JimF-LowBari Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 What is the spirit of drum corps? Is it ONLY a national tour? Are Div II/III corps that don't do a national tour not legitamate drum corps? How about weekend DCA corps? Many bands play as well or better than some corps so it's not just quality unless you think only the top 12 corps are real corps. What about European and other corps traditions and styles around the world? I think the more common element is the power and emotion of an all brass and percussion music ensemble. But perhaps that's just where those of us with differing opinions will never completly agree on. Interesting timing on this comment Shawn as this past weekend I watched a Mini Corps competition a bit north of you in Harrisburg. For those of you who never venture into the All Age world, Minis are 21 members or less doing a stand still. Not everyones cup o' tea but the talent and entertainment levels can be very high. Yet another "evolution" in Drum Corps as Minis have only been around for about 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skewerz Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 (edited) Is electronic music any less music because it isn't of the traditional school that you're used to no...but it's not drum corps. BOA is lightyears ahead of DCI in terms of the quality of amplification, narration and electronics that's a good place to be ahead of DCI then...let BOA have all that stuff...it's not drum corps. Imagine what drum corps would be capable of artistically with the amount of talent they have at their disposal in relation to BOA. A truly artistic person with a stick will sound better than a group of mediocre people with a whole battery. i think for that show the narration was needed and useful to explain how it was starting in the end and ending in the beginning if an INSTRUMENTAL piece needs narration to explain it, then the piece wasn't composed very well. It's actually pretty rare that I watch drum corps anymore yet, you want to change it and aggravate the people that actually DO watch drum corps...heck with everyone else, I want it MY way... I look forward to the day WW are finally permitted. that's the day drum corps dies... "Talking" can be as much a part of a musical piece as singing or playing an instrument. true...and that's why they have rock, hip hop, rap, pop singing groups... The narration was an integral part of the show as it was designed. It didn't make the rest of it 'easier'...it was as needed as the first trumpet part. that it was written to NEED narration as an integral part is the flaw... So is the narration not a part of the music and texture of that particular piece? Is narration itself not, in a way, music? see above... One thing though, do you not consider a solo singer and a solo narrator one in the same? no...it's a lot harder to be an excellent solo singer than it is to be an excellent narrator. Eh, I'm more in favor of the "spirit of drum corps" rather than a fast-hardened conservative rule of drum corps, so to speak. What is the "spirit of drum corps?" ask that to 100 people, yer gonna get 100 answers. A MAJORITY are going to say that it doesn't include narration, ww's, or synthesizers..(we've had a poll on this) To me, the spirit of drum corps is kids (yeah, i'm post 40, so i can say kids) playing horns/bugles-battery/pit-color guard at an incredible level of skill. More interesting shows executed at a much more professional level is what I'm going for and ww's, synths, and narration make it more professional? <boggle> Drum corps have yet to do that great of a job with narration ane they've been doing it for years...if class acts like Garfield and BD can't pull it off, maybe it shouldn't be there. I like woodwinds....I like synths...I narrate daily...they already have a place...I don't have "much" of a problem with amp'ing some of the more quiet pit instruments, as long as corps are penalized when the sound is horrible. drum corps is horns, drums, and color guard...that is THEIR place... why bastardize something with elements of things that already have a place. It's the uniqueness of drum corps that makes drum corps what it is. edit...btw..I lose in life at making quotes... Edited April 18, 2007 by skewerz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmonious Cacophony Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Great music needs no explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassdrumguard Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 It seems like when you posted this thread, einstein, that you were already set in your ways. You havent taken anyone's comment as a valid answer to your question. Which is fine your allowed your opinion, but knocking everyone's that isn't yours isn't cool. I think you a.) need to get over the fact that dci is not boa/wgi or b.) find a new hobby, aka go watch boa in the fall. Thats my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellodramatic Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I think most people would rather just see a ###### drum corps doing ###### drum corps things that are hard and ######. Amps/vocals are only necessary for the big story line route if you're going that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Yes, but what about BOA? They seem to have a pretty #### good handle on the whole amp/electronics thing If you want to have electronics in your "BAND" fix, great. Just keep it out of drum corps, I've have had a lot of trouble justifying the use of electronics in drum corps. The way we used to distinguish between marching bands and drum corps is this... Marching bands = electronics and wood winds Drum Corps = acoustical brass and drums Unfortunately, the powers that be, don't see it that way anymore.... <**> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einstein On The Beach Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 (edited) Great music needs no explanation. Who said anything about "explanations"? What if a corps did a show based on poems by Sylvia Plath, and they had a pre-recorded tape of someone reading selectrions from Plath poems layered into the music being played. This isn't an "explanation", and it's definitely no less music than, say, Malaguena. It seems like when you posted this thread, einstein, that you were already set in your ways. You havent taken anyone's comment as a valid answer to your question. Which is fine your allowed your opinion, but knocking everyone's that isn't yours isn't cool. I think you a.) need to get over the fact that dci is not boa/wgi or b.) find a new hobby, aka go watch boa in the fall.Thats my opinion. I liked you til that. <**> Contradict yourself much? Edited April 18, 2007 by Einstein On The Beach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdstar Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I haven't seen any BOA bands for awhile, but the bands I've seen use electronics have done so more in a negative way as a crutch, not in a really creative way. In one situation the band really didn't play that much. So my prior experience is different than others and has made me leary of how well it will be used.At a relatively prestigious HS band competition in this region, there was a 200+ piece band, including a 30 person pit featuring a synthesizer. The show was pretty much Mr. Sythesizer and his Amazing Stand Still Accompanyists. The synthesizer stole the show (not in a good way), and there were so many people on the field, there was no room for them to move (one of my concerns about a 150 member corps... but that's another thread). Many people were astonished when this ensemble took first place. Gak. I acknowledge that synthesizers can be done well, but to get back on topic, a synthesizer is not brass and percussion, and that's what I want out of drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brassdrumguard Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Contradict yourself much? You would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn craig Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Interesting timing on this comment Shawn as this past weekend I watched a Mini Corps competition a bit north of you in Harrisburg. For those of you who never venture into the All Age world, Minis are 21 members or less doing a stand still. Not everyones cup o' tea but the talent and entertainment levels can be very high. Yet another "evolution" in Drum Corps as Minis have only been around for about 10 years. Many bring up this point. They talk about "the drum corps experience" being the most important thing. It's become a sound bite people like to throw out and use, especially in the instrumentation debates, yet what does it really mean? The "drum crops experience" is vastly different for everyone, even within Div I. But not everyone does the div I national tour. For many old timers, there wasn't a national tour model. What about: Parade Corps Div II/III DCA Mini Corps What about Japaneese and European circuits All of these experiences are very different so what is the common thread or bond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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