From: robertt@vcd.hp.com (Bob Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.marching.drumcorps
Subject: Re: Woodwinds (was Re: Cadets cymbal line)
Date: 25 Jan 93 22:04:40 GMT
Article-I.D.: vcd.C1FJzs.Ln2
Distribution: usa
Organization: Hewlett-Packard VCD
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Aaron Oppenheimer (afo@hpwarht.wal.hp.com) wrote:
: In article <21764@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>, matthews@eecs.ucdavis.edu (Thomas W. Matthews) writes:
: |> I saw an issue of DCI Today in which the director of the Cadets
: |> wrote in favor of considering adding electronic instruments
: |> and woodwinds and etc. to the drumcorps activity.  This was in 
: |> response to a letter urging that the activity keep its identity
: |> and not make those changes.
: |> 
: |> Without the article in front of me, I'm afraid to quote it here.
: |> Maybe we could have some discussion about a response to it?
: 
: (I haven't seen the article either.)
: 
: I would not be upset to see woodwinds in Drum Corps. In fact, I can't 
: really see why anyone would be against it, except that "it's never been 
: done before." Keep it's identity? What *is* the identity of Drum Corps, 
: anyway? It certainly isn't the same as it's identity in the 70's.  Or 
: the 60's or the 30's. Why should drum corps maintain it's "identity" as 
: we define it today?

Overall, I agree - additional instrumentation for color doesn't bother
me.  I would be dissapointed, however, if the primary instrumentation
shifted away from brass/percussion.

: 
: I guess some people would like to maintain some sort of artificial 
: difference between Corps and marching bands, but I think that's sort of 
: silly. There really isn't that much difference now, is there? I mean, 
: maybe the competitive rules are a little different, but besides the 
: instrumentation, what's left? "Attitude?" I don't think so.
: 
: Electronic instruments might be different; I might not like to see a 
: guy in the pit with a bunch of synths and drum machines and a stack of 
: speakers. Maybe the line could be drawn at amplification vs. not?

Using synths/drum machines for new sounds/textures doesn't bother me, but
I've got too problems with this:

1) Sequencers - how do you control this?  With a sequencer, you can let
the machine play everything (i.e., punch a button and you get a drum
feature).  Do you disalloy sequencers totally?  Some of the most
interesting things you can get with keyboards are usually done with 
sequencers - how do you limit this?  Could a corps hire a professional
musician to write their sequences/patches for them?

2) Amplification - none of this stuff works without amplification, but
how do you control this?  If I've got a weak contra line, can I sample
Phantom's Contras and crank them up through my PA playing my show? 
Using some electronic drums as an extension of the pit seems perfectly
reasonable, but I don't see where you can "draw the line" as to "you
can amplify that up to 95dB at 10 meters from the front line, but not
this".

Note that I actually like synth based stuff, and I wouldn't mind 
hearing some of it mixed with corps music - it could be pretty
cool.  I just don't understand how you can do this in a medium that
has traditionally been inherently "acoustic" - i.e., non-amplified.
This is kind of like medical ethics - our standards for what's
"right and wrong" are way behind the technology.  I just think
we need to answer a lot of these questions before we can let
the creative types loose with all of the toys.

: 
: Aaron
: 
: =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
: Aaron Oppenheimer                                Medical Products Group
: Hewlett Packard Co.                                         Waltham, MA
: =-=-=-=-=-=  I can hardly speak for myself, much less HP. =-=-=-=-=-=-=

Bob Taylor
HP Vancouver
Newsgroups: rec.arts.marching.drumcorps