Winning at all costs

[jwillis35]

27 minutes ago, Smug Trumpet Guy said:

There should be a standard for what is and isn't beautiful. Whoever decided to make GE worth more on the sheets than anything else can shove it

Ok, I see your point, but who gets to decide what is or is not beautiful or exciting? I somewhat agree on the GE comment and that has been hotly debated over the years. 

[ironlips]

4 hours ago, Fred Windish said:

I am particularly concerned by a lack of sustained melody.

Indeed. Melody is an endangered species in Drum Corps. And it's the most visceral and memorable thing about a piece of music.

If you ask, "How does that song go?", nobody sings you the rhythm pattern (unless it's Magnificent Seven or Mission Impossible, exceptions that prove the rule, I think).

[Jeff Ream]

15 hours ago, Triple Forte said:

so funny I forgot to laugh!  😎

So I pose the question , if the designers and creators feel the need to redesign the core elements (look and sound) of the activity , why don’t they go off and create something on their own like Star did?  

Why butcher an activity that already exists? 

drum corps has been changing and evolving since day 2.

[Jeff Ream]

14 hours ago, Smug Trumpet Guy said:

Too much of this sentiment is how you end up with something like modern art and the blatant money laundering operation that it has become. There should be a standard for what is and isn't beautiful. Whoever decided to make GE worth more on the sheets than anything else can shove it

well back into the 70's GE was 30% of the sheets, and the performance captions were 70.% each. with modifications and the addition of guard to the total number, it shifted to 60% performance, 40% effect. But honestly GE called the show then and now...like Rondo has often said GE calls the show....and he's been saying that for decades

[skevinp]

16 hours ago, Smug Trumpet Guy said:

Too much of this sentiment is how you end up with something like modern art and the blatant money laundering operation that it has become. There should be a standard for what is and isn't beautiful. Whoever decided to make GE worth more on the sheets than anything else can shove it

This is the first post I have ever seen that got all 5 emoji reactions.

[Triple Forte]

7 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

drum corps has been changing and evolving since day 2.

I agree Jeff and there’s nothing wrong with evolving .  The problem here is the degree of evolution is washing away all of the core elements. 

An example for me would be Mics used to Amplify/alter all musical elements on the field. To me that is a drastic change to a core element i.e. sound

[Terri Schehr]

5 hours ago, skevinp said:

This is the first post I have ever seen that got all 5 emoji reactions.

It’s like watching a Quentin Tarantino movie.. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by Terri Schehr

[Forevergreen]

On 6/29/2022 at 10:29 AM, Newseditor44 said:

It’s clear this season a lot of the corps have placed an emphasis on points rather than connecting with the masses. While the performance level is amazing, the design is clearly pointing towards the sheets and not the overall fan experience (yes this can be argued, but seems to be a theme). The question I pose to all of you, if you had one choice and had to design a show that appealed to the judges, or to the fans, which would you choose? Is it more important to create a complicated show that performs well on the sheets, or design a show that has massive fan appeal? And yes, you can do both, but I’m not giving you that option. You have to chose one or the other. 
 

Ready, go!

Sometimes a corps will hit both meaning entertaning and hit the score sheets.I know there are more but quick to mind for me: Cavaliers 04, Crown 13, SCV 18, Bloo 16, Cadets 11, BD 10, 14. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by Forevergreen

[Boss Anova]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:31 AM, Smug Trumpet Guy said:

There should be a standard for what is and isn't beautiful. 

 Good luck attempting to find universal agreement on what is and isn't " beautiful " however.

 There is the wise saying.... " beauty is in the eye of the beholder ".

[ironlips]

54 minutes ago, Boss Anova said:

 Good luck attempting to find universal agreement on what is and isn't " beautiful " however.

 There is the wise saying.... " beauty is in the eye of the beholder ".

And that's the thing about wise sayings...they offer insight.

Way back when (WBW, for the texters) we thought we were so cutting edge, introducing things like jazz runs, vocals, low mark time, asymmetry, multiple valves...etc., and taking much heat from the traditionalists who believed we were killing drum corps. We didn't care, and kept right on with it.

My point is that we got to do it "our way". To deny that privilege to today's designers would be rather disingenuous.

That said, one is perfectly free not to care for it. As Sly said (the singer, not the visual guru): "Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks."

Doo bee doo bee doo.