Corps that use b flat horns question?

[camel lips]

For those of you have have converted over to b flat horns,what is the correct drum corps terminology to call the soprano players?Are you considered trumpet players or soprano players?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[cheezedogg 23]

depends on the corps and staff. I watched a Cavaliers warmup last year, and I swear I heard them talk about the contras and sopranos. Since thats the voice in brass harmony they are playing.

[vaguardguy]

I'm fairly certain there's no set, universal standard for referring to soprano/trumpet and contra/tuba players in drum corps yet. I've seen some corps that have been playing Bb horns for years (e.g. The Cadets, Blue Devils, etc.) regularly use trumpet/tuba in place of soprano/contra from both the members and the staff. I have seen corps that have recently switched from G to Bb (e.g. Capital Regiment, Colts) use the same terminology to emphasise their new instrumentation. For the corps in between, they seem to be used interchangeably. In some cases, just the staff (or certain sections of the staff) uses trumpet/tuba in lieu of soprano/contra, in other cases, just the members (we like to call them "rookies" :sshh: ) use the "band terms" (note: I'm using this expression in a historical context and am not explicitly bashing band - which has it's own place in the pageantry arts). Sometimes both members and staff use the new terms, sometimes neither use them. To summerise a long-winded discourse, the words used to describe the soprano and contrabass voices of the brass choir that composes a particular corps' hornline varies from corps to corps.

I can't speak to the inner workings of most corps, but I know at LVK we have been using Bb horns since '02. Despite this, and while trying to avoid the "G vs. Bb" debate, most people still refer to the horn and horn players as sopranos and contras. Excluding the brass staff, the remainder of the staff has seemingly preferred using soprano/contra over trumpet/tuba (I imagine as much out of force for habit as preference). The members themselves almost exclusively use soprano and contra in reference to their Bb respective horns and the members who play them. Our Guestbook seems to be a good indicator of this (and out of curiosity, do any other corps often refer to their fellow members in the form [instrument] [first name] like Guard Chris (in my case) or Contra Tim (as taken from the Guestbook) - we've done this for years and I wonder how common it is). This is where I make my wild assumptions, but I think the membership prefers the "drum corps terms" because it's a distinguishing factor from marching band. I contend most of our members take deep pride in being in a drum and bugle corps (albeit Bb bugles), and since most can justify the terms "soprano" and "contra" in reference to their voices, this is a fair practice. This puts us more in touch with our roots (both generically to drum corps past, and also to the Chieftains Senior D&BC from where we originated), and is a point of pride specifically relevant to marching a drum corps. I'm sure we're not the only corps that seemingly operates as above, and I'm sure there are also corps that operate on nearly the exact opposite principle. For the time being, it's all relative.

Edited March 1, 2004 by vaguardguy

[BOSMarcher]

At Magic it was the Contras and then the trumpets... so, I dont think it matters.

[camel lips]

I know at MCL we play in the key of G and we take great pride in being called sopranos.

Our director is a big time fanatic (in a good way) about using proper Drum corps terms and I would hate to step on any Drum corps toes at performances by calling a trumpet player that plays a b flat trumpet a soprano player when the term may or not be correct.As a matter of fact at last rehearsal he slipped and called us trumpets only to get a hiss from the soprano section.(it was all done with fun a jest)

Is anyone else confused by this or is it just me?

I guess to further illustrate my point,if you go to the Kanstul website http://www.kanstul.com/pages/instruments.shtml and look at how they have the two horns listed,the sopranos are listed under the "BUGLE" section while the B flat marching trumpet ( COL 103 - "Trumpet") is listed under marching brass.

Also the B flat marching "tuba" is listed in the marching Brass section as a TUBA and not a Contra.

I guess I am confused as ever now.

Edited March 1, 2004 by camel lips

[Phirefenix]

As far as referring to the voices in a horn arc, I think that it doesn't matter. We still hear, contra, and soprano when we get instruction. I think in that respect that the terms are universal.

[BorisTS]

The terms can and are used interchangeably...don't worry about it too much.

[dmfootworks]

It would have been interesting to hear Reagan say he was a Tuba.

[MCL_Contra]

Tradition may take precedent here in what people call what. But there IS a difference. Concert horns (i.e. Bb) are trumpets/tubas while Bugles are sopranos/contras. These are "official terms and are not truely interchangable.

That being said though, I don't think it's a big deal if someone calls a tuba player a contra. Especially if they don't know it's a Bb horn or can't tell the difference visually.

[JimF-LowBari]

Few weeks ago I asked why people say they play Trumpet in a Drum and Bugle Corps. Only thing I learned is that each corps calls the instruments different things for different reasons. Some say soph/contra because of voicing and some because of tradition. Then we got into a big discussion of what is a bugle and it's history. For some groups the key makes a difference in bugle/trumpet and some it doesn't. Etc, etc, etc.....