Most Difficult Show - Poll

[George]

Sorry, I'm just frustrated with certain (repeated) comments regarding the difficulty of The Cavaliers show. As I'm sure you get when people repeatedly bring up stupid narration threads for The Cadets.

I'm fine now, though. :)

I agree. Sorry - wasn't trying to be a #####. I think Cavaliers have the fourth hardest program out there this year

The way I see it

Cadets > Regiment > SCV > Cavaliers > Blue Knights > BD > etc

[Meaghatron]

I agree. Sorry - wasn't trying to be a #####. I think Cavaliers have the fourth hardest program out there this year

The way I see it

Cadets > Regiment > SCV > Cavaliers > Blue Knights > BD > etc

Although I don't agree with your placement of The Cavaliers (more like top 2, IMO)... I do like your placement of BD. :)

[nero14]

cadets by a large margin in my opinion...

[Jacob]

I agree with what most people have said - I think the Cadets show is probably the most difficult. From the ones I've seen it seems to be the most exposed section-wise trading around from one section to another playing independently versus lots of tutti full ensemble playing - this requires every single section of the corps to be strong.

Also their tempos for the end of the opener and the closer are really pushing - I've taught a watered down version of their closer to a marching band a few years ago and even though it was watered down, it still cooked - 200-210+ beats per minute is hard to do with a small step size - and a lot of their moves at this tempo are pushing it to a 6 to 5 step and larger at times.

Also, they are keeping their horns on their faces for a majority of the show adding even more demand from an endurance standpoint.

The licks themselves aren't terribly hard - the 16th note passage in the opener that someone mentioned earlier isn't terribly difficult - it's a repeating pattern of slurring from one note up a whole step to another note then tonguing that upper note twice. Of course at the tempo they're playing it, it requires their trumpets to double tongue which adds a little more difficulty, but most average high school trumpet players are able to double tongue or at least know the concept well enough to learn how to do it properly.

Honestly, in my opinion, the single-hardest moment in their show from a musical standpoint is the very beginning of Blue Shades - with the 2 note motive (the descending minor third) that the mellophones play. Each time I've watched the show (in person in Murfreesboro, then via webcast from Atlanta and San Antonio) someone missed that first note. They are coming in after narration so they have no pitch to go off of - and so they have to pick that note out of the air - and on mellophone once you get above a written 3rd space C on the staff, you can get just about anything to come out even when you have the right valve(s) down.

Anyway - just a rambling of my stupid opinion.

[nctarheels05]

i've only seen about half of D1 this season SO based on who i saw.... SCV, cadets and crossmen.

MS wrote a really tough drill book for crossmen, much harder than anything they have marched since 02ish.

SCV is always doing an fun visual book.

and cadets always impress me visually.

and BD, for honorable mention...... they just make everything they do look easy, but i know they are running across the field at times.

Edited August 1, 2007 by nctarheels05

[bradrick]

MS wrote a really tough drill book for crossmen

MS wrote a really tough drill book for crossmen

So true, I thought it needed to be said twice.

[LAMystreaux]

So true, I thought it needed to be said twice.

Yes, and I don't think they have been given proper credit for their level of difficulty. At least a corps or two right ahead of them have fairly easy shows compared to them.