Are DCI Snare Breaks getting boring?

[@billn911]

You nailed it. No one remembers the hardest lick. Everyone remembers the cool parts.

[@hymmz360]

Idk man that Rhythm X 2023 break was easily the hardest break I’ve ever tried playing and I think it’s one of the coolest breaks out there

[@jamessbca]

Yep - the cool overall ensemble sounds / features are what everyone remembers.

[@michaellinnehan9589]

The most frustrating things in design teams is throwing out a memorable idea or two, having everyone go “Uh…yeah…” and then proceed to but Just Another Show #7392620 on the field. Like, who’s the activity even for if you’re not going to put cool stuff out there?!

[@hardware_9659]

That top secret thing is so real hahaha

[@FreestyleRudiments]

Top Secret and those 5 lads in kilts!!

[@ChristopherEnriquez-j9r]

I’m a snare who became a drum corps geek last year and I agree with you big time because all the stuff now is just hard technical bland stuff but the older performances were stylistic and entertaining

[@bobbarksofficial4335]

I recall seeing this amazing effect yall did in Blue Devils "95 and even in '94. George Collins refered to it as "monkey drumming" but it is where upper battery splits notes with very flashy stick heights. That was so cool.

[@FreestyleRudiments]

yea I also saw BD 94 debut that. My first DCI experience, so simple but SO COOL to watch

[@johnwolff]

BD did a version of it in 2024 as well but it was not a drum break or anything.

[@InfiniteMarketPercussion]

Monkey Arms is exactly what it was called. When I started at the University of Oregon in 2000 our caption was from BD 95 and 97 and we thought we were the shit when he fit those and some Ditty licks in our breaks and finale. He let us toy with some other visuals but in order for all of us to level up to at least a light corps level in a few short months, we had to reduce liability and when that stick leaves your hand or drum, liability skyrockets. Some had been there a year or two, and the rest of us didn't come from big, well-funded high schools and we had to catch up to their level fast. My latest fave is the Casey Claw from Cavs. It was delightful and had a good mix of technical prior, not to mention playing it clean.

[@bobbarksofficial4335]

@@InfiniteMarketPercussion WOW! That's actually amazing. What are the different rhythms for it?

[@edanrussell5656]

This needs to be sent to every writer in each corps.

[@ShaMan54321]

When I saw the video title, I was expecting the meat of the video to be super gatekeepy, but honestly, you’re calling for the opposite of gatekeeping, and I’m all for it. Couldn’t agree more with the premise of your video!

[@DrumRollTonyReacts]

Absolutely spot on. Staying relevant beyond DCI is all about creating material that resonates with a broader audience-something accessible, engaging, and impactful beyond just clean technique & beats. I recently wrapped up my 15th season with the Seahawks Drumline, and one of the biggest challenges in leading an NFL drumline is guiding those with a DCI background to make a seamless transition into performing and writing for a more general audience. We all love to geek out but the gig requires a pretty significant variety

[@glim3125]

My most memorable is Blue Devils 2004 when they did the accelerando and it actually sounded like a train was leaving the station and picking up speed. Cadets vocal drum break also comes to mind and gets plenty of reps to this day while I shower. Cavaliers Samurai show had a super fun drum break with a ton of cool stuff going on. While I wasn't the biggest fan of the drum break for Blue Devils 2006, the beginning of that show is extremely memorable with how they used rimshots to sound like mobsters having a gun fight. I could go on and on but lack the time. Great video by the way!

[@ItsPineAppleSoda]

def agree. i miss when breaks were the perfect mix of visuals and chops. like blue devils 2022 with the sweeps across the snares that was sick

[@mahockey3]

Aludes to "missing the ol days" and then brings up 2022 as an example 😂

[@kevinb9790]

I absolutely love this and wholeheartedly agree! I remember '83 Bridgemen, SCV '87, BD '97, Cadets 2000, BD '96 and '03. When I write today, I think about the audience first and foremost. What do they expect and what will entertain THEM? From there, what will challenge the players in terms of rudimental language? It doesn't have to be overly complex, but no layperson will know the difference between a five-stroke roll and a flam five. If the score is judged score, focus on dynamic expression and speed variations to show dexterity at different levels. Most of all, it must fit the music and overall concept of what the show design, be enjoyable, and ENTERTAIN! We've forgotten about the entertainment aspect all to appease the judges.

