You've gotta see this pic.......

[Einstein On The Beach]

I've seen saxes and electronic instruments in major orchestras.

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Playing Beethoven or Tchaikovsky? I sure the #### hope not, I'd get up and leave. Just because something can be done doesn't make it good. It would be one thing if drum corps were really suffering in popularity, but...IT ISN'T! Why so much change? Besides, BOA sucks, to be quite frank.

Please don't.  1) It's not fair to penalize the kids for the actions of the Powers-That-Be, and 2) don't give DCI/the corps the money.  The wallet is where you can hit them hardest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Haha hey it's okay, after woodwinds are put in, there won't be any kids. I hope Fiedler knows how to hold a contra. Oh wait, that's too heavy, he might pull a muscle. Okay, a flute.

The musician is not in the fingers or the lips or the lungs.  The musician is in the mind and heart of a person, and so an instrument is just an extension of their body, linked to the musician in the mind.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This almost nullifies your point from before. Infact, it can be used to be PROMOTE woodwinds!

[jwscv87]

Mr. Fiedler had every opportunity to be quoted with the position that he has no intent of ever suggesting that woodwinds be added to the marching members. He did not.

That speaks volumes IMO.

[77kingsmensnare]

I've seen saxes and electronic instruments in major orchestras.

Mike

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Who cares? we are not talking about orchestras we are talking about DRUM CORPS!

[jwscv87]

It all has to do with "credibility" my friend.

For example, if I (who am a computer network administrator) diagnosed you with cancer, would you act on my diagnosis, or would you want a second opinion from an M.D.?

Or how about if I pulled you over and gave you a traffic ticket.  Would that ticket be valid?

Experience and credibility go a long way in supporting an opinion.  That's all I'm saying. :)

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I think that is balogna given what we are talking about in this thread. We are not discussing something that only a FMM can fully grasp. We are talking about how fans define drum corps. A fan who has never marched, but attends shows and loves and supports the activity has just as much credibility chiming in on this subject as anyone IMO.

[Orpheus]

I don't think it's about likes or dislikes.. WOODWINDS ARE NOT DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS!!! WHAT PART OF THAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?? You can't call it Drum Corps if you have woodwinds involved in ANY way!!!!       :ramd:  :ramd:

So what're you trying to say, exactly? I don't think we're quite getting the gist of your argument.

[jbenburton]

I knew people would cry back to me on what I said. That is great, so you have written in and done everything you can, good for you, where has it gotten, well looks like not enough interest to keep it out of I and E. Is my point being made yet, one voice in a million (of sorts).

Also Drum and Bugle Corps, do not say anything about Color Guard, so I guess they really aren't what they say they are now are they?

I am just sick of people getting on this board and crying over everything that goes on in DCI, so if you are one of them, maybe DCA is where you need to be. But what if DCA adds amps in the future, then what are you going to do? Things are going to change, they have changed and they will change, whether you like it or not, so you can be a voice, but when your voice isn't heard cause it is one in a million, don't cry about it, maybe the majority has spoken. Whether you want to believe it or not, directors and the board does listen to what the fans have to say, cause you can bet that they are going to do whatever it takes to get fans in those seats and make money from it, so if something you are voicing an opinion about does not effect the outcome, then that means there is not enough interest from others of the same opinion to effect it, cause they ARE going to do what pleases the most.

[77kingsmensnare]

So what're you trying to say, exactly?  I don't think we're quite getting the gist of your argument.

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Thank You!

[sburstall]

Mr. Fiedler had every opportunity to be quoted with the position that he has no intent of ever suggesting that woodwinds be added to the marching members.  He did not. 

That speaks volumes IMO.

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He was also against amps and look what happened. Why is this any different? Instead of going right through the front door like amps did, instead, they will come silently in the backdoor.

"hmm...this works well in I&E. Maybe we'll first add saxes, like George wants, then slowly allow the flutes and clarinets to come the next year."

[madscout96]

This almost nullifies your point from before. Infact, it can be used to be PROMOTE woodwinds!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not if you interpret it the right way (I probably wrote it the wrong way).

"The musician is not in the fingers or the lips or the lungs. The musician is in the mind and heart of a person, and so an instrument is just an extension of their body, linked to the musician in the mind."

If DCI's argument for bringing in WW's is to allow more people to participate, than the above is meant to say that a musician should have no problem learning the skills to play a brass or perc. instrument if they already have achieved a certain level of musicianship. I'm separating "musicianship" from "technical ability" here. I believe they're two completely different things.

If someone has not achieved a level of musicianship needed to easily switch from WW or strings to brass or perc., then I don't believe drum corps would help them from a MUSICAL EDUCATION standpoint. They may learn technical skills, and lots of the "life lessons" that drum corps offers, but they may not increase their MUSICIANSHIP.

I have written strictly of the educational impact of adding WW's, not the impact on entertainment/design/economics/tradition.

AP Calculus is very educational, but I wouldn't pay $15 to watch it for 2 or 3 hours.

[byline]

There are already District and State Festivals for Solo and Ensembles through the public school systems, what is DCI's point in doing this?

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Exactly. It's not like there aren't already enough competitive performing opportunities for woodwind soloists. Though I think the question is rhetorical. The point in doing this is that eventually, DCI will be marching band. It's nearly there now; the addition of woodwinds is the final blow . . . er, step.

When that time comes, and DCI becomes MBI, there ends whatever interest I had left in competitive drum corps. (This is coming from a woodwind-player, by the way.) If I want to see marching bands, I'll go to a marching band contest. That wasn't what interested me in drum corps, and I have absolutely no desire to see it head in that direction now. Though it appears that what I want has no bearing on what will happen.