LancerFi Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 A few years ago on another drum corps site I started a thread entitled: Pit - Clutter or Compliment? There are so many things I don't like about the pit. One, for me it does at times seem to drown out everything else. Also, during the earlier years of the pit, and I mean just having 3 or 4 members parked up front, the guard lost much of their work up front which was so important to us. Just the difference between, 79 to 80 we lost about 3 or 4 features so to speak and there wasn't even a pit as we now know it. I realize that the drills have changed so much that the front side line is no longer needed for features, drill or anything but the pit, but it did take some getting used to. At least now the auxilliary is worth the points I always believed it was due. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimedrummer Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) OK, Why are there so many bells, xylophones(sp) or whatever in todays corps? Especially when most are amped. To me they are just too much, perhaps some think it is the Contras that are too large. I don't know, any ideas? What sections do you think are too much vs others? Obviously it may change from corps to corps. Just a thought. Jim, I really think you make a good point. While I think the pits of todays corps are great with very, very talented players, at times I feel it is a little over done. The percussionist in the Broadway musical does has a few tacet moments. Sometimes the pits are busy just for the sake of being busy. IMO Edited December 21, 2006 by oldtimedrummer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobFieldsDCW Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Why so many bells? Well you see back in the sixties and seventies there used to be these door to door bell salesmen that would go from corps to corps telling each one that all the other ones just bought bells. They were just trying to keep up with a trend I guess.. Happy Holidays!! Silver Bells, silver bells, it's Christmas time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle z Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Why so many bells?Well you see back in the sixties and seventies there used to be these door to door bell salesmen that would go from corps to corps telling each one that all the other ones just bought bells. They were just trying to keep up with a trend I guess.. Happy Holidays!! Silver Bells, silver bells, it's Christmas time.... Change 60s and 70s to 80s, door to door bell salesmen to Musser/Deagan sales reps and bells to concert grand marimbas and I just might believe you!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iplaytimpani Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 So what I'm reading is corps have the same size/type of "bells" play different parts to get more complex music??? Bueller??Historic note which is ironic today: One of the original reasons for grounding tympani in the pit was to free up three bodies to play in the rest of the drum line. IOW - went from four people playing one tymp each to one playing all four. Let's see if I can help clear ya up a touch. I've done this pit thing once or twice, even recently. Sometimes the same parts are played by mulitple different players on the same time of instrument. My experience is that usually with say, the marimba, there are actually 2 different parts. So you'll have 2 people on each part, for a total of 4 players covering 2 parts. Then sometimes from there, the same part may be played but put in a different octave. All the while, the vibes may be playing a completely different set of melodic or chordal material just as in a hornline, the mellos and trumpets/sops dont play the same part but may occasionally if the writing calls for it, have a unison. Make sense or make it worse? And on the timpani note, most DCI timpanists have 5 drums now. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jthomas666 Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 More Cowbell!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iplaytimpani Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Do you feel better now that you got that out of your system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 (edited) Let's see if I can help clear ya up a touch. I've done this pit thing once or twice, even recently. Sometimes the same parts are played by mulitple different players on the same time of instrument. My experience is that usually with say, the marimba, there are actually 2 different parts. So you'll have 2 people on each part, for a total of 4 players covering 2 parts. Then sometimes from there, the same part may be played but put in a different octave. All the while, the vibes may be playing a completely different set of melodic or chordal material just as in a hornline, the mellos and trumpets/sops dont play the same part but may occasionally if the writing calls for it, have a unison. Make sense or make it worse? And on the timpani note, most DCI timpanists have 5 drums now. :P Much more sense..... thanks...... Will have to check my DCA DVDs now that I know more.... Edit: Still trying to get used to seeing "Lake" in front of "Shoremen". :P Edited December 21, 2006 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevingamin Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 Do you feel better now that you got that out of your system? I'm sure you do. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris ncsu Posted December 21, 2006 Share Posted December 21, 2006 More Cowbell!!! See Cadets 91 :P I guess that might be a gockblock, but still... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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