The Drum Corps Activity is Healthier Than Ever!

[GGarrett]

I know this has been said and rehashed but...it seems like we're coming at this issue with two very different persepectives, which don't relate at all.

Here's my take: I could care less that there are 65 junior corps today, compared to 400 in the past.

There, I said it.

Ok, maybe I should explain myself better...it's not that I "don't care"...it's just that they're apple and oranges. There were so many corps "back then" because there was a niche for them. They were needed and wanted. Parades, standstills, youth outreach programs, local circuits, etc. Today, we only have 65, and they fill the niche today, which isn't the same as it used to be. Should be concerned about corps that fold today? YES. We should do all that we can to promote membership and help lift the financial burden on the corps and kids of today's activity. Should we be concerned that we're down from 400 to 65? NO. We need to worry about today's activity and what we can do to keep it running in today's niche. It may change in the future, be we can only make a difference today. I honestly don't care if there used to be 4 billion corps and now there's only 2...for TODAY's activity having the 65 corps we have IS healthy. Back then, having 400 corps WAS healthy.

It's understandable that people get so heated over this topic...drum corps is a very passionate activity. We all feel strongly about what we do and our mark we make on the activity...but we must also recognize that the activity is constantly evolving and the only thing we can do is to continue to support the activity as it remains today.

It seems to be that the drum corps activity is a lot like the airline industry. It's hard to get into and it's hard to keep your head above water, especially if you're a little guy. But just because airlines sometimes go bankrupt, you don't see industry analysts running around declaring the end of travel by aerodynamics. The "corps" B) nucleus of the industry remains strong.

Drum corps has become an exclusive event these days....and it would be silly to try to "pump the numbers up" just because we think that having more corps makes the activity healthier. You're right, there's too much to compete with these days between WGI, BOA, marching band, etc. etc. etc.....and kids have limited resources. It's far better, and healthier, to focus on maintaining the nucleus we have right now, today, and then - as we can - to expand and attempt to start corps in areas of the country where kids don't have access to good, local corps. We, the faithful, aren't going anywhere, and DCI isn't going anywhere either (at least not anytime soon).

no, but seriously...why don't you just go ahead and say what you want say...

:P

[Hup234]

The fact is there are a lot more kids all over the country enjoying the marching arts than ever before. Just because it's not all with OUR circuit doesn't make their experience or joy with the activity worthless. As drum corps people, we really need to get over our selves. Yes we play a crucial role as "the top" and most skilled of the activities. But that in no way means drum corps is the only one that matters.

Some people point out "in my day, a corps could pull some kids off the street, hand them a horn and teach them how to play. Now you have to be a music major to even audition". Besides the fact that the "you have to be a music major" is false...HOW IS ANY OF THAT BAD?? The just proves that there are so many more kids who actually know about the marching arts and have experience. Even in the days of having 500+ drum corps around the country, how many members were in each one? How many of those members had any idea what the march arts even were? But now, we have tens of thousands of bands, each with at least as many kids as many of the corps of old. And we also have WGI, which gives an insanely more opportunities for kids all over to enjoy this activity at a serious and skilled level. Drum corps auditions are becoming much more competitive, and it's not just because the number of open spots is less. It's also because the number of skilled auditionees is growing exponentially every year. In my state alone, Michigan, from 2003 to 2006, 40 more indoor guards and drumline have become active competitors. There are now over 30 drumlines and over 70 guards, most with around 30 members in Michigan alone. And that doesn't even have anything to do with high school marching bands. I'm just talking about indoor, which is tiny compared to marching band.

If giving up 100-135 member corps means gaining a few THOUSAND 135+ member bands, I'm all for it.

The marching arts IS healthier than ever.

[Hup234]

Some people point out "in my day, a corps could pull some kids off the street, hand them a horn and teach them how to play. Now you have to be a music major to even audition". Besides the fact that the "you have to be a music major" is false...HOW IS ANY OF THAT BAD??

