final paper with remarks - percussive arts society ·...
TRANSCRIPT
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Growth of the Modern Front Ensemble through the Expanded Use of Electronics from 2000-‐2013
Chris Koenig
08 Fall
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Abstract
From 2000 – 2013 Drum Corps International’s front ensembles’ have evolved in their
roles in the design process of a show, and composition/arranging styles due to the use
electronics and amplification. A front ensemble is the color and ornamentation of a drum
corps; but the different sounds that are available to composers and arrangers are greater now,
thanks to the use of synthesized and sampled sounds. Because of this the role of the front
ensemble has grown in the design process and in the demand for more talented players; both
of which allow for increasingly diverse and challenging music from the composer/arranger. This
paper examines the changes from 2000 -‐ 2013 through: interviews with different arrangers
from Drum Corps International’s top drum corps; front ensemble excerpts from different drum
corps shows from 2000 – 2013; articles on the implementation of amplification and electronics
in Drum Corps International; and books written about compositional techniques for front
ensembles.
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Acknowledgements
I want to say a special thank you to Dr. Brian Mason, Tom Rarick, and Mike McIntosh for
taking time out of their busy schedules and giving me the opportunity to interview them about
their experiences; and for providing their original scores for me to look over. Without their
help this paper would not have been possible.
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Table of Contents
Abstract ii
Acknowledgements iii
Table of Contents iv
List of Figures v
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Front Ensemble History 3
Chapter 2: Front Ensemble in the Design Process 10
Chapter 3: Front Ensemble Writing Techniques 18
Pre-‐Amplification 19
Adding Amplification 22
Synthesizers and Samples 25
Conclusion 28
Bibliography 32
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List of Figures
Figure 3.1: Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky 19
Figure 3.2: Arrangement of Rite of Spring Santa for Clara Vanguard by Brian Mason 20
Figure 3.3: Arrangement of Rite of Spring Santa for Clara Vanguard by Brian Mason 21
Figure 3.4: Haji for the Bluecoats by Michael McIntosh and Tom Rarick 22
Figure 3.5: Moto Perpetuo for The Santa Clara Vanguard by Brian Mason 23
Figure 3.6: Moto Perpetuo for The Santa Clara Vanguard by Brian Mason 24
Figure 3.7: MVT III from “eXtraordinarY” for the Cavaliers by Michael McIntosh 25
Figure 3.8: MVT III from “eXtraordinarY” for the Cavaliers by Michael McIntosh 26
Figure 3.9: MVT III from “eXtraordinarY” for the Cavaliers by Michael McIntosh 26
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Introduction
If you were to go back in time to 1972 and watch one of the first drum DCI shows, you
would find multiple differences between modern drum corps and its early predecessor. One of
the most glaring and obvious differences would be the lack of the front ensemble; the
stationary melodic percussion section that sits on the front sideline of every modern drum
corps show would be absent! Instead we would see five players marching around on the field
each carrying a, hand cranked, timpano and two players marching around the field with either a
xylophone or glockenspiel strapped onto their body!
Since 1972 the marching melodic percussion section has evolved into the modern front
ensemble, which plays full-‐sized stationary instruments. Aside from no longer carrying those
heavy instruments, almost all players are able to play with advanced techniques and a higher
level of musicianship than those men and women marching around on the field could have
achieved, because they were marching around with their instruments. Once the front
ensemble truly became the “front ensemble”, thanks to rule changes in the late 1970’s and
early 1980’s, the designers and writers help to mold the front ensemble into what it is today.
The 1990’s helped standardize the size and instrumentation of the front ensemble, as well as
helped to develop techniques that allowed the acoustic instruments to be heard. The next
step in the evolution of the front ensemble came during the 2000’s when amplification was
allowed in the front ensemble, and than when electronic instruments were allowed into the
instrumentation as well.
2
The front ensembles of Drum Corps International (DCI) have grown more important in
the design process due to the increased use of electronics from 2000 – 2013. The front
ensemble of today includes a unique blend of acoustic and electronic instruments; show
designers and writers use these instruments to create a soundscape that advances the intent of
a particular show. With this new technology at their fingertips, show designers had to change
their approach of how they used the front ensemble. The use of amplification and other
electronics has allowed front ensembles to be heard more clearly during performances;
because of this, and advancements in orchestration, more intricate and difficult music is being
written for the front ensemble. These advancements created a need for more talented
musicians to perform the ever increasingly challenging music. As talented musicians became
more readily available, composers/arrangers were able to write music that took advantage of
the high skill level of both the players of acoustic and electronic instruments; this ability to
create more intricate music has led to an increasingly important role for the front ensemble in
the design process of DCI shows.
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Chapter 1
Front Ensemble History
When someone, who is familiar with Drum Corps International (DCI), thinks of a front
ensemble they are likely to think of a percussion section that includes: four marimbas, four
vibraphones; a xylophone, timpani, a drum set, numerous other drums, an ungodly amount of
cymbals, and at least one synthesizer. And this person would be correct by today’s standards of
DCI. However, this has not always been the case! When DCI was founded in 19721 there was
no front ensemble; all instruments had to be carried on the field by the performers. This meant
that composers were limited to only using snare drums, tenor drums, bass drums, cymbals, and
timpani; but drill designers had to create drill around members marching with incredibly heavy
and unwieldy instruments.