[@FreestyleRudiments]

maybe DCI needs a VK corps to lead the way

[@tsan3796]

VK needs to return

[@guywholikesheelies3231]

My favorite feature is Blue Devils 2014, i think it was a cool mox of visuals and some beefy notes. The stage on the field made it pop visually

[@guywholikesheelies3231]

For indoor Connexus with that roll a couple years back with the squat was gnarly

[@coleberkey9494]

@@guywholikesheelies3231 I feel like connexus has had some great mix of memorable visuals and beefy notes. The stick toss from last year and the add in was great

[@nickniehaus1763]

2015 for me

[@ARZiehm]

Thanks man

[@ARZiehm]

Thanks dude

[@jamessbca]

Great video. I couldn't agree more. We all love the big / macroscopic cool ensemble stuff. That's what sticks with you for forever. Every relative sends us all the Top Secret videos. They're onto something. The Vanguard stick on stick roll thing from 93 - you likely already know this - Scott Johnson had done this in his individuals snare solo when he was in Blue Devils as a member. Seemed "impossible" in a drumline, yet they did it. I greatly admire you coming to the US to pursue this activity. That is a huge move. We missed marching with each other by a year... :( Love your videos, Geoff!

[@FreestyleRudiments]

cool, I didnt know Scott did it in a solo. maybe its on youtube somewhere? I did get told the story that they could not clean it all year, is but ACE'ed it on finals night.

[@jamessbca]

@@FreestyleRudiments I marched with the snare section leader (Tony Boschini) the previous year in Freelancers. I saw him the night of semi-finals. He was so stoked because they were totally clicking / won execution that night if I remember correctly. I don't know of any footage of Scott's actual solo when he was marching, but here's some footage of him playing it a few years later as a staff member... kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6LaeWidnstrnZo

[@ivanpacheco6070]

SCV 1999 snare break…..I still geek out on that! Then it goes right into the pit music….SOO COOOL!!……and I agree with everything you just said!

[@Jomacx-24]

The solo that sticks out is the Blue Devils 2000 when the snares are playing an Accelerando, and the Tenors are playing a Deaccelerando at the same time. That show was madness.

[@AmealYT]

The "Cadets Kick" was something that stuck with me back when I was 13. Even if it's a simple vis. effect, the energy is raw enough to stay with you for a long time.

[@NicDunn]

I remember the cavaliers turning the quads upside down, that was sick

[@tommy.capicola]

Cadets 2000 drum feature will live rent-free in my head, note-for-note, until I die 😍

[@Gosa02]

Peak drum corps.

[@Judicuss]

you are absolutely right. every time i get sent something about drums its either top secret drum corps, jig 2 solo or a clip from drumline the movie. Every time i try to show one of my non drum corps affiliated friends a drumline part i think is cool they are always confused and sometimes even get wierded out by some metric modulation stuff.

[@jakegodman]

I remember a video of 2006 Phantom in the lot and all it was that made people go “WOOO!” At a specific passage, was a fivlet into a VERY loud rimshot. And that was it. And the buzz rolls were like butter.

[@GUpNu]

I'm old school DCI. I was introduced in 1988 and marched from 93 until 99. I have so many fond memories of amazing productions. One of my favorites is 93" Blue Knights drum feature. I could go on for days reminiscing but 85" through 99" were amazing years for drum breaks in general.

[@Luckyjasondrum]

The “Little Green Men” BK 93 drum solo was hot fire.

[@GUpNu]

@Luckyjasondrum That's it!

[@ardzzz1008]

That solo also went on for days 😂 Havin two tenor lines on reefed up Premiers just made it way cooler

[@yoitsboone]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="269">4:29</a> Hit the nail on the head One of the most amazing things I've ever seen live was the 2006 Blue Devils fake/ghost note segment

[@endermanunboxer4566]

my favorite break is bluecoats 2014, definitely not too difficult, and it sounded good and looked great, ill never forget the snare split

[@eriktrejo7654]

Well said… on it all! Bring back creativity and flare! Cavalier’s with their head roll down the line - back in ‘00 or ‘01.. let’s spread this video to all the caption heads and percussion leaders.. thanks for this 👍🏼

[@milespetersen569]

This is so true! Thank you for sharing!

