People who never heard the G bugles will never understand how different the sound quality was. This was a sound that created a different sense of space. It has never been equalled.
@@trulinegraphics I wasn't a soloist in drum corps. Did not have that high range. Since I did play the soprano G bugle, I loved the power. I think a little harder to control than my trumpet. I never rode a horse, but I guess the bugle was a wilder to tame. But once tamed those soloists wowed the crowd. Madison Scouts seemed to always have great soloists.
I often felt, having played the G-bugle, that when drum corps switched to the B-flat and F horns, the sound warmed up. But horn lines lost their energy and sparkle, and by extension, their identity. The G-bugle made drum corps what it was.
@@demzerocool7475 really just sprinkling of 80s and moreso 90s corps, some writing didn't really lend itself to strong intonation like Crown. It really seemed just inconsistent at the top end, let alone bottom of top 12 back then. Not saying they were bad musicians but some of writing and definitely the instruments didn't lend itself to perfect blend and balance. Strong constenders all around the top 6 but 80s cadets and late 80s to 90s star seemed pretty damn consistent. Some vanguard years as well, 97-99 come to mind as strong.
Thank you, i agree :) Playing very loud (as well as extremely soft) was my specialty. Too bad playing extremely high notes on a baritone bugle was not appreciated much, i kept hearing 'we have soprano's for that' 😂 I loved creeping up to soprano players trying to play high notes and then outplay their high notes on my two valve bari.
Yep. G Bugles... Power! I marched in 1975 and 76 with Guardsmen from Illinois. Flugle Bugle in 75 and soprano Bugle in 76. I played trumpet in high school, but loved playing that soprano Bugle in drum corps. Thanks for this post, and all my best to all past and present drum corps performers!😊🎉❤
@@EveryDayaCleanSlateyep! Great Guardsmen show. I did not march with them that year. (My family moved to Tucson, Arizona) I have this in my VHS tape collection. Don't laugh, it was all we could get in the early 1980's. I miss Guardsmen. Love that colorguard. Thanks for liking Guardsmen! 🎉😊❤❤
I love the screams SCV had in the subtle parts of the show in 92-94. My first show I saw was 94 and SCV was my favorite. The level of class was noted even from me as a 14 yr old.
I was watching from the endzone when you "debuted" the bottle dance in Bloomington and the crowd jumped to their feet like they were on a string. What a moment.
G-Bugles were the best. Recordings just can't capture the power of these lines. You not only heard it, you felt it when they torched off those power cords. Thanks for showing the love towards to Golden age of G horn lines.
These kids will never know. Even a 12th place finals corps would belt your ears. These B-flat horns are a piercing blaring sound. The melos and baris just don't have that rich butter sound like Gs did.
I remember when Spirit of Atlanta (the 1980 version) had a sign behind their drum major's podium saying "Warning: High Noise Level"! That should tell you all you need to know about the G-bugle!
Good all including 1991 Bluecoats in there. That line was wicked good. The tonality and 'openness' of the horns was really something to behold. Intonation was a challenge, yes, but when it was on it was just astoundingly powerful, ie 90 and 92 Star of Indiana. The King 2V horns had something to fo with that. Those horns were an absolute set of deadly weapons in the right hands
@@davidlee7758 it’s a shame Cavies didn’t stick with the G’s for that show ‘Four Corners’ wasn’t it? I consider that one of the best overall shows in Drum Corps history. Imagine what that would have sounded like with the G’s. The difference is staggering! I still and never will get used to synthesizers in Drum Corps. Hell I still struggle with a full kit in the pit.
I marched 1996-2000, the end of the G bugle era, without knowing it was the end. It's difficult to explain to people who didn't grow up hearing G bugles what they sounded like, because us old-timers sound like "old men yelling at clouds" when we say that the recordings don't accurately capture it, but as a PhD in Music Composition, I can tell you that there's a timbral dimension that's missing from the Bb/F/C instruments. Part of it is that they were designed *only* for outdoor performance, so they were built like tanks. Another part was that they were in G, which meant they were bigger and thus heavier on the whole, contributing to the loudness and fullness of the sound -- a soprano bugle has a lot more in common with a cornet than a trumpet, for instance, from a wrap perspective. Pedagogically, we were all fighting to keep these monsters in tune, but also aiming for a very specific type of highly-focused sound that only works for outdoor performance. I don't know if that's still taught amongst modern corps, as the need to project isn't such a priority anymore now that they're supported by synth pads et al.
@@jmgerraughty Man I remember one time in 2001, we were in Philadelphia and a couple of us in BAC were in the stands with one of our brass staff after performing. I remember the Cavies were on, and…. polite? was their volume level. Even in big hits. This was their first year on Bb. And then the Crossmen came on, and it was a slap in the face the sound they had in comparison - our brass staff member literally said “Well hello! That’s the difference between Bb and G in volume”. It was like cranking a receiver to 10 from having it at 6, and the audience around us noted it too.
G what a sound. If you never experienced G in person you don’t understand. When they say the POWER of the hornline they weren’t joking. Fortunate enough to see 95 scouts in person, they were electric!
Several men of culture in the comments section, I see. This is clearly a safe space for us old heads. You mention G Bugles on other drum corps videos and you get shamed for living in the past. These were the good ole days.
When I was in drum corps mid 1970's, the marching bands were moving to drum corps style. Later when the tick system of strict judging of corps went away, the two activities started looking more alike. I like Phantom Regiment who still did some straight up drum corps moves. Drum corps is still a hard activity, so I root for all eras to do a great show.
@@rifle2563 yep two valves. After I left corps in 1976, the transition to two valves happened. It was a valve played with your right thumb and a rotor (like a regular french horn) played with your left index finger. Due to costs, it was phased in to two valves starting with the sopranos, then to the other instruments.
Unfortunately we have drum corps that dance and twerk now?WTH has the world of drum corps come to? Drum corps shows remind me of music with ballet. I think it’s terrible. The 90’s were the best for drum corps
G-bugle mellophone (the piston-rotor variety), Southwind '81 and '82... I never will forget the first time I picked one up and began to play it and was AMAZED at the level of sound and projection it produced (I actually played a mellophonium in high school marching band, the one with the rounded body and flared bell,) and from that moment, I was hooked! God rest the soul of the sound of the G-bugles (and shame on the brass manufacturers that stopped making them!)... their sound won't be easily forgotten by those of us who had the privilege to play them! P.S. THANK YOU for including the '98 Crossmen's rendition of Pat Metheny's "The First Circle"; their "Metheny Stuie" has always been one of my personal all-time favorite DCI shows!