While today’s marching percussion2 section still consists of snare drums, tenors, bass
drums, and occasionally cymbals; the idea of marching timpani is an antiquated and foreign
concept to the masses. Marching timpani was first put on the field in 1968 by the drum corps
circuit hosted by the American Legion3, and when DCI started in 1972 the field percussion
continued having players march with timpani. Marching timpani consisted of five players who
each carried an individual timpano; in order to tune the individual timpano, each instrument
1 Erin Maher, “The Amplification Controversy in Drum Corps International: Technology Change and the Meaning of 2 The terms Marching Percussion and Field Percussion can be used interchangeably, with Field Percussion being used earlier on the time line of drum corps. 3 Drum Corps International was created in 1972 because of growth of drum corps on the national level. The veteran organizations America Legion and Veteran’s of Foreign Wars started sponsoring drum corps after WWI. This was the start of competitive drum corps and where DCI got its start.
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had a hand crank to change pitches4. According to Michael Boo, who marched during the
years of marching timpani, “Corps timpanists spent as much time cranking as marching. Many
of them gauged how far they should crank by the number of turns rather than the actual
pitch…5”
The timpani were not the only instruments from today’s front ensemble that could be
found on the field during the 1970’s and into the early 1980’s. In 1974 drum corps were
permitted to have marching bells and marching xylophone on field; again the instrument had to
be carried by the performer while being played. Soon the marimba and the vibraphone joined
the xylophone and bells out on the marching field, but not all at once. Each corps was limited
to two mallet players on the field at a time, and while this severally limited composers and
arrangers they were not to be deterred. In Spirit of Atlanta’s inaugural year of 1977, they put a
vibraphone back-‐to-‐back with a marimba to get a change of sound and color.6 The 27th Lancers
even found a way to mount a set of chimes and put them out on the field!7 8 In 1978 the rules
changed to allow each corps have up to four mallet players on the competition field, and this
led to most corps having a bell player, xylophone player, vibraphone player, and marimba
player.
As stated earlier, all instruments had to be carried onto the field by their performer.
This was because of rules pulled from the American Legion, and then from 1974 – 1977 the 4 Michael Boo, “Pit Stop: A Front Ensemble Primer”, Fanfare (Wednesday, April 28, 2004): 1, accessed February 16, 2014, http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=44ef0078-‐3ace-‐4a55-‐b801-‐ce976eb04405. 5 Boo 2004, 1 6 Ibid 7 Ibid 8 Chimes were technically not allowed on the field but since there was no specific rule stating whether or not they could be used, the Lancers attached 2 small tom drums to the chimes as well, so the instrument could be classified as a marching drum.
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rules stated that all performers had to start the show behind the starting line on the back
sideline of the field.9 In 1978 when the rules changed to allow corps to have up to four mallet
players; they also erased the rule that corps must start behind the starting line. This meant that
corps could now put their melodic percussion instruments anywhere on the field for the whole
show! This rule change would become the catalyst that helped create the front ensemble. The
only corps that took full advantage of putting these heavy instruments down on the field for the
entire show were the 27th Lancers; they put two sets of timpani on opposite 40 yard lines to
create an antiphonal sound.10 Even though the 27th Lancers were the first to experiment with
setting instruments down on the field for the full show, they did not continue the trend they
started. In 1979 only one DCI Finalist11 corps did not have a marching timpani line; The
Guardsmen, under the direction of Jim Campbell, had the timpani placed of the front side of
the field12 where the player played timpani, congas, chimes, and various other percussion
toys.13 This lone player was the first full-‐time “pit”14 player!
While the 27th Lancers and The Guardsmen were the first drum corps to put timpani on
the front side of the field for the full show, they were still using the hand cranked marching
timpani. In 1980 the first big and continuously successful drum corps to put concert timpani15
9 Tom Scheffer, “The First pit performer and the birth of the pit,” Fanfare, May 13, 2005, 1, accessed February 17, 2014, http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=7e8122fc-‐9a5c-‐4ce1-‐b5a2-‐53bf2d21f37a. 10Scheffer 2005, 1 11 At the end of each summer DCI hosts a final competition called World Championships. The competition last three days: quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. It is the goal of all the corps to make it to the third day and earn the title of DCI Finalist; each year only 12 corps make finals, therefore making it a title of honor for many corps members. 12 All marching members had to stay on the football field even if they were stationary for the whole show. 13 Scheffer 2005, 1 14 Pit is another term for front ensemble. The term pit is used in reference to an orchestra pit. 15 Concert timpani differ from Marching timpani in that they are usually made of copper instead of fiberglass, and they are tuned with a foot pedal instead of a hand crank.
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on the front of the field was the Blue Devils.16 Following the 1980 drum corps season most
other corps start to follow this new trend of placing their timpani on the front side of the field.
In 1981 the Garfield Cadets were not content to simply place their timpani on the front side of
the field; they placed their marching keyboards on stands for the entire show.17 With
stationary percussion ensembles now growing in size and taking up more and more of the field;
DCI passed a rule allowing the stationary percussionist a “front box” that was off the actually
field. This was done so the new “front line percussion ensemble” was not in the way of the drill
designers.18
1982 was the first year of the true front ensemble. Drum corps that were more affluent
started to provide full sized concert instruments for players to play on; while drum corps that
could not afford new concert instruments simply placed their old marching mallet instruments
on stands in the new “front box”. With the front ensemble no longer needing to play while
marching, the technique of the players became more of a priority to instructors and judges.
