Am I the only one who does, on this website?

Not me Bill. I don't find the shows compelling enough to spend the money.

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 60-69

not me either. Can't stand the shows

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Ok; thanks, you guys. Who else?

I'll give you cd's, if you would like.

I don't even go to shows anymore. I miss melodies, and you don't hear many in current corps shows (or many band shows, as they continue to become mini-clones of the corps).

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Such shiit!

I don't think so.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Here we go back to an earlier forum thread, where we discussed the "traditional" drum corps approach compared to the "new" DCI approach.

One of the main points was the use of recognizable music, with real melodies.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Here is one of the comments from that threrad:

In earlier days, drum corps were happy to play music, not tell a story. There were no props, no narration (and no PIT). The corps marched and played. Simple.

And, Joe "average fan" could understand the music and the show .. and loved it!

The programs were usually made of tunes which normal folks would recognize ... marches, show tunes and the like. Yes, occasionally, a corps would feature a bunch of music from a certain Broadway show .. such as "The Sound of Music", but it wasn't really a "theme".

The corps often started (OTL) with a march or show tune, then did a "production number". Often, that set the stage for the Color Presentation (something which has disappeared from druum corps). Then "concert"... a standstill performance, where music could be played without marching. Then, another short tune, followed by a final "Production number" and then the closer .. Off the field.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Dave, I was agreeing with Bob. If it bothered him, it's not a good thing. That's all I was saying. Plus... I was joking around.

Personally, I think you're all missing out on some pretty darn good, and often beautiful music. But, I'll keep my opinions to myself, as always.

If you want recognizable music, there is a fair amount of it played every year, by the various corps.

As for me, I really enjoy becoming more and more familiar with brand new music, music composed in 2008. Soon, that music is recognizable and hummable to me. There's a lot of good stuff each year, that way, too.

Did you hear Carolina Crown this year? Their entire program is made up of the finishes of classical musical compositions... very clever and interesting. Their program is titled, "Finis." There are others, too, that you would like. Something for everybody each year in drum corps. I like the old way; I like the new way. I like the Cubs; I like the Sox. Therefore, I have double the chance of having fun!

Who does CD's anymore. I download from sites like Amazon and DCI. Cheaper and you only get songs or performances you want instead of the others on an album.

The only 2000 downloads I've done from DCI are the 2002 Blue Devils and Cadets. I'd seen the Blue Devils in person that year (Scott Joplin, House of the Rising Sun, etc.) and recollect seeing Cadets tribute to New York (the season after 9112001) briefly on pbs. Most other DCI downloads have been from the 70s and 80s when DCI was still sort of drum corps.

Bill, I suspect that you are right. There is probably SOME good music out there being played by SOME corps. Like Carolina Crown. Others too.

It is just that, overall, the current product offered by drum corps just has no appeal to me.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Sure, I understand. To each his own. I would think that you would enjoy a fair amount of the music, but you just wouldn't like to see all the shinanigans going on accompanying it. That's one nice thing about the cd's -- it's just the music. I simply pick which ones I want to listen to and buy them, from DCI, then I line them up in the order that I want, when I burn the cd's. I measure driving distance by how many corps I'll listen to to get to my destination.

I personally have an extensive collection of mp3s of drum corps music from the 70s, 80s, and some from the 90s depending on the melodic and harmonic content of the show. Like Bob, I miss hearing more than a motif of melody in a show. In past years the drill was written around the brass section so there was a real development of musical themes, not like the present visual themes put out there by some 2nd rate theatrical producer wannabe with delusions of grandeur.

So I prefer the music from the eras listed above because musically the compositions are much more sound from a form standpoint. The drum corps charts of today are written around the visual (unfortunately) and sound like they are written by some schizophrenic madman who has consumed way too much Red Bull.

In short, no I don't listen to the recent stuff. LOL

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

I'm glad I kept up with drum corps over the years. I'd hate to be stuck in the days of blowing as loud as one can without a sense of musical quality on out of tune, so called "instruments". Drum corps has never done anything but improved its musicality and people that do not listen to modern drum corps have no place commenting on it.

