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Time to Say Goodbye, after 15 years


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3 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said:

Really though I'm not sure drum corps ever recovered from the addition of contrabass bugles back in the 1960s. That's when it all started going south.

Well, there was at least one letter to the editor of Drum Corps News in the early 60's (read it on NanciD's great project to place the DCN issues online) bemoaning the addition of the contra....said it was turning drum corps into marching band.

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3 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

History of Drum Corps called early 90s seasons of audience discontent due to changes in show styles. That and bunch of life changes will help you decide which way to go.

I hear that, Jim.

Stuff does, indeed, happen. And life goes on.

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6 hours ago, Ray Kimber said:

For several years my delight with Drum Corps has been waning....

...Now I have lost any interest in attending or supporting.  I don’t like listening to amazing musicians through a vitiating PA system.  Moreover I feel guilty about any of my efforts, donations, or support that subsidizes PA systems. It might be valid to compare the use of PA systems to steroid use, for my taste it sounds bad and feels like cheating.  I sorrow for those million hours of musician devotion that I don’t hear with majesty, grace and purity.

Ray Kimber, Ogden Utah

I share your sentiments, Mr Kimber.  I still listen to your ISoMike SACD corps recordings from the last decade ... the pinnacle of audio capture of drum corps.  The beauty in the sound is when acoustic, not ampilified.

http://www.isomike.com/highaltitudedrums0708.html

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Join the club sir. I miss drum corps of the past as well. 2014 was my last live show. I stopped watching online 2 years later. I still make my yearly donation to Madison (sent it yesterday) but have no interest in watching at all now. Thanks for your honest assessment. You are spot on!

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I’ll continue to promote the idea of enjoying today’s DCI productions from one’s living room, using Flo and the Blu-Rays. The experience is quite different in good way. Many of the troublesome elements are in the background. Entirely new perspectives that can’t be picked-up in person. Besides, if you’re not in the mood, just shut it all down and go to bed!

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13 hours ago, LabMaster said:

Sorry you feel this way.  But those are your feelings and you are more than entitled to them. 

So far, so good.  But it is going to go downhill quick.

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I am sure the kids who are the musicians you speak of, and some pretty good ones too, will also miss your support no matter how selfish, imo that it comes across.  This activity is for the kids who participate, and not so much there specifically to entertain some old farts like many of us are. 

You know, looking at recent developments, it seems to me that the activity is far more about the designers (or the instrument/equipment suppliers) than either the fans or the kids.  But I will put that aside, and address what you are saying...

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They (the kids) are there because it is a new generations activity and is not there to appease the whims of others who wish the puppy would remain a puppy.

Thanks for speaking on behalf of all kids everywhere.  But you missed the ones who are there because they like to perform in front of appreciative audiences.

You also missed the fact that if you are going to paint all discontented fans as anti-change, then their position is by definition not a "whim", but the exact opposite - a staunch, long-held stance.  Of course, that misses the reality that many fans are not like that at all, and gladly accept many changes (when they are positive ones).

And by the way, if the activity was truly not here for the audience in any way, then they would stage shows in empty fields and operate without any fan revenue.  But instead, they squeeze every last dollar they can out of the fan base, then hold their hands out for additional donations without which the whole house of cards would come crashing down.  They had better appeal to enough audience "whims" to keep that money coming in.

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I have found myself swing back and forth from time to time ,wishing DC could be what it was.  Then I watch what it is, I listen to what it is and then I look back and see what I thought was good, and realize it is not as good as what I see today.  I hear amazing musicians.  I see incredible artistry with guards and drill writers and show designers.  I see talent I could not even dream of BITD. 

I know how cool it is to compliment current marchers by deprecating (even self-deprecating) those of the past.  I view it entirely differently.  Every era has had talented performers and designers.  Also, importantly, every era has had participants who could make the fruits of their hard work and determination come alive on the field.  There are different flavors of innate vs. developed talent, different levels of achievement, and different manners of refinement as the activity standards and tastes have changed over time.  One can marvel at what a corps composed entirely of the graduates of scholastic music education can achieve today.  One can also marvel at what a corps composed of a cross-section of local 12-21 year olds could accomplish 40 years ago.  And one can marvel at what veterans with no musical background could do with relatively primitive and limited equipment 80 years ago.

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10 hours ago, MikeD said:

Well, there was at least one letter to the editor of Drum Corps News in the early 60's (read it on NanciD's great project to place the DCN issues online) bemoaning the addition of the contra....said it was turning drum corps into marching band.

And the Cabs with the blasted Latin percussion. Snares, tenor and bass drums were good enough for decades so why change now.... Yeah another big fan of NanciDs site.

And why not post that you are leaving and the reasons why in a respectful manner. If you care about something and disagree with what is going on your voice should be heard. Or is DCP the “good things only” social media site?

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11 hours ago, Tim K said:

I find these posts interesting. If for whatever reason I decided to stop going to shows, would I decide it needs to be posted to DCP? 

Well, it is a discussion board.  And like you say, you found his post interesting... so there you go.

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I say stick around. For one thing, 2004 is not old school by any stretch of the imagination, and as I look back that was a time I thought drum corps would be gone in ten year’s time. Attendance at the shows in my area was poor, the number of corps was paltry, and while I’m sure I did not sit on my hands during performances, I thought in many cases the music was not accessible, performances were good but not as memorable as past years, but I still had a good time because one thing did not change. Kids put their all into performances and in the end it should be about the kids.

The kids!  You must support DCI for the kids!  If you stop going to shows, you are anti-kid!

Please.  By your reasoning, I should support the kids in all their activities, be it drum corps, marching band, winter guard, dance teams, cheerleading, football, basketball, hockey, baseball, softball, T-ball, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, gymnastics, figure skating, volleyball, wrestling, track and field, chess team, debating, 4-H, video game tournaments... you name it.  But there is not enough time/money to support every kid and every activity.  We each have to pick and choose where to put our personal support.  If we become disenchanted with one activity over time, why should we continue to support it when there are so many other options?

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Just shake my head when I see the “talent level is so much higher today” (aka now vs bitd) posts. Weeeeelllll when the available number of spots is so much lower you are going to have that. 

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