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"Without Electronics"?


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Yeah, John Cage. Made a career out of dropping pianos out of windows and calling the noise "music". Calls a guy sitting staring at a piano "music". Brilliant.

Yes, John Cage WAS infact a complete genius. He was also slightly neurotic, but hey, isn't this true many of history's greatest minds? Even just sticking with music, Shostakovich and Mahler were both pretty nutty, among many others.

The thing with 4'33", that is indeed music. He was trying to prove a point that there is music in silence, music in the sounds of the world around us, the audience wincing and coughing, the birds outside pecking and chirping. It really is music and it proved a very powerful point. Hell, if it hadn't we wouldn't even be talking about it today would we? John Cage wasn't like other avant-garde composers who were just doing things to rile people up (which many did, and hey, what isn't fun about doing something that "isn't music" and making people like Lafalot angry) but Cage completely believed in everything that he did. I'll end with a great quote he made a while before he died...

The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.

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Yeah and I don't see anyone here advocating electronics instruments as "acoustic" so what's your point?

My point being that the rules of the game in drum corps were brass, percussion, guard...accoustic...on a field.

Once you change that, you have changed the rules of the game. It is no longer an oil painting...so do not try to sell it as one.

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So, DeLucia made a statement before Cavies show on the DCI telecast...

"All sound effects were done WITHOUT electronics".

Does anyone get a message from this? I've always been "ok" with the idea of electronics but hearing this has now given me pause. Could it be that the very thing the non purists are wanting...wich is more room for "innovation" and "pushing the envelope" could actually be hindered by the addition of more instruments and effects on the field such as electronics? Think about it, the sound effects Cavies made in their "machine" show took more thought and creativity than what would be the result with electronics. Anyone can press a button on a synth or sampler. Only the most creative minds can create those sound effects with brass and percussion instruments. Is it possible that electronics would actually dupe our activity in mediocrity and HINDER our desire to be more innovative?

Thoughts please!

BINGO !

~G~

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My point being that the rules of the game in drum corps were brass, percussion, guard...accoustic...on a field.

Once you change that, you have changed the rules of the game. It is no longer an oil painting...so do not try to sell it as one.

And again my response is that no one is trying to trick you and sell it as an "oil painting."

Let me explain something to the purists here on DCP: Drum corps will change. Drum corps will change when it is necessary for it to change to become relevant to the time in which it exists. As young kids grow up and are exposed to more and different influences they will incorporate those influences as performers, as staff members, as design team members, and eventually as corps directors. More and more electronics are being used in very innovative ways because they allow us to relate to the world around in new and different ways. When it becomes necessary, drum corps WILL change to become relevant to the electronic age. It might not be tomorrow, but it will happen. And those of you who claim that you will stop going to shows and leave when that happens, well...fine. I'm sorry that you feel that way but there's always going to be young, fresh faces who WILL relate and who WILL enjoy it. And as long as drum corps remains relevant to those who are performing and those who are in the audience, I say that's great.

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And again my response is that no one is trying to trick you and sell it as an "oil painting."

Let me explain something to the purists here on DCP: Drum corps will change. Drum corps will change when it is necessary for it to change to become relevant to the time in which it exists. As young kids grow up and are exposed to more and different influences they will incorporate those influences as performers, as staff members, as design team members, and eventually as corps directors. More and more electronics are being used in very innovative ways because they allow us to relate to the world around in new and different ways. When it becomes necessary, drum corps WILL change to become relevant to the electronic age. It might not be tomorrow, but it will happen. And those of you who claim that you will stop going to shows and leave when that happens, well...fine. I'm sorry that you feel that way but there's always going to be young, fresh faces who WILL relate and who WILL enjoy it. And as long as drum corps remains relevant to those who are performing and those who are in the audience, I say that's great.

Talk about an atomic bomb

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I say to this topic a big "Duh!" That's the number one reason why those against including electronic sounds in drum corps feel the way we do. I will extend this sentiment, though, to all amplification in general. If only Dennis DeLucia had been able to say, "All these corps you've seen tonight, all their music was produced completely acoustically, with no electronic equipment required"! It's something I can say about classical music, and that's one of the main reasons I love it. It's something I can say about pre-2004 drum corps, and it's one of the main reasons I love that. :)

Edited by Hrothgar15
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