From: bfhalls@vela.acs.oakland.edu (HALLS BRADLEY F)
Subject: Re: Duct Tape (please let this time work...)
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 04:47:46 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.202237.1@d0msu7.fnal.gov> jerger@d0msu7.fnal.gov writes:
                                ^^^

Hey, Steve...
  Always glad to talk to a fellow Spartan! Can't wait for DCI in '96!
          
>>Back in '88 there was a rumor (considered common knowledge fact then) that
>>BD's snare line used duct tape to 'quiet' the dirty players in the line.
>>The rumor was that about three or four (out of the 10) a year had the old
>>tape job (even '86).  The pit people from '88 ran into a guy who played
>>with Spirit until the end of winter rehearsals when BD called and he left.
>>Anyways, they casually asked to see his bottom head, and he had the tape job.
>>My question is:
>>(1) did they do this, and
>
>        I think I remember BD's snares being a little weak in '88, so I don't
>know for sure, but I wouldn't doubt it - a friend/old instructor was on
>Dev's snare line in 82 & 83, and that's where *I* learned it from. Although
>I think the first resort is through playing with the snare tension to lessen
>the response, while duct tape is pretty harsh on the volume and the ego. I'd
>like to hear what Brad has to say - he seems to have the most experience
>with top 12 snare lines.

Interesting...Float never tuned anyone out when I was there (85), even though
I'm sure there were times when he wanted to. It got so bad that we finally
cut 2 snares before finals, but noone was ever tuned out. We joked about it
(the tuning) all the time, but never did it. BTW, who was your friend that
marched '82/83?

>>(2) if they did, wouldn't the judges know and therefore not give the same
>>    amount of points he would if a line of 10, playing, where clean?

>        Maybe, maybe not. The idea is, not. They're still playing, it's
>just that their sound is reduced so that the ticks aren't as obvious.

Very unlikely that the judges would pick up on it. Also, there are many
ways to cover errors without tuning someone out. Just ask Ken Mazur. He
was the master at this, and did it all the time with Phantom '78-'79.
He would have certain players air parts and leave out grace notes all the
time. No 2 players had the same show. Pretty lame tactics if you ask me,
but it worked for them, and they never cut 2 snares before finals, either.

>>(3) Also, this just doesn't seem quite fair to the lines who marched seven,
>>    eight, or even ten and who all played?  These lines would have to
>>    water down their book more than BD.
>
>        IMHO, it's just a technique - "function minimization," if you will.
>It's not going to magically clean up a Sir Tickalot, and I don't think the
>goal is to stay taped up all season (though maybe some do). I have heard
>of guys being muffled to death, and I guess that does sound a little harsh.
>But I think that on a lesser scale it's just one thing you can do to improve
>or adapt - we (VK snares) didn't have anyone choked out with duct tape in 88,
>but Dave (our snare tech) would always fiddle with our tuning before a show,
>and I wouldn't doubt he tuned a weaker player or two down. Similarly,
>he switched our order around mid-season to smooth out some visual differences
>(and also because we cut a snare in Iowa - but that's another story). So
>I don't think even the extreme case is a huge, ill-gotten advantage, and the
>lesser case is just part of the game. It kind of sucks for the guy who gets
>tuned out, but on the other hand they could cut him...

I guess I think any of the tuning games are kind of a copout...
I would rather lose drums than start humiliating the guys in my line.
Mid-to-late season cuts are even worse, but it is true that some 
guys just don't deal with pressure well, and it's really not fair to
blow it for the whole line becuase of one or two people, either.
Just my opinion, of course...

--Brad





-- 
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Brad Halls                                "Still looking for witty quote."
Computer Science Grad Student              -me         
Oakland University
Rochester, Michigan
bfhalls@vela.acs.oakland.edu

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