If you could, would you march a traditional corps?

[Martybucs]

When did you start playing drum corps stuff and do you think the P?R horn scarred you for life and was detrimental to your overall music experience?

That's the kind of stuff I hear from Band Teachers on the web. The Local Teachers here don't seem to mind introducing kids to different kinds of equipment.

Ha Ha. Scarred for life. Maybe, but not from playing P/R. There were many other things like the practice schedule and living conditions that could cause horror flashbacks.

Don't want to think of the cases of skin cancer that occurred down the road because there was no such thing as sunscreen back then. I'm Irish and fair skinned; the first really long practices in the summer always scorched my skin.

The horn? Actually, the horn and the music arrangements made me a BETTER player than I would've been. The P/R bugle lacked several notes in the lower register, (below middle Bugle middle C there was no Ab, Eb,D or Db.) Everything was written pretty high to get away from that problem. I started out on 3rd when I was 11 years old in 1964. When I was 12 I decided I wanted to play first soprano and worked my butt off.By 13 I could've played first but we already had 8 leads. Thanks to Vietnam and the draft, next year some spots opened up and at 14 I was a lead soprano. I could play most of the etudes from Arban and Clarke Technical studies on trumpet and up an octave on the P/R bugle. "Carnival of Venice"? To be honest, that STILL eludes me. I can play it, but you wouldn't want to listen to it. (That would scar YOU for life!)

Edited February 9, 2007 by Martybucs

[JimF-LowBari]

When did you start playing drum corps stuff and do you think the P?R horn scarred you for life and was detrimental to your overall music experience?

That's the kind of stuff I hear from Band Teachers on the web. The Local Teachers here don't seem to mind introducing kids to different kinds of equipment.

Before we get too far on pro/con piston/rotor debate I have a question for you, Marty and anyone else weighing in these horns. Are you a professional musician, #### good amateur :P , or scrub who likes to play? Trying to see if there is a pattern to response.

As for me I was a darn good trombone player who wanted to keep playing after HS so I joined a corps. (No MB in Community College). Enjoyed playing something that was so different from the ol' slush pump. Only thing that was the same was the mouthpiece. :P

Heard in the 70s that some HS teachers were saying that playing a DC horn would ruin your aumature(sp!). Then again almost all our Sr corps staff came from local High Schools.

[LancerFi]

This is not ALWAYS true. I marched in the early to mid eighties. However, I would have loved to be a guard member of the Phantom doing their 79 show. Unfortunately I am a dude, and I would not look good in a skirt. I loved the shows of the mid seventies, and have legacy DVD from 1974 to 1994. I look at my 70's and early 80's far more than after those periods.

Todays shows are good for what they are, but I wouldn't want to march in any current DCI show EXCEPT a Cavaliers show. Even if I were a teenager today, I would still like drum corps of the late 70's and all of the eighties. I simply like those shows better. No offense but as a guard member, the idea of wearing what they wear today turns me off. I like uniforms, not costumes. The idea of having to be a ballerina as opposed to a rifle is a turn off. The idea of not being able to actually spin my rifle is a turn off. The language of pagentry turns me off. I like colorguard not pagentry.

What they do today is amazing, but not my cup of java.

I as usual agree with you. I don't consider some of the "equipment" used even in the 80s as such. I'm not into shawls, or fans or whatever you want to add that was considered guard equipment then.

Did those items excite me - no, did the corps proper pick up the slack for me, yes. It was a real let down to be a former guard person and be fixated more on the drill and marching of the corps than of the guards in that era I call "the bridesmaid costume era". Then when I decide to take time away, when I returned, what I found was some very artistic athletes, much of which is lost in my opinion because they are doing it on a football field and their bodies cannot be seen as well as maybe other people think. Throw in all the time spent (I'd really like to time it) in the changing of equipment and props, and I'm a little disappointed.

No doubt, these guards are at the top of their game and have so much responsibility it's amazing they can learn a show in the time I do. So, kudos to the talent that is out there, lord knows it's incredible, however I'd just like to see more equipment work in unison and moving off your spot for a 5 or a 10 should never be an option.

[Martybucs]

Before we get too far on pro/con piston/rotor debate I have a question for you, Marty and anyone else weighing in these horns. Are you a professional musician, #### good amateur :P , or scrub who likes to play? Trying to see if there is a pattern to response.

As for me I was a darn good trombone player who wanted to keep playing after HS so I joined a corps. (No MB in Community College). Enjoyed playing something that was so different from the ol' slush pump. Only thing that was the same was the mouthpiece. :P

Heard in the 70s that some HS teachers were saying that playing a DC horn would ruin your aumature(sp!). Then again almost all our Sr corps staff came from local High Schools.

I'm self taught and drum corps instruction only. Never marched school band, though would've liked too. Our high school band director said I didn't read music well enough so I couldn't be in the band. He's right I couldn't sight read well, it's my weakest point to this day. No great loss, our HS band sucked. I enjoyed DC more.

I still do Alumni corps and I play in Community bands, Church, and a semi pro jazz/swing band. At a local level I could play professionally and I do when I get the chance. Not many chances these days. At a national level, there are players that could wipe the floor with me. I guess, Big Fish - little pond, scenario.

Edited February 9, 2007 by Martybucs