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How do the Cadets right the ship?


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We're in an era where corps don't wear anything resembling traditional uniforms anymore. Our only real identity up until now was "wear traditional uniform, march fast, play hard music." We have utterly failed to adapt to design trends and have completely lost any identity we had.

How about this: Let's create an identity that is "crowd favorite." Let's ditch all the obtuse music and all of the "deep" meaning in our shows and just play music that makes people happy. Create some effects that get people out of their seats. The Bluecoats this year have proven that it can be done. Hell, even Vanguard is playing Metallica this year.

I'm not saying we go full-on fan service. I mean let's play some fun music and let kids be kids rather than avatars for someone else's opinions about the social order. We've been handcuffing these kids with this stuff for years. There's a time and place for it, but again -- we haven't proven we can execute on it like SCV can. (See SCV 2018, which I believe was about immigration.)

Let's not be afraid of pop music. It's OK not to do things in 7/4 at 192 bpm. We don't have to do wind ensemble music. Really.

Call the show "Thank You" and play stuff that people will like. Find some actually interesting visual ideas and just go for it. What do we have to lose? Execute at a decently high level and we might even move up a spot or two.

Here are some ideas.

If you want a monumental excuse to use trombones and simultaneously blow down the stands (start around 3:20). This would be the guard just going crazy: 

 

 

How fun would this be as a percussion feature?: 

Is it legal to create a singalong with the crowd?: 

Do we have a lead who can swing?: 

Can we find a guy or girl who can sing even half as well as Frank?: 

 

 

 

Here's a closer, complete with HUGE company front-type thing at 60 bpm: 

 

What else ya got, DCP?

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2 minutes ago, exitmusic said:

We're in an era where corps don't wear anything resembling traditional uniforms anymore. Our only real identity up until now was "wear traditional uniform, march fast, play hard music." We have utterly failed to adapt to design trends and have completely lost any identity we had.

 

Someone on DCP has a tag quote something to effect of "I have seen the future of DCI and it is WGI". I tend to believe that more and more each day. 

I understand progress, evolution and everything else, but a little balance with making things as enjoyable as possible for the fans can't be a bad thing. 

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7 minutes ago, exitmusic said:

We're in an era where corps don't wear anything resembling traditional uniforms anymore. Our only real identity up until now was "wear traditional uniform, march fast, play hard music." We have utterly failed to adapt to design trends and have completely lost any identity we had.

How about this: Let's create an identity that is "crowd favorite." Let's ditch all the obtuse music and all of the "deep" meaning in our shows and just play music that makes people happy. Create some effects that get people out of their seats. The Bluecoats this year have proven that it can be done. Hell, even Vanguard is playing Metallica this year.

I'm not saying we go full-on fan service. I mean let's play some fun music and let kids be kids rather than avatars for someone else's opinions about the social order. We've been handcuffing these kids with this stuff for years. There's a time and place for it, but again -- we haven't proven we can execute on it like SCV can. (See SCV 2018, which I believe was about immigration.)

Let's not be afraid of pop music. It's OK not to do things in 7/4 at 192 bpm. We don't have to do wind ensemble music. Really.

Call the show "Thank You" and play stuff that people will like. Find some actually interesting visual ideas and just go for it. What do we have to lose? Execute at a decently high level and we might even move up a spot or two.

Here are some ideas.

If you want a monumental excuse to use trombones and simultaneously blow down the stands (start around 3:20). This would be the guard just going crazy: 

 

 

How fun would this be as a percussion feature?: 

Is it legal to create a singalong with the crowd?: 

Do we have a lead who can swing?: 

Can we find a guy or girl who can sing even half as well as Frank?: 

 

 

 

Here's a closer, complete with HUGE company front-type thing at 60 bpm: 

 

What else ya got, DCP?

I'm too dino to comment on what the kids would find appropriate and worthwhile to pay tour money to learn and perform, but the emboldened comments you make I find worthwhile. Thanks. More contributors, less critics makes the world a better place.

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8 minutes ago, xandandl said:

I'm too dino to comment on what the kids would find appropriate and worthwhile to pay tour money to learn and perform, but the emboldened comments you make I find worthwhile. Thanks. More contributors, less critics makes the world a better place.

I don't there's anything wrong with being a critic as long as you have a suggestion to fix what you are critiquing. Being a critic just to be a critic doesn't help anyone.

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I haven’t listened to any of exitmusic’s music suggestions but, YES, there are certain drill movements that are guaranteed to satisfy all audiences. When employed, they bring out our most basic animal instincts to make noise and even stand-up. 

Nothing excites us more than a LOUD hard-driving company front. The longer the better! Add on horns pointed upward and watch the crowd erupt. Been happening for decades. We need to see more of these hot button moments!

Trotting around from one formation to another is too tame, and downright ugly if poorly executed.

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Exitmusic, I couldn’t agree more about the present state of things. It (lost their identity and haven’t adapted) applies to other corps too (Scouts for example). 

It’s a sad commentary that you must abandon your identity in order to compete. Is it worth it?  That’s what I’ve been pondering lately. 

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4 minutes ago, HockeyDad said:

Exitmusic, I couldn’t agree more about the present state of things. It (lost their identity and haven’t adapted) applies to other corps too (Scouts for example). 

It’s a sad commentary that you must abandon your identity in order to compete. Is it worth it?  That’s what I’ve been pondering lately. 

has SCV abandoned their identity? Blue Devils? Bloo? Crown? Cavies?

 

Identity is more than what you wear.

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2 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

has SCV abandoned their identity? Blue Devils? Bloo? Crown? Cavies?

 

Identity is more than what you wear.

Right, and we don't have one outside of what we wear. OK, maybe "the corps that steps off on the right foot," but that's about it. Maybe "the corps that doesn't design shows very well, so then makes wholesale changes with three weeks to go that end up making the show worse."

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1 minute ago, exitmusic said:

Right, and we don't have one outside of what we wear. OK, maybe "the corps that steps off on the right foot," but that's about it. Maybe "the corps that doesn't design shows very well, so then makes wholesale changes with three weeks to go that end up making the show worse."

that sadly is the fault of the past. I think there's more there to claim as identity than maroon and gold. read the words of Dave Shaw, you can find tons there

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