blueorginal Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 (edited) "There are 20,000 marching bands; there are 2 million young people in marching bands; DCI needs to go after these young people as our primary audience. There is no question. Marching music is not going to be a mainstream activity indeed we are moving more towards being a relic of a bygone age." Okay, read the proposals for the rule changes and while I'll agree with some and disagree with others there's one thing that has bugged me, in the one proposal by George they start giving the demographics they want to reach "2 million" band Kids as their market and not drum corp alumni or other fan the drum corps activity. I have been around for hmmmm 3.5 Decades of Drum Corps and the one thing that has remained constant is how many of the major shows attendees are Alumni. I know on paper the number of band members is a tempting number to want to reach but what I didn't see in the dci proposal was the basic facts is that the drum corps season is not a long season plus there doesn't seem to be enuff shows to effectively reach these band members, with few shows in FL, CA, WA, ID, MN, NM, OK, AL, GA, etc, it seems that the marketing would not bring in that many new fans, while alumni bring friends, family, etc.... and help grow the activity thru attentence. I think change is a process that has and will happen, but I find George looking at the band kids as the future of "drum corps audiences" is a bit off, remember us "The Classic Audience of 1975" are paying the $50-60 bucks for the good seats, and buying the DVD collections, and are the gold, platinum sponsors of DCI. Don't belittle our existance to that of Dinosaurs. We have evolved over the last 30 yrs, some great changes, some not so great changes, but we still go to the shows, yes we need to grow as a activity into one that attracts more participants, but please don't use "old fart" in the audience to be the reason you want a change. All us "old farts" want is entertaining shows, some respect for Tradition, Percision and for the kids to have a great experience like we did. Please George Remember for the next 10 years that the baby boomers are still the largest economic force in america, we might need glasses and hearing aids now, but once we start passing away into the tar pits like good dinosaurs you'll be able get a younger audience for your demographic restructuring. Edited January 8, 2007 by blueorginal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow Adam Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 (edited) The thing I find perplexing is the suggestion that band kids see drum corps as "uncool" because we don't play with the same toys as them. If you did a survey of band kids I would be willing to bet that most find amped vocals, electronics etc. as hokey as anyone else. Edit: From a member of the classic audience of 2000. Edited January 8, 2007 by Slow Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcat Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 If anything, the HS kids know that woodwinds and electronics are gimmicky, and that drum corps is the legitimate deal. Power by the instruments, and the kids playing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sburstall Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Just from the few posts that have been on here it seems George DOESN'T know who his audience is and instead is making major assumptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones758 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 If anything, the HS kids know that woodwinds and electronics are gimmicky, and that drum corps is the legitimate deal. Power by the instruments, and the kids playing them. How are woodwinds gimmicky? They are musical instruments. Most of the music that drum corps use in their shows has woodwind parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcat Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 How are woodwinds gimmicky? They are musical instruments. Most of the music that drum corps use in their shows has woodwind parts. Allow me to rephrase... HS kids are acutely aware of the differences between drum corps and marching band, and appreciate them as well as anyone. In fact, I think most HS students appreciate the difference as strongly as "old-timers". It's what makes them different. I didn't mean to belittle ww's or electronics as legit musical instrumentation - in other idioms, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madscout96 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Another argument that Hopkins made in the proposal was this: In my opinion, we need to recognize that kids are in the stands. They grow up plugged in. We canshow them it is not a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all. My counter to that is that drum corps is ALREADY "plugged in". And I don't just mean amps. Technology has been changing the activity, just like it's been changing certain sports. We have our musical arrangers writing their books on music notation software instead of in manuscript on paper. We have drill writers writing out drill with drillwriting software, which has changed the way drill is written and learned, in some cases. We have instructors all over the field with walkie talkies and microphones, and a dr. beat or click-track beating out of a long ranger. We have midi files of arrangements that help the musical ensemble learn the music quicker in the winter. But, the activity is still at its root a strictly physical, mental, emotional, and artistic one. No electricity required. Well, until they added amps :P . You don't see baseball type people saying that we need to add a bluetooth headset to every player in the field so that the manager can tell them where to play the hitter or that there's a pitchout coming. As if adding electronic gadgets will keep these "plugged in" kids interested in such an old sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 there are millions of kids playing baseball. there are 750 pro baseball players there are millions of kids playing football. there are 1700 pro football players. just because someone does it when they are young doesnt mean they will keep going. just because a kid does marching band doesnt mean they will do corps. hell, look at band programs in the schools. elementary enrollemnts are huge...numbers drop off at middle school....then drop off again going into High school. you CANT get every kid, and trying is wasted time. the market for the kids you want is there...go get em! D1 isnt full at every corps, and D2/3 needs all the help it can get...and, IMO they could help themselves a lot more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 If anything, the HS kids know that woodwinds and electronics are gimmicky, and that drum corps is the legitimate deal. Power by the instruments, and the kids playing them. WW and electronic instruments are gimmicky...and drum corps is thde "legitimate deal"? I can't believe I am reading this...or maybe I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Just from the few posts that have been on here it seems George DOESN'T know who his audience is and instead is making major assumptions. No, not really. He knows just fine what the audience is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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