Question About Attracting a New Fanbase

[Hrothgar15]

What about trumpets?

Trumpets were a new instrument to DCI that was introduced in 2000. Couldn't use trumpets before then, ater that year you could.

[MikeD]

Trumpets were a new instrument to DCI that was introduced in 2000. Couldn't use trumpets before then, ater that year you could.

There were indeed trumpets prior to 2000....in the key of G.

[Hrothgar15]

There were indeed trumpets prior to 2000....in the key of G.

Somehow I knew that wouldn't work...gotta love MikeD. :P

[prodigal bari]

There were indeed trumpets prior to 2000....in the key of G.

Funny thing...in NancyD's historic corps blog there is a Getzen ad for a piston/rotor bugle set...in Bb. In 1963.

http://historical-drum-corps-publications....30_archive.html

Doesn't THIS ad some perspective....

:)

Edited March 16, 2007 by prodigal bari

[madscout96]

The 2000 change did not introduce any new instruments to drum corps.

Yes it did. For instance, tubas and trumpets.

There were indeed trumpets prior to 2000....in the key of G.

Sez YOU, not DCI. But we're not talking about what you say or what you feel, we're talking about what DCI says or has said in the past. Just like DCI says that a drum and bugle corps has no woodwinds or electronics. And, prior to 2000, DCI said that trumpets are illegal equipment and soprano bugles in the key of G ONLY are legal. Then in 2000 they said that trumpets in ANY-KEY would be legal, and any instrument previously legal would remain legal.

So no, trumpets were not legal before 2000. I don't care what any historian says about what a bugle is or isn't, if DCI called it a bugle, it's a freaking bugle and not a trumpet for all our practical purposes.

[xtreme0204]

And if you are in a front ensemble, then you might not realize what it sounds like now on the other side of those PA speakers.

Not being snide at all, but I don't think that we are oblivious to what it sounds like. All I'm saying is that it saves our hands (and instruments) from undue amounts of strain. A baritone can overblow, a set of tenors can sound awful if played improperly, and mallet instruments can lose their warm tone quality when hit too hard and improperly. IMO (and most percussionists I know), the amplification has allowed for that warm tone quality to be utilized in the proper manner (most of the time). I realize that there are always technical issues with electronics, but for the sake of the proper sound quality from the instruments it's worth it. My perspective is that DCI should hire 1 person to go from corps to corps to suggest the proper mics to use, PA equipment, and settings so as not to incur problems such as SCV had this past year (which after listening I believe is large amounts of leakage from the drumline into mics that obviously were not made or EQed for that sound, thus creating a peak (pop) sound).

Edited March 17, 2007 by xtreme0204

[Tom Brace]

The fact that DCI held on to G Bugles for so long, when any minute they could have simply switched to Bb/F, shows to me that the organization still considered it important to retain elements that were ingrained in tradition and were completely unique to drum and bugle corps. Once the Bb/F change was implemented, I believe, a large chunk of this uniqueness was destroyed, and the slippery slope officially commenced. If we can replace traditional G Bugles with concert instruments, why can't we include amplification as well? If we can include amplification, why not singing and narration? If we can include singing and narration, why not electronic sounds as well? If we can include electronic sounds, why can't we expand the spectrum to include woodwinds and strings?

This is why I believe the Bb/F change was so significant. I presume no one said, "If we can ground a timpani, why can't we..." or "If we can add another valve to this bugle, why can't we..." Just speculation, though.

To answer your question. :)

and no where did you once explain why perfect? Is it their shape, the sound chome makes? The rotor valve perhaps? Again, why were they perfect as you say? Because I will tell you...my drum corps experience (since 1968) has only seen one perfect aspect of drum corps. It's these ###### members who will go further, work harder and accomplish more than anyone ever thought they could. It's not about instruments...it's about the members...always has been...always will be.

[djrick]

and no where did you once explain why perfect? Is it their shape, the sound chome makes? The rotor valve perhaps? Again, why were they perfect as you say? Because I will tell you...my drum corps experience (since 1968) has only seen one perfect aspect of drum corps. It's these ###### members who will go further, work harder and accomplish more than anyone ever thought they could. It's not about instruments...it's about the members...always has been...always will be.

Totally agree!! :) :) :)

[CrunchyTenor]

I was attracted, and started marching, as a high schol band member in the pre-DCI era (as was MikeD, I'm assuming). Attracting eligible members has been something that drum corps has always done, and always will.

The problem seems to be that DCI has been seen as not relating to it's veteran audience. Yes, the high school demographic has a good chunk of disposable income, even to occasionally buy the $200 seats at finals. But the kid in that seat is the exception, not the rule. They are generally in the peripheral seats, as someone else pointed out earlier. They also but souvies, but not the bags-full I've seen from adult fans.

Regarding Hrothgar's opinions, they are what they are. Opinions. Neither right nor wrong, just opinions.

Here's one of mine. We have been lead down this garden path of Bb/F instruments, amplifiaction, and soon electronics, by one entity more than most. One word: Yamaha. Think about it. They did not make G-keyed brass. Developing the tooling was way more expensive than lobbying for a rule change. They also were already heavily into the electronic music equipment business, including amps, keyboards, samplers, Midi, etc. I said this prior to 2000 in other forums. I saw it coming. Didn't you?

Finally, regarding the improvement in playing technique with the addition of amps in the pit? I have yet to see it. Keyboard players are still whacking away at the keys. We are trying to use instruments that just have no place on a football field. There is a place fo them, though. It's indoor.

Just my opinion, and just as good...or bad... as yours.

Garry in Vegas

Edited March 17, 2007 by CrunchyTenor

[BOBSMYTH]

{snip}

Yes, the high school demographic has a good chunk of disposable income, even to occasionally buy the $200 seats at finals. But the kid in that seat is the exception, not the rule. They are generally in the peripheral seats, as someone else pointed out earlier.

{snip}

Slightly off topic but just a point of clarification - DCI prices for Finals tickets start at $25 with their highest price being $125.

Any $200 seats must have come from a scalper.

More on topic to the thread - the point isn't to sell them one ticket for Finals (whether it is on the 50 or in the end zone). The point is to create a much larger pool of people who know about and are attracted to drum corps. Some of them may march, some of them may become life long rabid fans, some of them may become more casual or occasional fans. We need all of the above.

DCI is sowing the seeds in order to have harvests for decades to come.