brethren: Allowing clarinets, saxophones and other woodwind instruments onto the field."

As GUARDLING pointed out a few minutes ago: "We are and have been one and the same for many decades already. " which explains Crown's Encore with the band on field playing together.

Vanguard, Blue Devils, & Crown all sponsor additional groups for revenue and as a source of recruitment.

Vanguard Music and Performing Arts:
Youth Percussion Ensemble
Youth Brass Ensemble

Blue Devils:
Diablo Wind Symphony
RCC Indoor Percussion
System Blue Education

Carolina Crown:
York County Honor Band
Middle School Performing Arts Group

Nearly every corps in competition has additional groups within their organizations.

Not trying to stir up any controversy. Just making an observation that times are changing and will continue to change.

[PamahoNow]

I guess, it was the "sad but true" comment.  Why is this sad?

What I see is a fairly vibrant activity.  Sure, it is a niche activity, but it always has been.

I see vibrancy in a lot of the open class corps.  Last night I truly enjoyed Vessel, Gold and Golden Empire.

I also enjoyed Genesis, Academy and Pacific Crest.

I turned the show off before the final three even performed.

 

[Rich Cline]

I said "Sad" because we are losing that distinctive brass sound to a smoother "Homogeneous" type sound.

[HolyNOLA]

1 minute ago, Rich Cline said:

I said "Sad" because we are losing that distinctive brass sound to a smoother "Homogeneous" type sound.

Everything in drum corps has become homogenized 

[Glenn426]

On 6/28/2019 at 9:21 AM, Glenn426 said:

If DCI is still around it will definitely be under different management. If DCI has folded there will be a new Organization branched out from WGI that will offer more performance opportunities for smaller groups. DCA will morph into this as the WGI influence has taken to having indoor gym shows during the summer.

Finals will move around again as the completely unfair practice of having Finals in Indianapolis is voted against by the groups around the country.

Solar and Electric Technology has been fully integrated and it has reduced the enormously high Fuel Cost associated with moving a fleet around the Country which has reduced the tour fees. The arts and education are emphasized and supported by the federal government so the Marching Arts activity has flourished as a result.

There are no more All-Male Corps, Every Corps in order to compete in this new Championship has to allow all genders in their membership, No Discrimination.

Corps in Canada have returned are supported by this WGI Group to have competitions in Canada and are very competitive with groups from the US as the designers from Canada have local groups to build up.

On the field Groups are separated by size, World Class are large 180 groups that perform on Football fields. The Open Class are smaller groups that perform indoors and have memberships of 80. The well established corps have both World and Open class groups that compete simultaneously. The Indoor Open Class championship is just as competitive and is considered the cutting edge of design as Electronics are fully integrated and live sampling allows for unending variety and style.Varied Lighting is the cutting edge as groups are allowed to manipulate the lighting of the groups and use it to maximize effect.

The Football field shows look similar to what we have today with the exception that there are marching woodwind members that are mic'd and have true ensemble balance to the brass. Because of the mic'ing there is just one player per part so the Woodwind section is between 8-12 players depending on instrumentation. The PIT is not planted on the front sideline as much, They are moved around depending on the show with the normal position being the back part of the field. The Brassline have intermediate dance training and are capable of elevated levels of movement.

2040 seems like a long time but its 20 years... 20 years ago I started marching... its not so far away. 

 

This is close to coming true.. I'm looking at you Spoooooooolie