DCI Uses the "Student" Word!

[kksop17]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source

drum corps

–noun a band, esp. a marching band, of drum players usually under the direction of a drum major.

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[Origin: 1860–65, Americanism]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)

Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Stolen shamelessly from dictionary.com

[Lucy65]

Is it OUR fault that we don't use G bugles anymore?

I played a G bugle. It's not all it's cracked up to be by my peers.

It's like saying that your dad's '56 Mercury was much better than your 2007 automobile. In fact, I think some of my peers Dad's braked too fast and they hit their heads on the metal dashboard a few too many times.

It's waxing nostalgic. It's why "Grease" is still popular. The good old days. All that nonsense.

[Lucy65]

delete repeat

Edited April 3, 2007 by Lucy65

[DrumCorpsFan27]

To me, drum corps has always been a "state of mind" rather than what instrument I played.

To me, it's both. The uniqueness of the instrumentation contributed to the "state of mind." B)

[DrumCorpsFan27]

It's quite funny to see how people on DCP, when having to face some position they don't like, ALWAYS come up with a "you don't really know what you are talking about", like they know everything about every single corps in the universe... silly, very silly.

Anyway, I suggest you to start thinking that what you got from drum corps is not what every single kid gets in every other corps. That is simply true. While on tour I've heard several times people marching other corps complaining about the way they where treated. And I've heard it from rookies to 4 years old members.

So what should I do? Just put my hands on my ears and yell "blah blah blah, that's not true, drum corps is a wonderful world?"

You should not assume it is always true either, as your post would indicate. I'm just telling you that it wasn't that way in three corps (two that toured) in a seven year span "back in the day." You were the one who made the blanket statement, as if you know the way it was for every single corps, not me, which shows that you don't know that was not the way it was most of the time. If it were, people would stop marching those corps. If a four year vet had the same problem for all those four years, it was his/her decision to stay with that corps, so in that person's mind, the benefits must have outweighed the negatives. No one was forced to be there and they could have left at any time. So, the next time someone starts complaining about their treatment, ask them why they stayed. Ask them what they got from that corps.

Edited April 3, 2007 by DrumCorpsFan27

[DrumCorpsFan27]

so drum corps means that you can be treated like s@@@? If you like it, it's not a problem for me, you can have all the cups of dirt you desire. But when you hear a second year member from a corps, right after quarterfinals, while having snack, saying "I'm sick of this, I'm marching somewhere else next summer" (not referring to the food) ... maybe he didn't "enjoy" his summer.

Again, not everyone was treated that way. The second year member didn't like the experience he got, so he moved on, just as I would have in that circumstance. Nothing wrong with that. But if the corps is going strong, he must be in a minority opinion.

haha, that's really funny... don't you think it's strange that the top scoring corps are usually those where kids get the best food, get to sleep enough time, those corps in general where kids are considered "human beeings"? I think that when a staff member says "you wanna sleep? wait september" there must be something wrong going on in his brain...

Oh sure, there are bunches of corps that don't think their members are "human beings" (you have another spelling error there). I don't know of one corps that was not allowed to sleep on tour.

is it so hard to read between the lines? I liked my drum corps experience, I learned a lot about several aspects of life, music and so on and I just can't stand people who claim that without pain drum corps isn't drum corps. that's very stupid.

Also, I'd like to know where you marched so that I can have a better understanding of your position.

Who said that there MUST be pain?

BTW, you shouldn't tell others to list where they marched unless you are willing to do so yourself. Where did you march that you have gleened so much knowledge of all current and past drum corps? I sign my name and experience to every post I make. Where's yours?

BTW it was clearly a typing mistake, but considering that English is not my mother language I think it's still pretty good. anyway thank you for helping me to make it better.

[DrumCorpsFan27]

In response to the original post...

Where do you expect DCI corps to get their members from besides high school and college band STUDENTS? Most likely at least 90% of the drum corps vets on this forum were band STUDENTS at one time in their life. I was a band STUDENT and if my high school band director hadn't taken us to DCI shows and shown us DCI DVD's we possibly would have never known anything about drum corps. What do you think would happen if DCI stopped courting band directors and their STUDENTS? If it weren't for these STUDENTS there wouldn't be much left of the drum corps activity. So stop your complaining and be glad that DCI is doing everything they can to keep a good relationship with the marching band community because if it werent' for those STUDENTS the future of the drum corps activity would be very dismal.

I agree the DCI should have good relationships with the band community. That doesn't mean they have to become marching band to do so.

[DrumCorpsFan27]

To all of those who say "to call it Drum Corps is a slap in the face to us oldies," to all those who say "Drum Corps is not Drum Corps anymore," and to those who say "modern changes to the activity make it not worth buying tickets to see shows," here is my response.

When you make these statements do you ever think about the perspective of the current marching members of DCI?

Is it OUR fault that we don't use G bugles anymore?

Should we be blamed for show design that calls for amplification or vocals?

The answer to all three of these questions is no.

It does not feel good to read degrading and slanderous comments toward the activity we know and love as Drum and Bugle Corps. I am hard pressed to find any current members who would ever say similar things about previous generation's version of Drum and Bugle Corps. It might not be our cup of tea, and it might seem boring to us; however, that was what you knew, and this is what we know.

And I like what Drum and Bugle Corps is today. Just as much as you all liked Drum and Bugle Corps in your day.

We do not intend to offend our audiences by using Tubas, Trumpets or modern drill. We do this activity for the same reasons you did it in 1978, 1983, 1989, etc.

Maybe you should think back to when you were 19 or 20 and remember all of the reasons you kept coming back to Corps. Think about how much you learned about teamwork, life and hard work. Think about how incredible it felt like living with 120 other people with the exact same goals as you had.

Or maybe the reason you did march was for the sole fact that you played on G bugles or marched timpani or only had 2 valves or whatever.

If we get more sleep than you did back "in the day," well, we can't help that fact either. Maybe buses are more comfortable and faster today than they were twenty years ago, and so we sleep better and more often. That does not mean that we do not work just as hard as you did.

That is all I have to say.

No it is not your fault and I have never blamed you. I also think it's great that you have better busses, I wish we had them. And I will never say you don't work as hard as we did. Corps management should make it as easy as possible for you to become the absolute best you can be, but you will still have to bust your butt to do so. So, yes, you do work hard and I do recognize that.

[saxmanjames7]

...

Edited April 4, 2007 by saxmanjames7

[Lucy65]

To me, it's both. The uniqueness of the instrumentation contributed to the "state of mind." B)

I can't really say if it did or not for me. I was too busy getting it welded or using a piece of ductape to keep the leadpipe attached.

Ya know, that kind of "uniqueness"

Edited April 4, 2007 by Lucy65