Skippy

As far as I know, Jeff only retired from director at Cavaliers because he wanted a more administrative or board of directors type position. If he still wanted to be a corps director I don't think he would have left in the first place.

I don't know Zach, San Antonio is where everyone's family and friends are going to be, which would probably preoccupy most people's time.

It's a 10-12 school. The only one getting 4 years will be the little girl (if she does high school band).

I think that is my favorite wind band piece. What school are you from?

We don't.

Did anyone else check out the Marcus percussion ensemble? It was pretty unreal.

92 definitely surpasses all other Crossmen shows. That was a fantastic year for DCI shows.

Yeah, there won't be any talent anymore. The drill will now proceed to be easy, all the music will be watered down, and the tempos shall not exceed 120. Darn those electronics.

Earlier you didn't say that it was created for that, you said that currently that's all it is. I think it goes both ways. Bands have influenced corps, and corps have influenced bands. Especially in cases where there have been overlaps of top instructors working in both bands and drum corps. A very specific example being the Cavaliers 95 famous "double-helix" drill move, which was actually used in Spring High School's BOA championship show in 93. Yeah, sorry about that, I wasn't thinking. I appreciate the suggestion, but I am currently committed to another corps.

Devil's advocate can be fun sometimes. What do people think about legalizing french horns and trombones? I think a soaring horn solo/soli with or without amplification could be really cool. Likewise for a rippin' jazz trombone solo. Neither one could really be used for marching I don't think. Just because of their nature, French horns would be very difficult to march with and sound good. You can march with a trombone, but with all the close pass-throughs that we see today it would be impossible with the slide. Although somewhat impractical as marching instruments, I think they could be used effectively as soloist instruments. And I mean, they're brass aren't they?

I bet there are many people on this forum, myself included, that would completely disagree with that statement. You do realize that Drum Corps have just recently begun adding things that marching band has had for a long, long time right? What are your feelings on mic'd woodwind solos in drum corps? I know that volume wise and in other wise they are impractical, but when I picture woodwinds being used, I'm thinking more about solos here and there. You can't replicate the color of an instrument through a synthetic electronic sound. Certainly, you can replace them with electronics, but it wouldn't sound the same.

Speaking of strings, I'd like those legalized too now. I hadn't thought about it. It's not that the symphony doesn't allow Euphoniums in the orchestra, they don't use them because there is very little repertoire that requires it. The difference in drum corps is that arrangements can be made for any instrumentation.

I don't know what exactly you mean by extreme difficulty, why would it be harder for them to move their bodies in certain ways? But I haven't considered the visual aspect of it before, that's actually a really good point.

Very well put.

I have found woodwind features awesome at times. Lassiter 98 comes to mind.

Woodwinds take hard work to achieve, they are a triumph of the human spirit. Obviously, they are a purely natural sound, and are a natural product of human achievement. Am I crazy for considering them? side note: I think it's interesting that electronics passed before woodwinds. That's kind of hard for me to believe.

The only time I ever heard someone for this rule, was when they were selfishly hoping for another year themselves. Honestly, I can't see a good reason for it. I think it's good as a youth activity.

What you said is just fine, but out of respect for the corps and its wishes, just leave it at that please.

ah, dude, that sucks. I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to watch a performing group of mine from the outside. Not band or corps or anything. I don't really get sick or break any bones or anything.

No, it probably isn't. Those of us drum corps folk that didn't miss our freshman orientations entirely, left for like 3 days in the summer to go to it. If you want to do corps, they'll let you work something out. School always comes first.

Oh ok. You just said that Blue Stars was louder than Phantom, and since you were in the Blue Stars, I didn't know how you would know that without being able to observe both from the same vantage point.

You didn't march semifinals?

How can you know if the corps you were in was one of the loudest? You have to see it from the same perspective as the other ones.

I think they sustain volume very well. I don't like their sound quality or balance.

Phantom's guard does topless run-throughs on occasion. Or so I heard from a former drum major.