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Integrated Shows


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I noticed that there have been a lot of comments regarding the proposal to add 2 overall effect judges and discontinue the GE judges.

I find it surprising that many people feel that this "plays" into The Cavaliers hands because of their integrated shows. The comments make it seem that some feel that integration between the three elements (brass, percussion and guard) is a bad thing.

If you are one of those people, why do you feel this way?

I, for one, (my personal bias aside) enjoy a truly integrated show as opposed to three units performing separately like they are performing different shows. This is one area that today's drum corps blow away yester-years drum corps.

Just curous.

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I noticed that there have been a lot of comments regarding the proposal to add 2 overall effect judges and discontinue the GE judges.

I find it surprising that many people feel that this "plays" into The Cavaliers hands because of their integrated shows. The comments make it seem that some feel that integration between the three elements (brass, percussion and guard) is a bad thing.

If you are one of those people, why do you feel this way?

I, for one, (my personal bias aside) enjoy a truly integrated show as opposed to three units performing separately like they are performing different shows. This is one area that today's drum corps blow away yester-years drum corps.

Just curous.

Your avatar is so noted. :P

The concern (IMO) is that this might lead to more a "paint by numbers" design scheme, where everything becomes contingent on intergration, to the detriment of the musical side of things. Seeing as how the Cavaliers/BD (two that excel at this "intergration") have had success with the way things currently are, one wonders what the ultimate goal of the proposal is.

We already fit the music into design "hits" for our needs somewhat...I just feel like there's some redundancy here.

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I want integration as much as anybody, I swear. I just like good music--it's what's most important to me, and I don't mind admitting it--and oftentimes, I find shows built around original music compositions to be seamlessly integrated and visually stunning, but also sometimes incredibly boring musically, which takes away from the overall effect for me, but seems to score more points. If anything, this rule change will tend to increase that, IMO of course. I'm willing to give it a chance, just like anything else, this is just gut reaction. For instance, I didn't think that I would like any amplified vocals at all, but when done well, I've liked it, so my mind is easily "changeable." :)

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Personally, I prefer a fully integrated show. (I might also have a biased, because I have only preformed integrated shows).

At my high school, the music is written first. Then, Jaime Holly writes drill that expresses the music. After the music AND drill have been writeen, the guard instructors start creating a routine to match both. It works quite nicely, and I believe that it looks much less choppy.

During all of this, if any piece sticks out (such as bad instrument placement), then drill is re-written or that music is changed to accomidate. At times, it can be a little mroe expensive and time consuming, but it is worth it.

Edited by smit90
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I want integration as much as anybody, I swear. I just like good music--it's what's most important to me, and I don't mind admitting it--and oftentimes, I find shows built around original music compositions to be seamlessly integrated and visually stunning, but also sometimes incredibly boring musically, which takes away from the overall effect for me, but seems to score more points.

You and I think a lot alike. That's exactly what I thought when I read the proposal.

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Hmmmm...... I guess I still don't see the correlation between an integrated show and "good" music. To me, it seems, you can have both if appropriately designed.

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Well that's the catch, isn't it. What's especially "good" music to me might not be any different in quality, to you, from any number of the original composition-centered shows that have been done recently that embody your concept of a well-integrated show. I haven't really loved the music in many of these kinds of shows, mostly done by the Cavies of late, though I'm astounded, from an engineering standpoint, by how seamless and integrated those shows have been. It's just a difference in taste, and nothing will change either of our respective opinions. I see this latest rule proposal for an overall effect judge as a catalyst for a lot of original composition-type shows.

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I don't think the argument is so much that it's a "bad" thing...it's that the rule proposal might force some hands into making a certain way of programming more attractive than another. I can't say I can see the point when the intergrated musical/visual is already rewarded most every year.

It feels (IMO) like a tilting towards the art/creative and away from the sport/competitive...which has always been a tough thing to balance, anyway. :)

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