Dear George Hopkins,

[jeffro21]

I'm still curious on the switching between brass and WW. Being a drummer. I don't know what that would or wouldn't do to a horn player's chops (or a band director's patience).

I play sax but learned mello so I could march. Reeds to brass and vice versa isn't that bad, but playing nothing but mello for months at a time weakened some of the mouth muscles that I used when playing the sax [specifically the corners of the mouth]. For me, it didn't affect tone quality as much as it did endurance. To keep proficient on both instruments, you have to play them both regularly at equal amounts. You could do mouth exercises for both instruments, but that's not really a good substitute. In terms of maintaining a good tone, I imagine it would be harder to transition from flute to brass and vice versa.

[LaSqueegee]

Edited May 19, 2006 by LaSqueegee

[Tone Quality Matters]

Um, there was no "debate" when these folks did what they did, which is probably why they were well accepted in both their personas.

I am not anti Hopkins. In fact, I have stated numerous times that his contributions to both activities have been and should be applauded. However, and yes this is my opinion, both have their uniqueness and both are important to each other.

However, woodwinds should remain where they are, in marching band. I have seen many students and in fact as a clinician, I have taught many students who have crossed over to the drum corps activity, and guess what? They were woodwinds. They love both activities and have respect for both of them being unique unto themselves. These students thought of it as an additional challenge as a musician.

As far as this forum turing into RAMD, not even close. For the most part, posts I have read on here are usually civil. Some of them are "out there", and there are a few jerks, but this forum is sooo much better than RAMD ever dreamed of being.

These are my opinions, and do not represent anyone elses opinions, but mine.

[MiamiSun76]

However, woodwinds should remain where they are, in marching band. I have seen many students and in fact as a clinician, I have taught many students who have crossed over to the drum corps activity, and guess what? They were woodwinds. They love both activities and have respect for both of them being unique unto themselves. These students thought of it as an additional challenge as a musician.

We agree on that, which is where this discossion started. The Loris kids didn't mix woodwinds into their corps or piston/rotor bugles into their band. That was the secret of their acceptance, IMO. I mean forget the flute to baritone transition, their soprano bugle players re-emerged with Bb trumpets (no, I'm not advocating regressing to G bugles).

As to woodwind cross-overs, it's been a fact of life since keyboard percussion was introduced. I received a letter from my teenage granddaughter recently asking me to recommend a corps for her next year where she can audition for the pit. She plays clarinet in school.

[Stick Stack]

Along the lines of this thread, I would be all for a marching band crossing over to compete in drum corps as long as they alter the instrumentation and follow drum corps rules with member size and everything else.

That would be a great way to get more corps in the activity and beef up the competition, especially in div II/III.

[Jared_mello]

I play sax but learned mello so I could march. Reeds to brass and vice versa isn't that bad, but playing nothing but mello for months at a time weakened some of the mouth muscles that I used when playing the sax [specifically the corners of the mouth]. For me, it didn't affect tone quality as much as it did endurance. To keep proficient on both instruments, you have to play them both regularly at equal amounts. You could do mouth exercises for both instruments, but that's not really a good substitute. In terms of maintaining a good tone, I imagine it would be harder to transition from flute to brass and vice versa.

Eh. I've marched mello for three summers now, and still got into the music school at FSU; one of the top 3 schools of music in the country, as far as public universities go. I'm a clarinet player.....the mellophone professor said that my tone was too representative of the instrument in a marching context, and I needed to provide more of an orchestral tone. Clarinet went fine for me though, after three months away from the instrument.

The mellophone thing at the end was a joke, in case anyone actually thought I was telling the truth.

[Jeff Ream]

This place is slowly turning into RAMD. I'll bet some of the anti DCI/Hopkins crowd has migrated here from RAMD.

<**>

george has had "fans" on here from day 1. not liking George is not just an RAMD thing.

[MikeD]

Back on topic, as I said this was an early example of the TOTAL integration of corps and band. Bill Jacobus was WAY ahead of his time.

Since George and others (MikeD) are involved in both idioms, how does this bit of history strike you?

Pretty cool, really. Be neat if drum corps were to allow WW and a corps came out and had one group switch back and forth during their show....say have a group carry piccolos and switch off for part of a pattriotic number or something.

[MikeD]

My recollection, albeit over 40 years old, was that the guard stayed the guard and that brass players were switching to reeds. As the article mentions, they were pretty small, even for the times, and I remember the band pretty much the size of the corps.

The band I teach has members who switch instruments for MB and concert band...and MB is only after school, so they do both the same day, if not at the same concert.

[MikeD]

As to woodwind cross-overs, it's been a fact of life since keyboard percussion was introduced. I received a letter from my teenage granddaughter recently asking me to recommend a corps for her next year where she can audition for the pit. She plays clarinet in school.

Be great if she had a place in drum corps to play clarinet..IMO.