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Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:36 pm
by mikekimchi
I really do hope that competitors consider marches for their marching music (hence, they're called marches). I understand that many would-be competitors would much rather use something they feel is cooler or just more fun, but please consider the roots of drum majors, competitions, and marching bands overall. They helped start the tradition of marching bands, and there are so many different styles of marches out there, it would be a shame to just set them aside because perhaps the only one you've heard is the one your band plays year after year.

Spinning DMs are decreasing?! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! That's it. Work takes up a lot of time, but I can make a little bit more. If there are any DMs (preferably military baton) in the southern/eastern Ventura County area who would like instruction, let me know with a PM. I'm pretty experienced (L-Patterns for three years, DM for two, learned the great traditions from a true master), but you may have to catch me up on the present rules. Montebello alum, so expect the instructions to be very traditional. Can't let the tradition of spinning die!!!

To any fellow Oilers, I wish I could offer to go back and instruct you (for free!), but I'm just too far out here to make it a regular thing. MOB Pride!

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:03 pm
by AzhlackDMPiccolo
mikekimchi wrote:I really do hope that competitors consider marches for their marching music (hence, they're called marches). I understand that many would-be competitors would much rather use something they feel is cooler or just more fun, but please consider the roots of drum majors, competitions, and marching bands overall. They helped start the tradition of marching bands, and there are so many different styles of marches out there, it would be a shame to just set them aside because perhaps the only one you've heard is the one your band plays year after year.

Spinning DMs are decreasing?! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! That's it. Work takes up a lot of time, but I can make a little bit more. If there are any DMs (preferably military baton) in the southern/eastern Ventura County area who would like instruction, let me know with a PM. I'm pretty experienced (L-Patterns for three years, DM for two, learned the great traditions from a true master), but you may have to catch me up on the present rules. Montebello alum, so expect the instructions to be very traditional. Can't let the tradition of spinning die!!!

To any fellow Oilers, I wish I could offer to go back and instruct you (for free!), but I'm just too far out here to make it a regular thing. MOB Pride!
amen fellow oiler alumni:-D

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:01 pm
by Blindman
Well, I should specified that when I meant songs "without lyrics", I didn't mean ANY song. Truthfully, I'd be pretty pissed if I was watching a drum major spinning to an instrumental of "Oops, I Did It Again".

Now that I think of it, the songs that I used were "march-like" but they weren't "marches". I was just always taught that the L's were something that a drum major could branch out from just regular marches, but to a degree. I did marches for the fall season and the spring season, why not try something just a bit different during the winter season.

I should have said "soundtrack" type music, since that's what people are still using these days. No one uses the music I used, hahaha. But even some soundtrack songs are a bit iffy.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:46 pm
by mikekimchi
Blindman wrote:Well, I should specified that when I meant songs "without lyrics", I didn't mean ANY song. Truthfully, I'd be pretty pissed if I was watching a drum major spinning to an instrumental of "Oops, I Did It Again".

Now that I think of it, the songs that I used were "march-like" but they weren't "marches". I was just always taught that the L's were something that a drum major could branch out from just regular marches, but to a degree. I did marches for the fall season and the spring season, why not try something just a bit different during the winter season.

I should have said "soundtrack" type music, since that's what people are still using these days. No one uses the music I used, hahaha. But even some soundtrack songs are a bit iffy.
No hate intended on this thread, B-man. Different people have different opinions, and respect must be shown. If your heart really wants to march to a piece of music that may not be considered traditional but still sticks within the guidelines, go for it! It's more important that you're learning from the competitions and enjoying yourself than the music you choose.

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:22 pm
by DMJUDGE
I implore any drum majors in that area to take mikekimchi up on his offer. Mike and my sister were the sole reason I practiced as hard as I did. He is an amazing spinner, technician, and most importantly a great person. As I remember mikekimchi was the first montebello drum major to start saluting other drum majors at award ceremonies. There were many good times had competing with him. The biggest memory would be our Tie for grand Champion at USA Championships. Good times, good people and a great spinner.

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:09 pm
by mikekimchi
Oh man...I was just thinking about that tie! We both know you should have won, man. It was my first drop in competition! That alone should have knocked me out.

Thanks for the kind words, DMJudge...Those were good days. I still remember seeing you spin my first year of comps, then competing with you and wondering where the heck you came from!

Yes, we Oilers were a controversial group back then (and I'll be the first to admit it), and I'm glad that our snobbiness seems to have gone away. Don't get me wrong...there were some DMs I would still be snobby towards today (call me a jerk or whatever anyone wants to), but I'm truly glad the Oilers are friendly now. ;)

instructor?

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:03 am
by phatbob2007
hey so im looking for someone who has alot of experience in NCBA l patterns to come help out my students at lincoln hs (stockton) i would love to get started early, so far i have 2 serious students one i think will be in intermediate and the other novice or maybe higher, i could deffinatly use the help, so please shoot me a pm, and let me know the price so i can get it back to my students/boosters

p.s. if you volunteer you are super awsome? (i can dream right?)

hope to hear from you soon thanks alot

Marches?

