Michael Boo Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Michael, does this mean you're for woodwinds? Please read again what I wrote. There isn't enough corps for the brass players who want to be in Division I corps. Until we can find a place for them, I'm not going to lose sleep over woodwind players being unable to play woodwinds in corps that already exist and can't handle hundreds-if-not-thousands of brass players who audition. Not to say I don't feel their pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl306 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 If you want to play hockey, but you cannot skate very well, do you demand that hockey moves to a different surface? Or do you learn to skate? :lolhit: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfan06 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Just a note, this is coming from a brass instructor of a Div. III Drum Corps. I was in fact, a saxophone player in High School and college. I went to my first Drum Corps show when I was a freshman and feel in love, marching 5 seasons and wining a worlds championship in Division II. I went to a Div. II corps and learned the Contrabass, and I am so much the better for it. Playing a brass instrument made me a better wind player. My air column improved, my work ethic improved, my musicianship improved.....part of being a musician is versatility. It made me a better instructor as well; I teach winds in the fall at band, and Brass in the summer, I gig on Tuba and Sax. I personally would hate to see woodwinds in Drum Corps, as someone already said, it’s about the tambour of the brass choir, and it is such a distinctive sound. My High School students come up to me all the time and say things like, I would like to try that drum corps thing you teach, but I am a sax player, can I still do it? The answer is yes! Will it ruin my clarinet chops? NO! If you have the drive and the work ethic, you will succeed in drum corps, at any level. It is true, you may not make the Cadets your first year on a brass instrument, however, the instructors at all levels of Drum Corps are extraordinary, and a person with musicianship and desire can actually be MORE desirable to have in a line then pure talent, because as we all now, playing your instrument is only one aspect of drum corps that goes into a much larger whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Blatch Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 The only case for woodwinds in drum corps is this case. Seriously, I can't believe this is being argued. It is not a simple and even juvenile point of view that "brass is superior to woodwinds;" it is a matter of the leadership in DCI finding a way to market drum corps to a larger and more diverse audience. Our history and our vets deserve this. Just as much as jazz is a uniquely American art form, drum corps is every bit an American tradition woven into our national band heritage. No amount of recent modification on the part of a few will change that history, regardless of their recent and/or impacting role in the activity. Elmo Blatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 "Drum corps is whatever it becomes". Please remember the entire paragraph, which presented both sides (and I didn't take a stand): <<Many will regard the addition of synthesizers and electronics as just another pit development, being comfortable with witnessing such instruments on the marching band field for several years now. Their attitude might be coalesced in the opinion that “drum corps is whatever drum corps becomes.” Those who consider themselves more as purists in nature may regard this proposal as a step in removing another vestige of what makes drum corps unique.>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 This topic is hilarious. Why don't the woodwinds all get together and form their own D&WW corps and do the same thing DCI does, but with no brass. Just woodwind and drums. With all the thousands and thousands of woodwind players around, there should be no trouble recruiting...and who wouldn't want to go see that? And the debates they could have! Which type of fingering systems to allow. Do we allow recorders? and how about those keyboard things you blow into, does that detract or add to the activity? What about digeridoos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Blatch Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 The Case for Woodwinds in Drum CorpsFor me, I’m a woodwind who wants to switch over for brass. I’m 19, so there isn’t much time left. There also isn’t much to find in the northeast. The only Div I corps I can attempt is The Cadets (since the Boston Crusaders are really a Florida corps). For an experienced brass player, the Cadets can be difficult to make, but I need to spend extra time, money, and energy to learn the instrument so I can just have that attempt for one summer. I’m sure most kids aren’t willing to go through that (heck, I don’t even know if I’m up to it yet). Well, if there was ever a year that a woodwind player worked their butt off to learn a brass instrument in order to audition for The Cadets, I would suspect this year would be your best chance. (gets fire hose ready) Elmo Blatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawker Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Please remember the entire paragraph, which presented both sides (and I didn't take a stand):<<Many will regard the addition of synthesizers and electronics as just another pit development, being comfortable with witnessing such instruments on the marching band field for several years now. Their attitude might be coalesced in the opinion that “drum corps is whatever drum corps becomes.” Those who consider themselves more as purists in nature may regard this proposal as a step in removing another vestige of what makes drum corps unique.>> ...or: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/inde...t&p=1107089 I've long said that drum corps IS whatever it ultimately BECOMES, and that is constantly changing. That doesn't mean I desire to see woodwinds on the field any time in the near or far future. Heh. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Will Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Maybe there needs to be another summer marching league not allowed to compete with the corps in DCI. Although that would pose a problem to the corps pushing the change (not naming any names), it would give options to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vagabond Skyliner Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Can not tell you how much I am ENJOYING this. One of (Not the only Reason, I know) the New Evolved DCI people had to have the Trumpets, Tuba's, ETC. was that it was so hard for everyone to Convert/Learn to play bugles. Just had to have the 3 Valves and the Bb horns. Now the band people would be able to do Drum Corps with no problem. So now it is no big deal for the WW people to Convert/Learn to play Brass? Why is that different than before. Let the WW in. In reality you have Summer Band NOW. It is called DCI. (True, at present it is Brass and Percusion only) Maybe just a name chage is what is needed to keep thigns as they are. How about "Brass Band Field Theater" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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