Drum corps started to add front ensemble instructors who were college trained mallet players
to instruct the front ensemble, rather than letting the drumline19 instructors teach the section.
With the influx of new instructors, who were teaching the new mallet players to play at a higher
level, composers and arrangers were no longer obligated to simply put the brass parts on the
16 Robert Morrison, “The Development of the Front Percussion Ensemble”, Percussive Notes 23, no. 5 (July 1985): 32-‐34, accessed February 15, 2014, http://publications.pas.org/Archive/pnv23n5/articles/pnv23n5.32-‐35.pdf. 17 Morrison 1985, 32 18 Morrison 1985, 32 19 I have not found a reference to a common name for the members of the percussion section on the field. I assume that it would be simply called the drumline at this point in time because there were no longer mallet players on the field. Hence in 1983 the modern version of the “drumline” was born as well as the “front ensemble.”
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keyboards and timpani. They were able to create new textures and colors to add to the design
of the show20 and help advance the design process of the shows.
The next big step for the front ensembles of DCI came in 1983 when the Garfield Cadets
front ensemble played with both Stevens and Burton grip.21 22 This was a big step in the world
of front ensembles because it brought the DCI front ensemble into a level a professionalism
that had yet to be achieved by any of its predecessors. Following the 1983 season other corps
tried to emulate the professional and musical approach that the Garfield Cadets had achieved.
In 1984 the front ensemble became an entity unto itself. More corps added concert instruments to theirs ensembles. Just as Garfield had found its own identity as a front ensemble in’83, many ensembles achieved their own identity in ’84. … The Santa Clara Vanguard … The Madison Scouts … The Blue Devils … The Phantom Regiment …23
Following 1984 the front ensemble has continued to grow. Initially the “front box” only
allowed for the front ensemble to be placed from the 40-‐yard line to the opposite 40-‐yard line.
Sooner rather than later, the rule was changed to allow the front ensemble to be placed from
the 35-‐yard line to the opposite 35-‐yard line. Again this was soon changed; composers and
arrangers wanted more instruments and sounds out of the front ensemble, and instructors
wanted more instruments for players to be heard so they did not have to play with improper
20 Show design of early DCI shows usually just meant picking 3 -‐4 songs that were popular at the time; the shows of this era were not thematic. 21 Stevens and Burton grips are different technique giving the user the ability to hold two mallets in each hand, giving the player a total of four mallets. 22 Morrison 1985, 32 23 Morrison 1985, 32
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technique. Eventually the rule was changed to allow the front ensemble to be placed along the
entire front sideline of a football field.24
But the important thing is that percussion arrangers were now not limited by the confines of a smaller pit, and they cut themselves loose to their hearts’ abandon, requiring corps to buy ever bigger equipment trucks, and golf carts, and tractors (for when there became so much equipment the puny little golf carts couldn’t pull it anymore), and make little trains out of their equipment, and see who could fill up a pit with the most instruments.25
Front ensembles started to become standardized in their instrumentation now that they
no longer had to worry about size constraints. With only having the acoustic sound of each
instrument available to the designers it soon became apparent that multiples of the same
keyboard instruments would be necessary if they wished to be heard. From the late 1990’s to
the mid-‐2000’s the standard set up of the front ensemble became four marimbas, four
vibraphones, one xylophone, one glockenspiel,26 an auxiliary percussionists27, a timpanist and
sometimes a drum set player. The number of players in the front ensemble not is not only
determined by the orchestration of the composer but also by the number of players allowed in
the drum corps. Most recently the rules were changed for the 2007 season allowing each corps
to go from 135 marching members up to 150 marching members. With this latest number
increase, the size of most front ensembles; front ensembles were now able to have two
auxiliary percussionists and a drum set player instead of having to chose between the two.
24 Boo 1994, 1 25 Boo 1994, 1 26 Another name for Bells 27 Auxiliary percussionists mount most of their instruments on metal racks with wheels, leading them to be called rack players. Auxiliary players play everything from suspended cymbals to the concert bass drum to wood block and everything in between.
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In 2004 one of the biggest rule changes in the history of DCI occurred; passing through
DCI’s Rules Congress, with a vote of 12-‐6, DCI allowed the amplification of the human voice and
front ensemble. This had no affect on the size of the pit but it opened up many opportunities
for both designers and composers (See Chapter 2 for the effects on Designers. See Chapter 3
for effects on Composers and Designers.) The summer of 2009 saw the first electronic
instruments in the front ensembles across DCI. This added more members to the front
ensemble and added to the sounds composers and arrangers could write for. The decision to
add amplification and electronics to drum corps was a long hard battle headed by George
Hopkins, director of the Cadets.28 Interestingly it was Robert Morrison, percussion instructor
and arranger for the 1985 Garfield Cadets, who said, “… possible change in the future of the
front ensemble will be the addition of electronics.”29 It took over 20 years but the idea of
electronics came full circle from one Cadets designer to another.
28 Formally known as the Garfield Cadets 29 Morrison 1985, 35
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Chapter 2
Front Ensemble in the Design Process
As July draws to a close and August comes into full swing, each and every DCI corps has
the final version of their show on the field. The designers and writers have listened to the
judges and the crowds and have placed their final product into the hands of the performers.