As mentioned below if you never heard the "G" era, it's tough to explain. I marched back in 1970 and 71, what convinced me to start was the absolute power of the horn line. The first rehearsal I attended, just to observe, the first full horn line chord they played damn near brought me to tears. There was no way I wasn't going to be a part of this. I played soprano, a nickle plated Olds Untratone, one piston, one rotor. I still have one (picked it up on Ebay really cheap a number of years ago) one of the differences between the Olds and any of my other Bb trumpets is the shape of the bell profile. It's bigger with a taper that starts further back and gets larger faster. We were taught to play to the top row, project, project, project! We did breathing exercises every rehearsal and at home before practice. Basically inflate a large bag as fast as you could with as few breaths. MAn could you put a lot of air through the old Ultratones. It's been a while since I've been to a DCI show, I loved it the last time I went but felt it was missing something. Makes sense now. (That and the "pit", not a big fan of that either.)
Another of people seem to go back to how powerful the sopranos were which i cant argue against. as a modern contra player I have to say that we probably have it better now. The Bb contras have a lot more focused and rounded sound. The old g contras weighed a ton or so I've been told but those sopranos are something else
1st and foremost to the person or group of people who comprised this THANK YOU so much. Thank you.. I marched for 18 years with that passion in Jr & Sr corps that it means a lot to me and the fans, you restored that feeling
I marched 1975 and 76 with Guardsmen. We did not make finals in 75, so saw your fantastic finals show in the stands! Many fine Midwest corps then. Too many (like my Guardsmen) are gone now. I'm glad Scouts, Phantom, and Cavaliers still around.
This takes me back to the 80's. I saw the Suncoast Sound up close and personal at the Hart Plaza Amphitheater in Detroit. The wall of sound from those bugles up close was incredible!
The G bugle in the outdoor venue only made sense. All these clips are recorded from the big NFL or D1 college stadiums, but whenever this sound was unleashed on a high school field it was absolutely overwhelming.
Most NFL stadiums (particularly Buffalo) actually had great sound simply because you were closer to the corps - college and high school stadiums usually have a track between the field and the stands.
Whoa. The last segment with Madison Scouts. Full power drum corps horns at their best! Great color guard and drill too! I was in the stands at 1975 dci finals when they won in Philly that year. Since I marched corps too, I know the hard work and effort it takes. Style and rules change, but the effort remains the same in all eras!😊❤🎉
Saw ‘93 Phantom in Nashville at Vanderbilt Stadium for the Preview of Champions or DCI South. Can’t remember which it was. I was sitting on the 50 for prelims. Good times….
For me a "Welcome to the Summer" was the first time you played a show that Madison was there. They probably weren't going to win but that wall of sound that could be heard for miles during warm ups was something to behold.
Sorely missed from this list is the opening statement of Star of Indiana's 1990 show. Good god, the volume they produced during that opening statement of their show.......
What's so amazing is can hear 5 to 8 counts of all these shows I can sing a long or tap but shows like re metamorphosis or exogenesis I can't remember a 60 second piece
my first Bugle Corps sound I have heard was BD and Spirit of Atlanta late 70s and early 80s. I recall George Hopkins of Cadets and others like him were the big push for DCI to use more HS band instruments college instruments, look what happened to him and Cadets and YEA company went bankrupt this year I heard.
In 21 when they had the non-competitive year many had throw back style shows and I loved it. Was hoping that would stick but it's gone even farther the other way. Oh well, we have memories.
G-Bugle Contrabass here....76-84. Those days will never be matched. Look at the number of Bb marching tubas they use today. What we could do in my days and days of old with 6 or 8 contrabasses in G....
@@davidwarner3326 I played BBb tuba (marching and symphony) from 76-87 and I could never get the throaty power of my g-contrabass (76-84). That minor 3rd meant something.
@@grg-mpgmusic7247, I've MARCHED 2 and 3 valve G and 3 valve Bb. Yeah, it takes some extra umph, but it can be done. My point, though, is that Star's 16 G horns made little to no sound. It ain't the horn.
@@davidwarner3326 I hear you. My last DCI show the 1985 Finals. I did not see anything DCI again until the Finals in 2023. So there is a big gap for me and I will not fill that gap. I like my era.
DCI has just evolved throughout the decades. Even though i wasn’t there for the G bugle i can easily tell it was beautiful. Modern dci isn’t bad for all its change. Yes they obviously made the change to grow dci. Modern dci uses technology and things likes trombones and horns in all keys to maximize entertainment and growth and it’s amazing. So was the bugle era. People have to remember too there used to be an era where the bugles weren’t allowed to have freely flowing valves and were stuck to the harmonic series of the instrument. They threw a hissy fit then 100 years ago about change and people still do that now too, history just repeating itself. All eras of dci have their own unique charm and all of them are amazing and you’re allowed to have your opinion on which one you like more.
I appreciate what DCI has done to stay relevant and engaging for the youth - unfortunately “we” (old guys) haven’t been the target market for a long time. Despite the demise of some big corps, it’s amazing that the show is still going on. All that said, this shit rocks. Let’s get LOUD
It’s actually physics as much as musicianship Todays Bb brass are mostly cylindrical bore and small Vs G bugles conical bore and larger More air…more of those blessed OVERTONES!!!!
I'm honestly not much of a horn player but you could really hear the baris, euph and contras had a more raw and open blaring sound. Madison and Phantom were the groups where I always noticed this from the stands.
No need for amplification.. ever.. I have related the story before, but, because I am an old guy who shakes his fist at the passing clouds, here goes. DCI Finals, 1979. We were inactive that year, so many Bluecoats families cancelled their trips to Birmingham. A bunch of my buddies and I piled into a car with a tent and headed to Finals with a few of those tickets in hand. Top deck center back rows. Great seats. Outdoor finals in the heat of the Alabama summer. Couldn't really see or hear the Bottle dance Santa Clara had thrown in for finals because of the absolute lunatic fanatic fan screaming his lungs out that this is what they were doing.. thanks captain obvious.. we wanted to see and hear it for ourselves. Anyway. Madison had high hopes after their finals show having been sitting in fifth place. Retreat. Scores announced. A precipitous drop from fifth to eighth place. Shock ran through the crowd as well as through their ranks, I am quite sure. Devils (no surprise, really?? I mean, even with Lee gaining the upper hand over Grant in finals, Bridgemen were really only there for entertainment.. right? and that upstart Spirit group.. can't let them climb too high too fast) were crowned champions and it was time for corps to exit by marching in review passing the newly crowned DCI champions. Madison's turn. They start towards the sideline and .... turn the other way. They plant themselves square on the fifty, lift their horns.. and that hornline UNLEASHES their closer. I'm top dead center as high up as you can get. The wall of sound absolutely pins my ears back. I've never heard anything like that before or since. But I kept showing up hoping to either hear that again or be a part of it once my Bluecoats got back on their feet the following season. Only thing that comes close now is the Military corps still marching with G bugles. No need for mics there. Long live G bugles.. even if it's just in memories and video that doesn't come anywhere close to conveying what that was like in the open air, great acoustic environments, no amplification necessary.
