PECKVILLE - Live Stream

[Weaklefthand4ever]

On 7/29/2019 at 3:37 PM, Jeff Ream said:

planning. They get out and recruit all fall. Their staff is working on the next years show within 2/3 weeks after finals. They have the plan mapped out long before Membership Day. There is no wasted time at rehearsal, and it's rare they are still adding bodies come June. They start drill in March, and don't have access to an indoor facility. This year is the first time I remember in the run that they had a significant amount of drill not yet on the field by Wildwood, and weather was a big part of that. Any rewrites or changes they do are usually mapped out in June. Every week has a set agenda of to do lists. They also expect the membership to have their #### together and come prepared.

It makes me wonder how soon the potential MM's get show music as well. Bucs always have the full bones of the music under their fingers by their sprimg preview. I know at least at CV we didn't get it until maybe the 2nd or 3rd camp. In a way, I get it. By then, you pretty much know who's in and out so you aren't wasting time learning, say, a snare part if you're gonna end up in front ensemble. And you don't have the potential of people blabbing about what music your playing all over the internet. 

At the same time, you're already weeks behind by the time that 3rd or 4th camp comes. Granted this may have changed by now...it's been a lot of years. It just seems like the risk is worth the potential rewards. I DO remember that we got exercises that related directly to the book which was good. 

I dunno. Just thoughts. And brass may be a completely different beast.

[Fran Haring]

1 hour ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

It makes me wonder how soon the potential MM's get show music as well. Bucs always have the full bones of the music under their fingers by their sprimg preview. I know at least at CV we didn't get it until maybe the 2nd or 3rd camp. In a way, I get it. By then, you pretty much know who's in and out so you aren't wasting time learning, say, a snare part if you're gonna end up in front ensemble. And you don't have the potential of people blabbing about what music your playing all over the internet. 

At the same time, you're already weeks behind by the time that 3rd or 4th camp comes. Granted this may have changed by now...it's been a lot of years. It just seems like the risk is worth the potential rewards. I DO remember that we got exercises that related directly to the book which was good. 

I dunno. Just thoughts. And brass may be a completely different beast.

From what I understand, the Bucs start learning their show at their first weekend together.... Thanksgiving weekend. 

I don't know if that has changed in recent years... but I do know they tend to come out of the gate running, not just feeling their way. 

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

It makes me wonder how soon the potential MM's get show music as well. Bucs always have the full bones of the music under their fingers by their sprimg preview. I know at least at CV we didn't get it until maybe the 2nd or 3rd camp. In a way, I get it. By then, you pretty much know who's in and out so you aren't wasting time learning, say, a snare part if you're gonna end up in front ensemble. And you don't have the potential of people blabbing about what music your playing all over the internet. 

At the same time, you're already weeks behind by the time that 3rd or 4th camp comes. Granted this may have changed by now...it's been a lot of years. It just seems like the risk is worth the potential rewards. I DO remember that we got exercises that related directly to the book which was good. 

I dunno. Just thoughts. And brass may be a completely different beast.

prior to the New Yea I believe they have music. 

[Weaklefthand4ever]

3 hours ago, Fran Haring said:

From what I understand, the Bucs start learning their show at their first weekend together.... Thanksgiving weekend. 

I don't know if that has changed in recent years... but I do know they tend to come out of the gate running, not just feeling their way.

So CV usually has their 1st rehearsals around the 1st week of January. That means Bucs have a 2 month advantage over the 2nd to 3rd place corps. I'm not sure what Cabs do but I would think it's about the same as CV. My GUESS (and this is only a Guess,) is that Bucs probably have show music planned 2 to 3 seasons ahead just as DCI corps do. That way they have time to navigate licensing hiccups. And if their arrangers are consistent year over year, they are most likely thinking concepts a season ahead. 

I would also think that this level of organization helps with MM retention. The more organized the program, the better the consistency and results. The better the consistency and results, the less attrition you have. People want to come back year over year to a winning program. It's why the Top 12 in DCI stayed the same basic top 12 for 2 decades even when we had many more corps. 

So if what I'm saying here is correct (and please correct me if it isn't,) then what is the down side that I am missing? I think of it like Star of Indiana. Every year, the group of folks that Bill Cook had in place had a plan. First to make finals, then to progress into the top 6 and finally to win DCI. They communicated that plan consistently to the members, staff,BoD and alumni. There wasn't a lot of smoke and mirrors inside that organization (plus Bill knew to hire the right people and not interfere in things he didn't have a personal expertise in.) What is it about DCA (and DCI) that doesn't seemingly appear to the majority of corps? Whether I choose my music for this coming year 2 years ahead or 3 months ahead, does it cost me more on way or another? I simply can't map my mind around the subject. 

[JimF-LowBari]

Trying to remember but thought in mid/late 70s we started music rehearsals about a month after DCA. Yeah we recycled some charts from year before but at least we were getting used to each other and saw what the new folks had to offer.

[Fran Haring]

12 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Trying to remember but thought in mid/late 70s we started music rehearsals about a month after DCA. Yeah we recycled some charts from year before but at least we were getting used to each other and saw what the new folks had to offer.

Same here for a few years. But after the 1980 season, Sun's director  (who also happened to be my older brother... LOL) didn't start rehearsals for the 1981 season until November. Kind of a radical move for that era.

I remember folks from another DCA corps telling us we would be way behind with such a late start. But my brother's reasoning basically was, after our crazy rebuilding season in 1980, we needed a bit of a break.

In 1981 we jumped to 2nd from 6th in '80. So much for the "late start" hurting us. LOL

 

[BigW]

21 minutes ago, Fran Haring said:

Same here for a few years. But after the 1980 season, Sun's director  (who also happened to be my older brother... LOL) didn't start rehearsals for the 1981 season until November. Kind of a radical move for that era.

I remember folks from another DCA corps telling us we would be way behind with such a late start. But my brother's reasoning basically was, after our crazy rebuilding season in 1980, we needed a bit of a break.

In 1981 we jumped to 2nd from 6th in '80. So much for the "late start" hurting us. LOL

 

"Rehearse for results, not for hours".

[Weaklefthand4ever]

23 minutes ago, BigW said:

"Rehearse for results, not for hours".

Indeed...It's not about reps (though my younger self would disagree with that statement...he was a dullard though.)

As they say, practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect. 

[JimF-LowBari]

And at least as far as the music is involved that “homework” outside of rehearsal is critical. Never realized how critical until I got older and lot harder to memorize than it used to be. And only get together to go over music about 20 times a year at 3 hours a pop.

[Weaklefthand4ever]

15 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

And at least as far as the music is involved that “homework” outside of rehearsal is critical. Never realized how critical until I got older and lot harder to memorize than it used to be.

I think we all learned that it's in all things too. When I was younger (and dumber,) I played pool 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. I did that for YEARS until I got good enough to compete on the tour. I didn't figure out until much later in life that I could PRACTICE 3 hours a day and get the same benefit. Throwing balls out on a table and running out is all well and good. You miss a ball, you curse a little and shoot again. But it's a time sink and the benefits gained are small unless you want to play your friends for beer. Practicing means that you have to do everything just as if you were playing in a tournament. You CAN'T miss a ball. If you don't have a shot, you play a safety on yourself. Then you try to get get out of that safety. When I came back to playing pool 7 years ago, I tried that approach at the suggestion of another pro-level player and I was tournament ready in 4 months. 

Age teaches us many things. Don't take yourself too seriously, practice how you intend to perform, don't drink the water in Tuscaloosa, drum carriers aren't meant for fat guys, don't trust a redhead (that one's probably just for me)....