Jared_mello Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 You're 19 and a woodwind player that wants to march drum corps.What's with people today, you would rather change the entire activity to suit you than go thru the effort to adapt to the activity? Good grief! If you really want to march drum corps, learn a bugle and do it!! I would say thousands of woodwind players have done that very thing over the last 20, 30, 40 years. Such disrespect to them to demand that drum corps change. And what about all the woodwinds players in drumlines and color guards!! And as DM's!! Such disrespect to those talented folks and their love of corps. Last thing that solidifies this whole topic.... Picture this: clarinets to the box!! Or better yet, bass guitar amp pusher to the box!! Ugggh!! Agreed. I learned how to play a trumpet, and then a mellophone. I'm a clarinet player. It's worth it to learn a brass instrument; for you, and for the activity.....the activity that you would personally be furthering because of your ambitions and determination. Everyone wins. If you don't feel the need to learn a brass instrument, and also try and push us to accept woodwinds in drum corps, then no one wins, in my opinion; you're not diversifying yourself by adapting to the current system of instrumentation (I will forever maintain the opinion that you can't truly understand the musical power of the marching arts (percussionists/color guards aside) until you actually play a brass instrument in a drum corps), and you're trying to eliminate one of the most unique aspects of our special activity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcat Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 The irony for me as a percussionist was that I play keyboard/pit stuff. I had to adapt to marching band by improving my chops to play snare & bass at the university level. My school didn't have a pit. But I adapted to marching band anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn craig Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I don't play any one instrument as well as I would like, to play in a professional orchestra for example. But because of my HS marching band and drum corps I learned to play several different instruments (and I've always sung in choirs also). The fact that I can play several instruments and sing, however, have given me the opportunity to be in a variety of ensembles and groups over the years. Each type of group has it's unique qualities and artistic aesthetic: the close communication and expressiveness between members in a small chamber group, to the thrill of full out playing in a drum corps, to singing works of the great masters in a symphony chorus. It's not DCI's decision whether or not you participate in the activity. IT"S YOURS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jared_mello Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 It's not DCI's decision whether or not you participate in the activity. IT"S YOURS!!! Perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex VK DM Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 For me, as a visual person, the idea of having WW in drum corps is messy to say the least. One of the major visual points of drum corps is UNISON. One style of upper body posture and one style of horn carriage, once you add in flutes, saxes and clarinets, upper body uniformity goes out the window. Ever tried putting in a UNIFORM HORN vis in a MB, not possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Want woodwinds? Fine. Start your own organization to oversee the activity. Bring in and/or train your own judges. Make your own rules. Get your own tour amd show sponsors. Get your own TV deal. But leave Drum Corps alone because woodwinds heve no place in drum corps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChicagoFan Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I was in marching bad in high school and loved every minute of it. Today, as a spectator and sometimes clincian, I still enjoy that activity. However, when I was first introduced to drum corps I immediately realized it was a different genre -- related to band but distinct in its own way -- and one of the main reasons I wanted to become involved in corps was that difference. If we allow woodwinds to become part of the instrumentation of corps, we lose part of the very uniqueness that distinguishes our activity from marching band, wind ensemble, and many other ensembles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellodramatic Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 If woodwinds were allowed, the size of corps would have to increase to a huge number, making them pretty much BOA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbasaurusRex Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 This is not a case for woodwinds in drum corps. This is a case of an individual lacking the requisite skills for drum corps and saying let me in anyway. Has a marching band contest ever been broadcast nationally on PBS or any other station? No. Obviously there was at one time some tangible difference between marching band and drum corps. Through the 70's, 80's and 90's drum corps was on PBS not because it was marching band but because it was DRUM CORPS. As the distinction between the two activities has dissolved, so has any popular support and media attention that goes with it. DCI was at one time important and unique enough to broadcast LIVE NATIONWIDE for 3+ hours at tax payer expense. Now if DCI wants on TV, they pay through the nose to get fringe play for an hour on a secondary basic cable station. Diluting the activity further by adding woodwinds would earn DCI the same media profile and position as BOA, NONE. Is that really what you want? I would suggest that had DCI included woodwinds from the beginning, most of us would not know what DCI is and it would probably no longer exist. DCI became highly regarded not for it's sameness with marching band, but for it's differences. Bottom line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsFan27 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 How so? It will still be DCI if they decide to permit WW and electronics in some for or other.It will be in nomenclature only. The uniqueness of the brass/percussion only would be eliminated.Agree, but if DCI had permitted WW in the past, there may have been even more players than today, as IMO they would have to bump up the size another bus-ful, up to 180-200.Exactly what Hopkins is trying to do...under the guise of a bigger louder hornline.Wow, Dave, way to make a snap judgement call on someone you do not know.Why? He can march drum corps starting today. He's upset because he can't march Cadets today. He wants all of drum corps to change so he can march in Cadets (or Blue Devils or Cavies) tomorrow. He specifically says so.Maybe they do not go to another corps because to them the cost/benefit for selecting another corps just is not something they find attractive.So we should tell these kids it's DCI's fault they aren't marching? The original poster would say so, IMO.Adding WW will not kill drum corps...IMO it won't even kill off all brass/percussion, as I think it will be done in a separate division.Agreed, if done in a separate division AND drum corps don't all decide they have to do what some of the big boys do. However, as we have seen with rare exception, everyone does. With only two dozen D1 corps, it would be hard to have two competitive circuits. I believe that there will be only one.Untrue. Unlike drum corps, the scholastic band world it totally dependent on where you live. One can always move, if it is that important to them. Also, he can march in some good DCA corps if he needs that much time to master a brass instrument. He doesn't want any of that. He wants it his way and is screaming foul if he doesn't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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