Interesting development in the Amp world

[Phantombari1]

Didn't he offer a proposal a couple of years back to SHORTEN the time between performances?

I love his opening "people don't like amps". Which is why he does it. Isn't that called passive aggression?

I think it's more about ego, I think he is under the belief that any noise is better than no noise. Especially if it's directed at you!

[Jeff Ream]

While I don't care for amped singing, I sincerly appreciate the sentiment here - if you're going to do it, make sure that it's done right (or at least the best you can do it).

Mike

better yet, make sure you realy know how it works before you vote, which we found out they didnt a year after the vote on dci.org.

"fat, dumb, and stupid is no way to go thru life son."

in essence, by DCi directors admitting they know how it worked before they voted showed them to be Blutarski's.

[Jeff Ream]

Unrealistic? It's been done in the marching band world for a LONG time very effectively. I know people hate to hear the 'b' word in a drum corps discussion, but implying that it is impossible to set up electronics in a matter of minutes isn't true. I would be more than likely to chalk this up to 'new technology' being used in the drum corps idiom, and it will take time for staff members/designers to learn how to set them up and run amplification effectively.

--

doug (sorry; I accidently posted this from my wife's account)

agree with you on seeing bands do it efficiently.

that being said :P

we were told by Hop that these staffers had experience using this stuff with all of their bands and had massive amounts of expertise.

yet we see and hear about problems.

so which is it? were we fed BS to get it passed?....err...more BS?

[Tekneek]

I simply cannot wait for the days when each corps comes out and does sound checks with their amps before the show starts. Then we will get to see some GREAT INNOVATIONS in the activity... After a half hour of running stops and starts, and warmup songs to get the balance right, we'll get a beautiful 10 - 11 minute show, and all 6 drum corps actually left in the activity can play to the smallest audiences in DCI history.

:(

Edited June 29, 2006 by Tekneek

[JimF-LowBari]

Thus why I mentioned that they could have two sizes of amps, it was later on in my post.

OK, missed that part. Don't know enough about all the stadiums DCI performs at to go further on this.

[jwillis35]

better yet, make sure you realy know how it works before you vote, which we found out they didnt a year after the vote on dci.org.

"fat, dumb, and stupid is no way to go thru life son."

in essence, by DCi directors admitting they know how it worked before they voted showed them to be Blutarski's.

Jeff,

All of you are making great points and I completely agree that the best policy is to learn how to use it before you compete and entertain with it. But I don't think everyone in DCI is at fault here. There are corps who really know how to use the technology, and while not perfect, they did approach the situation from the standpoint you speak of.

The Canton Bluecoats actually hired a guy from Los Angeles, a sound technician who loves drum corps and has been involved in some amazing projects out there, to come in a consult and work our sound board. He has been a blessing for us, and while some may say it isn't perfect, I do feel the sound between brass, battery, and pit is very good with Blue.

For my ears, most corps that amp their pit tend to be on the high side, and the brass is becoming somewhat lost in the mix. The recording today are becoming too pit heavy in the mix. I am hoping this gets fixed, but I can say that the Bluecoats did not take this whole issue of amplification, or voice which they used last year, lightly.

Jonathan

[monoemono]

Jeff,

All of you are making great points and I completely agree that the best policy is to learn how to use it before you compete and entertain with it. But I don't think everyone in DCI is at fault here. There are corps who really know how to use the technology, and while not perfect, they did approach the situation from the standpoint you speak of.

The Canton Bluecoats actually hired a guy from Los Angeles, a sound technician who loves drum corps and has been involved in some amazing projects out there, to come in a consult and work our sound board. He has been a blessing for us, and while some may say it isn't perfect, I do feel the sound between brass, battery, and pit is very good with Blue.

For my ears, most corps that amp their pit tend to be on the high side, and the brass is becoming somewhat lost in the mix. The recording today are becoming too pit heavy in the mix. I am hoping this gets fixed, but I can say that the Bluecoats did not take this whole issue of amplification, or voice which they used last year, lightly.

Jonathan

Even still, at Gillette, those up close or in the middle had to hear the amped sounds as too loud, and those up high or further out had to strain to hear them at all.

The problem comes from having this mix of unamplified and amplified instruments together. You either have to mic everything or nothing. I completely agree with the posts about consulting a stadium sound crew--but could you imagine if they actually got one of those setups for the pit and vocalists? The "acoustic" contingent of the show might as well just go home.

The beauty of this activity used to be in the purity of the sound of these magnifiscent brass and percussion instruments, designed and intended to be played outdoors. It was a unique sound that existed nowhere else. Amplified sound has an entirely different quality to it, and I, for one, think that it muddies up the beauty of this acoustic phenomenon.

[audiodb]

The Canton Bluecoats actually hired a guy from Los Angeles, a sound technician who loves drum corps and has been involved in some amazing projects out there, to come in a consult and work our sound board. He has been a blessing for us, and while some may say it isn't perfect, I do feel the sound between brass, battery, and pit is very good with Blue.

To state this as delicately as possible, let's just say that what I heard in my one viewing of the corps so far this year didn't bring me to the same conclusion. :sshh:

To be fair, though, I appreciate that the Bluecoats didn't seem to be cranking their pit amplification up as loud as some other corps....

[Lancerlady]

My husband is a sound tech and loves drum corps..I also run sound and love drum corps but wouldn't run a sound board in drum corps for nothing...why? It's just not meant to be. We've been saying all along it's un natural and all these "problems" that are being mentioned, have been mentioned for months now but no one would listen.

OH well...

Maybe they'll realize that finally what we've been saying we weren't too far off and throw in the towel on it. You experimented, it didn't work, move on...(One can only hope).

[Kamarag]

For my ears, most corps that amp their pit tend to be on the high side, and the brass is becoming somewhat lost in the mix. The recording today are becoming too pit heavy in the mix. I am hoping this gets fixed, but I can say that the Bluecoats did not take this

It's not just you Jonathan.

In my case, I love listening to the shows from 2004...but the mixes at Finals were so bad, I cannot listen to the CD versions. Thankfully, for the six corps that traved west for the Tour of Champions, the music was recorded and mixed by Frank Dorritie, so I ripped the audio files from the Tour DVD.

I thought the mixes in Boston were over-amplified as well, and it's evident on the APDs (I don't know if DCI attempted a remix for the CDs...I just couldn't buy them). The DVD mix isn't quite as bad.