BTW, when I am looking for a CD or mp3 download I go directly to the website of the corps that I am trying to find the show from. I buy directly from the corps and NEVER buy ANYTHING from DCI. At least I know that the money is going directly to the corps and not into someone's pocket at DCI. If I can't find what I am looking for on the individual corps sites, I go to
http://preserveourcorpsmemories.com/ which has an enormous database of old shows going back to the 50s. They are inexpensive and the downloads are quality. They have many rare shows and hard to find performances from many corps, as much of their collection is given to them by members of the corps from their personal recordings of shows.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Jim,
We listen to the music at shows, but we just don't enjoy them enough to justify or prefer buying the CDs. I think both Bob and my qualifications as musicians with MAs in music education more than qualifies us to comment on the musicality of today's performances.

My contention isn't with HOW things are being played, but WHAT is being played and how it is being presented. With that said, I prefer the shows of the 80s and 90s to today's shows. The performance of today's top corps is unquestionably cleaner and more in tune than the past, that was never questioned. We just questioned the content of the shows.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Jerry,

You took the words out of my mouth. Come on, Dr. Snyder - you're getting elitist on us!

Yes, it's cleaner now. Yes, it's more musical now. But like Jerry, I miss the accessability of the music. But something he didn't mention - I miss the RAW EMOTION of it! It's like early rock and roll compared to the sampled, overdubbed, "technically" clean music of today. It's devoid of mistakes, and therefore emotion (in MOST instances). At least to me.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Does anyone have any MP3's of the Imperials from the last days? I would love to get a recording of us from 1980 and 1981.

What did you do in the Corps? Cymbals, Bass Drum, Tenor

What years were you a Corps member? 1980 - 1983

Being elitist would be like someone flashing their credentials like, for instance, an MA. Right? Listen to music, watch the shows, experience the people in today's drum corps or your opinion is just conjecture. I think I'm done, once again, with you drum corps dinosaurs. I try to defend the awesomeness of today's DCI, but you cats have no interest of even sampling it. Good luck living in the past.

Ha! I am having enough trouble just living! And keeping up with stuff to do.

I have no need to go and "sample" drum corps. Does that make me a dinosaur?

And, as has been said many times on this Forum, personal tastes and interests are OK. If you like it, great! But, NOT liking the current product doesn't make me a criminal (or a dinosaur?).

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Well said Dave. I guess Dinosaurs are not extinct now after all, are they?
There are plenty of us out there alive and well, and I guess anyone that doesn't share a positive view of DCI's activities or the road they are taking is a dinosaur by that definition. So be it. We all are free to have our opinions with regard to this activity, whether one agrees with it or not.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Jim Snyder, I really enjoy today's drum corps shows, too. I go steadily, all summer, and I've been to finals (all 3 days... Thur., Fri., Sat.), for 3 onsecutive years now and enjoy finals immensely. I'm going next year too. Some corps are just ok to watch, while others are dynamite. The kids are downright amazing, including the color guards. It's all just fun. Conversing with other drum corps fans is interesting, too, at the shows and afterward, at the bars and so on. I very much enjoy listening to the modern drum corps cd's too.

Dave, you put it well, too; it's all a matter of taste.

You're still an old faart, tho, Dave!

BTW, for further clarification, we DO sample current drum corps and do go to some shows, unlike how we were portrayed in the above post. Many of us just do not prefer the current product and how it is presented to the product presented in the not so distant past. It's a matter of personal choice, preference and opinion.
I think that is pretty clear.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Maybe Jim's getting nervous and cranky with DCA coming up!

Lighten up, my friend! Maybe you're lucky - you've stayed current, and maybe younger than me (while I think you're actually only one year younger, in reality). Good for you! But don't deny us "old farts" our fun, too. Not much drum corps action here in the Sunshine State, so all I have is my memories. Have pity on us dinosaurs!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

I'm generally bored by the present day DCI corps. Primarily because of the musical selections. It isn't a lot of fun sitting for three hours and maybe hearing two or three strains of a song I recognize. Last year at the Palo Alto DCI show, the most exciting thing for me was watching that character Hopkins' antics prior to and during the Cadets' show. It's pretty bad when the most entertaining experience at a DCI show is watching the antics of a corps director who seemed to be experiencing St. Vitus Dance while his corps was on the field. I really liked it when he said the words along with the kids on the field when they were speaking.

