Jump to content

Time to Say Goodbye, after 15 years


Recommended Posts

5 hours ago, Lance said:

my big problem is that A&E fundamentally changes the way we assess balance in an ensemble.  

when it was acoustic, you could say that certain sections or players within sections were out of balance with the ensemble as a whole.  now, balance problems can be because disconnected or malfunctioning wires/mic placement/amp placement/soundboard incompetence, etc.  where is the differentiated language in the rubric that addresses how these things impact scores?  it shouldn't just be the same as it was back when it was acoustic only. 

This I can agree with. Balance issues can be "fixed" from almost player to player with the correct electronics. And with today's mics, you don't have to have stationary mics or players. I can imagine the argument you bring though. 

Maybe the solution is somehow limiting those electronics to certain number of mics and determining their positions as stationary. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, HockeyDad said:

The pure sound of an acoustic mallet section is never inferior to the plastic sound of an electronically amplified / microphoned sound.  Acoustic sound does not “suffer.”  Any judge who thinks otherwise is just following the herd that’s created this tinny sound that seems like it’s coming out of a tunnel. It’s horrible. 

If that is what you heard, you are listening to the wrong groups. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, MikeD said:

Everybody followed suit along the way. Corps that folded for whatever reason are besides the point.Corps have come and gone forever. That is irrelevant to this.

You think increased costs are irrelevant to why there are only 40-something corps left in the junior drum corps activity?

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, cixelsyd said:

You think increased costs are irrelevant to why there are only 40-something corps left in the junior drum corps activity?

I think that the huge decline in corps had more to do with larger societal and economic changes than the cost of an amp or marimba.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not the poor financial ability of the Mom and Pop drum corps? Directors who made lots of money off of corps members?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, MikeD said:

I think that the huge decline in corps had more to do with larger societal and economic changes than the cost of an amp or marimba.

Once you admit money matters, it becomes difficult to dismiss the cost side of that equation.

If only we were talking about just a marimba, or "an amp" (whatever that is).  Instead, the activity has added brass voices one by one, and replaced the entire brass choir five times.  Percussion started buying extra bass drums so that they could saw them in half and make tymp-toms, then they added actual tympani and various mallet instruments that were a challenge to carry.  So then we needed a place to put those heavy things down (the pit), which opened the floodgates for equipment we could never carry.  Guard equipment changes.  Props.  Amplification.  Electronic instruments.  Nationwide touring.  A caravan of buses and trucks (now multiple trucks for the equipment, and another one for the mobile kitchen).

If you still think cost was irrelevant, and that "everybody followed suit" when only 10% as many corps still exist, then we will just have to agree to disagree.  (But even your disagreement seems to admit agreement.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, MikeD said:

I think that the huge decline in corps had more to do with larger societal and economic changes than the cost of an amp or marimba.

And I think you're leaving out the big elephant in the room:

Drum corps has failed to remain relevant through all of those larger issues even as WGI and hyper-competitive "corps-style" marching bands have succeeded in growing their relevance.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

You think increased costs are irrelevant to why there are only 40-something corps left in the junior drum corps activity?

increased costs in equipment is a drop in the bucket of what is needed to move a corps today, as has been explained time and time again. Even if you turn the clock back 25 years...no amps, the same duct taped G bugles, no electronics, the same uniforms stitched together by corps moms hoping they don't fall part is nothing when you factor in the cost of fuel, housing, food and insurance. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, garfield said:

And I think you're leaving out the big elephant in the room:

Drum corps has failed to remain relevant through all of those larger issues even as WGI and hyper-competitive "corps-style" marching bands have succeeded in growing their relevance.

 

well those you mentioned have a lot less costs involved too...not doing nationwide tours helps

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...