Now all that is left for the designers to do is watch their students perform and then await the
numbers the judges decide they have earned. For the common DCI fan this is the best time of
the year; the corps are in a groove and every show is better than the last. But for the designers
of the show this is the moment they have been working towards all year, this is the summation
of all of their hard work and headaches. The work that they started almost 10 months earlier30
has reached its climatic end, and they are eager to hear the final results just like the fans.
The designers for each corps meet at different times and different places around the
country; thanks to technology sometimes they are all in different parts of the country while
they decide on a show.31 The design process is a long a tedious process at times, with each
person on the design team (as well as the administration team) having their own ideas about
what would be best for the group for the up coming year. When picking a show the designers
take into account many different things: they think about the strengths and weakness of the
group; the corps signature style of playing; the instrumentation; the tour around the country
30Mason, Brian. Interview with the Author, (17 April 2014.) 31 Ibid
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and how long it will take or how much money it will cost the group.32 For this paper however,
we will focus on after a show has already been chosen and how it affects the front ensemble.
After discussing with some of DCI’s top percussion designers33 I have split the
responsibilities of the front ensemble into three different categories: Color, Solo, or
Transitional. If the designers choose to use the front ensemble as a Color this means that the
front ensemble keyboards are playing parts that reinforce what the horn line is playing
harmonically. When the designers use the front ensemble as a Solo category this means that
either the entire section of the front ensemble is featured or a specific section of the front
ensemble is featured while the rest of the corps does not play. A Transitional use of the front
ensemble is one of the most common ways a front ensemble to be used; the front ensemble
plays something that helps move the production along. Each category is not always separate
from the others; it isn’t uncommon for a Transitional section to also include a very challenging
Solo moment for the group; sometimes Color moments blend into Transitional moments so
well that it is hard to define where one section ends and the other begins; the least likely of the
two categories to overlap is Color and Solo moments, but this does happen.34 With these three
categories we can take a deeper look into the design process of how the front ensemble can be
used for a DCI show.
The next separation that we have to make is the three general types of shows the DCI
groups perform: Shows that are based on Classical music; shows are based on more Popular
32 These are just a few examples that are too numerous to list. Also many of these things are determined by an administration team, which I have not interviewed. 33 Mike McIntosh (Bluecoats & Cavaliers), Master Sergeant Tom Rarick (Bluecoats), and Dr. Brian Mason (Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, and The Santa Clara Vanguard.) 34 See Chapter 3 for examples.
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music; and shows that have Original music written for them. Each type of show has different
source material, which is very important in the writing/arranging process of designing a show.
Once the source material for a show has been determined than the Brass Arranger and the
Percussion Arranger get together and figure out the best way to perform the decided upon
style of music in a Drum Corps setting with Drum Corps instrumentation. 35
The next big factor in the design process, that impacts the front ensemble, are the rules
that are in place stating whether or not amplification and electronics can be used in the show.
From 2000-‐2003 all shows were unamplified but then in 2004 10 (out of 24) drum corps used
amplification in the front ensemble.36 By 2008, the last year of only allowing the use of
amplification, all of DCI’s World Class corps were using amplification.37 For the summer of 2009
DCI passed rule 4.8, which states:
4.8 USE OF ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
4.8.1 Terminology:
• “Music” (or “Musical”) shall be defined as the organization of melodic, harmonic and/or rhythmic sound through time.
• An “Electronic Instrument” shall be defined as any piece of electronic equipment that produces “Musical” sound.
• A “Sequence” or “Loop” shall be defined as “Music” that is pre-‐recorded or programmed during a performance.
• Human Voice” shall be defined as spoken word.
35 The manor in which writers and arrangers showcase the differences shall be examined in more detail in Chapter 3. 36 Maher 2011, 63 37 Ibid
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4.8.2 Music from Electronic Instruments is allowed given that the Music is being performed live, in real time during the performance.