[@andrewmitchell9732]

Spot on, the ones that stick in my mind BD 1986 channel one, Crossmen 1992

[@ardzzz1008]

A lot was goin on with the battery than what you see at Nats. A bunch of different cool licks at different vid angles, shown on different nights. Finals missed highlighting some of the real memorable quad and snare breaks that gave them the reputation as "The Line".

[@curtthechameleon]

I tried out for the Canton BlueCoats back in 96. The breaks in that era from them, The Devils, Regiment, and SCV were my favorite.

[@ardzzz1008]

Watchin a show in person and seeing a group setup dragging racks on wheels, just made coming to the stadium worthwhile 😎

[@FreestyleRudiments]

Right so what stands out TO YOU over drum corps history? Truth is I still love to see the guys push the limits or rudimental drumming BUT what are the most memorable things you can remember?

[@J_Saltys]

As a relatively young viewer of this activity, (a long time before I age out) the show that I remember the most is blue devils 2014 where the players are on the stage doing a bunch of tricks like a circus performance and at the end of the break, they do a stick toss under the leg. In my opinion, as musicians we use our ears to connect with shows, more than our sight. For the general public, the visual aspect plays the most important role in the connection that drum corps = cool.

[@brianzembruski5485]

I agree with you that drumline breaks/features have gotten a bit stale over the years. I'll take it a step further: they've gotten weird because of increased complexity without enhanced musicality or even just entertainment value. Your example of the broken quintuplet stuff is great. If someone can make that sound musical, great - but so far it just sounds forced and strange. As for what I can remember: 1992 & 1995 Cavaliers shows, and 1996 Phantom Regiment's Defiant Heart show have always stood out to me. The Planets and Defiant Heart were much more cohesive and straightforward musically. They were memorable (to me, at least).

[@paulcreedon7673]

Best one I remember the most was the 1990 Velvet Knights drum solo which was done with blindfolds on, similar to the Bridgemen’s 84 Black Market Juggler.

[@Ilovelucki-p5h]

Boston 22

[@AlexWells02]

I remember being blown away by Bloo 2016’s opening snare break and that was before I got into percussion

[@tomtomboy6471]

I like moves that are simple and effective yet clever. I got hooked on Marching Drums by watching the movie "Drumline" and have been practicing moves ever since. I'm mostly a Rock Drummer, 66 years young. Great and informative video, thanks and Peace and Love to Freestyle Rudiments!

[@williammarrs]

Completely agree, I can't follow any of the new stuff. Things have gotten so expensive now too, so that definitely doesn't help.

[@norcalmom2462]

As a trumpet player, the plexiglass feature bd did was soo sick to me

[@DaveEngPerc]

This is very true not just about breaks, but shows in general. I’m amazed at what the performers can do nowadays, and I get that there are lots of different ways to be entertaining, but I taught at Father Ryan HS drumline with some of my best friends for 30 years, and the idea was always to be memorable! It’s more important than winning. We wanted to be the show that even the bus driver wanted to see.😁 Glad I’m not the only one that sees this. I hope it shifts back the other way. I think performers can still play great stuff but also be accessible and memorable. Thanks for the video!

[@AltBoi-l4x]

Day 3 of asking for bluecoats “pressure”. Also yes I agree with your points, sometimes simpler and clean is better than dragged out and insane. 2011 is a great example of this; Blue devils, one of the most iconic yet simple snare breaks for “The Beat My Heart Skipped”. Crown, with their awesome themed show “Rach Star” with catchy parts that stick with you. They need to bring shows like that back. Have a nice day.

[@TharakeshR]

drive.google.com/file/d/1sIelJojKAbE4yiI1Fd1zNEeJv8Vwp_Lp

[@sammykays5858]

Snare breaks all sound like lawn mower engines stalling in and out, sputtering black smoke on first crank in springtime.

