When did pit percussion first appear?

[Malibu]

sorry maybe I mis-understood ???

Hope it did help clarify when and why

the Pit did start.

It was just not called the Pit until 1982

But the crossmen actually had a pit before

it was called the Pit. The idea was to clean

up all the stuff on the 50 yd. line and take it of the fld.

I did mention the crossmen did infact use concert timps

in 1980

have a nice day

ps LOVE THE PLANET DRILL

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know I'm trying to remember what we used to call the percussion on the sideline. It may have been "sideline percussion" or "sideline ensemble." Let me see if I can get one of the drummers from back then to answer that. Who knows, Tony S. may have been calling them "pit" back then.

Glad you liked our Planet's drill, you have a great day too! B)

[St_Marys64]

You know I'm trying to remember what we used to call the percussion on the sideline. It may have been "sideline percussion" or "sideline ensemble." Let me see if I can get one of the drummers from back then to answer that. Who knows, Tony S. may have been calling them "pit" back then.

Glad you liked our Planet's drill, you have a great day too!  B)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actual I think tony coined the phrase Pit

when he was doing the bd visual

and just wanted to get them off the fld. to give

J. murphy more room for those Fabulous rifle line.

Did you Know: JAY was in the St mary crusaders in the sixtys

it was St marys all male feeder corps, and then he became a

boston crusader fan.

Started Teaching with Tony in 1976

I think Jay did the crossmen 1980?

Edited October 20, 2004 by St_Marys64

[Malibu]

Actual I think tony coined the phrase Pit

when he was doing the bd visual

and just wanted to get them off the fld. to give

J. murphy more room for those Fabulous rifle line.

Did you Know: JAY was in the St mary crusaders in the sixtys

it was St marys all male feeder corps, and then he became a

boston crusader fan.

Starting Teaching with Tony in 1976

I think Jay did the crossmen 1980?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, Jay worked with our rifle line some in 1980. He didn't tour with us, he just came around once in a while. B)

[St_Marys64]

Yes, Jay worked with our rifle line some in 1980. He didn't tour with us, he just came around once in a while.  B)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You had a great gd. anyway

[Walter]

Come to think of it, we grounded our tympani in '78 Northstars!!!!

[susantaylor40]

Come to think of it, we grounded our tympani in '78 Northstars!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only for concert, Rob!!! Actually, the "grounding " of percussion was originated by Ventures in the mid 70s because they could not come up with enough drummers to field a percussion section, so they had about 10 women on the sideline ( no formal pit area was around then) and an arrangement of drums set up, and the girls played a variety of percussion instruments throughout the show.

[Walter]

Only for concert, Rob!!! Actually, the "grounding " of percussion was originated by Ventures in the mid 70s because they could not come up with enough drummers to field a percussion section, so they had about 10 women on the sideline ( no formal pit area was around then) and an arrangement of drums set up, and the girls played a variety of percussion instruments throughout the show.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well then who carried the other three besides you and Bill???

Hold on, we had the three kids from Guardsmen come up right????

Sure now it all comes back to me, sure NOW!!!!

[GGarrett]

since I'm a newbee to DCP I guess I can go back a few pages and pipe in on things from two months ago...that is if you still care!

1978 Guardsmen grounded the their timps right after "off the line." The timp section marched forward and made an impressive, well balanced "whole corps" front, then ditched the timps for cymbals. There are a few photo's floating around out there of our cymbal line with half of them wearing straps. I know other corps had done it prior to '78, like the Ventures. And it is correct that there was no "pit" in those days. In fact, it was a concern as the show was coming together just what was legal and what wasn't in those days as far as placement of the timps and congas. (Timps and congas were the entire "pit" apparatus back then...pretty funny by todays standards!)

I remember (at the time) thinking it was kind of a cop out for us to do that, because we had an "edge" over the other lines that were still breaking measures up between different players and having to really "break it down" like bass lines continue to do these days. I figured (at the time) that we would have difficulty held against us and judges would favor the more complicated effort of individual players per timp over one player for all. I was wrong...

[DAvery]

[You were always able to ground timpani, Kilts did in 78 other people also. BUT they were still considered marching members and had to mark time when they played. If you remember, there was a timing and penalties judge who kept track of the corps moving, and the corps were required to move a certain amount of time over the entire show!

Cut down on "Park and Barks"]

Actually wasn't there a rule that you were not allowed to have wheels on the field? Didn't the Kilts bring their concert tympani out in 78 and then take the wheels off?