Jump to content

2003 Finals CDs Review


Recommended Posts

Ok, here is my review of the CDs. This is MY opinion, so if you flame, you just look stupid. You can, however, state your own opinion. :-)

I haven't made it all the way through all three disks, but I will review what I have heard so far.

Blue Devils:

Hornline sounds pretty good. Drumline is very clear too, though it does expose some of the dirt. Love the first 4 minutes of the show, and the take five section, but some of it just seems sort of "the same" as previous years. I do think that the first minute backfield is too soft, and hard to hear on the CDs.

The Cavaliers:

I loved this show the first time I heard it, and nothing has changed. There are a few rough spots on the recording, but when your brassline has that kind of clarity, you will hear that stuff. The Ballad was beautiful and comes across very well on CD, and the third tune was the best thing in DCI this year.

The Cadets:

Fanfare was good, though there are lots of chipped notes..more than I remember from finals. Malaguena was good..the percussion makes it great. Rocky Point sounds good on the recording, but its no 1983. Good show, but I think brass wise they should have been third behind BD and Cavaliers.

Phantom Regiment:

They are very loud. The tuba intonation stuff is very exposed in the main hit of the Canon..almost offensive. Finals night, I thought they had the 4th best brassline, but now I think they should have been 5th. The Drumline is greatly improved and comes across well on the CDs.

Santa Clara Vanguard:

How did they not beat Regiment in brass? The drumline was amazing, and I think could have won drums. The show music very enjoyable to listen to. ESPECIALLY the tune with the rockin drum stuff.

I haven't listened to anything else other than Spirit, and I really enjoyed that show.

Overall, the quality of the recordings are good, but not quite as good as 2002. Maybe its because Camp Randall is just that much better.

PHREAK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 101
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Yiou think Phantom should be fifth because of what you heard on a recording. These are professional recordings, but in now way do they represent the real thing. Many of the "flubs" you hear on any recordings are because of physics and how sound travels..especially with equipment. It's nice to have memories of these events, but nothing ever replaces seeing and hearing it live. They were 4th at Orlando and they will always be 4th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yiou think Phantom should be fifth because of what you heard on a recording. These are professional recordings, but in now way do they represent the real thing. Many of the "flubs" you hear on any recordings are because of physics and how sound travels..especially with equipment. It's nice to have memories of these events, but nothing ever replaces seeing and hearing it live. They were 4th at Orlando and they will always be 4th.

That might be the funniest thing I have ever read. These are in NO WAY representative of the real thing? LMAO

PHREAK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

microphones don't lie - unless they are defective. and even if there are acoustical issues (like major reverb), you can't miss an ensemble tear or a flubbed articulation.

removing the visual dynamic and the adrenaline surge that you experience as a fan at a live show is often the only true way to objectively evaluate percussion and brass.

:ph34r:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

microphones do lie... first off, all sound reproduction devices these days have an overt emphasis on the bass sound and texture... modern music has driven us to this.

also, the placement of the microphone is very interesting as well... no audience member is 5 feet in front of the percussion and 40 feet tall... and corps do, address things from the box and tower so it is understandable how this is not addressed...

not even taking this into account... scv's extreme dirt ruined their whole performance on the cd... this can also be blamed on mic placement if you would like... just a personal opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Phantom Regiment:

They are very loud. The tuba intonation stuff is very exposed in the main hit of the Canon..almost offensive. Finals night, I thought they had the 4th best brassline, but now I think they should have been 5th. The Drumline is greatly improved and comes across well on the CDs.

I love you for that.

You are one of the few that agree with myself in that Phantom's hornline wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually the mics can lie. Case in point Cadets 93 tenors solo. On the tape (CD) they sound dirty as ####, but it was a function of coming through the two mics at different sound rates dut to placement on the field. Live it was a clean as a freshly mown rutabega skin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yiou think Phantom should be fifth because of what you heard on a recording.  These are professional recordings, but in now way do they represent the real thing.  Many of the "flubs" you hear on any recordings are because of physics and how sound travels..especially with equipment.  It's nice to have memories of these events, but nothing ever replaces seeing and hearing it live.  They were 4th at Orlando and they will always be 4th.

That might be the funniest thing I have ever read. These are in NO WAY representative of the real thing? LMAO

PHREAK

Have you ever seen a competition live? I would think you would, but if you think what I say is funny, then you obviously haven't. Recordings never do the justice of seeing a performance live...it's a totally different show, but it still captures the sound and essence of performance, but you can't feel the emotion and adrenaline pumping through the entire stadium.

With that, thanks for the review...can't wait to get my copy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Phantom Regiment:

They are very loud.  The tuba intonation stuff is very exposed in the main hit of the Canon..almost offensive.  Finals night, I thought they had the 4th best brassline, but now I think they should have been 5th.  The Drumline is greatly improved and comes across well on the CDs.

I love you for that.

You are one of the few that agree with myself in that Phantom's hornline wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

Thank you.

Count me in, as well. Good, no question, and at times even excellent. But not the second coming, as you would think from reading these boards.

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...