vferrera Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 A lot of people here seem to assume that if you don't like one particular change then you must be against all change. Not so! Here is a list of changes that I think were good: 1. Bugles: 1V to V/R to 2V All good. Allowed corps to play in different keys and explore more complex music. Example: the third movement of Channel One Suite. In 1976, it was played on V/R bugles, in 1977 it was played on 2V (at least the sops). I'm sure any BD sop who marched those years would agree that it was easier to play on 2 valves. 2. Bugles: 2V to 3V. Neutral to slightly positive. Allows for truer scoring in the lower register. But even 3rd sops hardly use the third valve and it adds extra weight. The third valve on a contra weighs almost as much as a whole soprano. 3. Drums: single to multi tenor. unquestionably a positive change. 4. Drums: no tymps to marching tymps to grounded tymps. All good. Tymps are cool, but it's silly to try to carry them. 5. Percussion: Grounded pit. Good. You don't want to select keyboard players based on whether they can lug 40 pounds of wood and metal. 6. Color guard: real rifles to fake rifles. Try getting an M1 Garand through airport security these days. 7. Entrance: Left goal line to back sideline to anywhere. This just gives drill writers more freedom. No one says you can't come in from the goal line and those entrances had a certain drama. A smart drill writer would take advantage of that. In general, I think most changes up through the mid-90s were positive, then things sorf of hit a plateau. I think that some of the major changes since 2000 need to be re-evaluated. This includes any key brass (it's not the key so much as the construction of the horn. Someone needs to design a proper outdoor marching trumpet rather than just using concert instruments), electronic amplification and amplified voice. If that makes me a rabid enemy of all change in some people's eyes, so be it. Change per se does not equal evolution. It's not until the changes are evaluated, and some rejected, that you can call it evolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I'm a drummer, so take it for what it's worth, but I thought the King line of marching brass were specifically designed for outdoor use. And don't Yamaha and Dynasty now have outdoor models, or are they just silver versions of their concert horns? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Oh, and let me add: 8. Drums: snare heads from Mylar to Kevlar / free-floating drums. Changed not only the basic sound of the snare drum for really only the 2nd time in the last 400 years (rope tension to lug tension to free-floating), but changed the economics of it as well. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rut-roh Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that every "trumpet" currently used in drum corps was specifically designed for outdoor use and not as something that would be considered a sit-down, indoor, concert instrument. I'm sure someone far more intelligent than I on the matter will chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon122 Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that every "trumpet" currently used in drum corps was specifically designed for outdoor use and not as something that would be considered a sit-down, indoor, concert instrument. I'm sure someone far more intelligent than I on the matter will chime in. I think the only trumpet used in corps designed for concert band is the Yamaha Xeno model used by Cadets, Cavaliers, Crossmen, Bluecoats, Scouts, Vangaurd, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njthundrrd Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 How about the cowbell being illegal before 1974 ?!?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tsar Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 (edited) How about the cowbell being illegal before 1974 ?!?!?! Cowbell was illegal??? Uh oh. Nobody better mention this to Christopher Walken. Er, I mean, Bruce Dickinson. He puts his pants on just like everyone else. But when he's wearing them, he makes gold records. :) Edited June 27, 2006 by The Tsar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Oh, and let me add:8. Drums: snare heads from Mylar to Kevlar / free-floating drums. Changed not only the basic sound of the snare drum for really only the 2nd time in the last 400 years (rope tension to lug tension to free-floating), but changed the economics of it as well. Mike Pls don't flame, I am a brass player, but What is a 'free-floating" drum? From what I see they still seem to be attached to the drummer. Just curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vferrera Posted June 27, 2006 Author Share Posted June 27, 2006 All of the Yamaha X335 models (2335, 4335, 6335, 8335 "Xeno") have the same specs: .459 bore, 4-7/8 inch bell. The Xeno 8345 has a larger bore (.462) but the same bell. The standard dynasty G bugle (which is still available) has a .460 bore and 5" bell. This is the same as the dynasty professional Bb trumpet. Somehow, the dyansty trumpets never really sounded as "full" as the bugles or the yamaha trumpets. Might be the taper of the bell. In short, some mfrs might be selling "marching" trumpets, but I think there is still work to be done in this area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScribeToo Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 1. Kids on a field playing brass and percussion instruments or dancing and spinning and throwing equipment in the air.. and marching a drill in the summertime. 2. ... well I think that pretty much covers it. All the rest is relatively arbitrary.. and just fodder for the "experts" to declare what is or isn't drum corps. Bottom line: Today's kids are getting out of it what WE got out of it. What they're holding, how they're marching, what they're playing and what's on the sidelines is completely irrelevant to 99% of kids on the field. They're there, that's the important thing. That's my list. Hope you enjoy it. Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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