Popular Post Fred Windish Posted July 11, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 11, 2022 Once again, I am not a musician, 71 years old, and still enjoy and support drum corps. I also acknowledge things do change. My biggest disappointment this DCI season centers around the music arranging. Generally, too many selections sound disjointed, even abrasive. It’s as if the brass and percussion is now being used as an interlude between dance routines and body posing. The sound contributions are often not melodic. Well played and showing a command of the instrument, of course! But, to me, just quick hits without enduring value. Younger audiences find much to like. for sure. But, marketability beyond students and member families, this product falls too short for building a casual audience when this show comes to town. 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cappybara Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 11 minutes ago, Fred Windish said: Once again, I am not a musician, 71 years old, and still enjoy and support drum corps. I also acknowledge things do change. My biggest disappointment this DCI season centers around the music arranging. Generally, too many selections sound disjointed, even abrasive. It’s as if the brass and percussion is now being used as an interlude between dance routines and body posing. The sound contributions are often not melodic. Well played and showing a command of the instrument, of course! But, to me, just quick hits without enduring value. Younger audiences find much to like. for sure. But, marketability beyond students and member families, this product falls too short for building a casual audience when this show comes to town. Crown’s double tonguing warm up exercise in their 2nd movement comes to mind. And some of the random runs and flourishes BD has in their music book also feels quite superfluous to me. I can’t remember a single actual non-technical/non-warm-up-esque music moment in the Bluecoats show apart from the keytar section. Same with SCV, the ballad is gorgeous but the rest of the music is just technical and choppy writing Phantom comes to mind as a corps that is actually doing it right musically. BAC is doing pretty well with it too, I love that they sprinkle in the wonderful world motif consistently throughout the show to give the audience something to latch onto 5 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vidal28Rdg Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 5 hours ago, ThePlanets said: Let's see - I do love the jagged line. Probably my #2 Bluecoats show after kinetic noise. Bluecoats have been designing great shows for many years. Check out 1995 if you can find it. - I also love programmatic shows- although they have been much more common since Spartacus won in 08 they have been around a lot longer. SCVs Phantom of the opera is a great example of this. Also if you like the fun side of DCI find some old Velvet Knights shows. - Narration is a super controversial opinion but many of my favorite shows contain well used narration. "This I believe" by the Cadets is an amazing show that is so hated but it paved the way for more use if narration. The best show with Narration is Blue Knights 2014. By far. - I almost always am against singing. There are some shows I like that happen to have singing but I certainly don't like them because of the singing. I love Carolina Crown but 2017 and 2004 are two of my least favorite shows from any corps. Props- I can take it or leave it. I love seeing corps professionally enter the field and march like the 00-06 Cavaliers and props make that difficult. They can be used for some really cool effects or story telling. Woodwinds- no. GTFO I don’t think people hate programmatic shows, many folks love them, pretty tame take imo maybe a hotter take might be that I like when corps do self-referential shows, when they are done well at least haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 44 minutes ago, saxfreq1128 said: Yeah, not anymore. But historically BD was the major jazz corps, and weirdly even if that isn’t huge in their shows anymore it’s still part of their identity for me, for some reason! I remember when they had the Tommy show and people were saying, “The Who is great music but it’s not Blue Devils. They should be playing jazz.” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg_orangecounty Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 Too much music that few people recognize. I hear that from many that marched in our era. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSnareDrummer Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 41 minutes ago, greg_orangecounty said: Too much music that few people recognize. I hear that from many that marched in our era. Whoops, sorry. I thought that read differently. 😡 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orwellian Wiress Posted July 11, 2022 Author Share Posted July 11, 2022 I don't mind the singing, although I think it's much better implemented when it's a recording. I think it's really cool when they have the first few bars of a song, and then the hornline continues it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skevinp Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 31 minutes ago, Orwellian Wiress said: I don't mind the singing, although I think it's much better implemented when it's a recording. I think it's really cool when they have the first few bars of a song, and then the hornline continues it. I don’t usually like more than just a little, but the young lady in 2018 Bluecoats was sensational and so well integrated with the corps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkbass98 Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 1,2...is this thing on? Been like 8 years... Hoo boy...*cracks knuckles* -SCV 88 was better (not cleaner) than SCV 89. -Star 93 was by far the superior drum corps (with better design), but (rightly so) did not win due to the visual disparity between them and CBC on Finals night. (Also Cadets shoulda won in 92, but dat Cavies vibe) -Scouts 95 >>>>>> Scouts 88 (love em both) -DEVILS DESERVED THE WIN IN 08. (and 96...but not 99) -Cadets were the better drum corps in 00, but Cavaliers deserved the win (mostly on their design). -SCV 13 is the best show to hum along to ever. -There should still be a timpani line out on the field. *mic drop* see y'all in 2033! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAtenhut Posted July 11, 2022 Share Posted July 11, 2022 7 minutes ago, bkbass98 said: 1,2...is this thing on? Been like 8 years... Hoo boy...*cracks knuckles* -SCV 88 was better (not cleaner) than SCV 89. -Star 93 was by far the superior drum corps (with better design), but (rightly so) did not win due to the visual disparity between them and CBC on Finals night. (Also Cadets shoulda won in 92, but dat Cavies vibe) -Scouts 95 >>>>>> Scouts 88 (love em both) -DEVILS DESERVED THE WIN IN 08. (and 96...but not 99) -Cadets were the better drum corps in 00, but Cavaliers deserved the win (mostly on their design). -SCV 13 is the best show to hum along to ever. -There should still be a timpani line out on the field. *mic drop* see y'all in 2033! Your first three bullets... 🔥🔥🔥 No opinion on '87 SCV losing to Garfield's perfect percussion? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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