Should the 11 new DCI ensemble positions be put towards percussion/drum line?

[MrPockets]

Directors meet in Indy, expand ensemble size limit

A unanimous decision among corps directors to expand the size of participating drum corps for the 2022 DCI Tour, was among the key outcomes of DCI's fall business meeting in Indianapolis.

www.dci.org

That's the obvious choice right? 11 more crash cymbals?

 

[cbphoto]

I’d go watch if there were eleven drum sets added to the show.

 

[Push pull stroke]

Two more bass drums, I think the bass drum line is the single best thing for developing your listening skills in DCI. Maybe a couple more quads, quad skills transfer really well to timpani and drum set, and are better for developing hand technique than snare.

 

[Push pull stroke]

But I think there should be a second snare line that plays on calf heads, old-school rudimental style. It would be a unique voice in the ensemble.

 

[Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX]

I’d go watch if there were eleven drum sets added to the show.

should check out 1994 or 95 Cadets of BErgen County

 

[Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX]

I really don't think we need to up the number of people in the ensembles actually...it is going to get to the point of it being musical, and visual clutter, sort of like many indoor drumine shows. In fact, many shows have become very cluttered recently. All sections - brass, guard, percussion, are now always "yelling" for attention in a way. The idea and contrastof aural and visual space is diminishing

but if I had to choose, I would do marching cymbal lines - not 11 - more like 5, and then spread the other 6 positions out. To me, there is nothing more bad ass thhen a smoking cymbal line

you HAVE to watch the whole thing to see the famous "headchopper" visual they are known for...

but if I had even a 1/1000th of the bad ass that these guys have, I would be happy


from a writing standpoint, more than 5 basses is redundant...4 or 5 are the best situation for writing split parts.

I would possibly add tenors before snares b/c the tenor voice can get lost in the mix

so in short:

add 5 cymbals
add 2 tenors
and add 4 more in the Front Ensemble as needed

my perfect line would be

9 snares
6 tenors
5 basses
5 cymbals
6 marimbas
6 vibes
drum set
2 synth players
1 rack guy