AnaheimAlumni Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 (edited) Only a small portion of the audience that seems to complain about most of the changes made in this century. The same type of folks who complained years ago about the issues noted above. Personally, I'll take the 2005 Regiment sound over just about ANY sound in any decade. Adding timpani and mallets in the first place was just as large a change to the percussion sound, IMO, back in the day. And...amps are not a radical change, again IMO. Not one new instrument was made legal by that change. Mike <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Can't say much about your first sentence, it doesn't make sense. The people in the audience were not complaining about horns in the past. Maybe about too much dance, men in tights and less precision? Regiments horn line sounded good but I wouldn't go that far. The 2003 line was much better IMO! Besides, it took 70 Bbs to put out that much sound. If the Troopers had 70 G horns on the field there would be no comparison in volume. Pease don't try to lump tympani "drums" and mallet instruments together. They are about as close as brass and string instruments. Nobody complained about tympanis and adding more "drums"! If you don't consider amps a radical change then you need take your blinders off. The amps allowed the voice to be used in such an artificial and unnescessary way. Edited August 23, 2005 by AnaheimAlumni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Regiments horn line sounded good but I wouldn't go that far. The 2003 line was much better IMO! Besides, it took 70 Bbs to put out that much sound. If the Troopers had 70 G horns on the field there would be no comparison in volume. The sound is more than just LOUD. Quality counts, and IMO Regiment this year, and I agree, 2003 too, created a wonderful sound at all volume levels. Pease don't try to lump tympani "drums" and mallet instruments together. They are about as close as brass and string instruments. Nobody complained about tympanis and adding more "drums"! Really? The corps director of a corps I arranged for and taught in 1976 came up to the timpani line one day and said he'd trade the whole lot in for a single rudimental bass. Needless to say, they all left after the season. If you don't consider amps a radical change then you need take your blinders off. The amps allowed the voice to be used in such an artificial and unnescessary way. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sorry, but I have no blinders on...amps did not add one single instrument that was not already legal to use. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnaheimAlumni Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 (edited) Really? The corps director of a corps I arranged for and taught in 1976 came up to the timpani line one day and said he'd trade the whole lot in for a single rudimental bass. Needless to say, they all left after the season. What does this have to do with mallets? Maybe they needed better instruction? Sorry, but I have no blinders on...amps did not add one single instrument that was not already legal to use. Well maybe not legal by your terms but definetely distasteful. Edited August 23, 2005 by AnaheimAlumni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torn8o Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 It was still a brass horn, no? Didn't really backfire at all. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ohhhhh I know. I'm with ya. Like I said, I was just messin with you. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torn8o Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 (edited) If you don't consider amps a radical change then you need take your blinders off. The amps allowed the voice to be used in such an artificial and unnescessary way. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually I dissagree with that. Vocals have been used since the early 1980s. Everything from shouting, chanting to singing is nothing new in the field of drum corps. All amplification does is make it easier for us all to hear those vocal moments as well as pit sound effects done by instruments already legal in drum corps. That's it! It's really not that big of a change. NO REALLY! It's not!!! I've been pretty silent on the amplification issue. NOT SO SILENT ON THE ISSUE OF HORNS (as I'm sure you've noticed). But on the issue of amplification, I think we've made a bigger deal out of it than it really is. If they add woodwinds I will scream bloody murder. But honestly, I really couldn't give much of a flip about amplification. It's just not an issue for me. Edited August 23, 2005 by torn8o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 (edited) when you plugged in, you changed the direction of the activity forever. sure vocals happened before, but it was accoustic. now it's slowly turning into Up With People Edited August 23, 2005 by jeffsnewjetta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScribeToo Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Let me play devils advocate here for just a second, this is meant as a legit question and I'm not trying to stir up the pot more than it already is. The question I have is what exactly have been the reasons given by those who are proponents of WW in DCI. In other words, has someone like George Hopkins actually proposed this already and stated his reasons why he thinks it's a direction DCI should go? I have already heard the whole "Drum Corps is Band" comment and while I would have to think that one statement may have been taken a bit out of context by some let's face it, it's no secret that Mr Hopkins has some ideas of his own about what his version of Drum Corps would look (or should I say sound) like. The only arguments I've heard in favor of adding WW's so far has been the old "change is inevitable so it must be a good thing" theory, or "let's provide a more complete educational experience for the kids" but honestly neither one of those come close to leading me to think that it would be a "good" thing for the activity. Anyone care to elaborate? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This is a great question.. and it reminded me of why I thought the woodwinds I&E was such a great idea.. I think of it like this. Putting myself in the shoes of a high school clarinet player: I'm already in marching band and all my friends are mooning over drum corps. I love it, too and would love to do it.. but I'm really dedicated to my instrument.. I'm all-state two years running now and if I start to play a brass instrument, it might hurt my clarinet chops... I wish I could but I just don't have the confidence that I can do both. Oh but wait a minute.. on DCI.org, I saw there's a kid who plays saxophone in the Cavaliers.. hmm.. He must play a corps instrument, too or he wouldn't be there and it looks like it didn't hurt his chops and HE won I&E! Maybe I CAN do both!! ... THAT'S why I think woodwinds at I&E is a good idea.. and THAT'S why I do not believe that their appearance in the individuals and ensemble competition is heralding their appearance on a drum corps field near you.. Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PR_ducky Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Just to throw out my 2 cents worth. I was recently listening to some DCI cds from the late 80s and I really don't think all the fiddling with the horns (2 valve, to 3 valve, to B flat) has made a #### bit of difference. In regards to a comment about PR marching 70 b flat horns, PR has almost always marched 70 horns, at least since I was a member there in the 80s. I do think some of the uniqueness of the activity has been lost and I don't really care for the amplification stuff, but then again when they switched from valve/rotors to 2 valves in the 70s alot of people said it was the beginning of the end, same with 2 to 3 valve and so on, seems to me like Drum Corps is doing just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCranford82 Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 ... THAT'S why I think woodwinds at I&E is a good idea.. and THAT'S why I do not believe that their appearance in the individuals and ensemble competition is heralding their appearance on a drum corps field near you.. Stef <{POST_SNAPBACK}> As far as woodwinds at I&E goes, I don't see that as much of an issue. They could have a kazoo competition and as long as they stay off the field no big deal, all deference to the 1980 Guardsmen (loved that drum solo :P ). The danger is that this is just a foot in the door for those who want WW's on the field and I'd be curious to find out who exactly came up with the idea to make this a part of I&E in the first place. Let me try this a different way and pose a direct question to MikeD: Mike, are you in fact in favor of adding WW's to the competition field in DCI and if so, why? Pardon me if I'm off base here, but I ask you this question because you do seem to advocate the idea of Corps and Band morphing into each other and I'd like to hear in your own words why you feel this is a good thing and would it be so terrible to have both, each unique in their own way? Thanks, Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DrumCorpFan Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Ohhhhh I know. I'm with ya. Like I said, I was just messin with you. :) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> No problem...all in fun. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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