rut-roh Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I could care less about this, really, seeing as how we're not going to see woodwinds in drum corps for a very long time, if ever. The instructors don't want it, the directors (aside from one) don't want it. That being said, if the Blue Devils came out with a killer sax line and played Channel One Suite along with their famous brass line, I'd be more than interested in checking it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Why not add violins, cellos, basses, violas as well? We could get all those kids involved as well....Or they could do what all the saxophone players in my day did and learn to play a brass horn. This cellist learned how to play the trumpet so that I could be in marching band with my friends and then marched soprano. It made my cello teacher very upset that I'd spend my summers in drum corps and not spending my summers playing my cello. <shrug> What could I say... I LOVED drum corps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Why not? Mike 'Cause you can't march drill and play the cello. They used to tease about it, though. I think there's a Woody Allen movie where he sits down on a stool, plays a couple of notes, then picks everything up and moves to a new drill spot, sits down and plays a couple of notes, etc. What a hassle! I can't imagine what a string instrument would look like after tour. The heat and humidity wouldn't be good at all for the instrument, the rosin and rosin dust would probably melt/fuse with the varnish 1,000 times more than what it does already, and what would you do during a rainy show? The only option would be to get a tin violin / viola / cello / bass... but UGH. Just give me a soprano, 2 valved and in the key of G, please, and let me march with all of my friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GmenBari78 Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 It [independent marching band circuit] was tried out in California for a while. I don't think it really caught on, and it died out after a few years.Now, then, a new circuit that has both DCI and BOA's influence behind it might be a different story. I was in that circuit and the midwest circuit (still exists, MACBDA.org) in the late 70s with my high school band. I think the reason these circuits did not catch on were because they were not truly independent but most programs were tied to school districts, and when the district and/or school lost the director or the interest, then the program faded, versus the independent nature of drum corps programs. Sometimes schools and marching units can do things together (Spirit of JSU current example), but for the most part I think they end up with different agendas over time and then the marching program dies. The educational system in this country has a lot to do with that IMO. Regarding woodwinds in corps, when I marched in my high school band, we were a corps-style band that primarily focused on brass/percussion sound, but the mix of woodwinds ended up giving us a typical wind ensemble listening quality. I really don't like the idea of adding woodwinds to corps and changing the tonal nature of it. Having marched a corps-style band, I know its possible to acheive similar levels of excitement on field with such a mixture as long as you maintain brass and percussion as the focus, but I really don't want to see a continued bastardizing of this musical idiom. And if God forbid it does happen, if it does not stay heavily rooted and biased toward brass and percussion and the accompanying loudness and intensity that only those instruments can achieve (without amps!), then drum corps has definitely left the planet (at least the DCI planet). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 'Cause you can't march drill and play the cello. They used to tease about it, though. I think there's a Woody Allen movie where he sits down on a stool, plays a couple of notes, then picks everything up and moves to a new drill spot, sits down and plays a couple of notes, etc. What a hassle! I can't imagine what a string instrument would look like after tour. The heat and humidity wouldn't be good at all for the instrument, the rosin and rosin dust would probably melt/fuse with the varnish 1,000 times more than what it does already, and what would you do during a rainy show? The only option would be to get a tin violin / viola / cello / bass... but UGH. Just give me a soprano, 2 valved and in the key of G, please, and let me march with all of my friends. A micced stringed instrument in the pit would sound great...IMO. The Woody Allen film was "Take the Money and Run", and it was a parade...very funny film, BTW. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Regarding woodwinds in corps, when I marched in my high school band, we were a corps-style band that primarily focused on brass/percussion sound, but the mix of woodwinds ended up giving us a typical wind ensemble listening quality. I really don't like the idea of adding woodwinds to corps and changing the tonal nature of it. Having marched a corps-style band, I know its possible to acheive similar levels of excitement on field with such a mixture as long as you maintain brass and percussion as the focus, but I really don't want to see a continued bastardizing of this musical idiom. And if God forbid it does happen, if it does not stay heavily rooted and biased toward brass and percussion and the accompanying loudness and intensity that only those instruments can achieve (without amps!), then drum corps has definitely left the planet (at least the DCI planet). IMO... You do not have to maintain brass/percussion as a focus to create an exciting sound...it can be a true mix of all three elements...brass, WW, and percussion. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I could care less about this, really, seeing as how we're not going to see woodwinds in drum corps for a very long time, if ever. True...this exercise in "what-if "is purely academic for the time being. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_S Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Most of the "Junk" littering up the junior corps landscape this century can be laid right at "Hoppie's" front doorstep, wherever that may be..... If you're talking amps and such, remember that they were never legal until the BoD voted them in. It took twelve men (corps) to vote yes, which makes blaming one man seem awfully foolish. In fact, if I remember correctly, it was actually David Gibbs' proposal that was approved, not Hopkins'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddone Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I'm sure there are some who will. IMO that is their problem, as also IMO the number will not be significant. And also IMO, I think even more band directors will look favorably on drum corps, and will bring students to shows in even larger numbers than now, more than making up for those few who leave.Mike Yes of course band directors would. Because it would be Band during the summer. Now to me Drum Corps is all brass is it not? Isn't that one of the major differences we say when people ask the differences between the two. How many people say well its sorta like marching band but all Brass. Once that is not just all Brass then it will be well BAND.. Summer Band. I am sure Mike D and others probably say well it marching arts and they tour and compete during the summer etc. But when the person says "well its marching band" does it not still come back to saying .. well yeah but one of the major difference is its all Brass .. Again as soon as Saxes and other are in .. then you will just say well yeah its marching band. No True Major difference between the two. JP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 Yes of course band directors would. Because it would be Band during the summer. Now to me Drum Corps is all brass is it not? Isn't that one of the major differences we say when people ask the differences between the two. How many people say well its sorta like marching band but all Brass. Once that is not just all Brass then it will be well BAND.. Summer Band. I am sure Mike D and others probably say well it marching arts and they tour and compete during the summer etc. But when the person says "well its marching band" does it not still come back to saying .. well yeah but one of the major difference is its all Brass .. Again as soon as Saxes and other are in .. then you will just say well yeah its marching band. No True Major difference between the two. JP You say that as if it's a bad thing....IMO it is not. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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