Madison is in here a bunch. I was at retreat when they shocked everyone with the win on finals night. We had no chance ( BD ) just hoping for the top 3. We started holding hands at 7th place that year. 😮😮
As a modern marching member who, on the whole, much prefers the modern approach, these are some really great clips that show a very particular kind of sound that’s rare even in championship winning shows from any era, you need a less controlled, more wild kind of fire to make that happen.
91’ was a fantastic year for hornlines in general in the activity. The G bugle has a distinct sound for sure. Today, Crown and Bluecoats consistently emulate a clear, powerful sound
i definitley get why old heads like their bugles so much but one of the main reasons they moved to Bb instruments is that they are much easier to keep in tune on top of being lighter and have more range really its just a trade off from projection to ease of use also with the use of amplification it just takes even more strain off the players i personally think it would be cool to see a crossover of modern horns and bugles to make the legendary drum corp brass instrumemt have the projection of a bugle with the ease of a horn along with less amplification i personally think to much amplification takes away brass power and makes it sound computerized i think the perfect blend of brass power and amplification is the 2010's
The struggles with the shortcomings of the G bugles is what made DCI so unique and appealing. Now, sadly, I'd rather hear a concert indoors or go to a football game.
Not sure why, but longer brass instruments have that power. You see the same thing with high Eb vs C vs Bb trumpets (there's a reason all the high screaming commercial and film guys in LA are using the lowest key of modern trumpet!) and also with piccolo vs natural/baroque horns (Check out Julian Zimmerman's rendition of the Ablassen fanfare vs Wynton Marsalis' rendition on pic. Marsalis is clean, but the valveless horn is special). In some ways the g bugles (and specifically the G/D one valvers) were the last hurrah of the old school of trumpet design dating back hundreds of years. Listen to Zimmerman honking on a low C or D trumpet almost as long as a trombone, for example. It's a very different sound, but you can extrapolate. Also the horns had huge bell tapers, heavy construction so the sound didn't break up, and the hardness of nickel plate can add brightness and strength. I could have some things wrong here, I never played in DCI, and have never seen or heard these in person.
Someone further down the comments explained that the bores of modern brass lines are cylindrical where as G bugles are conical allowing for greater projection, this along with bigger bores allowed for more air to move through them giving them a real powerful edge over modern horns. 👍
No. Bb is easier to play then G, but when you practiced hard on a G bugle you could not just play louder but had more control of tone. It took years to become a masterful player on a G bugle.
Great show selections!!! I was fortunate to play on both. G bugles the partials seemed closer together so it was easier to crack notes and they were harder to play in tune at higher volumes. But they had a big sound and rich in the upper register. The Bb were just better all around, but traded a little character for intonation. The early years of Bb was a little weaker (my last years), but I think breathing gym, perfect tuning, and amazing brass arrangements make modern Bb just as powerful and loud as old G bugles (Crown ‘13). …but just not the same.
Because of the eventual merge of Drum Corps and Marching Bands. All that’s left is bringing woodwinds. All the changes made were leading to the eventual demise of Drum Corps. Once known as Drum & Bugle Corps. There is no denying this. All you have to do is follow the progression of the activity. The reason I joined Drum Corps is because of the distinction between the Corps and the Marching Band. I could enjoy both though I preferred Drum Corps. I’m on the fence through the final steps of this metamorphosis. I will no doubt mourn the end of Drum Corps. I wonder what DCI will change its title to…MMI
The G bugle sound was amazing. But after standing in front of 2013 Crown brass live I don’t think G bugles would’ve made them sound any better. That was the loudest, best brass line I’ve ever heard, and I marched DCI in the 80s and 90s and personally witnessed all the great Cadets, Star, BD, PR, and Suncoast brass lines. A great horn line is a great horn line whether on G or B-flat instruments.
Think about the overall activity and the inability of ALL the corps competing on the same level. That's the difference. I marched in those early 90s and the difference is the size of the hornlines and what they put out. It is NOT the same.
I get why g bugles were phased out. But I would give almost anything to hear BD, SCV, Atlanta, Phantom etc play again! I wish my 5 sons could have heard it. I wish my students could stand in front of those bugles!
When I win the Powerball, I'm forming a corps that'll play those horns. And we'll call them sops and contras and baris, not trumpets, tubas, and euphs. We may never win, but we'll be loud.
@@JamieSmith-fz2mz i always thought phantom and cavaliers and madison would remain solid drum corps, but it seems they saw the blue devil's and santa clara progressing with gimmicks . I was a big Bergen Cadets fan at one time. Now i dont know who i like. The Blue coats definitely did come along strong over the last couple of seasons.
I thought this was about great hornlines. Can't ever go wrong with Wayne, Larry, and all hose other Bad SOMB's.... Really though, SCV played on our Best rejects. So did everyone else in 1992.
I remember all of these and was there in person for many of them. People who never heard G bugles can never understand what they are missing, the pure, ear-filling sound of a g bugle line is like nothing else in this world. That being said, I have come to terms with modern-day drumcorps and this year (2024) was the best year for drumcorps in a looonng time for me.
Agreed, though I thought last year was better overall. If you want the 18 yr olds to support DCI it has to be modern and get them to pay to do this every summer. Just glad we get to hear great horn lines still and that the activity is alive and well.
2 most likely reasons, the ease of bringing kids into the sport that had only used B-flat horns in HS and college/orchestra. But the companies making the G-bugles were almost exclusively making them for DCI groups and I'm sure they wanted to sell millions of horns versus the 1000 they'd sell to corps.
I don’t understand the compulsive need for old dci vets to put down modern drum corps in order to make themselves feel good about old drum corps. It’s all good. ALL of it. Every moment of drum corps is special. Please stop trying to diminish the experience of the young just because drum corps has changed. Kids nowadays are sweating , bleeding, and crying for every second of their show just like you did. You look at those kids faces at the end of their final run and tell me it isn’t the same as yours was.
I have an idea, why don’t you stop whining on every video where someone mentions that they love the old school unplugged sound of drum corps rather than the new aged homogenized generic speaker driven “sound” of today? The coolest thing about pre-amplified DCI is that every single sound you hear coming from that field was from the kids. Nowadays half the sound is programmed, recorded and triggered by adults for their own edification. You are the one who needs to “ThinkHarder”. Drum corps has ceased to be its own unique sound thanks to all of this “modernization”. We also would most assuredly NOT be bored by now if rules weren’t so drastically changed. There’s physics behind this G Bugle sound that makes the point true. Orchestration and overtones are different on these horns and it indeed gave the activity a truly one of a kind sound. Do I miss teaching members how to play on a G Bugle? hell no. Do I miss that O.G. power of drum corps with drum lines that actually played clean and that one of a kind ability for nearly every competent brass player to reach a double C on those bugles, leading to some sick arrangements? Hell yes. Just because people here are saying they prefer something doesn’t mean we are detracting from something else. Drum Corps used to be drum corps. Now it’s just one of three seasons of highly produced and adult-intervened vegan field/floor band product. Just a fact. Don’t cry when it gets pointed out.
