I stumbled across this newspaper article while doing research for something unrelated. However, I found it interesting that a local newspaper would print it. I'm also fascinated with the comments that are attached to the article.

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/19985444.html?page=1&c=y

What did you do in the Corps? Sop

What years were you a Corps member? 1979

Here is the text of the article:

Drum and bugle corps hit a sour note

A growing use of electronics in their marching field shows has created some discord among fans.

Usually in this space, technology is shown to be fun or useful. You know -- video games, DVDs, Internet. But not everyone is playing a happy tune these days: The march of technology is causing dissension in the ranks of competitive drum and bugle corps.

When the elite music-and-marching units bring their field shows to several Minnesota and regional competitions starting Sunday, it might be the last time fans see the brass and percussion of their favorite corps playing without -- drum roll, please -- electronic instruments as accompaniment.

Starting in 2009, the activity's governing organization, Drum Corps International (DCI), will allow not only electronic instruments such as keyboards to augment the marching performances, but it also will let more performers be amplified by microphones. Brass soloists and ensembles may be miked beginning next year, in addition to the vocalists (narrators and singers) and sideline percussionists who can already be amplified.

The changes have led to heated debates in online forums such as Drum Corps Planet among those who see the expansion of electronics as a necessary and inevitable change in modern drum corps and those who long for the tradition of "the glory days."

"I liked drum corps a lot more in the mid-'70s to the 1980s than I do now," said David Eckberg, who organizes the annual Drum Beauty show, which has been held in the Stillwater area for more than 50 years. "Back then, it was very normal to come out with a show with tremendous emotion, being moved to goose bumps and tears, and I don't know if we're seeing that anymore."

But Bill Soucha, band director at Irondale High School in New Brighton, said adding electronics is just another step in the evolution of drum corps. Besides leading one of the state's top high-school marching bands, he has been director of the Blue Stars of La Crosse, Wis., the closest DCI World Class corps to the Twin Cities -- and a group that used amplified narration in its 2006 program.

Drum and bugle corps have a rich history that began with the military in the early 20th century and then became a rank-and-file fixture of civic groups such as the Boy Scouts and VFW posts. They underwent a dramatic change when DCI entered the scene in the early 1970s. Eventually, their marching formations became asymmetrical, the color guard started dancing and many of the percussionists parked less-portable instruments on the sideline.

Corps also stopped using bugles, even though many fans still call them "drum and bugle corps." They now use regular trumpets and three-valved marching versions of French horns, baritones and tubas. In fact, some drum corps vets, such as Patrick Byrne, 54, of Minneapolis see the desire to amplify the brass instruments as a way to make up for the volume that was lost when bugles were abandoned.

And next year, they can add electronic instruments and more amplification.

"With electronics, you're just adding more to the mix," Soucha said. "You're allowing the shows to be more complex, more complete, well-balanced, connected -- it just allows so many more things."

That's no different than what happened with amplification in the theater world many years ago, said Brent Turner, who heads the Youth in Music Marching Band Championships at the Metrodome in Minneapolis and has been involved with the DCI World Class corps the Madison Scouts of Wisconsin.

"Theaters were built a certain way to help the acoustics with singers, operas and Broadway shows and all that kind of stuff, and yet electronics have allowed them to do certain things that they were never able to do before," Turner said.

That's an apt analogy, said Paul H. Kuehn, 45, of Apple Valley, who marched with the St. Croix Rivermen from 1978 to 1982.

"Today's drum corps is much closer to Broadway than anything else, with the only main difference being it's on a football field rather than inside the Ordway," he said.

ut that's not tradition, said Brian Tolzmann of Forest Lake, who has followed the activity for more than 38 years as the founder of the Drum Corps Information Archives.

"I don't see electronics in drum corps as a necessary component, but rather an intrusion on a formerly acoustic activity," he said.

Some technical difficulties

Besides flouting tradition, there is a practical downside to using electronics in drum corps. Matthew Kilanowski, 28, of Hopkins -- who has been involved with the activity since joining the Minneapolis corps Chops Inc. in 2001 -- said electronics aren't accounted for by judges, especially when equipment malfunctions.

"A corps last year had reportedly gone through an entire performance with hissing and crackling being the predominant sound coming from their speakers, and they still won first place at that show," he said.

Irondale's Soucha admits that electronics have caused technical difficulties in his shows.

"It is a love-hate relationship because your show might not come off the way as planned if something goes wrong," he said. "But when it all works, it's wonderful."

Then there's the expense. Nonprofit touring corps already face financial challenges, especially with rising gas prices.

"Electronic equipment is expensive," said Andy Yaroch, 22, of Cottage Grove, who has marched with Chops Inc. since 2004. "While it's not officially required, corps apparently feel they need it to be competitive. ... The added expense of electronics may be one reason why so many groups are going inactive."

Todd Tanji, 47, who is on the board of directors of the Blue Devils, a DCI World Class corps from Concord, Calif., said electronics eventually will be a boon to drum corps after the 2009 expansion.

"There will be a period of experimental bleeps and blunders," he said. "But after the dust settles, corps will know how to use electronics in an aesthetically satisfying way."

Drum Beauty's Eckberg remains wary: "I'm hoping we look at this a few years from now as a good change, not as a fork in the road that they shouldn't have taken."

Will there ever be harmony over the use of technology in drum corps?

"I think the jury is still out on that one," Kuehn said. "But those of us who have marched drum corps and those who will march after us will be no less passionate about it."

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Then, readers posted the following comments:


What would Deaner say?

I can imagine: With pipe in mouth, watching his beloved North Branch Scouts D&BC all gone electronic - Deaner would not be a happy man.
posted by jefferitus on Jun. 16, 08 at 7:06 PM |


Why not have two divisions of competition? Once could be non-electonically or audio enhanced, the other could include the newer format. Seems like a reasonable solution to me.
posted by mn55066 on Jun. 16, 08 at 9:14 PM |


Leave out the "bugle."