4.8.3 Sequenced Music will not be allowed.
4.8.4 Musical Loops will not be allowed.
4.8.5 Pre-‐recorded Sound Effects and Human Voice can be used without penalty. Permission must be obtained for all copyrighted material.38
While these set of rules took almost over a decade to pass39 once the use of these instruments
were allowed to be used by the designers they were immediately put to use. From 2009 to
2013 drum corps have been using electronic instruments in all manor of ways, from
conservative, to extravagant, and in between. 40
To break down the design process we will look at one show from each of the eras,41
each show will be from a different drum corps to help illustrate the differences. For the Pre-‐
Amplification era we will look at The Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps’42 2000 show
titled “The Masters of Mystique: The Dawn of Modern Music.”43 Brian Mason, the percussion
caption head44 and arranger, was on the design team that helped create the show. When asked
about the process for this show he talked about using the front ensemble in different
capacities.45 The 2000 Phantom Regiment consisted of eight players: 4 marimba players, 3
38 Drum Corps International. “2009 Contest Rules” (Drum Corps International, Indianapolis) 2009, 7. 39 Maher 2011, 29 40 Again this will be looked more closely in Chapter 3. 41 The three “eras” are separated into: Pre-‐Amplification (2000-‐2004), Amplification (2005-‐2008), and Electronics (2009-‐2013). 42 Also known as Phantom Regiment or just Regiment 43 Christopher Maher, “The Drum Corps Repertoire Database,” The Drum Corps Repertoire Database, www.corpsreps.com. 44 Caption heads are in charge of their section and helping make the performers perform to the best of their ability. 45 (Mason Interview, 2014)
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vibraphone players, and a timpanist.46 All of the keyboard players47 also have multiple other
instruments attached to the keyboard in order to create the other sounds that the designers
have in mind.48 The use of the “pod percussion” set up was developed by Mason as a way to
have all of the sounds and colors wanted in a show without having too many players, or when
not able to have enough players.49 When designing a show based on Classical music, and
without amplification, the front ensemble takes on the role of the woodwinds and the string
sections.50 This means that the moments must be picked carefully when the front ensemble
will be used in different capacities. When choosing a Solo moment for the front ensemble the
rest of the corps must be either silent or playing backfield;51 when the horn line and drumline
are playing very loudly the front ensemble must be at a Color moment of their show.52 This
Color moment would normally lead into a Transitional for the front ensemble or sometimes
into a Solo moment also used for Transition. The main thing Mason emphasized was that when
writing and designing for an un-‐amplified front ensemble: was that writers had to very careful
about when they wanted the front ensemble to play certain parts, because no matter how loud
they played they could not play louder than the horn line and drumline.53
46 Brian Mason, The Rite of Spring: 2000 Phantom Regiment (Morehead: Brian S. Mason, 2000), 1. 47 Common term that covers all melodic percussion or percussion players used in drum corps 48(Mason, 2000 49 Brian Mason, “Incorporating Muti-‐Percussion Into the Front Ensemble”, Percussive Notes 32, no. 7 (April 1994): 25-‐26, accessed February 13, 2014, http://publications.pas.org/Archive/apr94/articles/9404.25-‐26.pdf. 50 Mason Interview, 2014 51 Playing backfield means have the drum corps turn around and play towards the back sideline where there are no spectators in order to create a softer sound or different timbre. 52 Mason Interview, 2014 53 Ibid.
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The next design process we will look at will be for The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps54
2005 show titled “Caravan.”55 This show used amplification of both the keyboard line and the
human voice in its quest to portray the journey across the Middle East. In talking with Michael
McIntosh about how, if at all, the use of amplification made the design process different when
it involved the front ensemble;56 we discussed how the three main uses of the front ensemble
stayed the same even with the addition of amplification. The front ensemble was still to be
used for Color, Solo, and Transition and the use of electronics did not really affect the amount
of times designers used the front ensemble for any of these. For McIntosh the biggest change
was getting the Brass and Visual designers on board with using the amplification of human
voices.57 With the show concept using Indian percussion McIntosh wanted to use the long-‐
standing oral tradition Indian percussion has to achieve a level of authenticity to the program.
With the ability to amplify voices this was no a possibility; but this was the Bluecoats first year
using amplification58 and the rest of the design team was a little hesitant about venturing into
an unknown realm.59 In the end the design team agreed and pushed forward with using the
amplified voice to help portray Indian music.60
The final era to be talked about is the Electronic era. We will take a look at the design
process of the 2011 Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps61 show, titled “eXtraordinarY.” Michael
McIntosh ended his time with the Bluecoats in 2008 and in 2010 took over the percussion 54 Also known as The Bluecoats or Coats 55 C. Maher, 2014 56 McIntosh, Michael. Interview with the Author, (17 April 2014.) 57 McIntosh, 2014 58 Maher 2011, 64 59 McIntosh, 2014 60 And I think that without the voices the Indian feel would not have been complete and the design would have been lacking as a whole product. Kudos 2005 Bluecoats design team! 61 The Cavaliers or Cavies for short.
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program at the Cavaliers.62 He was instrumental in the design process for this show, and when
asked about how the use of amplification and now electronics affected the role of the front
ensemble in the design process he again said it was affected minimally if at all.63 The front
ensemble’s roll as still to be used as Color, Solo, and Transition and again the newly allowed use
of electronics did not change the roll the front ensemble played in the show design. The
biggest change for the designers was now that electronics were allowed; the designers had a
whole new pallet of colors to chose from to help them get their ideas understood by the
audience. In the Cavaliers show in particular McIntosh felt that since the show was titled
“eXtraodinarY” that the use of as much electronics was necessary (as long as done tastefully,)
because he show was supposed to be EXTRA-‐ordinary.64
In all three eras that we have examined, the role of the front ensemble in the design
process stayed relatively the same despite the changes in the use of electronics and
amplification. The main roles of the front ensemble in the design of a show are to provide
Color, to have Solo moments, and to help Transition from one point to another in the show to
help achieve a linearly cohesive show. The use of amplification allowed for more colors to be
added to the front ensemble by the allowing some percussion instruments and human voice to
be amplified and be heard over the sound of the brass and drums. With the addition of
electronic instruments, designers added even more colors that they could use to help get their
show across to the audience and the judges; but even with these additions the designers of
DCI’s shows have continued to use the front ensemble in the same capacity. Despite the rule
62 McIntosh, 2014 63 Ibid 64 Ibid
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changes allowing amplification and electronics the role the front ensemble has stayed the
same.
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Chapter 3
Front Ensemble Writing Techniques
With the addition of amplification and electronics the writers of DCI were able to flex
their writing chops a little more and help create a more interesting part for the players to play.
No longer were they forced to use the front ensemble for only cymbal work or concert bass
drum hits during the biggest and loudest parts of a drum corps show! Now they were able to
write moving lings underneath these big moments; or they were able to write a technically
challenging part that might not have been able to be heard without amplification or electronics.
We will take a look at one example of writing from each of the three eras previously talked
about65: Pre-‐Amplification, Amplification, and Electronics.
65 See Chapter 2
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Pre-‐Amplification
Now we will exam the writing from Phantom Regiment’s 2000 show of using a Front
Ensemble for a show that has a Classical influence. The front ensemble takes the role of the
instrumental sections of the orchestra that are not allowed in DCI; this means that the front
ensemble will cover the woodwind and strings parts.66 This remains true even with the use of
amplification or electronics. The front ensemble is able to create the sounds and textures that
the woodwinds and strings did in the original pieces.
The original source is from Igor Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”:
Figure 3.167
66 Mason, 2014 67 Igor Stravinsky, Rite of Spring (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1989), 12-‐13.
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The section we are going to focus on is the 4 measures in the middle of Figure 3.1. Only 3
voices are plying in the entire orchestra: English horn,68 Bassoon,69 and Cello.70 Without
electronics it is impossible to get the true sound that these instruments make, so the
writer/arranger for Phantom Regiment had to find a way to recreate these sounds and timbres.
In the following excerpt we shall see how Brian Mason did exactly that.
Figure 3.271
68 Corno inglese 69 Fagotti 70 The bass clef part is second from the bottom in the violin family, meaning it is the cello part and not the bass part. 71 Brian Mason, Rite of Spring (Morehead: Brian S Mason, 2000), meas. 9-‐13.
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pg. 2The Rite of Spring2000 Phantom Regiment
4/17/14
21
In Mason’s arrangement of the original we can see how he uses the different voices found in
the front ensemble to recreate the sounds found in the original. The staccato English horn solo
is found in a solo vibraphone voice. To help recreate the staccato sound Mason has the
vibraphone player playing with the vibraphone dampener up and playing the solo on a set of
bells at the same time. The bassoon part is covered by the four marimba players; like in the
original the players play split sixteenth notes in the low register of their instrument. Because of
the lack of amplification Mason also put one of the marimba players in an upper register of
their instrument to make sure that the clarity was heard by the judges and audience.
Figure 3.372
The only part that is missing in the front ensemble is the moving bass line from the cello
section. This part is recreated on the field with the marching bass drums; Mason said that this
was put on the field to keep the drive and tempo of the original piece moving
72 Mason 2000, 2
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pg. 2The Rite of Spring2000 Phantom Regiment
4/17/14
22
Adding Amplification
Bluecoats 2005 show “Caravan” was the first year that Bluecoats used electronics73 and
is a great example of writing for a front ensemble with only amplification. Mike McIntosh
chose to use amplified voice to help create a show about the far east; this meant that front
ensemble players were not only playing on keyboards that were amplified but also their voices
were amplified.
Figure 3.474
73 Maher 2011, 64 74 Michael McIntosh and Tom Rarick, Haji (Canton: Bluecoats, 2005), 1.
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HajjBrass Arr. Doug ThrowerPerc Arr. Michael McIntosh Tom Rarick
2005 Bluecoats5/16/20051:52 AM
The 2005 Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps
23
In Figure 3.4 you can see the amplified voice part being “played” by the Glock/Xylo75 player in
measures 7-‐8. His vocal part is being copied and enhanced by the snare line; this is a common
trait of Indian music, where one player sings a rhythm and that player of another player players
that part with embellishments. The marimba players are playing sextuplet rhythms at the
slower tempo of 88 bpm,76 which become the triplet at the tempo change. The ability to play
low static parts like this is enabled by the use of amplifications. The vibraphones start off
playing a snippet of a melody from earlier in the show77 then either add into the static part with
the marimbas or play rattle-‐shakers to help give an Indian color to what is being played. The
rack and timpani player are both helping to fill in the colors that help the Indian feel to this
movement.
Another example of a show written with only for amplification and an Original show
concept, this means that there can be no comparison between the source material and the
arrangement, is 2006 Santa Clara Vanguard’s show “Moto Perpetuo.” However by looking at a,
excerpt can see that the marimbas are used to help push the motion of the piece along, while
the metal voices are used to create melody and counter-‐melody.
Figure 3.5 78
75 Glock/Xylo is a xylophone with a glockenspiel mounted on top. 76 BPM = Beats per minute 77 McIntosh 2014 78 Brain Mason, Moto Pertetuo: Chains of Motion (Morehead: Brian Mason, 2006), 92-‐96.
92 96
V1
V2
M1(e)
M2(c)
V3
Timp.
M3(e)
V4
Perc.
mf
Heavy Chainsonto metal
sf
sf
Concert BDw/whip (2x4)
sf
sf
f
Gated China
sf
Concert Tomsmf
3
f
sf
mp
3
Chains of Reaction 8/21/06
9
24
In the above example we see the marimbas, M1(e)79 and M2(c),80 they are providing a motor
rhythm of eighth notes with accents to help create motion in the phrase.
Figure 3.681
In the above example we see the metallic voice providing melody and counter melody. The
M1(e) player even switches from his marimba instrument to the crotales to help provide more
melody in a different register. Mason put each player on a different sound to help create the
affect that he was looking for, but this also helped get the sound to the audience and the judge.
79 M1(e) means that the lowest note on the marimba was an E below the bass staff line 80 M1(c) means that the lowest note on the marimba was a C below the bass staff line 81 Mason 2006
q = 180
2006 Santa Clara Vanguard Front Ensemble
Moto Perpetuo 8/21/06
Brian S. MasonMvt. 1: Chains of Reaction
© 2005 copyright notice goes here.All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured
5 9
Vibraphone 1
Vibraphone 2
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Marimba 2(c)
Vibraphone 3
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Marimba 3(e)
Vibraphone 4
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mp
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25
Synthesizers and Samples
The era of electronics has given writers more sounds and colors to use then ever
before. We will take a look at the 2011 Cavaliers show titled “eXtraordinarY” and look at some
of the things that the use of electronics allowed writers to do.
Figure 3.782
In figure 3.7 we can see that the synthesizer players can now can now play different sounds
that the other front ensemble players cannot or no longer have to play. In measure 4 the
synthesizer 1 player plays an Accordion sound, which could not be played by another player
because it is against the rules, and then in measure 5 they make a vibraslap sound by playing on
82 Michael McIntosh, eXtraordinarY (Rosemont: Cavaliers, 2011), 1.
°¢
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trumpet 3
Mello 1
Mello 2
Bari 1
Bari 2
Euph
Tuba
Synth 1
Synth 2
Drumset
SusCym
SusCym
Marimba
Marimba
Marimba
SusCym
Marimba
Marimba
SusCym
SusCym
Timpani
SnareLine
TenorLine
Bass
ff ff
q=172
ff ff
ff ff
ff ff
ff ff
ff ff
ff ff
ff ff
f ff
f ff f
f ff f ff f
ff mf ff mp f f
ff f
ff f
ff ff
ff ff
ff ff f
ff f
ff ff
ff ff
ff f
ff f
Lrlp
R L R L R L R L R L R Lrl Rf
R R RmfL R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R
ffRmp
R R R R R L R R L R R
q=172
ff pp mp f mf f L R L R f
44 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 4444 64 44
44 64 4444 64 4444 64 44
&## ∑ ∑ ∑ . . .3
∑ ∑ ∑ . . .3
∑0"
mvt. III
The 2011 Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps"XtraordinarY" Arranged/Composed by Drew Shanefield (ASCAP),
Michael McIntosh (ASCAP) and Alan MillerElectronic Scoring by Tom McGillen
1" 2"
1084" 5"
1096"
1108" 9"
111 HOLD11"
111A GO
&## ∑ ∑ ∑ . . .3
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∑
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^.^.^.
3 ∑
/ ∑ ∑ ∑DTX AccordionSweep Sample
DTX - Vibraslap ∑ ∑ ∑
? ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
? ∑ ∑ ∑Piano . . .
3
? Acoustic Bass . . .3 ? . . .
3
/ ∑ ∑ ∑> >o >+3 > > > > > > > > > >3 > > >3 3 3 3
33
/ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑Top of marimba 1 . . .3
&Marimba IP 1003
3
/ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑Top of marimba 2 . . .3
&Marimba IP 1003
3
& ∑ ∑ ∑IP1003
3
∑ ∑ ∑3
∑
& ∑ ∑ ∑IP1003
3
∑ ∑ ∑3
∑
& ∑ ∑ ∑IP1003
3
∑ ∑ ∑3
IP 1003
/ ∑ ∑ . ∑ ∑ Tam Tam ∑ ∑
& ∑ ∑ ∑IP1003
3
∑ ∑ ∑3
∑
& ∑ ∑ ∑ IP1003
3
∑ ∑ ∑3
∑
/ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑Top of marimba 4 . . .3
&Marimba
IP 1003
3
/ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑Top of marimba 5 . . .3
&Marimba IP 1003
3
? ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
/ ∑AS-MM's ∑ ∑ ∑ - - Guts- - > -3 - > - To Center>> Viz...- > >3 Guts- - - - - Cross-shot- - -3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3108 109 110 111 HOLD 111A GO
/ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
/ ∑ > >3 . . . . --- .> . . > - .3 . . . . .- - >> .> .> .>3
∑6 6 6 6 3 6 6 3 3
36
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26
the DTX83. The next two figures show how the writing of the front ensemble has increased in
difficulty and is more enjoyable to play and listen too.
Figure 3.884
Figure 3.985
83 DTX stands for Discontinuous Transmission. DTX is an electronic trigger pad sold by Yamaha that you can load almost any sound onto. 84 McIntosh 2011 85 McIntosh 2011
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Last edited by Michael McIntosh on 8/4/11 23:392
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Last edited by Michael McIntosh on 8/4/11 23:393
27
In the above two excerpts we see all of the keyboard players playing split parts on the
marimbas. This means that the vibraphone and the xylophone players all left their instruments
and played on the marimbas in the front row. With the parts being split this meant that only
half of the front ensemble was playing at a time but because they keyboards were all amplified
the players did not need to worry about playing extremely hard, they only had to worry about
playing correct notes and rhythms. The synthesizers also help the front ensemble achieve great
sound quality because they were playing the sixteenth note run as well. So while the mallet
keyboard players were being the visually interesting part, and playing extremely well also, the
writers had the synthesizers playing the same run on a piano voice to make sure it sounded
good as well.
This style of writing, as seen above from the 2011 Cavaliers, is becoming the norm in
front ensemble writing. They are both challenging and interesting to play, and give the
audiences and judges something interesting and technically challenging to listen to. These
parts are helping push the level of musicianship in the front ensemble, because players want to
play that well and writers want to write something that the players want to play well.
28
Conclusion
When I started this paper I was certain that I knew how electronics and amplification
had affected the front ensemble in DCI. I assumed that I knew the origins of how the modern
front ensemble and the different rules that affected its creation. After doing the research I
quickly learned that I was incorrect on both accounts! I approached both the history of the
front ensemble and the evolution of electronics and amplification from a performers point of
view.
As a performer I learned about the front ensemble only in the time from of my
experience with the activity (from 2006 to the present) and I assumed that the main reason the
front ensemble was created was because of injuries to the performers who had to march with
those heavy instruments. While I’m sure that this reasoning was used to help make the final
decision, the real reason evolution of the activity of drum corps and marching percussion as a
whole. When The Guardsmen put the timpani on the front side of the field for the first time, it
was because of low numbers in the corps, and because one percussionist tuning five timpani is
going to sound much better than five percussionists tuning five individual timpano. This idea
soon took hold in every other corps and marching timpani were a thing of the past.
Once timpani were stationary it only made sense for the mallet instruments to become
stationary too! Now that the stationary percussionists were becoming more and more
numerous, they started taking up too much of the field. Hence the rule change that put them
in the “front box” and off the field; this allowed the drill writers on the design team as much
freedom as they had before. Soon the allotted space in the “front box” had to be enlarged
29
because the front ensembles needed more room for all of their equipment because the music
writers were finding more and more colors that they wanted to hear in the show.
As time passed the size and instrumentation of the front ensemble became relatively
standard: four marimbas, four vibraphones, timpani, glockenspiel or xylophone (sometimes
both), an auxiliary percussionist or two, and sometimes even a drum set player. As these things
became the norm across DCI, the design and writing process became pretty standard too. In
the design process the front ensemble could fill three main rolls: transitional, color, and solo.
When used as a transitional section the front ensemble was used to start or end a thought; the
writing was not always challenging for the players but it wasn’t always easy either. When the
front ensemble was used as a color it normally meant that they were being asked to play
instruments other than their keyboards; this could include cymbals, drums, whistles, and
anything that made the sound the designers wanted to hear in that moment. When the front
ensemble was used as a soloist or featured section, it normally meant one of two things: 1 lots
of fast notes played by as many people as possible or 2 something that was technically
challenging that required a higher level of skill and demand than the rest of the writing. The
second option was normally used in the “ballad” movement of the show when the tempos
allowed the players to use these techniques.
With the introduction of amplification I assumed that everything was going to change. I
assumed that designers and writers would all sorts of tricks that they were going to pull out of a
hat and employ as soon as possible. On the design level I was pretty far off the mark. The front
ensemble’s roll did not change in the design process at all. They still filled those three rolls:
30
transition, color, and solo. From the writer’s point of view a few more avenues were opened to
them however. With amplification it meant that during big loud moments for the horn line, the
front ensemble was no longer forced to play cymbals or drums. It meant that if a writer wanted
to he/she could craft a driving sixteenth note run underneath the loud horn moment to help
give it a little extra pop. Amplification meant that the front ensemble didn’t have to wait for
the soft ballad to do the technically challenging parts any more. Writers could now have a
challenging permutation part push the opener along, and now it could be heard with
amplification. With amplification more sounds were available to the designers and writers;
sounds that would have had to be made at a quite moment of show because it was hard to
hear (like a human voice) could now be amplified and be heard over top of the entire corps
playing at their loudest!
In 2009 with the addition of electronics into the pit, design teams were able to add
more and more sounds and colors to help get their show across. Writers of the front
ensembles found that with someone playing a synthesizer or playing an electronic instrument
that triggered special sounds; it actually freed up the keyboard players to play more on the
keyboards and less on the color and effect instruments. This helped push writers to create
more challenging and exciting parts for the keyboard players. As the writers wrote more
exciting and challenging parts the front ensemble became an exciting and fun place to be. Their
parts were fast and flashy and impressive to watch; the front ensemble started to become
really cool to be a part of. With this new realization for younger players (that being in the front
ensemble is cool) they pushed themselves to become better so they could play these new
exciting parts. Because they pushed themselves to be better, and they started getting into DCI
31
drum corps, the writers were pushed to write more challenging and more exciting parts. This is
the current cycle that is happening in DCI’s front ensembles today. Talented players pushing
writers to write more challenging and exciting parts, which in turn helps create new talented
players, which push writers, which in turn creates a beautiful cycle that will help push the
activity even further.
With the use of amplification and electronics the writers have been able to help create
music that is challenging, exciting, and (most importantly) fun to play. With these stronger
more music front ensembles the designers have been able to feature them more, because now
they can be heard no matter what they are playing. With the help of both designers and
writers the front ensemble has evolved into a musical identity that the first timpanist/front
ensemble member could ever have imagined possible. The front ensemble is integral in every
second of the modern drum corps show; each drum corps has their own distinct sound, which
could not be found without their front ensemble. It is an exciting time to be in the front
ensemble; no longer is the front ensemble home to the players who want to be in the group
but cannot march; no longer is it home to the kids who got cut from the drumline; no longer is
it the home of the people no one wants. The front ensemble is the home of some of the most
talented musicians in the entire ensemble; and with the help of talented writers and designers
the front ensemble will continue on its upward trajectory of talented players and exciting
writing. The front ensemble has evolved so much in the past ten years of amplification and
electronics, and it is with baited breath and much anticipation that we look forward to what the
next ten years holds.
32
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