97 BD is one of my favorites. The drum book was amazing and there's nobody else that could have made that brass book so fun. I would have to make 15 of these videos to include all the greats lol
let's say the quiet part out loud - the reason DCI switched away from obscure "bugles" to standard Bb brass instruments was to help the sponsors sell more brass instruments, front line equipment and amplification equipment. Increase the size of the pit so the HS marching band market spends much much more money on front line mallet instruments. With the increased pit, they can also amplify the pit and since the pit is so extremely loud the soloists need to be miked too, right? Riddle me this Batman - Are hornlines any better today than they were back then? Yes - they play more musically and they play more difficult parts. Does the audience enjoy the product on the field as much today as they did back then? Yes. Extra credit questions who might have marched A-60 - Is the audience larger today than it was back then? Are there more students marching drum corps today than back then?
Full transparency, the purpose of the video was not to say one is better than the other. But I will always maintain the sopranos and baris sounded WAY better on the G bugles. My complaint is how expensive tickets have become. How is a school supposed to send 100+ kids to a show when nose bleed seats are over $35 at many events? I'd rather take them to an open practice or the lot. Money is ruining everything, even drum corps. Major Div1 groups have had to leave the tour. Sad state of events. Inflation sucks!
Playoffs!?! Who's talking about Playoffs!!!??? good points @@trulinegraphics but how about just normal kids affording to march? what was once a youth activity for middle class and lower middle class kids is now limited to the elite. The Bluecoats and Blue Stars were once organizations that just wanted to get local juvenile delinquents off the streets - I wonder if there is a single kid from the town of Canton OH or La Crosse WI in their membership for the upcoming 8 week season?. I agree - Lots are the best way to experience the activity now - at least you get to see and appreciate the musicianship fairly up close.
That's not very fair, I would never say modern DCI sucks. I'll defend the 90s era as my favorite but the musicianship today is much more advanced. Horns are easier to play but kids also practice harder and are pushed to new levels.
@@wyattmurphree6651 Because it's in bad taste now. The music and execution are good, better than ever, but the visual aesthetics veer from cheesy to campy. The sequined costumes replacing uniforms look silly except from a distance, the ballet replacing marching looks silly, and there are too many props and electronic enhancements that should impress no one and that are not about young kids putting on a show, rather adult directors being masturbatory and trying to impress each other.
People who never heard the G bugles will never understand how different the sound quality was. This was a sound that created a different sense of space. It has never been equalled.
Amen! For me it was the baritones and euphonium sound. They were harder to play but even the soprano screams had a whole different full tone.
@@trulinegraphics I wasn't a soloist in drum corps. Did not have that high range. Since I did play the soprano G bugle, I loved the power. I think a little harder to control than my trumpet. I never rode a horse, but I guess the bugle was a wilder to tame. But once tamed those soloists wowed the crowd. Madison Scouts seemed to always have great soloists.
Much better projection, especially from low voices. It takes almost 20 tubas to put out the same sound as 10 contras.
I often felt, having played the G-bugle, that when drum corps switched to the B-flat and F horns, the sound warmed up. But horn lines lost their energy and sparkle, and by extension, their identity. The G-bugle made drum corps what it was.
@kt6550 this exactly. The sound lost it's "sizzle"
Playing a G bugle in tune and very loud was true musicianship.
Few groups did it successfully
@@rifle2563 Which few?
@@demzerocool7475 really just sprinkling of 80s and moreso 90s corps, some writing didn't really lend itself to strong intonation like Crown. It really seemed just inconsistent at the top end, let alone bottom of top 12 back then. Not saying they were bad musicians but some of writing and definitely the instruments didn't lend itself to perfect blend and balance. Strong constenders all around the top 6 but 80s cadets and late 80s to 90s star seemed pretty damn consistent. Some vanguard years as well, 97-99 come to mind as strong.
@@demzerocool7475 Blue Devils, Star of Indiana, SCV, PR and Madison Scouts.
Thank you, i agree :) Playing very loud (as well as extremely soft) was my specialty. Too bad playing extremely high notes on a baritone bugle was not appreciated much, i kept hearing 'we have soprano's for that' 😂 I loved creeping up to soprano players trying to play high notes and then outplay their high notes on my two valve bari.
I was the timp player in the 91 Freelancers. Oh man that hornline had a massive sound! Got to hear it every day ❤️🖤❤️🖤
I loved the 94 blue devils. Spanish heart. Power over power. Insane.
Yep. G Bugles... Power! I marched in 1975 and 76 with Guardsmen from Illinois. Flugle Bugle in 75 and soprano Bugle in 76. I played trumpet in high school, but loved playing that soprano Bugle in drum corps. Thanks for this post, and all my best to all past and present drum corps performers!😊🎉❤
It’s 2024, and 1979 Guardsmen remains one of my favorite shows of all time !
@@EveryDayaCleanSlateyep! Great Guardsmen show. I did not march with them that year. (My family moved to Tucson, Arizona) I have this in my VHS tape collection. Don't laugh, it was all we could get in the early 1980's. I miss Guardsmen. Love that colorguard. Thanks for liking Guardsmen! 🎉😊❤❤
I played snare in the guardsman and was on the cover of drum corps world standing about 12 feet tall ✌️
What a lovely memory. 25 total horns in our corp and it sounded alive, not minute.
'92 Vanguard here. Super thanks for putting it in. Fun year. Low marks, retro-show, but fun year.
I love the screams SCV had in the subtle parts of the show in 92-94. My first show I saw was 94 and SCV was my favorite. The level of class was noted even from me as a 14 yr old.
Madison 91-96 here. Forget about the 9 guys and listen to the 40,000 who bought tickets, you were great!!! I loved that show, we all did!
@@kentshook3840 2 decades of catharsis in that reply ... thank you.
1992 vanguard is one of the most underrated shows ever. One of my faves.
I was watching from the endzone when you "debuted" the bottle dance in Bloomington and the crowd jumped to their feet like they were on a string. What a moment.
Always nice to turn the clock back to raw power. Miss those days....😎
Too true!
G-Bugles were the best. Recordings just can't capture the power of these lines. You not only heard it, you felt it when they torched off those power cords. Thanks for showing the love towards to Golden age of G horn lines.
These kids will never know. Even a 12th place finals corps would belt your ears. These B-flat horns are a piercing blaring sound. The melos and baris just don't have that rich butter sound like Gs did.
