Jeff Ream Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 23 hours ago, jthomas666 said: Wasn't one of the arguments for amplification that it would allow corps to reduce the size of the pits? correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 20 hours ago, mingusmonk said: The investment and effort in making pulse come from a permanent "back" ensemble is not worth it. UNLESS, you possibly have no battery. You aren't the first to have considered this. But most that have tried it have quickly moved away from it. i have done it with small bands...it's a challenge, because you really have to train the winds/brass to adjust their listening focuses. but it worked out really well for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 16 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said: IDK why they need so many marimbas (for example) - if it is cranked through an amplifier whey do you need more than one player per part? Are there really 4-6 different marimba parts? actually there are. melodic, counter melodic, harmnic, low end, high end....the depth of scoring has really opened up, it' not just doubling main lines or filling in the blanks with chromatic runs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 15 hours ago, supersop said: Most corps have 4 or 5 marimba players. Parts are often split like a 1st, 2nd and 3rd trumpet part. They also use different hardness of mallets in different ranges to get a richer sound. Each player having their own responsibilities. Also it's drum corps. We don't have 3 trumpets, 2 mellos, 2 baris, 1 euph and 1 tuba on the field. Do we? More players with identical technique and musicality shows skill ... and creates a more impressive sound. I have predicted, & still maintain, that at some point a Corps will 'field' an entire horn line of 3 trumpets, 2 mellos, 2 baris, 1 euph and 1 tuba, all in pit & amped. And a guard of about 120 on the field. Will it score well, who knows. But it will happen sooner or later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingusmonk Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 33 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: i have done it with small bands...it's a challenge, because you really have to train the winds/brass to adjust their listening focuses. but it worked out really well for us I see that working. You and I are both part of a facebook group that hit this topic pretty hard this year and it was nearly unanimous that it would not be worth trying with large groups that have moving batteries (thinking this would include all of World Class for sure). Unless there was a VERY compelling reason. A lot of people with large-scale expertise both inside and outside of the marching arts chimed in on it. Folks that have been taking some big innovative risks in our activities over the years had feedback based on real experiences. I'm with them. As I am with them on the insane idea of feeding a click track across 160 IEM pairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 1 hour ago, mingusmonk said: I see that working. You and I are both part of a facebook group that hit this topic pretty hard this year and it was nearly unanimous that it would not be worth trying with large groups that have moving batteries (thinking this would include all of World Class for sure). Unless there was a VERY compelling reason. A lot of people with large-scale expertise both inside and outside of the marching arts chimed in on it. Folks that have been taking some big innovative risks in our activities over the years had feedback based on real experiences. I'm with them. As I am with them on the insane idea of feeding a click track across 160 IEM pairs. even in the smaller venue of indoor, you see the challenges of them moving around. i remember the horror stories from Phantom when they had the pit on the field in the 90's, and challenges last summer with groups that started moving them out there. a former caption head i worked with for a dozen years always said "as long as they're centered on the 50 on the front, i don't care where you put them" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 2 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said: I have predicted, & still maintain, that at some point a Corps will 'field' an entire horn line of 3 trumpets, 2 mellos, 2 baris, 1 euph and 1 tuba, all in pit & amped. And a guard of about 120 on the field. Will it score well, who knows. But it will happen sooner or later. Don't know what the penalty is for marching more than 154 members. If it's only a single penalty instead of an amount for each extra mm, I'd love to see a corps say the helll with your limitations and march 180-200 mm and maybe make up the penalty with great visual/GE scores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfrontz Posted May 18, 2020 Author Share Posted May 18, 2020 2 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: even in the smaller venue of indoor, you see the challenges of them moving around. i remember the horror stories from Phantom when they had the pit on the field in the 90's, and challenges last summer with groups that started moving them out there. a former caption head i worked with for a dozen years always said "as long as they're centered on the 50 on the front, i don't care where you put them" I was really impressed by Star in 90 and 91 splitting the pit side one and side two. Great effects for the CD, at least. Bluecoats did that recently, as well, IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted May 19, 2020 Share Posted May 19, 2020 14 hours ago, mingusmonk said: I see that working. You and I are both part of a facebook group that hit this topic pretty hard this year and it was nearly unanimous that it would not be worth trying with large groups that have moving batteries (thinking this would include all of World Class for sure). Unless there was a VERY compelling reason. A lot of people with large-scale expertise both inside and outside of the marching arts chimed in on it. Folks that have been taking some big innovative risks in our activities over the years had feedback based on real experiences. I'm with them. As I am with them on the insane idea of feeding a click track across 160 IEM pairs. No doubt this came up in your discussions, but I know there have been BOA finalist bands with pits placed well onto the field, farther back at any rate than anything I've seen in DCI. That said, even the very best high school bands, in my opinion, would only score somewhere in the high 70s on DCI's scale (even setting aside penalties for using woodwinds and having too many members), so that really doesn't undermine your point.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 On 5/18/2020 at 4:04 PM, mfrontz said: I was really impressed by Star in 90 and 91 splitting the pit side one and side two. Great effects for the CD, at least. Bluecoats did that recently, as well, IIRC. yeah i have never been opposed to it personally. the first year the HS i was at grounded the percussion, we were up front because the visual people said so. and...we were stronger than the band. the next year i fought for the switch, and as part of my argument, i mentioned the guard could do equipment changes behind us...and voila! and the band had their highest ever placement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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