[@jake_thomass]

This is a WGI break but I think it has a nice blend of memorability and competitive chops. The POW 2022 snare break has this little motif, just a buzz quarter note followed by 3 eighth notes played on the left stick. It happens like twice in the pretty short snare break. It’s super simple, nothing really “oooh ahhhhhhh” about it, but it’s somehow turned into a little phrase that half of my high school band and my friends band recognizes when someone pecks it out at rehearsal. The simplicity of it makes it more digestible for a wider audience, even thought it isn’t blowing people away with its complexity. At this point so many groups are playing insane passages it’s really the ones playing some groovy simple beats that catch and keep your attention.

[@knarf714sc4]

I can’t say thank you enough for bringing this up

[@kevinwilley968]

I completely agree, not only in the percussion but in the horn lines. Everything has become so predictable in DCI. All of the shows start the same way, they all have the same "swoopy" trombone features only to use the glissandos. the judging system needs to reward creativity so that corps don't fall into cookie cutter shows to get the scores. As for something that stuck with me, there is always ( and as a part of the BD family, I can't believe I'm saying this) Vanguard's 1984 Drum feature. One of a kind.

[@RobinGreen-ge7ww]

Rhythm X's 2013 show was what got me really into drumline. The show was a masterful example of musical storytelling. The impact of simple and effective writing can't be overstated. Weird metric modulations are cool for sure, but they don't give you goosebumps.

[@walt208.]

For sure agree i wouldnt have wanted to march if it werent for cavaliers 2023 also u should do cavs 95🙏

[@jazz9128]

Shoutout to features where drums are playing in unison with something pitched ex. vocoded snares or the Bluecoats Threshold quad feature this past season

[@ajhutchinson7112]

This is is very true I think they’re not playing thing that are as pleasant to listen to any more! I miss being able to feel a groove or have a strong connection with a drum lines music but I think that Boston has been one of the only groups that has stood out to me in the last 5-10 years as far a visual creativity

[@AnAngryWaffle09]

Metamorph is still one of the coolest opening of a Drum Corps show ever. Downside Up from BlueCoats is a good example of a technical yet entertaining snare break.

[@calvinsabo2532]

Cavaliers 2017 - the quad feature on the spinning stands. That was super memorable for my first dci show. I love the super technical writing as a geek like you said, but I agree that there also needs to be the other side as well. Having a balance of both is very important. From my perspective, DCI is gaining more and more popularity from an audience standpoint, but the number of corps is definitely shrinking. Meanwhile college drumming is growing, wgi is growing, and high school drumming seems to be also growing. It seems like thee activity is entering a transitional era for sure

[@rrzamudio]

No doubt the activity has been pushed to showcase an insane level of talent and athleticism. But a lot of it is only appreciated by those who have seen the evolution of drum corps or have participated. Maybe a refocusing on GE and cleanliness is what is needed. I think that is what got Cavaliers the Sanford over BD in 23. From the lot, BD was it. On the field (and in the theater livecast), the Cavaliers break had people jumping out of their seats.

[@nilesabel7279]

I think you’re on point. I like a good hard snare break but I also like it to sound good. And a gimmick here and there definitely makes a line/show more memorable. I definitely think you nailed it in terms of the activity getting smaller. Would be cool to see drum corps back on tv somehow someday. Maybe some corporate sponsors. But like you said it would have to appeal to a broader audience.

[@toddy_d]

Cavaliers 2008, that’s samurai drum break was super simple with a lot of rim clicks and visuals. So sick

[@jacobbarrie_]

LOL, you nailed it when you played examples of the “dull” snare breaks. The funny part is that they are like, never clean. To me, what’s cool is when difficult stuff is CLEAN! who cares if you are playing the most crazy, dense rhythms or rudiments if they sound like ass lol.

[@chandlercraighead1297]

I started following drum corps in 2019 and since then ive been following out of it except for ,paying attention to one corps, and i could never figure out why til i saw this video!