I remember seeing Pioneer in '05 and they were still on G bugles. They blew away corps that that were twice their size and it was awesome.
@@zachbrown8297 I marched Troopers in '98 and we didn't field a whole corps, yet we had judges that said we sounded like one, more than once.
I remember when Spirit of Atlanta (the 1980 version) had a sign behind their drum major's podium saying "Warning: High Noise Level"! That should tell you all you need to know about the G-bugle!
@@cedricbarnett7647 That is one show I would love to have seen in person!
Good all including 1991 Bluecoats in there. That line was wicked good.
The tonality and 'openness' of the horns was really something to behold. Intonation was a challenge, yes, but when it was on it was just astoundingly powerful, ie 90 and 92 Star of Indiana. The King 2V horns had something to fo with that. Those horns were an absolute set of deadly weapons in the right hands
I miss that massive wall of G Bugle sound!
Warm brass love
@@davidlee7758 it’s a shame Cavies didn’t stick with the G’s for that show ‘Four Corners’ wasn’t it? I consider that one of the best overall shows in Drum Corps history. Imagine what that would have sounded like with the G’s. The difference is staggering!
I still and never will get used to synthesizers in Drum Corps. Hell I still struggle with a full kit in the pit.
I marched 1996-2000, the end of the G bugle era, without knowing it was the end. It's difficult to explain to people who didn't grow up hearing G bugles what they sounded like, because us old-timers sound like "old men yelling at clouds" when we say that the recordings don't accurately capture it, but as a PhD in Music Composition, I can tell you that there's a timbral dimension that's missing from the Bb/F/C instruments. Part of it is that they were designed *only* for outdoor performance, so they were built like tanks. Another part was that they were in G, which meant they were bigger and thus heavier on the whole, contributing to the loudness and fullness of the sound -- a soprano bugle has a lot more in common with a cornet than a trumpet, for instance, from a wrap perspective. Pedagogically, we were all fighting to keep these monsters in tune, but also aiming for a very specific type of highly-focused sound that only works for outdoor performance. I don't know if that's still taught amongst modern corps, as the need to project isn't such a priority anymore now that they're supported by synth pads et al.
@@jmgerraughty Man I remember one time in 2001, we were in Philadelphia and a couple of us in BAC were in the stands with one of our brass staff after performing. I remember the Cavies were on, and…. polite? was their volume level. Even in big hits. This was their first year on Bb. And then the Crossmen came on, and it was a slap in the face the sound they had in comparison - our brass staff member literally said “Well hello! That’s the difference between Bb and G in volume”. It was like cranking a receiver to 10 from having it at 6, and the audience around us noted it too.
I hear you. Old school DCI was thrilling to listen to. Not so much anymore, IMO.
Two words: THANK YOU!!!💗🎺🎵🎶
G what a sound. If you never experienced G in person you don’t understand. When they say the POWER of the hornline they weren’t joking.
Fortunate enough to see 95 scouts in person, they were electric!
If I could go back in time and see only one show live, it would be 95 scouts. I never saw them that year.
Several men of culture in the comments section, I see. This is clearly a safe space for us old heads. You mention G Bugles on other drum corps videos and you get shamed for living in the past. These were the good ole days.
Real drum corps here. It will never be the same.
Scouts 95 was just awesome
Thank you! It was an awful lot of fun to march, with a lot of emotion exchanged between the crowd and the corps.
Know what’s even more awesome than Larry Shane’s solos in Tommy? No microphone needed!
We still had Real Drum and bugle Corps at that time. Today we have marching bands
When I was in drum corps mid 1970's, the marching bands were moving to drum corps style. Later when the tick system of strict judging of corps went away, the two activities started looking more alike. I like Phantom Regiment who still did some straight up drum corps moves. Drum corps is still a hard activity, so I root for all eras to do a great show.
This was 3 valves, Real Drum and Bugle Corps is p/r, this cannot be disputed
@@rifle2563 yep two valves. After I left corps in 1976, the transition to two valves happened. It was a valve played with your right thumb and a rotor (like a regular french horn) played with your left index finger. Due to costs, it was phased in to two valves starting with the sopranos, then to the other instruments.
@@waynestephens6505 piston rotor is the best!
Unfortunately we have drum corps that dance and twerk now?WTH has the world of drum corps come to? Drum corps shows remind me of music with ballet. I think it’s terrible. The 90’s were the best for drum corps
G-bugle mellophone (the piston-rotor variety), Southwind '81 and '82... I never will forget the first time I picked one up and began to play it and was AMAZED at the level of sound and projection it produced (I actually played a mellophonium in high school marching band, the one with the rounded body and flared bell,) and from that moment, I was hooked! God rest the soul of the sound of the G-bugles (and shame on the brass manufacturers that stopped making them!)... their sound won't be easily forgotten by those of us who had the privilege to play them!
P.S. THANK YOU for including the '98 Crossmen's rendition of Pat Metheny's "The First Circle"; their "Metheny Stuie" has always been one of my personal all-time favorite DCI shows!
As mentioned below if you never heard the "G" era, it's tough to explain. I marched back in 1970 and 71, what convinced me to start was the absolute power of the horn line. The first rehearsal I attended, just to observe, the first full horn line chord they played damn near brought me to tears. There was no way I wasn't going to be a part of this. I played soprano, a nickle plated Olds Untratone, one piston, one rotor. I still have one (picked it up on Ebay really cheap a number of years ago) one of the differences between the Olds and any of my other Bb trumpets is the shape of the bell profile. It's bigger with a taper that starts further back and gets larger faster. We were taught to play to the top row, project, project, project! We did breathing exercises every rehearsal and at home before practice. Basically inflate a large bag as fast as you could with as few breaths. MAn could you put a lot of air through the old Ultratones. It's been a while since I've been to a DCI show, I loved it the last time I went but felt it was missing something. Makes sense now. (That and the "pit", not a big fan of that either.)
Another of people seem to go back to how powerful the sopranos were which i cant argue against. as a modern contra player I have to say that we probably have it better now. The Bb contras have a lot more focused and rounded sound. The old g contras weighed a ton or so I've been told but those sopranos are something else
*a lot
1st and foremost to the person or group of people who comprised this THANK YOU so much. Thank you.. I marched for 18 years with that passion in Jr & Sr corps that it means a lot to me and the fans, you restored that feeling
I really miss drum corps
80's brass power!
I never marched but I grew up in the 60s hearing that old school drum corps sound and, like many of you, I miss it.
I loved playing them, especially with Madison in 74-76
I marched 1975 and 76 with Guardsmen. We did not make finals in 75, so saw your fantastic finals show in the stands! Many fine Midwest corps then. Too many (like my Guardsmen) are gone now. I'm glad Scouts, Phantom, and Cavaliers still around.
