Core band vs Corps band

[stoli]

Per Wikipedia:  

Core was a stoner rock band from New Jersey during the late 1990s.

 

 

The Corps Style of marching stems from a rich American military history of marching bands. Following the Civil War, many musicians from the North and the South returned home and formed community bands. These proliferated in many American towns for decades, and served as a focal point for local festivals. Following World War I, the VFW and the American Legion began sponsoring their own bands for local parades and performances. These groups grew in size and scope to where competitions were held locally, regionally, and finally nationally.

When the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) was formed in 1965 and later Drum Corps International (DCI) in 1972, the performances and level of creativity began to dramatically change from the traditional military style. During this time, step sizes were altered from a "6 to 5" ratio (six steps to five yards) to an "8 to 5" (eight steps to five yards). Instead of a constant forward marching, groups would "stand fast" or "mark time" to music, maintaining specific forms. Backwards marching, as well as a Traverse march (sliding side to side) was incorporated into the marching style during this time.

Through the 1960s the American high school and college bands marched primarily in a military style. However, following the trends set forth by drum corps, many college and high school bands began to incorporate the drum corps elements into their style. The 8 to 5 stride became widely accepted in the late 1970s. During this time marching bells, xylophone, and even marching tympani were added to the field.

The 1980s saw increased movement by American high schools to utilize the corps style of marching rather than the military style. This is most likely due to the fact that the corps style allowed for a much broader selection of musical styles, tempos, and moods, versus the limitations of the traditional military march. Another important factor is that the Corps Style bands face the audience, versus the military bands primarily facing the end zones, therefore, the corps style band has a much fuller sound, and is generally louder. The 80's also saw the movement away from strict 8 to 5 step size to the usage of a constantly changing step size.

With the addition of new musical elements, the 80's also saw the addition of the "Front Ensemble" or "Pit", a derivation of the Orchestra Pit used for ballet and opera. In marching band, the pit is used to incorporate keyboard percussion such as xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone; as well as other color percussion instruments such as tympani, cymbals, hand drums, drum set, tambourine, etc.

The 1990s observed increased usage of dance with the color guard, more usage of props and backdrops, increased usage of pit percussion, and generally an increase of the physical demands of the band members. Faster tempos of music were incorporated into corps style shows. Electronics were also incorporated into the corps style via the pit. Electronics are used for amplifying soloists, or as synthesized sounds effects or instrument voices in the arrangements.

[takigan]

The 90s saw the introduction of electronics by a handful of schools, but they didn't become commonplace until after 2000.  I remember bands in High School using electronics, but even at Area D Finals, I'd say only 3 or 4 of the finalist bands were using them and not much else.  This was in 2002.  Even for the BOA contests at San Antonio from 2003-2005, only about half of the bands at the contest were using some kind of electronic element as part of their show (whether through amplification and mixing, or electronic instruments themselves).  It was on I think the 2007 San Antonio webcast that I started to notice that nearly everybody had added microphones and at least one synthesized instrument to the front ensemble.  2003-2007 is really when they took off.