[@Drummerman-f9l]

Very true. I’m only I 8th grade and have only been around this activity for 2 years and have loved every second of it but I kinda worry that by the time I’m out of high school and in dci, all of the music is really gonna be mathematics trying to figure out how these rhythms work with no tricks. ALSO PLEASE break down Rhythm X 2024 snare break! My school bought all of there drums and I want to play the Rhythm X snare break on the Rhythm X drums.

[@TylerDunphy]

Dude, could not agree more. I feel like appreciation of DCI and WGI drumming has become more "exclusive" over time, where only those heavily involved in the activity can truly understand and enjoy them. We need to figure out a way to make the goal audience enjoyment, as this is a performance competition.

[@jeffreycribb]

I believe it was The Bridgemen snare line playing the roto toms blindfolded in the 70's

[@Jackson-gg8sj]

I feel as if everyone needs a refresher that this is an art, not just a competition. It’s a competition to see who can perform ART the best.

[@drumsrlife71418]

I agree. I love something I have never seen b4 that makes me want try and replicate. That to me is why I love drum corp.

[@monkael1438]

Bluecoats tilt was cool

[@mcgrud]

For the algorithm. ✊

[@FreestyleRudiments]

thanks

[@seamuscrawford3935]

Man, this hits home. I couldn't agree more. I'm basically your age (47). I marched one year of DCI Division 3 (60 members) when i was 17 (1995). There were so many D3 & D2 corps in addition to the open class corps then. There were enough for 4-5 regional tours in the first half of the season before merging for the push to finals. After college & leaving the percussion world, i lost track of DCI happenings. Got back into it through KZbin the last couple years. Sad to see how much it has receded. Even SCV having to take a year off 😢. I know there are a lot of contributing factors, but one that i think gets overlooked within the community is it's become so concerned with pushing the edge, we've lost sight of simply entertaining the audience. The focus has moved to entertaining the "geek" audience with technical prowess. I can look back at Star of Indiana in the early 90s. They were SOOO good, but even for me (just a HS kid, but a fledgling DCI "geek") it was kinda boring. Even though Star went off & did their own thing, i think that started the move. And as a fairly accomplished percussionist, i can totally see what your saying about boring share breaks. Dont get me wrong, these kids today are AMAZING! Way better than i could have been. But especially when seeing the breakdown of a lot of today's breaks, my thought is 'WTH are they playing?' Is definitely hard. But it's like it's hard for the sake of being hard, gratuitously hard, if you will. And it's just not as fun. I liken it to really spicy food. It's one thing to create something so spicy is hard to eat. It's a whole other level to create something hard to eat, but that tastes so good you want to eat more. I'm not saying to water it down. I'm just asking for stuff that is also so fun i want to watch (and learn) more and more DCI content.

[@901.design6]

2008 BD spinning bass solo 2001 cavies snare solo is a fav with the split cymbals on the snare

[@le_drumster]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="128">2:08</a> every broken city snare break

[@boldtenor]

I think you are spot on, that being said I believe your hypothesis can be applied to drumcorps in general. Problem is that non DCI corps are trying to replicate what is happening in DCI but do not have the staff nor the players to do this and therefore not being appealing to the general public anymore. As a result lower amounts of kids trying out. @freestylerudiment, remember back when you and I marched (well not together but from an era standpoint) we had multiple drumcorps in both UK and mainland Europe (and as a result European kids marching DCI), look what is left now 😢 Back on topic, fully agree that drum breaks need to get back on being appealing again and get fans on their feet again!

[@pjbuma13]

‘94 Phantom snare split 32s down the line, 95 Crossmen 10 basses, BD whenever they do snare pods and crazy split parts, Cadets (among others) playing there bass drums on the ground and running around playing each others drums, snare lines playing on racks.