The last best decade of DCI. After that synthesizers and the downfall of drum corps. Haven't watched it since
4:17. 😆. Screen flashes “Madison Scouts” just as Santa Clara forms a giant SCV.
This takes me back to the 80's. I saw the Suncoast Sound up close and personal at the Hart Plaza Amphitheater in Detroit. The wall of sound from those bugles up close was incredible!
The US Marine D&B Corps just purchased new 3 Valve Bugles in February 2022 (switching from 2 valve), but staying with G Bugles
Go back and find recordings of them from 15-ish years ago and they sound just like the DCI corps at the time.
The G bugle in the outdoor venue only made sense. All these clips are recorded from the big NFL or D1 college stadiums, but whenever this sound was unleashed on a high school field it was absolutely overwhelming.
yes! my first experience of DCI was in '88 in a high school stadium, holy god
Most NFL stadiums (particularly Buffalo) actually had great sound simply because you were closer to the corps - college and high school stadiums usually have a track between the field and the stands.
Whoa. The last segment with Madison Scouts. Full power drum corps horns at their best! Great color guard and drill too! I was in the stands at 1975 dci finals when they won in Philly that year. Since I marched corps too, I know the hard work and effort it takes. Style and rules change, but the effort remains the same in all eras!😊❤🎉
G Bugle for 5 seasons in the eighties. Trumpets never came close.
Never will, completely different tone. The trumpets are more shrill, less rich.
The US Marine D&B Corps just purchased new 3 Valve Bugles in February 2022 (switching from 2 valve), but staying with G Bugles !
no mics, no trombones, no synths, no ballet...oh, and the also march and play at the same time!
And who designs today's shows? Oh yeah, the people in these videos.
@@davidwarner3326nah it's the "dudes" from the color guards doing that 😂
@@davidwarner3326 Are you that guy that drank my piss? 😂
I can’t help but imagine what some modern shows, like SCV 2018 and Crown 2012 would sound like with G bugles
Saw ‘93 Phantom in Nashville at Vanderbilt Stadium for the Preview of Champions or DCI South. Can’t remember which it was. I was sitting on the 50 for prelims. Good times….
Madison ‘In your face at 100mph ‘Scouts for the whole of the 90’s
For me a "Welcome to the Summer" was the first time you played a show that Madison was there. They probably weren't going to win but that wall of sound that could be heard for miles during warm ups was something to behold.
Sorely missed from this list is the opening statement of Star of Indiana's 1990 show. Good god, the volume they produced during that opening statement of their show.......
What's so amazing is can hear 5 to 8 counts of all these shows I can sing a long or tap but shows like re metamorphosis or exogenesis I can't remember a 60 second piece
Metamorphosis is in the top 5 ever.
Exogenesis was lackluster at best.
Hmmmm
The sound quality of the 90's was insane!!
@ 1248 the Madison scouts someone please tell me that THAT is a sped up video, there is no way those boys are moving that fast
hope this sound comes back
my first Bugle Corps sound I have heard was BD and Spirit of Atlanta late 70s and early 80s. I recall George Hopkins of Cadets and others like him were the big push for DCI to use more HS band instruments college instruments, look what happened to him and Cadets and YEA company went bankrupt this year I heard.
DCI needs to go back to tradition
In 21 when they had the non-competitive year many had throw back style shows and I loved it. Was hoping that would stick but it's gone even farther the other way. Oh well, we have memories.
Change is not an option it happens and you grow or die. Those days are over
So one valve?
G-Bugle Contrabass here....76-84. Those days will never be matched. Look at the number of Bb marching tubas they use today. What we could do in my days and days of old with 6 or 8 contrabasses in G....
It's not the horn. My last year ('93) we had 12 and we're able to play with some control. Star had 16, remember.
@@davidwarner3326 I played BBb tuba (marching and symphony) from 76-87 and I could never get the throaty power of my g-contrabass (76-84). That minor 3rd meant something.
@@grg-mpgmusic7247, I've MARCHED 2 and 3 valve G and 3 valve Bb. Yeah, it takes some extra umph, but it can be done.
My point, though, is that Star's 16 G horns made little to no sound. It ain't the horn.
@@davidwarner3326 I hear you. My last DCI show the 1985 Finals. I did not see anything DCI again until the Finals in 2023. So there is a big gap for me and I will not fill that gap. I like my era.
DCI has just evolved throughout the decades. Even though i wasn’t there for the G bugle i can easily tell it was beautiful. Modern dci isn’t bad for all its change. Yes they obviously made the change to grow dci. Modern dci uses technology and things likes trombones and horns in all keys to maximize entertainment and growth and it’s amazing. So was the bugle era. People have to remember too there used to be an era where the bugles weren’t allowed to have freely flowing valves and were stuck to the harmonic series of the instrument. They threw a hissy fit then 100 years ago about change and people still do that now too, history just repeating itself. All eras of dci have their own unique charm and all of them are amazing and you’re allowed to have your opinion on which one you like more.
SCV was by far the loudest thing on the field in 92. The last few notes were louder than the bottle dance itself.
I appreciate what DCI has done to stay relevant and engaging for the youth - unfortunately “we” (old guys) haven’t been the target market for a long time. Despite the demise of some big corps, it’s amazing that the show is still going on. All that said, this shit rocks. Let’s get LOUD
It’s actually physics as much as musicianship
Todays Bb brass are mostly cylindrical bore and small
Vs
G bugles conical bore and larger
More air…more of those blessed OVERTONES!!!!
I'm honestly not much of a horn player but you could really hear the baris, euph and contras had a more raw and open blaring sound. Madison and Phantom were the groups where I always noticed this from the stands.
We were trying to hurt you!! 😂😂 great times.
My good ole days was late 60s early 70s. Where all that dancing come from?
No need for amplification.. ever.. I have related the story before, but, because I am an old guy who shakes his fist at the passing clouds, here goes.
DCI Finals, 1979. We were inactive that year, so many Bluecoats families cancelled their trips to Birmingham. A bunch of my buddies and I piled into a car with a tent and headed to Finals with a few of those tickets in hand. Top deck center back rows. Great seats. Outdoor finals in the heat of the Alabama summer. Couldn't really see or hear the Bottle dance Santa Clara had thrown in for finals because of the absolute lunatic fanatic fan screaming his lungs out that this is what they were doing.. thanks captain obvious.. we wanted to see and hear it for ourselves. Anyway. Madison had high hopes after their finals show having been sitting in fifth place. Retreat. Scores announced. A precipitous drop from fifth to eighth place. Shock ran through the crowd as well as through their ranks, I am quite sure. Devils (no surprise, really?? I mean, even with Lee gaining the upper hand over Grant in finals, Bridgemen were really only there for entertainment.. right? and that upstart Spirit group.. can't let them climb too high too fast) were crowned champions and it was time for corps to exit by marching in review passing the newly crowned DCI champions. Madison's turn. They start towards the sideline and .... turn the other way. They plant themselves square on the fifty, lift their horns.. and that hornline UNLEASHES their closer. I'm top dead center as high up as you can get. The wall of sound absolutely pins my ears back. I've never heard anything like that before or since. But I kept showing up hoping to either hear that again or be a part of it once my Bluecoats got back on their feet the following season. Only thing that comes close now is the Military corps still marching with G bugles. No need for mics there. Long live G bugles.. even if it's just in memories and video that doesn't come anywhere close to conveying what that was like in the open air, great acoustic environments, no amplification necessary.