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:13 pm
by OCDM
From the judge's standpoint, listening to the standard stuff gets a tad old and doesn't show a lot of thought about the routine as a whole. It's not that there aren't a lot of great marches, but they tend get recycled over and over and over again. How many times CAN somone listen to Army of the Nile?? To me, anyway, variety is good; monotony is bad.

Music isn't the substitute for a first-tier routine; however, if you've got the routine, the music is icing on the cake. Classic movie thesme can be a very good source of appropriate scores. Parade of the Charioteers from Ben Hur (John Williams recorded it again recently on one of his Olympic CDs) is an amzaing piece of music. The theme from El Cid is another. I rememeber a couple of DMs attempting Man from La Mancha -- it's in 3/4 -- at a festival once. Didn't work out too well, as I recall.

hmmm

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:04 am
by DMJUDGE
I respectfully disagree. Marches have lots of musical elements to work with as a competitor. You just have to pick the right one. I would rather listen to Army of the Nile 30 times on the L-pattern then hear the same film score twice.
If your routine is not going to be completely choreographed to the music you should just use a march. I think we forget that the point of the l-patterns is to help students be better parade drum majors. Sometimes it amazes me how few drum majors who compete in L-patterns actually succeed at street. Maybe thats my fault, I will just have to work harder.

Brennan

Re: Marches?

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:36 am
by MasterT
OCDM wrote:From the judge's standpoint, listening to the standard stuff gets a tad old and doesn't show a lot of thought about the routine as a whole. It's not that there aren't a lot of great marches, but they tend get recycled over and over and over again. How many times CAN somone listen to Army of the Nile?? To me, anyway, variety is good; monotony is bad.

Music isn't the substitute for a first-tier routine; however, if you've got the routine, the music is icing on the cake. Classic movie thesme can be a very good source of appropriate scores. Parade of the Charioteers from Ben Hur (John Williams recorded it again recently on one of his Olympic CDs) is an amzaing piece of music. The theme from El Cid is another. I rememeber a couple of DMs attempting Man from La Mancha -- it's in 3/4 -- at a festival once. Didn't work out too well, as I recall.
I'm not exactly sure which judge you are, but I do agree that it provides variety and elements of creativity. We have to understand that, though it is training grounds for leading a parade band, this is a scene where a little bit of color can come out. Of course, I am coming at it with a Northern California perspective and some would argue that us up north have abandoned the strict military marching tradition (with the block, guard, etc.). But like the winter season...it gives drum majors a chance to explore different things, try new things out that may not be necessarily feasible on the street.

Of course, the music has to match the style that is being marched. Once I saw a guy use the theme from Armageddon in Scottish style. Very good spinner, but he probably disqualified himself from placing at state because of that. That goes back to politics because he too was from Northern California but we won't go there.

At any rate, I have heard some AMAZING non-marches used in the solo circuit. Justin Paguio used Procession of the Nobles in 2000 (3/4 time) and THAT was real impressive. Crimson Tide and Imperial March have had a tendency to be overplayed, but there have been some interesting renditions to it. Brassy/regal music is very fitting as well...so you see, there a lot of different ways you can take the music and really integrate some showmanship into your program without sacrificing the integrity and intent behind the L-pattern proper.

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:07 pm
by tooweird
i plan to work with my band's drum majors...they never did anything during band reviews...past drum majors didn't care at all...but now after i graduated..there's two that are really into it.

one is promising...he'll be around in the year after

i'd also like to know what music is good other than marches...

Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:30 pm
by ZJH
Personally, I just highly recommend marches because there's just so much you can do with a good march. But if you don't want to use a march, another good alternative is basically anything with a steady beat that's around 100-120 BPM, depending on your preference. Personally I don't even think I can march at 120 BPM anymore. lol I'm gettin' too old for this. XD

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:18 am
by MasterT
ZJH wrote:Personally I don't even think I can march at 120 BPM anymore. lol I'm gettin' too old for this. XD
Dude you're barely a year past your HS street marching days...you can't be THAT old! Look at Turner...HE'S STILL TRUCKIN!!!

(with some major bumps in the road, but nonetheless still making it over the grapevine)

Besides, marching 120 is nothing. Try 140-155. We won't even do drum corps route because that is incomparable. But seriously...it's not like the movement is even that complex to be saying that marching @ 120 is not doable.

Especially for a young pup like yourself ZJH :-P

Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:24 am
by ZJH
With all due respect MasterT, not many HS graduates go from marching 120 BPM easily to about 85-90 BPM on a normal basis with pipe bands and Scottish DM competitions, haha. Takes some getting used to, and I'm probably gonna be fallin' behind with marching band camp with Franklin this summer. lol

Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:30 pm
by San benito high trombone
What would you think of hearing "Farwell to a Slavic Woman" in L-pattern?