[@jamessuttoniv3125]

Bluecoats tilt with the 16 note split will always stick with me 🙏🏽

[@yarodrazo]

Something I look forward to when i watch 08 phantom regiment is the DL feature when theyre fighting the guard. When the tenors "lick" the stick as if it were a sword & snares getting "hit" and they raise their arms up. Idk it's a very cool detail to add and added so to it haha 2009 blue devils snare lick too

[@isiahrowser]

You’re right sir

[@okey7261]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="134">2:14</a> average broken city break

[@Ilovelucki-p5h]

And current Carolina crown 💔

[@tkvids1377]

Not anymore...​@@Ilovelucki-p5h

[@Mark_Aaron]

Was just about to comment this lol

[@mattl7976]

Sir you mentioned all these cool things and the scv backflip cymbal fight didn’t make this ? You’re right in all regards but still surprised that didn’t get a mention

[@randomchris83]

cavaliers 2002 frameworks. I was there and saw it live. Shows like that are what they need to bring back. Also 01 cavies four corners is a banger.

[@Deageke]

In United Percussion 2022 the cymbals put their cymbals under the quads as they played rolls and it bent the pitch of the drum. Super cool effect, never seen it before/since

[@FreestyleRudiments]

ive not seen this will take a look, stick a youtube link here is anyone finds it!!

[@justicecoin8447]

Agreed - Although I believe you can still have cutting edge book with commercial instinct.

[@TheR3alAyaya]

Another comment, the most memorable ones to me, 1. Metamorph stair feature with back sticks (awesome) 2. 2005(vocal and the add in ballad part) 3. Bluecoats 2016 obviously 4. Don’t remember year but I think Cavs marimba spinning around each other feature 5. Cadets 2003 grooving the F*#^ out in Malagueña feature There’s tons more, but I do agree that along with technical stuff we need something even if it’s 4 bars of appealing to the general public, I have people who don’t watch drumlines who would get so excited if we did a three way backstick, they went nutsss

[@Allison_Chaynes]

Phantom Regiment 1989/ 1990 had me hooked as a kid. I thought the visual was cool. Also, the fake sticking in 1987 Phantom. It just looked cool.

[@izzy_kunn]

This is so true.

[@ILIFWDRHT78]

I agree! This is true for any musical medium. Sure, the technical stuff is memorable for us music nerds, but it flies over the head of the casual fan and gets forgotten. I believe you shouldn't sacrifice those memorable moments for technicality. That's just my opinion.

[@jeromieb038]

Nailed it

[@tkvids1377]

I don't think you are wrong. Someone mentioned it in another comment but I basically call this the "Broken City" style. Lots of over the bar line, nested tuplets, brackets... it's super hard but like you are saying here i also don't really feel a connection to it. Thankfully you really are seeing some groups do a great job of bridging the gap so to speak. Mainly I'm thinking of Bluecoats and Boston in DCI and Rhythm X and Pulse in WGI...BTW I marched with someone that you were in the Cadets quad with! Pete Antunes, easily the best quad I've ever marched with!!

[@FreestyleRudiments]

Cool, Pete’s at legend and great kit player. Say hi

[@tkvids1377]

@FreestyleRudiments he's the drummer for Tower of Power now!

[@brianrandol]

Having marched 91, 92, 93. And still very active with the activity. The moments that use to be created...yes it has become more of licks..and they are cool and visually different. But, yes, in the 1990s, they used to have drum features versus breaks. It's kinda sad.

[@crawlerballer]

Couldn’t agree more! No one knows what is hard lol. I marched snare at the Cavaliers (2000) and McM (2001). Cadets and BD had incredible solos around that era

[@boldtenor]

Well don’t forget about how your drumline performed in 2000! Have been blessed to see you multiple times (I marched Beatrix) and the best time we had was in Carolina when we had a free day and we had front row seats 45-45, man you guys where loud!!!

[@Drummasterjay]

Being apart of both DCI and HBCU Drumline worlds, you’re 1,000% correct

[@stlasmith]

Now you know he is only referencing drum corps and DCI. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE HE HAS SEEN ANYTHING SHOWSTYLE LIKE HBCU?

[@Keith-z3w]

I also agree. One other note: drums have a musical responsibility to work WITH the rest of the corps. Excessively complex drumming obscures the basic hits that music requires. This is part of why we remember the old stuff so fondly

[@joeyconway1389]

I wish I were a drumming geek. I play percussion professionally and and getting a degree in percussion performance, and most of the time the last thing I want to do is watch drumming videos or learn something I don't already have to learn for school.

