Before corps decided to have a "theme" each year .... most drum corps settled on a program format which was pretty standard among all corps. (Lots of variations tho.) It was generally like this:

1. Opening (also called "off the line") - generally a march or other fast paced music. Semper Fidelis, National Emblem, French National Defile are examples.

2. Production - often a popular show tune. BS used "Por Favor", Imperials used "Nightingale", Cavaliers used "One Heart". Sometimes the corps would use modified dance moves to support that music ... Imperials did a "cha cha" dance with the "You'll Never Know" cha-cha in 1959.

3. Color Presentation - a patriotic tune or march. God Bless America, Americans We, American Soldier are examples.

4. Concert - often a swing or jazz piece, or a show tune combination. BS used "Give me the Simple Life" and "Let's Face the Music and Dance", as examples. Many others used by corps.

5. Production - frequently a swing or popular tune. BS used "Comes Love" and "Witchcraft" to great effect here.

6. Exit - often a melodic, romantic or inspirational tune. Examples include: "Who Can I Turn To", "Laura", "Beyond the Sea", "Free Again" and "Exodus". Don't forget the Cavalier's "Rainbow".

Another very common practice was to use much the same music from year to year, generally replacing one or two numbers each year. Some tunes were kept so long they became "signatures" for the corps ... BS played "National Emblem" for eight years, Cavaliers kept "Rainbow" for just about as long.

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What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Dave,

You forgot the most important parts! There was generally a drum solo between the first and second numbers, and another between the production/out-of-concert piece and the closer/exit (and I always liked the term "off the line" for some reason). I don't know what the horns and guard did during these important times in the shows...

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

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

How could I have forgotten to mention drum solos!?

Drum solos are another example of "evolution" in drum corps programs. In the very early days, drum solos were hardly more than cadences played while the corps proper moved to a new field setup.

In the 1960s, drum solos started to be a feature for the drum line .... but still usually "on the move".

Later, especially with the advent of DCI and various rules changes, drum solos became a special feature for the drum line .. parked in the center stage spot .. with a lot of visual attention.

But, while drum line is featured, the corps proper (including the auxiliary) is often doing some extensive and impressive field/ drill work behind the drum line. I remember the Bridgemen doing a "Z-pull" type drill, including a hip-hop walk, during a drum solo feature. The Cadets did a similar thing in several years.

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What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Dave,

I thought I was the only Norwood fan of the early 1960s Blessed Sacrament corps (perhaps the best corps between 1959 and 1964 despite the Cavaliers undefeated season of 1961).

You are right about the short drum solos that were performed on the move. I don't ever recollect the drum lines being "right out front" during those solos. Most radical thing was Sac setting up a pseudo trap set for "Give Me the Simple Life" in 1963 and 1964.

Another thing that Sac did was they'd have a short drum solo and then there would be silence for 8 counts before the brass would play. They did this for Por Favor in 1960. It was an effective break but also reduced the exposure for a bugle or percusion mistake.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

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

John, I was a fan of the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights for many years. I was very sad to see them fold in 1973.

Of course, my primary interest was their exceptional rudimentally based drum line. But, their brass line was also great. Their arrangements were exceptionally clear and those buglers all played!

Their drum "trap set" in 63 and 64 was ingenious. They used a tenor drummer standing next to a snare, a bass drummer knelt down in front of them and a cymbal player stood next to the set. It was very effective and a great use of existing equipment, years before the "pit" became popular!

Regarding the "silent break" before playing .... I think that they did that for effect. Yes, there is a slight impact on exposure by not playing for 8 counts, but there is MORE exposure for the "cold" attack as they start to play, after the silence. Then too, the corps had to march for those 8 counts with no percussion to help. Both took discipline to handle.

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What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

One problem with the 8 count silence was that if someone in the brass line couldn't count (difficult for people from New Jersey) or the attack wasn't clean it was a real obvious mistake.

I have a recording from the 1964 World Open where one of their horn players actually does that.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

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

John,

I just happened to have listened to that last night in the car (64 Dream) - a VERY obvious error! Sounded like a contra bass, though I'm not sure they had arrived on the scene yet?

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

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

Bob,

That is a contra bass that screws up on that 1964 Sac recording (proves my point that people from New Jersey have a hard time counting up to eight).

As I recollect the Garfield Cadets were the first junior corps to have Contra Bass horns. In 1963 more junior corps were using them and by 1964 most corps had contras except Norwood. We didn't acquire contras until fall of 1964 when the corps purchased a new set of chrome bugles. We got two contras and two mellophones. At that time it was rare to see corps march more than three contras.

Those contras weren't as large as the ones that are used today. Today's seem to be essentially an upright (concert band type) tuba that is oriented to rest on the players shoulder.

There was another large, low voice horn that came on the scene about the same time as the contra bass. It was called a Euphonium. It was larger than the biggest bass/baritone bugles (Holton made the largest of those) and held like a bass/baritone. I remember the Toronto Optimists used them and the Belleville Black Knights might have had them for a season or two in the 1962-64 time frame. I believe it was made by a Canadian company and don't recollect seeing it after the contra became popular. I'd guess one would have to do some serious weight training to play the Euphonium while marching. The contra bass was a bit less physically demanding as it rested on one's shoulder while playing.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

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