This one is For the Kids Adding Woodwinds Or Guitars

[Bond624]

as for some other things, like encore and retreat I wish that DCI would take some input from the members, and when I say this I mean seriously consider what the members have to say, rather than just the corps directors. After all, this is an activity for US is it not? There are many things that have happened over the past few years that many corps members don't agree with. Kind of sad. oh well.

Well I hope some of the DCI people read this..

Thanks for posting.

[PageantryVisGuy]

Woodwinds make me think of prancing unicorns and rainbow-colored lolipops.

Just read through this thread and would like to nominate "Barry Zhou" AKA "Mokumi" for BEST STATEMENT EVER!

...That is all...carry on...

Edited February 5, 2006 by PageantryVisGuy

[3rd_Star_Brigade]

If woodwinds/strings were added, it would not be a good thing for the activity. However, if they were to be used in the pit, it wouldn't probably be that bad. That's what the pit does, effects. Woodwinds and strings can not project, but then again we have Amps which may or not be good. Depends on how you use 'em. I Hate ^0^ guitars.

I want hornlines to change back to bugles. The sound coming out of the multi-key sounds high-pitched and wanny (no better word). When you listen to a bugle up close it sounds much more in tune and richer in sound(especially G). Take mellophones:

G - Best

Bb - Not Cool <**>

F - Ok :sshh:

But, then again, if it hurts the product, then it hurts the organization and it has to go. Thats how the Board of Directors would view it.

[3rd_Star_Brigade]

By the way, I'm majoring in Bb Clarinet.

In other words, I wouldn't be caught dead playing in the Cadets.

[flashofthunder]

I'm 15, so i think that I have a pretty accurate view of the young'uns opinion

What is Drum Corps to you?

It's definitely not marching band, that's for sure. It's something that I have madly wanted to be a part of ever since I was first exposed to drum corps. I love marching band, but once I found out that a musical group that's the caliber of a drum corps tours the country competing, sleeps on gym floors, and strives for perfection existed I knew that it was something I had to do.

If Woodwinds or Guitars where added would that make you think of Drum Corps different.

It definitely would. There's a certain sound that an all brass and percussion line has that nothing else does.

My main instrument is saxophone. Before last June, I had no idea what a drum corps was. A friend of mine was marching '05 crossmen, and I went to see him at a show that was near my home. I was absolutely astounded at the level of perfection that was displayed by the corps that night. Although it was only June, I didn't notice the flaws that existed. I did notice the extreme amount of discipline among all members, and the way every single member carried his or herself with a large amount of pride.

I didn't play a brass instrument. But since I knew that marching a corps was something I wanted to do so badly, I got a fingering chart, a mouthpiece, and borrowed a baritone from school. I then taught myself how to play(Since my BD wouldn't really help me; He didn't think i would ever be good enough. <_< ). I put a huge amount of time into learning baritone, and focused all of my energy into learning to play. I had never had that sense of accomplishment before. I don't have to do much in school to get good grades, and I don't have a job. I never really had to work at much to get anything.

But when I was learning baritone I had to focus all of my concentration on one thing, and did something completely by myself. I finally found something I wanted to be a part of so badly that I gave up all my free time so that I could even have a chance of doing it.

Would you still March etc..

Heck no. I would probably go to DCA. After all of the effort that I put into learning a brass instrument solely so I could march a corps, there's no way I'm going to let it go to waste. If someone really wants to march a corps they'll find a way, whether it's through brass, percussion, or guard. If they don't play brass or percussion, or if they can't toss a rifle, then they can learn as long as they are willing to work at it. I did.

[soccerguy315]

What is Drum Corps to you?

A bunch of people coming together playing brass and percussion instruments with a guard that put on a show for people to enjoy.

If Woodwinds or Guitars where added would that make you think of Drum Corps different.

Would you still March etc..

You can learn a brass instrument. I'm a saxophone player, and a pretty good one, but I decided I wanted to march corps, so I started out with a baritone. I've been playing for a year and I got an alternate spot in a Div I corps (my first choice, and the one closest to me, in any division). And I'm so excited. I still play saxophone in the Wind Symphony at college. Would I still march if there were woodwinds? Honestly, no. I've put a huge amount of hours into learning baritone, and other people can to. I doubt I could do DCA, because I can't spend so many weekends away during school. I already played in marching band (and spent a year on the podium). Now I want to experience drum corps.