[@ajpmalloy]

1997 Glassmen with the flam lick that morphs hands. Not super difficult, but tasty and memorable.

[@tsan3796]

What year with Coats you tour?

[@FreestyleRudiments]

In the dark ages…. 1999 and 2000, then I left drum corps for 20 years to persue drum kit

[@lorenzoo.guerrero]

This is not necessarily drum corps but Pulse this year brought both of these factors of hard music and good entertainment into play and that is why their show was so engaging this year. I get that its wgi so the entertainment still has to come just from the drum and pit so they are more creative, but I feel like they embodied this factor much more than other groups in the circuit.

[@TravisCyprien]

Finally someone who is speaking the language! Taking real about how Drum Corp is progressing. Bringing it down to basics and talking about the what happen factor. This New Generation mess is just not as cool as it was back in the day.

[@mrbobceleste]

Idk, my favorite in recent years has got to be Rhythm X 2023, particularly their snare break, it really brought back that 2010s ram it out feel. But generally speaking, cats like Rennick, Dave Glyde and Colin still write with their unique bent, only modifying along the lines of rudiment inclusion and note frequency. More notes = better nowadays, but to the extent that it forecloses expressiveness behind the drum I can understand the worries of longtime percussionists.

[@cindywarnerKAC0507]

I've been in corps since 1974. Saw the bottle dance live in the 70s. Watched as Bonnie Ott and Art West and other soloists from 76, 77 BD take top honors at DCI 2 years in a row! Unheard of at that time. I watched Robby Carson and Scott Johnson play on the field, live. I felt the power of 10-12 snares creating one perfect note. I marched in VK and AK , KAC, playing cymbals. I remember Madison Scouts and their white snares. The Scouts' plates were always the shiniest on the field. Always. Oh, and Phantom Regiment and those white capes and helmets. But I digress, I believe DCI needs to keep the drums playing hard parts, 5/8, 23/16. Show those chops. Blow it up with sound.

[@CrowT]

It is almost like the books are getting too complicated for their own good. I dunno. I personally like new challenges. But I am a drum dork lol. Some of the stuff is pretty bland. Just packing in as many notes as they can.

[@phobass]

I started feeling the same way around 2017... also... will your app ever be on the Google play store?

[@williamricardocastanopulid3165]

Hello, good afternoon, I would like to learn more about marching band percussion. I would like to know if there is any way to study it? It is an excellent opportunity to work in my country

[@FreestyleRudiments]

I could tell you all about my marching snare drum course for sale at www.snaredrumessentials.com but then I’d risk looking like a fraud lol so go through my free lessons here first and search for any local drum corps and marching bands.

[@dankelley9989]

You're not wrong .. and check out '87 & '88 Bluecoats .. drum-to-drum that the crowd went nuts over .. every show ..

[@dannylittle6766]

And that was with 30 snares on the field.

[@Dmitch634]

Being a young man and currently in the activity. I can second this! . There isnt anymore cool effects.. maybe this past year , in my opinion crowns battery was the most entertaining. The energy was perceived as huge because of little things like “floats” bring back the good stuff😅

[@CrookedPantss]

So if I’m writing for a line and want a snare feature, is there anything I can do as a writer to be “less boring”?

[@FreestyleRudiments]

to make it less boring for the "average" non drum corps person, search youtube and google for "best drumline" "coolest drumline", "amazing drummers" etc.. Whatever videos have the most watches and shares are likely containing something that connects with the average person.

[@Druma4life]

One of the coolest things I remember was from an early 2000s show (I want to say Phantom Regiment or Cavaliers? Can't remember off the top of my head) that had a drum break that was entirely vocal. Just the entire line singing out the drum part. Really stood out in the entire show.