As member of drum and BUGLE corps when they were great (Grenadiers of Chicago, 1948-55 and Skokie Indians 1957-61) I find it hard to watch even a free drum and trumpet competition on TV. DCI has absolutely ruined this wonderful youth pastime for $$$$$$$$$.
posted by colinm35 on Jun. 17, 08 at 10:39 AM |


Electronics remove the purity

It's really annoying to see electronics in any form of marching band, whether it be DCI, high schools, colleges, etc. If it's there for pure entertainment (especially in college) it's not a big deal. But it should stay out of competitions because it blurs the line between the natural sounds of instruments and artificial entertainment. Any time I see a non-marching instrument employed in a field show or parade (especially electric guitars and keyboards) it strikes me as being wholly out-of-place.
posted by bigjimmy007 on Jun. 17, 08 at 10:40 AM |


Drum Corps

Drum Corps hasn't been worth 2 cents since DCI got rid of the M&M category. It now looks like a bunch of kids just running around on the field.
posted by lvpops53 on Jun. 17, 08 at 10:44 AM |


In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with amplifying musical performances outside. The problem here is that DCI has taken what was once a unique activity which once numbered thousands of participants nationwide with hundreds of performing groups, and turned it into an acitvity very few groups can afford, one that requires huge individual sacrifices of money and time and is much like a number of others. They are for some bizarre reason attempting to create productions that you would be more likely to see in the Superbowl halftime show. Or become so enamored of their own pursuit of artistry that become incomprehensible and self indulgent. I agree with the previous comment that the drum corps who want to pursue this model should go off and become a new organization, while the Drum Corps activity be reformed and once again become an activity that young people from all walks of life and levels of experience can participate in and enjoy.
posted by danscerpella on Jun. 17, 08 at 11:40 AM |


Unplug! Go Organic!

It's a stupid decision to allow any use of electricity in a drum corps. Music is already too loud and too often pre-packaged, pre-recorded generic crap.
posted by mutt10R on Jun. 17, 08 at 11:51 AM |


what about marching bands?

While we're at it, can't the electronics wizards do something to improve the sound quality of marching bands on tv? The parades may have the best bands in the country performing, but anyone watching/listening at home wouldn't know it!
posted by Maude21 on Jun. 17, 08 at 1:30 PM |


Drum Corps use to be Drum Corps...What Happened?

After marching in drum corps for almost 30 years with a Senior Corp in Minnesota and also judging and instructing....Drum Corps as we know it is DEAD...no more goosebumps...Beat and Blast wasn't such a bad thing....Now it's BORING..same old same old....May REAL Drum Corps rest in peace... Bob E
posted by Berick1234 on Jun. 17, 08 at 1:40 PM |


Change is hard

Change is always difficult. When people blame DCI for changing drum corps, they seem to forget that DCI IS drum corps. The people who make the rules and vote on changes are the directors of the corps.
posted by chpdlivr on Jun. 17, 08 at 7:25 PM |


"The people who make the rules and vote on changes are the directors of the corps."

Too bad the participants don't have a vote, but fans do. If fans stay away the directors may have to reconsider whether they've changed things too much. Change can be good, but sometimes it's too much too soon.
posted by pingal22 on Jun. 17, 08 at 10:46 PM |


Change of the times

I have been around drum corps for 37 years as well as I marched with the Riverman, Cavaliers and MBI. I somewhat agree with the amplification of the pit because as corps increase numbers you lose some of the sound in the pit. I don't agree with adding electronic instruments but drum corp is part of the entertainment industry and to stay entertaining they have to change things. Actually with way technology is growing I am surprised this has not happened sooner.
posted by Cavie1992 on Jun. 18, 08 at 11:24 AM |


Shame on the Author

What is the purpose of this article? There are plenty of local drum corps shows in the near future as well as shows in August, and the article mentions none of them. I note that the shows are in the sidebar, but no exhorting of the reader to go and judge for themselves. Those of us in the activity bemoan the decreasing audiences at times. Electronics are purported to be a way to remain relevant and that is the only way to ensure that the area retains the shows it has. If new people don't come to the shows, the shows will lose money, and less shows will be here. I challenge the author of this article to work with the local show organizers in promoting their shows. Perhaps this is a better use of his StarTribune soapbox then his fanning the flames of the electronic debate that the casual drum corps fan probably has no idea of or doesn't care.
posted by bohanek on Jun. 18, 08 at 4:34 PM |


Not all Corps agreed with the change...

Remember that although DCI represents all of the corps, not all of the corps agreed to any of this year's rule changes. There were some that voted "NO" to all of them, including amplification, electronics and water on the field. My guess is that there was a lot of political arm-twisting involved to get these rules passed. Remember that it is ultimately up to each corps to go along with the recent rule changes or not. Personally, I think if a horn line needs to be miked in order to be heard, then there's a problem with the horn line!
posted by corpsmom on Jun. 19, 08 at 4:46 PM |


Shame on you Star Tribune - help drum corps, don't hurt it

I completely agree with bohanek's comment about this article. The general public doesn't know about drum corps and to publish a story criticizing the use of electronics here is pointless. Promote the upcoming shows - Stillwater on Sunday and Mankato on Monday. If you can't make it to a show (or even if you can), support the corps and go watch them rehearse. Housing and ticket information can be found here: http://www.movetostillwater.com/uncategorized/2008-drum-beauty
posted by bengoheen on Jun. 20, 08 at 4:15 PM |

===================================================

So, perhaps some of these comments are from NP Alumni, but regardless, they sound like things posted here.

Larry

What did you do in the Corps? Drumline

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1965