The marching arts IS healthier than ever.

I'll assume you are serious.

What tune do you whistle past the graveyard?

Actually I did take some time to properly answer your question. (You'll note the hour.) And when I finally hit Add Reply, I got the ever-popular "You do not have permission to reply to that post."

Ah, well, maybe all you True Believers out there are better off.

"Good night and good luck." -Edward R. Murrow

[kbmartin]

Well, I don't know, gang. I have pondered at considerable length the fact that YEA!, barometer of what preicsely I do not know, has changed the name of The Marching Store -- where one heretofore could purchase items small and great, from a t-shirt to a full season's worth of Crossmen or Cadet tour fees, not to mention DCI event tickets irtually to your heart's content (okay, I mentioned it) -- to BANDGEEK.COM.

I tell myself that it is a sign of nothing, but it keeps coming back like an annoying song. Think "Small World." I dare you. No, really! Think about it! The song, of course.

Regards,

Kathy Martin

[Morgoth Bauglir]

MORE kids have MORE opportunities to have MORE fun with the marching/music activity than ever before. That's a fine tune for me.

[Toby]

So numbers are falling.

What are you going to do about?

No, not DCI. Not Dan Acheson. Not George Hopkins or Jeff Fiedler. Not even Scott Stewart. You!

What are you going to do about it?

We can spin the numbers until we're blue in the face, but we gain nothing. We can talk about all the other opportunities that today's youth have, but what of the corps that fold with full membership? What of the corps that fold because adults failed to support them? Would they be here today if we, each of us, had done more?

Everyone one of us reading this thread would agree that the more healthy, active corps we have, the better off we are for it. I'm sure that everyone reading this thread would rather see the numbers go up, not down. Or would they? To be honest, some members of this board seem to almost revel in every piece of bad news that comes out. For the life of me, I can't figure out why.

This isn't an issue of old school versus new. This isn't an issue of traditionalists versus progressives. This isn't an issue of "artsy-fartsy" versus entertainment. This is an issue of economics, of how our corps are being run and of the support they get from we who profess to be fans of the activity.

Don't tell me that corps fold because they aren't entertaining any more. Bridgemen and VK are no longer with us. Don't tell me that corps fold because DCI only rewards finalist corps. 27th Lancers, Anaheim Kingsmen, Suncoast Sound are no longer with us. And did any of those corps fail to entertain either? Don't tell me that corps fold because they don't know the meaning of the word tradition. No corps is more traditional than the Troopers, but where were they in 2006?

I posted not too long ago about the Blue Knights being in trouble financially, and asked anyone who read to make a donation through their webpage. A couple of responses essentially said "well if they played better music, they wouldn't be in trouble". NO! They're in trouble because running a corps gets more expensive every year. They're in trouble for the same reasons that countless other corps before are. They need the same support that every other corps in the activity needs. From us. All of us.

Instead of pointing to the number of corps as if claiming victory over DCI, realize that we're all in this together. Nobody 'wins' if the number of corps reaches zero. As dissatisfied as you may be with the current direction of DCI, I don't see anything to be gained from sitting on the sidelines, doing nothing while the activity you used to love fades away.

If that happens, we're all left with nothing. So I challenge each of you. Rather than sitting at your computer, preaching doom and gloom, do something about it! Donate to your favorite corps, because they could all use the money. Donate to the corps that entertain you. Show your support. If things are as bad as you're so quick to tell us, then tell us what you're going to do about it.

Me, I bought Troopers shirt today. Welcome back in 2007, guys.

Truer words have never been spoken.

[KeithHall]

If DCI placed priority strictly on the number of corps they were fielding year to year, they would be *wasting* precious precious resources. The fact is, this isn't 1977. Other things completely out of DCI's control have affected drum corps' role in our society, including the perceived or real necessity that one go to college to secure a future. Summer school, having to work, career related internships, and summer marching band programs have all taken precedence in the pool of kids that corps used to pull from.