[@marcushawkinsmusic]

Cadets 05

[@lilramen8275]

i do think the complicated writing can be jarring or even annoying for non viewers but the crowd pleasing music doesn’t often win points. some groups do a great mix of both, for example my mom is a huge beatles fan so naturally she loved bluecoats 2019

[@adricprigodich3751]

I wish it was easier to get a healthy mix of fun and nerdy to appeal to both kinds of audiences

[@positive.juice.apartment]

anytime i feel like they get boring, i watch a mike jackson snare break and feel better

[@NothingQuiteAsFly]

I have a theory as to why it seems that way. It has to do with the musical programming of the modern day shows. I am of the same generation as you, it seems, marched 93-96 in the hornline, though, not drumline, but I have always been a tremendous percussion junkie. In any case, the most memorable snareline feature moments that stick in my memory are the most groovy features or the most musical. 94 Madison Scouts is a great example. It isn't overly technical, but damn does it groove, especially within the context of 'Malaga' as a whole. Anything from the Crossmen from 90-93. In the 70s and early 80s, the drum features were most often truly stand-alone tunes where it started and ended without the brass playing a lick of it. If you go back and watch so of the videos from era, often times the drum majors wouldn't even conduct during the drum features, they were fully a percussion section on their own. And throughout the rest of the show, the drumline was relegated pretty much to a supportive musical role. The lines that really grooved in that era, Vanguard, Bridgemen, Spirit of Atlanta, Blue Devils, 27th Lancers and Suncoast Sound excelled at ramming so many notes in as musical a style as was possible because the tunes were stand-alone (ie Black Market Juggler from 83 Bridgemen). The proportion of the show that the drumline played alone was relatively small. Two notable exceptions to that were the drum break in the 1974 Vanguard's 'Young Person's Guide' and 1976's Channel One Suite for BD where they were so clearly musically integrated, showing what would become normal in the 80s. In the late 80s and 90s, the drum features became much more integrated into the musical numbers as a whole so the drum features had to be written in such a way as to make musical sense. As an example, if you look at those Cadets' lines of the late 80s, they didn't have much of a percussion feature at all in 87 or 88, some, but very minor. And even that epic 1989 Cadets feature was mainly interspersed with the brass much of the time. The amount of time that the drumline played strictly by itself was even less than the early 80s. As such, when they DID have what you would call a feature, it really relied on having great GE moments but they had to fit into the musical groove, so to speak, hence the 'COOL!' moments of back-sticking, drum to drum, etc. To my mind, the kings and queens of groove in the late 80s and 90s were Madison and Crossmen. They could lay down such wonderfully groovy stuff. In the 2000s, the musical programming of corps in general because much more, I guess disjointed is the best word for it. Also, the introduction of much more original music shows from the Cavaliers in the early 00s leant itself to pushing the percussion section much more to the front. There is much less in a coherent flow to the music, there is 30 seconds of this song transitioning to 15 seconds of this, then 45 seconds of this theme, etc. Added to this is the fact that as a proportion of the total show time, the percussion is playing alone a LOT more these days. As such, there is less pressure for the 'drum feature' to be flashy because there are just so many more drum features. And since there is so much more feature time, there seems to be an emphasis on highly technical meat for the drummers than an emphasis on fitting into the overall musical groove of a piece of music that might make up a full 3 or 4 minutes of the show. Another aspect to consider is the rise in the importance of WGI drumlines since the late 90s. Show writers are completely comfortable writing multi-minute shows with ONLY percussion to work with, so there is pressure to incorporate more percussion only moments into drum corps shows. More moments for the drumline to shine seems to mean that they have more opportunity to have a more technical drumming feature than GE-memorable drumming feature. Just my thoughts. When did you teach at Bluecoats?

[@FreestyleRudiments]

great points! I taught Bluecoats in the "dark ages" lol 1999, 2000

[@NothingQuiteAsFly]

​@@FreestyleRudiments Alright. I marched Bloo in 94 and 96. Railmen from Omaha the other two years. Quite a few folks who were rookies in 96 were still there in 99 and 00. Kevin Stahl, Brian Ecton, Kee Vance, etc.

[@fulianj]

what years did he march?

[@FreestyleRudiments]

95 97 👍

[@fulianj]

@ thanks!!!

[@Hillbilly-mgjwv]

It loses emphasis and impact when you do an elongated battery break every movement or song. There is such a thing as too many notes as well. Also something to be said about drums staying in a line for the visual aspect, the same way people still like watching the Rockettes.

[@Gosa02]

2000 Cadets drum break is peak drum corps.