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Playing G bugles, no amps, no electronics = competitive disadvantage?


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balance is a part of the sheet

I should have just said this to begin with, maybe LanceSquire would stay off my back. Amps effect the balance, and tone quality (unamped hard mallets vs. amped soft mallets), and the types of horns you use effect tone quality and intonation. ALL of those things are on the sheets! If they're on the sheets, judges consider them when writing down their number!

At least they should be. Some people have been saying that corps with ensemble balance issues caused by amps haven't taken the heat in their scores. So it's possible that what's in theory isn't in practice. Just like in THEORY a G hornline can score just as well as a Bb/F hornline.

so, if someone's pit is overbalancing the brass due to amps, that's NOT an ensemble issue?

Of course it is.

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the problem is that no judge is willing to dump someone in a caption cause of amp issues. and that's a shame, because two years later, we still read about issues.

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the problem is that no judge is willing to dump someone in a caption cause of amp issues. and that's a shame, because two years later, we still read about issues.

So how do you know that a balance issue due to poor amping is not impacting a score?

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well, if it was, we'd have seen somewhere, someone complaining about it. given some directors penchants to complain about certain judging aspects online ( I remember George's GE rant a few years ago), it'd be bound to become public.

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If a judge takes off a tenth of a point for bad balance from amping, are you going to be able to tell the difference between what would have been a 15.2 and is now a 15.1? 15.0? How much do you expect we should see be counted off for distortion or overbalance? How are you really so sure that amp distortion and overbalance aren't being considered in the score?

Edited by Maedhros
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Horse Hockey! In actuality though, the "community" would probably "force" some of these so called "improvements" onto corps regardless of their desire to use them, just because of the competitive element. That being said, from the stands, there is no advantage to using either of these. The fans didn't want them and they are not needed. I challenge anyone to find a fan in the stands who has said, "ya know, what the activity really needs is to go to Bb brass, while we're at it, I can't hear the pit, so lets get them amped up. In fact, why don't we turn the activity into a Yani-fest and allow electronic devices too?"

That person doesn't exist.

RM - for the good ole days

ampssuck

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How are you really so sure that amp distortion and overbalance aren't being considered in the score?

The bigger shame is, we actually have discussions about such things.

RM - no amps

ampssuck

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That person doesn't exist.

I wanted them ever since I picked up that tin can I was asked to play on and had to leave my legit horn behind. I don't regret a single second I played on my two valve horn, but to assume that everyone wanted what you want is pretty silly.

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Horse Hockey! In actuality though, the "community" would probably "force" some of these so called "improvements" onto corps regardless of their desire to use them, just because of the competitive element. That being said, from the stands, there is no advantage to using either of these. The fans didn't want them and they are not needed. I challenge anyone to find a fan in the stands who has said, "ya know, what the activity really needs is to go to Bb brass, while we're at it, I can't hear the pit, so lets get them amped up. In fact, why don't we turn the activity into a Yani-fest and allow electronic devices too?"

That person doesn't exist.

RM - for the good ole days

I don't seem to remember anyone in the stands asking for timpani, mallets, multi-toms, 2-valve horns, mellophones, contrabasses, guards that actually did something...starting and ending the show on the field...etc...

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well, then the sheets are ignored. balance is a part of the sheet

Not at all. My point was, just because you and I think amps affect balance doesn't mean amps affect scores. You actually emphasized that point when you said that there seems to have been no negative consequences, scorewise, for balance problems resulting from amps. Or are you trying to say that if a corps uses amps, it gives them more potential to get a score boost because the judges are of the mentality that only points can be awarded for amp use, thereby putting the GMen at a disadvantage for not using them? Very confusing to try to follow what the point of this discussion is, exactly.

Edited by LanceSquire
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