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Why do people think G = "Bugles"????


Guest GeorgeD

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I like G as a tradionalist. I don't call them 'bands' beacuse they use Horns in Bb. ITs the attitude and it all beiong valved brass only and percussion that makes it drum corps. ( also the guard.. B) ) Its all good that corps are in Bb, i just like the G for tradition. But i agree, as long as WW and elec. stay out, its drum corps, reguardless of key or how many valves, maybe someday they'll start using 4 valve piccolo trumpet/bugles. who knows. But its brass and it kicks ###. MY 2 cents have been brought to you by_________.

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I have four points:

1. It stoped being "real" drum & bugle corps when they added valves and rotors to the horn.

2. The quality of sound from DCI hornlines has improved by LIGHT YEARS since 2000. If you disagree then your mind was probably already made up that you wouldn't accept the new horns so you have blocked your brain from even appreciating it.

3. When I hear Blue Devils, Cadets and SCV nowadays, guess what..... IT STILL SOUNDS LIKE DRUM CORPS NOT MARCHING BAND!!! Oh my! Imagine that!!! I didn't even realize Cavaliers were playing on the new horns till someone told me they made the switch a few years ago. I knew they sounded great but I had no idea they were on Bb instruments.

4. When I was young and I firs heard Phantom Regiment, Blue Devils and 27th Lancers I didn't care what key the instruments were. I just knew I loved it and I wanted to do it. I would have still marched drum corps no matter what key the horns were in.

End of story. Get over it.

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Thank you WoofInTheWoods. I wish everybody could understand the points you've made here, because it's not what horn you play, it's how you play the horn. That's what makes it Drum Corps.

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George:

You offer a fascinating argument that deserves to be explored further. Might you or anyone else be able to come up with the facts of what other keys drum corps "bugles" used to be in, when we adopted "G" as our "home key," and (this one fascinates me the most) if anyone back "then" complained that moving to the key of "G" turned the instruments into something "less" than "bugles." My heavens, that would be fun thing to throw out in the "Fanfare" column.

I've got to check this out in Steve Vickers' wonderful new "History of Drum Corps" book. (Someone just gave me one as a gift, and I can only say "wow." If you folks don't have one yet, treat yourself for Christmas. It's quite comprehensive and a real treat. Check out the Drum Corps World website for ordering information.)

Anyone up to the task? (Of course, you would be credited until the cows come home.)

And incidentelly, this is my first new post with my new custom avatar, courtesy of the aforementioned George. (Now don't all go running to him. I was a particularly desparate and helpless/hopeless case.)

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OK....most of you know that I am personally not a fan of the 3 valve instruments but let me just point something out that Wolf kinda brushed around that really needs to be said:

If an arrangement is done properly for the key of the instruments involved then you should NOT be able to tell what "key" the instruments are in because the arranger should ensure that the harmonic key chosen is the correct key for the piece!

Now, as for G defining corps--George you and I agree on this one. Anyone who knows what the activity was like at its origins (and I am only 31 but have studied the activity since I started in it at age 4 and studied the history along with the current "theories") knows and would have to agree that G didn't define the activity. As for the sound of horn lines since 2000 I have to agree...that third valve and the attitudes and abilities of the performers have improved light years. But I also think that the third valve has taken some of the difficulty out of the arrangements since the hornline does not have to figure out the line as much since they don't have to avoid some of the "impossible" notes to play on the horn (without lipping it of course).

Just my opinions, but I think they at least make sense this time (I hope I didn't ramble too much here).

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2. The quality of sound from DCI hornlines has improved by LIGHT YEARS since 2000. If you disagree then your mind was probably already made up that you wouldn't accept the new horns so you have blocked your brain from even appreciating it.

Sorry, but I have to disagree. I accept B-flat horns completely, however I don't see how you can say that the quality of sound has improved. I prefer G horns because of the tone they produce. Although it does matter how you play the horn, B-flat horns tend to have a brighter, brassier qulaity, whereas the G horns tend to be more mellow sounding. That's a personal preference in what you like to hear. But are you implying that hornlines have more quality because they are using B-flat horns? I should say not. If they have more quality, it's because they have decided to work at sounding better, not because they got a new horn slapped in front of them.

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I have to agree with the 2000 comment.

When I heard BD and Cadets in 2000, I was convinced the Bb horns didn't have the power that G's had.

When I was at the Clifton show this year, and I saw Crossmen, BD and Cadets, if I had not known better, I would have sworn they were on G's. The volume and sound was that close.

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I have to agree with the 2000 comment.

When I heard BD and Cadets in 2000, I was convinced the Bb horns didn't have the power that G's had.

When I was at the Clifton show this year, and I saw Crossmen, BD and Cadets, if I had not known better, I would have sworn they were on G's. The volume and sound was that close.

Mike, I agree with this word for word. I remember the big deal that was being made about the Bb and I remember thnking that the 2000 BD & Cadet lines were a little "lacking", but this past year both of those lines along with Cavies, Crossmen, SCV....were deep. lush, loud and commanding.

Bb's seem to project just as good as G's.

~G~

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Guest GeorgeD

BUT - (back to the topic - sense this is turning into a G/Bb thread) - why do people say G horns are bugles and Bb horns aren't when G doesn't makes something a bugle (or not) IMO

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Guest makin'decisions
I've got to check this out in Steve Vickers' wonderful new "History of Drum Corps" book. (Someone just gave me one as a gift, and I can only say "wow." If you folks don't have one yet, treat yourself for Christmas. It's quite comprehensive and a real treat. Check out the Drum Corps World website for ordering information.)

You forgot to include the customary disclaimer:

(shameless plug.)

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