From: bfhalls@vela.acs.oakland.edu (HALLS BRADLEY F)
Subject: Re: drum solos (was "Re: Impressions--DCI Finals")
Organization: Oakland University, Rochester MI.
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1992 03:56:37 GMT

In article <1992Sep02.204013.12752@watson.ibm.com> owens@watson.ibm.com (David Owens) writes:

>|> No drum solo is required. Consider all of the corps this year that
>|> had no more than a few seconds set aside in their programs to display
>|> the talents of their SUPERB percussion sections; GARFIELD, STAR, BLUE
>|> KNIGHTS, VANGUARD (just to name a few). I am starting to think the
>|> activity should be called Visual, Horn and a-little-drumming-on-the-
>|> side-if-we-happen-to-get-some-time corps!
>|> 
>|> --Brad.

>To each to their own... I've been saying for the past 7 or 8 years 
>that drum solos should be on the way out.  If you've got a drum 
>line you really want to show off...  do it with a couple short drum 
>breaks.  You can actually give them more solo time, just in smaller 
>chunks.

No argument here, although I don't see a problem with a prolonged
percussion interlude if it makes sense in the original. Note also
unless the piece was written for corps, there is always going to be
some artistic licence taken in the arrangement. A piece originally
written for orchestra and arranged for concert band, for example,
will sound different than the original for obvious reasons. If the
percussion section in corps is more emphasized than in other idioms,
that's OK and part of what makes us unique...(IMHO)

>It rarely makes sense musically (to me) to stick 3 or 4 minutes of 
>solid drumming in the middle of a show.  It always seems like too 
>much of a difference from the rest, and way too long.  Unless the 
>original piece of music calls for it, don't do it.

Ahhh, but I'll bet the orinial didn't call for 16 contras or to be
played in the rain on a football field, either. I agree that in many
cases the best way to go is to stay as close to the orginal as
possible ('84 Garfield!), but it is not always necessary, or even
prudent. BTW, I never mentioned a length at all...the reason I was
upset this year was because for so many corps with great percussion
sections, they got a feature of length ZERO. I'm not saying that
you have to have a major percussion interlude in every show, but
give us SOMETHING. Besides, it makes musical sense. It gives the
hornline a chance to rest their chops, and the audience something
of a different tambre and rhythmic intensity to listen to. VARIETY.

>Also... You don't need to have the horns and drums stop playing to
>show off a good guard.  You don't need to have the drum line stop
>playing and guard stand still to show off a good horn line.  And...
>you don't need to have the horns stop playing to show off a good
>drum line.  A good drum line can be fully appreciated and adjudicated
>as part of an musical/visual ensemble.  (standard IMHO's apply)

Again, I agree. BUT, it gets pretty hard to appreciate a great
ballad if the drumline is ramming through the whole thing...
Just as the drumline should take a break and let the horns just
blow every now and then, you can't fully appreciate a percussion
section if the horns NEVER stop playing. :-)

>Just my 2 cents...

Mine, also...
BTW, I know I'll shoot myself when I hear it, but who is "BAC"?

>Dave Owens (BAC member 85,87,88; staff 91...)
>odavid@watson.ibm.com


-- 
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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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Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps