takigan Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 lol, jk on the title ...but seriously, what do ya'll think of the growing trend in electronics lately? Seems like even the most conservative UIL bands at least have a bass guitar or a choral voice synthesizer or something these days. Personally I think the level of electronic integration by bands like Ronald Reagan (I like how they had their bells play in unison with a harp synth, in, I think their '05 or '06 show) and LD Bell (with their ambient bass chords throughout the show in '05 and '06) are ideal, but still, I love it when a band just pulls out all the stops and cranks it up to THE MAX!!! (Westfield '02-'05 comes to mind with all their crazy asian and techno riffs....and of course; pro rappers). Gotta love the weather effects; thunderstorms, blizzards etc, as well as all the spacey stuff. Electronics; the greatest thing to happen to marching band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbui Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 When used the right way, I LOVE electronics in the marching activity. I absolutely admire the way Ronald Reagan used the synthesizer as another layer of color to the music back in the 2001-2005 years and the same goes with Spring in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I agree with the comments on L.D. Bell & Westfield as well. Loved Westfield 2002 and the innovative 2000 show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaverickBand15 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Share Posted October 15, 2007 i think maybe one synthesizer is ok, but i think that to much of those sound effects and voices ruin a marching show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyboard_Countessa Posted October 19, 2007 Report Share Posted October 19, 2007 Musically, I don't have much of an opinion on it. Practically, I'm glad that all of my high school band shows had no electronics, as having electronic equipment, to me, means more stuff to haul on/off the field at every rehearsal/performance and more stuff to worry about in rainy weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Band Of Champions Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 I agree with mbui. I can't stand it when people use electronics to say random things that don't really flow with the rest of the show. But when it flows it's crazy awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barisaxy08 Posted October 21, 2007 Report Share Posted October 21, 2007 i honestly think that as we progress in life...we start to depend on electronics and technology to better enhance different things. so now that electronics are in the world of marching band...it only helps allow more possibilities to be available on the marching field. I think it's pretty neat to be combine an almost century old tradition wit new age technology in order to produce something much more than what it used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpd Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 For me its bittersweet. We got a Synthesiser when our new directors came in. Overall it makes our sound deeper and more full. However, due to my section not being able to play a fairly simple part as long as we watch the drum major, we got cut so the synth can play our part. Smart move on the part of the director, but as a musician, I want to play =( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borchnork Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 For me its bittersweet. We got a Synthesiser when our new directors came in. Overall it makes our sound deeper and more full. However, due to my section not being able to play a fairly simple part as long as we watch the drum major, we got cut so the synth can play our part. Smart move on the part of the director, but as a musician, I want to play =( yah, our synth doubles the parts on the low reeds 90% of the time in our closer because there's a lot of important stuff they have that you will never hear because there's only 4 of them on the field. I'm not quite sure about electronics overall. I have always wanted to see a band do Shostakovich's Eighth String Quartet with an Electric String Quartet playing the music though... THAT'D BE FREAKING INSANE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpd Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 yah, our synth doubles the parts on the low reeds 90% of the time in our closer because there's a lot of important stuff they have that you will never hear because there's only 4 of them on the field. I'm not quite sure about electronics overall. I have always wanted to see a band do Shostakovich's Eighth String Quartet with an Electric String Quartet playing the music though... THAT'D BE FREAKING INSANE! Haha, funny you say that....I'm a bass clarinet =/, and there's 8 of us. Although 5 of them are underclassmen, and one plays like one. Ive always wanted to see a band do some crazy techno stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerialSleeper90 Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 Haha, funny you say that....I'm a bass clarinet =/, and there's 8 of us. Although 5 of them are underclassmen, and one plays like one. Ive always wanted to see a band do some crazy techno stuff. Haha put on some hardcore techno at 240 bpm... Or like get someone to turn off the lights, have the entire band take out their hidden glow sticks and start raving, have the colorguard twirl florescent poles, and have strobe lights and a fog machine by the pit! That would be cool. While we're at it we need a marcher (preferably a shadow) in a panda costume just busting out moves beside the pit. OH! OH! The drum majors could have like wired black lights and neon decked all over their uniforms so the band could see... lol. I got excited there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpet Master Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 Haha put on some hardcore techno at 240 bpm... Or like get someone to turn off the lights, have the entire band take out their hidden glow sticks and start raving, have the colorguard twirl florescent poles, and have strobe lights and a fog machine by the pit! That would be cool. While we're at it we need a marcher (preferably a shadow) in a panda costume just busting out moves beside the pit. OH! OH! The drum majors could have like wired black lights and neon decked all over their uniforms so the band could see... lol. I got excited there. That sounds like our End of Summer Band party. lol I'm not even joking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpd Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 That sounds like our End of Summer Band party. lol I'm not even joking. Sounds like my kind of band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerialSleeper90 Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 I WANT A PARTY LIKE THAT!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitewing09 Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 i liked how Round Rock did it this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takigan Posted October 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 lol, "This is Marching band, not TECHNO BAND!" ....as a friend of mine once put it. He doesn't like electronics on the field . Techno bands......first thing that comes to mind with that is Westfield 2004 with their "Techno" movement in "The Game Within". You also can't forget Hebron 2006 in "Music From All Directions" with their selection "Speed Over Beethoven" from DDR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oDesign Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 eh, i dont know. I kind of feel electronics take away from a show. But my band is more traditional, so i am a little biased =P I feel like synthesisers are being used more and more in shows, and bands are playing less and less. I understand using electronics to amplify a section during a feature or solo, or to conver the part of an insterment you cannot play on the field (ex. harp, organ..things like that) but i think it is far more impressive for a band to create a stellar show WITHOUT the use of electronics. I dont know. With all the use of electronics nowadays, when i see a band hardly using them and still being amazing, i appriciate the show more so than i would a show that is equally amazing, but uses alot of electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borchnork Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 eh, i dont know. I kind of feel electronics take away from a show. But my band is more traditional, so i am a little biased =P I feel like synthesisers are being used more and more in shows, and bands are playing less and less. I understand using electronics to amplify a section during a feature or solo, or to conver the part of an insterment you cannot play on the field (ex. harp, organ..things like that) but i think it is far more impressive for a band to create a stellar show WITHOUT the use of electronics. I dont know. With all the use of electronics nowadays, when i see a band hardly using them and still being amazing, i appriciate the show more so than i would a show that is equally amazing, but uses alot of electronics. AKA: Marcus... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trumpet Master Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 I WANT A PARTY LIKE THAT!!! haha, then come to South Texas!!! Our band loves techno music... but does not have any synth on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerialSleeper90 Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 lol. I love techno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barisaxy08 Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 i can honestly say that im not a big fan of synthesizers but i mean come on... if u want to say that electronics take away from the "tradition" of marching band...then let's look at how bands have added props and different types of constructions to the field in order to deliver the theme of their show more. People love to see all that in a marching show but nobody want to talk about that. So i mean if you are truly in love with the idea of "traditional marching shows"...then look how much the "tradition" is truly changing. I don't disagree with different things being added to alter marching shows...i mean...as we go thru life we experience change...and it just so happens to be one in the marching world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpd Posted October 25, 2007 Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 haha, then come to South Texas!!! Our band loves techno music... but does not have any synth on the field. I actually lived in McAllen for a few years. About 10-15 minutes from Donna I believe. I would have gone to McAllen High, im sure you run into them every once in awhile. Of course that was before middle school. I doubt anyone is into techno when there in elementary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borchnork Posted October 25, 2007 Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 Of course that was before middle school. I doubt anyone is into techno when there in elementary. you'd be surprised. It's weird watching kids that are 8 trying to dance to techno music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Band Of Champions Posted October 25, 2007 Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 Are you allowed to use synthesizers at UIL contests? Because I don't think you can, and we had ours this past Tuesday and I'm wondering how Richland's opener sounded with out the synth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borchnork Posted October 25, 2007 Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 Are you allowed to use synthesizers at UIL contests? Because I don't think you can, and we had ours this past Tuesday and I'm wondering how Richland's opener sounded with out the synth. I guess you can... we haven't gotten D.Q'd yet, so that probably means yes. I don't see anything wrong with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerialSleeper90 Posted October 25, 2007 Report Share Posted October 25, 2007 Yea you are most definitely allowed to use synths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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