... i'm just so excited that I'll get to experience drum corps this summer. I learned a new instrument, and it's a 7 hour drive, I'm giving up my chance to study abroad, I'm giving up the opportunity to do summer internships, drum corps might hurt my job offers, due to lack of the two previously mentioned things, but i'm fully confident it will all be worth it. I, as someone who is going into their first year marching (and I age out next year), just want you to know how excited I am to be part of this.

[Jeff Ream]

i love you kids.

i hope this message is seen

[Euphknowit]

I have to give the woodwind/guitars question a

big

fat

NO.

Adding the string/woodwind voice to a drum corps performance is almost as idiotic as adding in amplified pop singing. (cough). The inherant sound of a drum corp is what gives it it's identity. Adding foreign voices would weaken the idea of drum corps, and more importantly, it would ruin the SOUND of drum corps.

Take a trip over to britain some time and ask some of the brass banders what they would think about adding woodwinds/guitars to their movement. (bring bodyguards). - Brass bands are very much like drum corps from an ideals of sound point of view, and brass bands have been around for centures- and I don't see them reforming all that much because of pop culture.

Also,

I don't think DCI needs to support the way pop-music is headed. I see drum corps as one of the few remaining sanctuaries from the trash that is being passed off as 'music' nowadays. I think somewhere, a line needs to be drawn and the purity of the drum corps movement needs to be maintained. For ME, this line would have been drawn just before people started going out on the field and scatting into mics like a beatnick, or singing pop songs like some bad summer-long episode of american idol. But I suppose I could settle for drawing the line here, before saxaphones and guitars are introduced to sully the sound of such a wonderful part of the musical, and performing community.

Don't get me wrong, I love you woodwinders, but this is my turf:P

pick up a euphonium, or step off.

(PR '06, 19 years old)

:angel: / ^0^

[danieltenor]

For me drumcorps is travel, make friends, push your product to the edge, please audiences all around the world, have a VERY good time with people from the corps (my second family) and just have that perfection that you're striving for!

It's also the hard work, the long hot summers, the busrides, etc. that make drumcorps!

I love all the things I mentioned and I would march drumcorps no matter what kind of instruments they're going to allow. As long as they keep the tenorline in, I'm in too! B)

Daniel,

Beatrix' Cadet Corps 1999-2005

Beatrix' 2006 - ....

Edited February 5, 2006 by danieltenor

[MidwestChica]

For me, drum corps is about pushing past my own limits and other's expectations. I enjoy the performing part, but that's only a small part of the time I actually spend with the corps. Most of the time is rehearsal and travel. I read in another thread about the competition aspect and how drum corps should be about winning. If that were the case, why are there 24/25 division I corps? There are only a handful of corps that actually have a chance to win, and a handful that will have the opportunity to make finals. That's just the way it is. So if drum corps is about winning, it's completely pointless for so many corps to exist. The same could be said for the D II/III corps. Of course, this may be different for the top corps that are in the position for winning all the time. Although, it's clear that the Cavaliers have a strong belief and emphasis in corps camraderie based on their "no cell phone policy."

But anyway, I agree that the addition of woodwinds would change drum corps. The lack of woodwinds is one of the key differences that separate us from the typical marching band. I find amps extremely annoying. The pit is rarely balanced with the rest of the ensemble. I'd like to say that I have a problem with amplified singing, but I'm not sure that I do. Singing has been around in drum corps for a very long time. Carolina Crown's version of "Seasons of Love" was not much different that Star of Indiana's "Mickey Mouse Club March" in 1985. The only difference is that Crown's was amplified so it didn't require the voices of the entire corps to be heard. I do, however, find narration to be annoying. It's hard to enjoy the music when the sound is constantly broken up by speech....it's kinda like watching your favorite movie on television; those commercials keep popping up at the most annoying parts, usually right in the middle of a dramatic moment.

Would I stop marching if woodwinds are allowed? Probably not. I've become too addicted to the drug that is drum corps. I'd like to see the few brave woodwinds that would audition...I think they would have the most difficult time. They would most likely be looked upon as "the people killing drum corps" and I'm sure they would not be looked upon kindly by the rest of the corps. I mean, look at the turn out for woodwinds at i&e this year. You can count the number of participants on one hand. And on top of that, the sax soloist was Boo-ed at the awards ceremony. So would it be easy to find people to voluntarily march in a place where they are so outwardly not accepted? Just a thought...

Anyway, that's just My opinion.