Madison is in here a bunch. I was at retreat when they shocked everyone with the win on finals night. We had no chance ( BD ) just hoping for the top 3. We started holding hands at 7th place that year. 😮😮
As a modern marching member who, on the whole, much prefers the modern approach, these are some really great clips that show a very particular kind of sound that’s rare even in championship winning shows from any era, you need a less controlled, more wild kind of fire to make that happen.
What you call “less controlled” and “wild”, we call “powerful” and “exciting”!
@@johns3106 That was meant as a compliment
@johns3106 also these books were far more difficult for the horn player
Sorry kids the mics don’t hit the same. 🤷🏽♀️
Damn. The '98 Scouts were fire.
The mid Scouts were some of the loudest drum corps I’ve ever heard outside of the early 90’s Star shows.
91’ was a fantastic year for hornlines in general in the activity. The G bugle has a distinct sound for sure. Today, Crown and Bluecoats consistently emulate a clear, powerful sound
9:20 takes me away.
The better days!!!
1990 Star? The definition of power...
I don't think I have good HD quality version of that one.
One of the greatest shows ever. That show and the next years changed drum corps and started the revolution we see today
Drum corps jumped the shark and died with a spandex wink into the camera. Now all we have left is WGI w/Brass.
When Star took their ball and went home, drum corps fans said DCI should be more like Blast! Now that it's more like Blast! the dinosaurs are upset.
Look mommy.. No mics!!!
i definitley get why old heads like their bugles so much but one of the main reasons they moved to Bb instruments is that they are much easier to keep in tune on top of being lighter and have more range really its just a trade off from projection to ease of use also with the use of amplification it just takes even more strain off the players i personally think it would be cool to see a crossover of modern horns and bugles to make the legendary drum corp brass instrumemt have the projection of a bugle with the ease of a horn along with less amplification i personally think to much amplification takes away brass power and makes it sound computerized i think the perfect blend of brass power and amplification is the 2010's
This list needed the opening of Star Of Indiana 1990 and the opening of blue Devils, 1996
I found BD really quiet compared to phantom that year, who were like thunder ⚡😅
Star '90 was the hornline the broke open an entirely new conception of what brass could do....
The struggles with the shortcomings of the G bugles is what made DCI so unique and appealing. Now, sadly, I'd rather hear a concert indoors or go to a football game.
Can someone explain, on a technical level, why G bugles sound(ed) so much better than B flat?
It’s because G bugle loud and sexy 😀
Not sure why, but longer brass instruments have that power. You see the same thing with high Eb vs C vs Bb trumpets (there's a reason all the high screaming commercial and film guys in LA are using the lowest key of modern trumpet!) and also with piccolo vs natural/baroque horns (Check out Julian Zimmerman's rendition of the Ablassen fanfare vs Wynton Marsalis' rendition on pic. Marsalis is clean, but the valveless horn is special). In some ways the g bugles (and specifically the G/D one valvers) were the last hurrah of the old school of trumpet design dating back hundreds of years. Listen to Zimmerman honking on a low C or D trumpet almost as long as a trombone, for example. It's a very different sound, but you can extrapolate.
Also the horns had huge bell tapers, heavy construction so the sound didn't break up, and the hardness of nickel plate can add brightness and strength.
I could have some things wrong here, I never played in DCI, and have never seen or heard these in person.
Someone further down the comments explained that the bores of modern brass lines are cylindrical where as G bugles are conical allowing for greater projection, this along with bigger bores allowed for more air to move through them giving them a real powerful edge over modern horns. 👍
Is it the general conclusion that G bugles were louder, but lacked refinement of tone and intonation?
No. Bb is easier to play then G, but when you practiced hard on a G bugle you could not just play louder but had more control of tone. It took years to become a masterful player on a G bugle.
Best era.
Great show selections!!! I was fortunate to play on both. G bugles the partials seemed closer together so it was easier to crack notes and they were harder to play in tune at higher volumes. But they had a big sound and rich in the upper register. The Bb were just better all around, but traded a little character for intonation. The early years of Bb was a little weaker (my last years), but I think breathing gym, perfect tuning, and amazing brass arrangements make modern Bb just as powerful and loud as old G bugles (Crown ‘13). …but just not the same.
Seems to be the general consensus among people who actually marched with both. Both can be weapons of destruction in the right hands.
Can anyone explain to me why DCI abandoned the G bugle? I have my own theory but maybe it’s known for certain the why of it.
My first year, I finally got the hang of playing in G by the end of the summer.
Easier access and less transition for band members.
Because of the eventual merge of Drum Corps and Marching Bands. All that’s left is bringing woodwinds. All the changes made were leading to the eventual demise of Drum Corps. Once known as Drum & Bugle Corps. There is no denying this. All you have to do is follow the progression of the activity. The reason I joined Drum Corps is because of the distinction between the Corps and the Marching Band. I could enjoy both though I preferred Drum Corps. I’m on the fence through the final steps of this metamorphosis. I will no doubt mourn the end of Drum Corps. I wonder what DCI will change its title to…MMI
A compilation like this feels incomplete without star of Indiana
Yeah I agree, I had several I could have picked from. Maybe a part 2 down the road!
They won high brass 1990,1991,1992,1993????? Interesting to leave out. 😉
The G bugle sound was amazing. But after standing in front of 2013 Crown brass live I don’t think G bugles would’ve made them sound any better. That was the loudest, best brass line I’ve ever heard, and I marched DCI in the 80s and 90s and personally witnessed all the great Cadets, Star, BD, PR, and Suncoast brass lines. A great horn line is a great horn line whether on G or B-flat instruments.
Think about the overall activity and the inability of ALL the corps competing on the same level. That's the difference. I marched in those early 90s and the difference is the size of the hornlines and what they put out. It is NOT the same.
I get why g bugles were phased out. But I would give almost anything to hear BD, SCV, Atlanta, Phantom etc play again! I wish my 5 sons could have heard it. I wish my students could stand in front of those bugles!
When I win the Powerball, I'm forming a corps that'll play those horns. And we'll call them sops and contras and baris, not trumpets, tubas, and euphs. We may never win, but we'll be loud.
Love your comment. Could we get rid of the props also. Lol
@@berniehand5528 Yes, and costumes.