Also, the term elitist should be not be used to describe those who aren't truly qualified. I believe I may be the only person participating in this forum who can truly be called an elistist. The requirements are being able to list a whole bunch of designations after one's name plus having received post-graduate credentials from Stanford, Northwestern, Chicago, MIT or one of the Ivy League Schools. It also doesn't hurt to live in a place like Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Washington DC.

John Anderson, PhD,MS,BSCE,PE^,RCE*,GE*,F-ASCE,Hon-CGEA (^IL,IA,MI,MN,WS,DC,SD,ND,UT,TX. *CA) This is an abbreviated version.

In the future, let's only use the term elitist for those individuals who are truly qualified to be called elitists.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 1959 to 1961 Imperials 1962 to 1966

John,
I didn't use the word elitest. However I did state that my MA in Music Ed (with 16 hrs of post grad work, mostly in theory and composition) did qualify myself and Bob who also has an MA to comment on the musical content of the shows. It really doesn't matter though. All we were really trying to say is that we enjoyed the activity much more when there was more emphasis on the audio (melodically driven) rather than the visual presentations. I don't think (and I am speaking for myself mainly) that there was any intent to start an argument or debate. We were just stating our preferences. I don't consider myself or anyone else here elitest or a total expert on this subject. I really don't think that there is what one could call an expert on this subject because of the subjectivity of the activity. We can only draw on our knowledge and experience to base our opinions.


BTW nice endorsements you have there! Very impressive indeed.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

Everybody breathe...we're just having fun here!

What did you do in the Corps? Snare; Drum Major; Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

More impressive than any of you guys, I am a true elitist, holding a doctorate in bullshiit music, from DCI. How's that?!!

Jerry,

In the drum corps area area there isn't any elitistism, just opinions. There are people in DCI who appear to be elitists but they're just individuals who have egos larger than they deserve to have.

I though the comment in to insert some levity into what appeared to becoming a bit too heated. In real life I do have to deal with a lot of people in my "elitist category" and most of it isn't a lot of fun.

There's nothing that is less fun than being with a know-it-all who truly does know it all and who leaves zero room for the creativity of new ideas, which could intiate new and better ways of doing things, than the ways already known. Whew!

John,

I agree with your last post. I wasn't trying to be difficult, just trying to clear the air. You are so right about the egos that exist in DCI and drum corps. It's amazing how so many "visual experts" have so much less in the way of legitimate credentials than any other area of the activity, but the biggest egos. LOL

Enough of this, we are here to have fun, not be disagreeable. It IS a good place to voice our individual opinions about a topic that we are all passionate about.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

This posting reminded me of the 2 CD's from Imperials. So I put them in my car and listened. I also loved the music from 1970, but what is with the screeching horns. I marched the 1973 season and didn't realize the drum line was just too cool. The horn line sounded great also. And yes I do like the 60's, but a good recording helps when you only have audio.

I think Donna makes a good point. Listening to CDs of the corps is a good way to focus in on the music. It gives you the opportunity to listen to the drum lines, horn lines and even pits without the distraction of show "producers(?)/designers" upstaging the most important aspect of the activity, the music. I thoroughly enjoy all of my CDs and MP3s of corps from all eras, particularly when the shows were longer and had corps used more "fan friendly" repertoires.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager

I've gone one further. I have a playlist on my Ipod that includes individual songs from corps ranging from 1960 (Blessed Sac) to 2005 (Royal Airs Alumni). Think there are about 40 songs (Blessed Sac, Norwood, Madison, New York Skyliners, St Kevins, Boston, Guardsmen, Freelancers, Royal Airs, Royal Airs Alumni, Vasella and of course the Blue Devils). Probably have more Madison than any other corps--1962 ("Don't Ya Go Away Mad") to early 1990s ("You've Got to Look Out For Yourself") with about seven or eight songs from the years in between. I pulled these off of CD files over the past few years. I liked the songs and all performances are clean (no blasting and excecution is excellent). It's interesting to listen to Sac's "Laura" followed by the Blue Devil's "Like a Lover" maybe a better way to compare eras by listening to somewhat similar songs.

I also have Bose noise cancelling headphones which seem to make the sound more like being at the performance than listening through a stereo system. I don't listen regularly but it's nice every once in a while to go to this playlist on a long airplane flight.

Nice for me to hear about, John. Very nice.