Do percussion judges actually realize there's a Front Ensemble?

[TheOneWhoKnows]

8 hours ago, Orwellian Wiress said:

Coming from someone who was in front ensemble for a year, not even the band director realizes there's a front ensemble

Until the battery starts rushing, but y’all been practicing with the met at tempo since day 1 so it’s ingrained you but now there’s phasing and it’s your fault 

[MarimbaManiac]

It's hit or miss. There are plenty of battery focused judges that only come to the front during the ballad, this isn't new. Having a box percussion judge and a field judge is ideal.

5 hours ago, TheOneWhoKnows said:

Until the battery starts rushing, but y’all been practicing with the met at tempo since day 1 so it’s ingrained you but now there’s phasing and it’s your fault 

Most quality front ensembles are trained to just play with the battery, and not pay attention to the DM or try and keep tempo consistent. Center of pulse moves with the drill, so they are constantly adjusting. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by MarimbaManiac

[TheOneWhoKnows]

27 minutes ago, MarimbaManiac said:

It's hit or miss. There are plenty of battery focused judges that only come to the front during the ballad, this isn't new. Having a box percussion judge and a field judge is ideal.

Most quality front ensembles are trained to just play with the battery, and not pay attention to the DM or try and keep tempo consistent. Center of pulse moves with the drill, so they are constantly adjusting. 

My comment was a joke to Orwellian based on their comment. 

[MarimbaManiac]

20 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

That’s mA now, one a brass person one a percussion person. And in the box sounds get lost because you’re way up and you have mic’s brass etc too

Do they no longer do a box perc judge during finals?

[SOA Dad]

My son was in the FE with Spirit in 2018 and he mentioned on several occasions that there  was good, constructive feedback from some of the percussion judges. At one of the larger contests, thinking the Southeastern one in Atlanta, the judge supposedly told them they had a top-9, borderline top-6 FE, and they were over the moon hearing that.

[Weaklefthand4ever]

9 hours ago, MarimbaManiac said:

It's hit or miss. There are plenty of battery focused judges that only come to the front during the ballad, this isn't new. Having a box percussion judge and a field judge is ideal.

Most quality front ensembles are trained to just play with the battery, and not pay attention to the DM or try and keep tempo consistent. Center of pulse moves with the drill, so they are constantly adjusting. 

So first. I stopped into one of my classes today to check on one of my trainers and give a little pep talk. Turns out that one of the trainees was in Cadets 2011-2012 in the front ensemble. Small world this drum corps thing. Then I remembered that I aged out in 1990. 

Dead on target. I never played front ensemble but all I ever heard from cats who did, was they follow us. Back then the drill was far less complex, but the battery always moved right around the 50 when listening within the hornline would be difficult. The whole idea being that you were dead in the center where you can establish a constant tempo that isn't shifting. 

Yes. There are some judges which absolutely give credit to good fronts. There are some that are very battery driven. I respect them all. I couldn't do it. 

If you are solid musician or even an avid music appreciator, listening goes far your specific instrument that you play. At some point, you start really appreciating some of the things you just never had time to notice when you were the one on the field doin' the darn thing. 2010 PR front ensemble. Stunning...just...stunning. Beautiful approach to the instruments. Balanced. Musical is every way. 

Here is what I always thought about judging. It's subjective and changeable. If YOU want to see it change and you get the chance, become a judge and go do the darn thing. 

[Jeff Ream]

On 7/18/2023 at 11:12 PM, Orwellian Wiress said:

Coming from someone who was in front ensemble for a year, not even the band director realizes there's a front ensemble

until there's a tear. then the FE always gets blamed

[Jeff Ream]

the thing is the battery moves...and with the judge limited in how far they can go out on the field, they will do their best to get a look at the battery...remember they have sample each section...snare, tenor, bass, plates if used...and the FE. some corps design the visual in a way to get the battery up front more, and it allows the judge to be able to get a more holistic view of the full ensemble. in a box, you won't hear #### in a dome. you've got brass...mic'd and not mic'd, pit thru the amps etc...so much battery will get lost behind all that other sound. small band show...sure he box is great. yes some judges may be more battery centric than others...there's some that are more FE centric too. but the judging admin team can hear any sound file they want and can and will give feedback if someone is too focused on only one area, and with Flo, they can see how they get around a good chunk of the time too. watching last night I saw Marty give everyone's FE ample time.