@@JamieSmith-fz2mz i always thought phantom and cavaliers and madison would remain solid drum corps, but it seems they saw the blue devil's and santa clara progressing with gimmicks . I was a big Bergen Cadets fan at one time. Now i dont know who i like. The Blue coats definitely did come along strong over the last couple of seasons.
I thought this was about great hornlines. Can't ever go wrong with Wayne, Larry, and all hose other Bad SOMB's.... Really though, SCV played on our Best rejects. So did everyone else in 1992.
Wonderfull.
I remember all of these and was there in person for many of them. People who never heard G bugles can never understand what they are missing, the pure, ear-filling sound of a g bugle line is like nothing else in this world. That being said, I have come to terms with modern-day drumcorps and this year (2024) was the best year for drumcorps in a looonng time for me.
Agreed, though I thought last year was better overall. If you want the 18 yr olds to support DCI it has to be modern and get them to pay to do this every summer. Just glad we get to hear great horn lines still and that the activity is alive and well.
What's the official reason why DCI moved away from the traditional G bugles?
2 most likely reasons, the ease of bringing kids into the sport that had only used B-flat horns in HS and college/orchestra. But the companies making the G-bugles were almost exclusively making them for DCI groups and I'm sure they wanted to sell millions of horns versus the 1000 they'd sell to corps.
And not a microphone to be found!
I don’t understand the compulsive need for old dci vets to put down modern drum corps in order to make themselves feel good about old drum corps. It’s all good. ALL of it. Every moment of drum corps is special. Please stop trying to diminish the experience of the young just because drum corps has changed. Kids nowadays are sweating , bleeding, and crying for every second of their show just like you did. You look at those kids faces at the end of their final run and tell me it isn’t the same as yours was.
it isn't the same. :D
@@keemezI’m glad it isn’t the same. If it was the same we would be bored of it by now.
I played G bugles for three years I can’t tell a difference.
I have an idea, why don’t you stop whining on every video where someone mentions that they love the old school unplugged sound of drum corps rather than the new aged homogenized generic speaker driven “sound” of today?
The coolest thing about pre-amplified DCI is that every single sound you hear coming from that field was from the kids. Nowadays half the sound is programmed, recorded and triggered by adults for their own edification. You are the one who needs to “ThinkHarder”. Drum corps has ceased to be its own unique sound thanks to all of this “modernization”. We also would most assuredly NOT be bored by now if rules weren’t so drastically changed.
There’s physics behind this G Bugle sound that makes the point true. Orchestration and overtones are different on these horns and it indeed gave the activity a truly one of a kind sound. Do I miss teaching members how to play on a G Bugle? hell no. Do I miss that O.G. power of drum corps with drum lines that actually played clean and that one of a kind ability for nearly every competent brass player to reach a double C on those bugles, leading to some sick arrangements? Hell yes.
Just because people here are saying they prefer something doesn’t mean we are detracting from something else.
Drum Corps used to be drum corps. Now it’s just one of three seasons of highly produced and adult-intervened vegan field/floor band product. Just a fact. Don’t cry when it gets pointed out.
@@RanceCosta BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well put, sir. these twinks nowadays have NO IDEA the difference.
You should of kept the whole 1995 Madison show honestly
Yeah it's literally my favorite show ever. Truly was a drum corps fans dream
@@trulinegraphics honestly
Cool to my year in here, but 94-97 BD should have made it instead!!
97 BD is one of my favorites. The drum book was amazing and there's nobody else that could have made that brass book so fun. I would have to make 15 of these videos to include all the greats lol
This was just fine. Why change it? Change for change sake equals poo.
Wow!
I don't think you actually know when G horns were no longer used!! Regiment cut G's in 1992?
B flat and you will not be heard....There is Nothing like a G hornline!
I marched bd 89’ I wanted a 1990 😢 we were ok. But I wanted what a saw in 84 as a 15 yo. 🤷🏽♀️
Sorry drums and pit. I typed too fast. You were fantastic too.
Kanstul bugles were in California…
Madison 1995 🫡🫡🫡🫡
Mmmmmmm
Needs a smidgen more Madison IMO.
I know right!? I didn't want to seem biased lol but the 90s scouts is the sole reason I got into drum corps.
let's say the quiet part out loud -
the reason DCI switched away from obscure "bugles" to standard Bb brass instruments was to help the sponsors sell more brass instruments, front line equipment and amplification equipment.
Increase the size of the pit so the HS marching band market spends much much more money on front line mallet instruments.
With the increased pit, they can also amplify the pit and since the pit is so extremely loud the soloists need to be miked too, right?
Riddle me this Batman -
Are hornlines any better today than they were back then? Yes - they play more musically and they play more difficult parts.
Does the audience enjoy the product on the field as much today as they did back then? Yes.
Extra credit questions who might have marched A-60 -
Is the audience larger today than it was back then?
Are there more students marching drum corps today than back then?
Full transparency, the purpose of the video was not to say one is better than the other. But I will always maintain the sopranos and baris sounded WAY better on the G bugles. My complaint is how expensive tickets have become. How is a school supposed to send 100+ kids to a show when nose bleed seats are over $35 at many events? I'd rather take them to an open practice or the lot. Money is ruining everything, even drum corps. Major Div1 groups have had to leave the tour. Sad state of events. Inflation sucks!
Playoffs!?! Who's talking about Playoffs!!!???
good points @@trulinegraphics but how about just normal kids affording to march? what was once a youth activity for middle class and lower middle class kids is now limited to the elite. The Bluecoats and Blue Stars were once organizations that just wanted to get local juvenile delinquents off the streets - I wonder if there is a single kid from the town of Canton OH or La Crosse WI in their membership for the upcoming 8 week season?.
I agree - Lots are the best way to experience the activity now - at least you get to see and appreciate the musicianship fairly up close.
The 80's were even louder- guys using microphones these days-laughable.... 92 Vanguard though.....
Nothin but a G thang Bb
MAGA .... Make Awesome Gs Again !!!!
DCI sucks now
This was way better.
That's not very fair, I would never say modern DCI sucks. I'll defend the 90s era as my favorite but the musicianship today is much more advanced. Horns are easier to play but kids also practice harder and are pushed to new levels.
Why does everyone have to hate on modern DCI?
Drum corps was declared dead in 1971. DCI began the next year.
Yes, it was.😊
@@wyattmurphree6651 Because it's in bad taste now. The music and execution are good, better than ever, but the visual aesthetics veer from cheesy to campy. The sequined costumes replacing uniforms look silly except from a distance, the ballet replacing marching looks silly, and there are too many props and electronic enhancements that should impress no one and that are not about young kids putting on a show, rather adult directors being masturbatory and trying to impress each other.
terrible list
you spelled your last name wrong, hoppie