Other than the summer marching band programs, the rest of that stuff was around in the 1970's too

If some of you would pull your heads out, you would realize that drum corps' popularity and influence, combined with the aforementioned factors has contributed to the explosion of closely related activities like indoor percussion, winterguard, and competitive high school marching band. There is something to be enjoyed in all of those activities that might possibly resonate with even the most stubborn old-skooler. Also, the training that these musicians and performers receive, is in many cases, BETTER than drum corps ever was.

Every time anything is mentioned about the decline of drum corps it's someone elses fault, i.e. bad managing, work,etc. Lets look at it this way, if the NFL started losing teams who's fault would it be? Bad management or bad marketing by the NFL? That's not the best analogy but it's all I could think of after a sip of coffee. If the NFL said to each team..."you have to start playing in other countries to be competitive in the NFL," would the teams do it? Yes. Would they lose money? Yes! Why? Because the NFL sets up the games in the other country and they get more profit then the teams do. In time the teams will be losing money because their home base isn't there anymore. Yes they'll make money but certainly not as much if they stayed close to home. Make sense? So DCI, years ago started setting up the schedule so that corps had to travel more to be competitive. The days of the "home and home" shows were over with.

I have to differ on the statement "the training that these musicians and performers receive, is in many cases, BETTER than drum corps ever was." The majority of drum corps music staff are certified music educators and so that statement is a bit false.

So if the kids are better educated (thanks in large part to the baby boomers and the generation after's hard work), if they're receiving better instruction, if it's reaching a larger audience with more participants, and if those involved continue to further the advancement of society with what they learn in the classroom and on the field, then what's the big deal?

Are they really reaching a larger audience? Or maybe there alot of us "Older" drum corps alumni out there that still go to competitions. Remember, there were 600-800 corps out there many years ago and we had children, etc. So that is probably the reason for the "larger audience." Now, more participants? Hmmm if there were, lets say, only 40 corps this year and 96 in 1976, how are there more participants? Well staffs are larger BUT...nope...less participants.

No, it's not like it was, but how much really is, these days?

You would be somewhat surprised how much is the same....in the early 1970's we were involved in a senseless war (fast forward) 2006, we are involved in a senseless war. 1970's economy goes down.....2006 same. Oil prices rise.....2006 oil prices still rising. Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Madison Scouts, Cavaliers and Phantom Regiment in top 12 of DCI in 1976 and the same in 2006. Looks the same now too.

Edited October 9, 2006 by KeithHall

[supersop]

I know this still won't equate to the same amount of corps in the past, but one point has been overlooked when speaking of Div 1. The question is ........ How many Div 2/3 corps had more than 90 members?

I watched div 2/3 finals and would venture to guess that 9 of the 12 corps that performed on that day had over 90 members. How many didn't make Div 2 finals that had over 90 members? It wasn't so long ago that these corps would have been div 1. I guess then the larger question is ..... where are all the corps with less than 90 members? That's where the decline is!

I won't pose any more questions at this time because I could go on for an hour. Suffice it to say, the big decline is in the smaller local corps. Where others have fallen, new and improving div 2 corps are rising. I still think this Division system is a sham. The only reason it is in place is to seperate those who can afford to tour and those who can not. I do think it's a disservice to those that deserve to be in the top 25. Some of those Div 2 corps were amazing and would have shamed the "DIV 1" cream of the crop. I just don't get why Divisions aren't thrown out the window at Nationals like they were just a few short years ago. Let them go head to head. If the div 1 corps get waxed .. tough! They should have worked harder. Create competition, make things more exciting at all levels..... it only makes it better for the fans.

[MikeD]

Someone is living in a dream world.

Yes, those who think he is incorrect.

He is 100% on the money.

I've been saying just those things for years on the various forums.

[MikeD]

"Healthier Than Ever":

Yep. MARCHING BANDS are indeed "Healtier than ever", thanks in no small part to DRUM CORPS.

Elphaba

WWW

Your point is?