Life In Drum Corps

[TRtrumpet]

I was thinking of trying out for one in about a year or 2 and I was wondering what its like. What do you do on a average day while your their and stuff like that. How do you audition, is the audition music hard?

[Brian Ngo]

12 hour a day practices for 2 and a half months with a few off/laundry days

[Cru4you]

i know what DCA is like, but what about more details of dci?

[bariphonium]

From what I've heard, it's literally nothing but marching band, day in and day out, save for a few days off. Guess there's a reason they're so good...

[maverick]

To clear this up, it really depends on which corp you join.

 

Let's take the Cavies for example. They practice for about 8 hours on every competition day and they practice for 14 hours every non-competition day. Then they tend to have 1 off day every 2 weeks. Usually they sleep on the bus so they can do their traveling at night. But they are a hard core drum corp.

 

Now let's the corp I'm currently on... The Madison Scouts!!! We practice about 8-10 hours when we don't have a competition that day and then we tend to have alot of free time. Usually on competition days we are really laid back and try to relax. When we arrived in San Antonio they gave us 3 hours to do whatever (we went down the river walk) then we had an hour of warm-up and about 3 hours of practice. We also get about 1-2 days every two weeks for just having some fun in what ever town we are in.

 

So basically it depends on what corp you join. My guess is that the Blue Devils and Cadets will have similar schedules to the Cavies. Oh and don't join Southwind cause they travel by planes and thats WAY more exspensive then bus. There are a few other corps who do that so be careful.

[Skippy]

  maverick said:

Oh and don't join Southwind cause they travel by planes and thats WAY more exspensive then bus. There are a few other corps who do that so be careful.

What are you talking about? That's absolutely ridiculous.

 

Pictures of the 2005 southwind buses...

 

And with member fees of 1400$ I have no idea how they could afford airfare.

[Skippy]

The first part of the season is "Spring Training." These are the days when you rehearse about 10-12 hours a day, learning the show, and getting it as clean as possible before tour.

 

Once tour starts, you have rehearsal days and show days. On rehearsal days, they are much like spring training, just working hard to clean the show. On show days, there is only about 5 hours of rehearsal, before everyone packs up to leave for the show. And the show days are what make the whole season worth it.

 

It's not as bad as it sounds though (unless you're in florida), because the feeling of everyone working hard to accomplish a common goal is amazingly satisfying.

 

You make a lot of new friends in drum corps, that make it entertaining.

 

Drum Corps is SOO worth the effort. I would not have done last summer any differently. You make so many memories that will last a lifetime.

 

My advice for you is to do it.

[EODrillDesigner98]

  maverick said:

To clear this up, it really depends on which corp you join.

 

Let's take the Cavies for example. They practice for about 8 hours on every competition day and they practice for 14 hours every non-competition day. Then they tend to have 1 off day every 2 weeks. Usually they sleep on the bus so they can do their traveling at night. But they are a hard core drum corp.

 

Now let's the corp I'm currently on... The Madison Scouts!!! We practice about 8-10 hours when we don't have a competition that day and then we tend to have alot of free time. Usually on competition days we are really laid back and try to relax. When we arrived in San Antonio they gave us 3 hours to do whatever (we went down the river walk) then we had an hour of warm-up and about 3 hours of practice. We also get about 1-2 days every two weeks for just having some fun in what ever town we are in.

 

So basically it depends on what corp you join. My guess is that the Blue Devils and Cadets will have similar schedules to the Cavies. Oh and don't join Southwind cause they travel by planes and thats WAY more exspensive then bus. There are a few other corps who do that so be careful.

 

 

 

 

Hey! maverick

 

 

Why do you say that Southwind dont have buses. I been told they have buses and there even pictures of them in busses and etc. So what the heck are you trying to say when you say that southwind dont have buses. Research your info before you say it or type it.

 

 

 

[maverick]

Each member of their corp had to pay just shy of $2000 for airfare costs. So they had to have used planes at some time or another if they had to pay for them. I'm pretty sure that they stop using their buses near the end of the season.

[TRtrumpet]

Wow drum corps is EXPENSIVE!! But it sounds like its worth it...

[Cru4you]

wow to cavies schedual!!!

 

 

btw... Spirit has an off day... IN MY TOWN...LMFAO HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

there is absolutley nothing at all to do in my town

 

omg if you knew how funny that is...ahhhhh good times accoming i can tell!

[Skippy]

  maverick said:

Each member of their corp had to pay just shy of $2000 for airfare costs. So they had to have used planes at some time or another if they had to pay for them. I'm pretty sure that they stop using their buses near the end of the season.

Airfare to camps?

[TX Suh-nare]

I also heard from a Phantom alum that you pick up some funky smell after a while that doesn't get out. Yuck.

[EODrillDesigner98]

  Cru4you said:

i know what DCA is like, but what about more details of dci?

 

 

 

 

In mine personal opinon! I would rather work the schedule that DCA has to offer then dealing with DCI at all.

 

 

[bacara]

hmmm maverick...if your on tour how do u find time to post everyday.

[thedrumgod]

  bacara said:

hmmm maverick...if your on tour how do u find time to post everyday.

haha

[maverick]

  bacara said:

hmmm maverick...if your on tour how do u find time to post everyday.

A laptop with a wireless connection to a cellphone. We have breaks all the time.

[EODrillDesigner98]

  Cru4you said:

i know what DCA is like, but what about more details of dci?

 

 

 

 

Hey! Cru4you

 

Good Luck at DCA Championships in a couple of weeks.

 

 

 

[Cru4you]

hey thanks elizabeth!

[Keyboard_Countessa]

along the lines of the original topic... can anyone tell me how being in a Div. II or III corps compares to Div. I? I've been thinking about trying out for Revolution this year, yet I'm tempted to try out for a Div. I corps (Carolina Crown has auditions in my area, so I've heard) but don't know if I'll be able to make a full commitment to it (this being my senior year, I want to miss as few school days or high school band events as possible).

[TX Suh-nare]

The Vanguard and Cavies might let you miss a rehersal during spring training if you have an important band function, like a concert or something. Not sure about Crown, but they probably will.

[TRtrumpet]

  Keyboard_Countessa said:

along the lines of the original topic... can anyone tell me how being in a Div. II or III corps compares to Div. I? I've been thinking about trying out for Revolution this year, yet I'm tempted to try out for a Div. I corps (Carolina Crown has auditions in my area, so I've heard) but don't know if I'll be able to make a full commitment to it (this being my senior year, I want to miss as few school days or high school band events as possible).

Im thinking of trying our for revoloution too.

[serenata]

Hey Maverick...

 

I marched Madison this past summer as well and don't remember anyone else from Austin besides two people who both have graduated from high school.

 

Also, I definitely don't remember being able to go down to the Riverwalk for 3 hours before our competition.

 

What's your name?

[Moose]

pwned...

[Skippy]

Haha, I knew that kid was a phony a long time ago.