Posted by Leland on June 23, 1999 at 13:40:26:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Contra with two valves posted by Brett on June 23, 1999 at 07:20:42:
Thanks, Brett, for being with one of the three corps that voted against it (Madison & Pioneer were the other two).
I can't see any reason why a corps would mix concert pitch "we'll say 'Bb'" brasses with bugles -- the intonation problems would be horrendous. So, I'll reserve my judgement until I hear what an all-Bb corps sounds like. If they blow the bugles away, I'll go with the new gear. If not, I'll just point at their director and laugh! :)
One huge point of all this is that a new corps wouldn't need to buy a whole set of bugles for what is a risky venture. They could theoretically borrow or rent from a school band (or, a school could put out a corps, which basically doesn't happen now).
The other, and this is one thing that the academic world has always stuck on, is that a player wouldn't "abandon their Bb chops by playing a G instrument all summer" since, obviously, they'll be on their regular pitch instead. I personally believe that's a crock, but you know educators & the cash they invested in their degrees...
Lastly, this is a ruling passed only by the top 17 corps that make up the DCI board. The organization for smaller corps that are on the DCI tour, Division II/III, passed a two-year moratorium on the rule in an attempt to minimize any disastrous financial impact on the corps themselves. Drum Corps Associates (DCA), the separate body governing senior corps competitions (where all the fun is, I've learned!), has no intention of passing a similar rule, as far as I know.
Drum corps has been having seemingly more of an identity crisis, and with DCI's ruling, it might have been made worse. Although DCI does not represent all of drum corps, it is the most visible. We'll see what happens. If, in ten years, we're back to having 150 corps competing at Finals week because of the rule, I'd call it a success. Until then, the shifting audience is dictating that DCA is where the action's at; DCA's attendance has been increasing while DCI's is dropping. Hmm...
I'm done talking corps (a musical and educational endeavor that uses tubas & euphs) on this musical & educational BBS for tubas & euphs... for this round, anyway...
Seeya,
Leland