The Bluecoats
I still can’t believe The Bluecoats were not crowned with the Gold medal on Finals night. It’s been a while since I’ve posted any drum corps stuff (typical during the ‘off-season’). I’m SO stoked for DCI 2020! Hypin’ the activity!
So, I have an opinion regarding the Any-Instrument Rules Proposal (which did not pass) which was presented by a corps director and then sponsored by DCI Board Chair Kathy Black: I am actually Pro Any-Instrument in DCI.
I know that a great deal of people in the DCI worldwide community have different opinions on this, and I was pleasantly surprised that the instructors had voted in favor of the new rule proposal. Being someone who was at one time a very strong ‘traditionalist’ towards the DCI instrumentation - I’ve found myself totally surprised by the fact that I now believe it would be a tremendous advancement in Drum Corps International.
There were some compelling points made about how synthesized instruments seem to have no restriction (so you could theoretically have a synthesized oboe playing during a piece of music, or synthesized strings/woodwinds, etc), which is, I believe, contradictory. I think it’s absurd that you can feature one variation of an instrument, but not the actual instrument in it’s purest form. So you can play an electric guitar, but not an acoustic guitar mic’d up (Still doesn’t make any sense to me).
Drum and Bugle Corps will one day have Any Instruments. I think any restriction or limitation towards the activity is a restriction and limitation created for the experience of the students, instructional staff, and audience. There have been times that I’ve seen extraordinary things done with a variety of instruments (a lot of emotional impact can be created with certain instruments not currently allowed in DCI).
More importantly, there are certain instruments that register on certain frequencies that would indicate a more pronounced and thoroughly musical experience for any given audience member. Woodwinds & Strings wouldn’t have the ability to take over DCI as we know it, however, imagine the educational value that each hard-working, money-paying member would receive if they were able to tap into another part of their creativity.
I marched with a lot of people who had to learn and switch over to a brass or percussion instrument simply due to the restrictions & limitations of the activity (both high school marching band as well as drum and bugle corps). I always thought, “Wow. If this person is primarily a woodwind player and they’re THIS outstanding as a brass player - I wonder how amazing they must be at their primary instrument.” I’ve always thought that.
There are a lot of people that are missing out because of the given limitations of the activity. I don’t think having additional options will destroy the structure of what’s already set into motion. It was a conflict of interest when the Theater influence started becoming more present in the DCI activity back in the ’80s, which has completely enriched and expanded the possibilities of the art & performance of each show as we know today. Having more elements included into the activity will only continue to enrich the creative possibilities, and to that I say; “WELCOME ALL INSTRUMENTS!”
Instruments are kinda like pizza toppings, it’s good to have options. ..Yes, a food-based out-look (hahaha).