Post by jeremiah on Jan 3, 2020 14:52:31 GMT -6
Here are my thoughts on the eight proposals. You can read the proposals for yourself on DCI's website.
1. Brass Amplification Limitations
It seems like every year there's a new attempt at limiting the use of amplification, and it never passes. The most worrying part to me is the proposal would require each corps to submit a manifest of all amplified moments in the show and then require the music analysis judges to note potential infractions. I'd say music analysis judges have much more important things to be doing than constantly referencing time codes and jotting down notes about mics they think are on or off. I've also listened to plenty of tapes where judges make comments about amplification being too loud during moments when mics aren't on, so I'm not very confident in judges (or anyone's) ability to accurately determine if this rule is being followed or not. Ultimately, I think the activity should continue to let the use of electronics and amplification evolve organically as groups experiment with what works best. Sometimes those ideas succeed and sometimes they fail.
2. Evaluation Structure Innovation:
A very bold name for an idea that keeps coming up over and over in different forms. The interesting part about this one is they want to essentially give fan favorite awards for weekday shows and only judge the weekend shows. This would probably give corps an advantage in their home regions and will certainly help my hometown and undefeated FloMarching Fan Favorite Music City, I really hate the idea of exhibition performances. If a corps thinks they aren't ready to be judged early in June or wants to make changes before a big show, then don't go to the show and spend that time implementing the changes and cleaning.
3. Color Guard Sheet Enhancement
While the proposal doesn't offer any specific changes to the color guard sheet, I worry it could shift the guard sheet too much toward the visual analysis judge's caption and away from the evaluation of skills and achievement that allows caption awards at world championships to so often be split across groups.
4. Any Instrument Policy
I'm a big fan of allowing any instrument. Much like electronics, I'd love to see groups experiment with new instrumentation. Will we see every corps marching 16 flutes? Probably not ever. But I think we will see some exciting new ideas of how to incorporate more musical styles and approaches.
5. Allow for Live Sampling Created in Real Time
Of course this one is proposed by Bluecoats, as only Jon Vanderkolff and the rest of that design and audio team could pull it off. If there's one thing I learned working with Bluecoats Indoor, it's that using electronics and specifically live sampling is a huge risk/reward gamble. Much like amplification and expanded instrumentation, why not let corps take the risk?
6. Rules and Systems Task Force Voted On by the Membership
Absolutely makes sense to allow the 19 member corps elect the task force instead of having them be appointed by the artistic director. However, the artistic director is already appointed by a vote of the member corps, so I'm not sure how dramatically this would change the make of the task force.
7. Scoring System Update
Not surprised by this proposal, as it seems an inevitable extension of last years shifting field judges off the field. In a more dramatic fashion than the guard sheet change proposal listed above, I'd expect this to move the adjudication system away from adjudication actual technical skills and more on the overall production from the box. I tend to favor the current system of adjudication that balances adjudication of the big picture and the fine details. I do see the financial savings in cutting panels back from eight judges to six judges. That would be a 25% reduction in judging costs for flights, transportation, food, housing, etc.
8. Sound Reinforcement Limits
I'm a little curious how this would be measured and enforced. Are they using a decibel meter at the press box or on the front row, because obviously location would significantly change the reading. I worry this rule might make groups lower the volume of their productions significantly out of fear of going over, which could change the dynamics of performances. It would probably help corps that tend to not produce as much sound, by putting a limit on maximum amount of sound.
Bonus: I think there's a way to combine the Scout's weekday show proposal (#2) with Steve Vento's proposal (#8) to measure the dBa audiences produce and convert that into a rank and rate system.
1. Brass Amplification Limitations
It seems like every year there's a new attempt at limiting the use of amplification, and it never passes. The most worrying part to me is the proposal would require each corps to submit a manifest of all amplified moments in the show and then require the music analysis judges to note potential infractions. I'd say music analysis judges have much more important things to be doing than constantly referencing time codes and jotting down notes about mics they think are on or off. I've also listened to plenty of tapes where judges make comments about amplification being too loud during moments when mics aren't on, so I'm not very confident in judges (or anyone's) ability to accurately determine if this rule is being followed or not. Ultimately, I think the activity should continue to let the use of electronics and amplification evolve organically as groups experiment with what works best. Sometimes those ideas succeed and sometimes they fail.
2. Evaluation Structure Innovation:
A very bold name for an idea that keeps coming up over and over in different forms. The interesting part about this one is they want to essentially give fan favorite awards for weekday shows and only judge the weekend shows. This would probably give corps an advantage in their home regions and will certainly help my hometown and undefeated FloMarching Fan Favorite Music City, I really hate the idea of exhibition performances. If a corps thinks they aren't ready to be judged early in June or wants to make changes before a big show, then don't go to the show and spend that time implementing the changes and cleaning.
3. Color Guard Sheet Enhancement
While the proposal doesn't offer any specific changes to the color guard sheet, I worry it could shift the guard sheet too much toward the visual analysis judge's caption and away from the evaluation of skills and achievement that allows caption awards at world championships to so often be split across groups.
4. Any Instrument Policy
I'm a big fan of allowing any instrument. Much like electronics, I'd love to see groups experiment with new instrumentation. Will we see every corps marching 16 flutes? Probably not ever. But I think we will see some exciting new ideas of how to incorporate more musical styles and approaches.
5. Allow for Live Sampling Created in Real Time
Of course this one is proposed by Bluecoats, as only Jon Vanderkolff and the rest of that design and audio team could pull it off. If there's one thing I learned working with Bluecoats Indoor, it's that using electronics and specifically live sampling is a huge risk/reward gamble. Much like amplification and expanded instrumentation, why not let corps take the risk?
6. Rules and Systems Task Force Voted On by the Membership
Absolutely makes sense to allow the 19 member corps elect the task force instead of having them be appointed by the artistic director. However, the artistic director is already appointed by a vote of the member corps, so I'm not sure how dramatically this would change the make of the task force.
7. Scoring System Update
Not surprised by this proposal, as it seems an inevitable extension of last years shifting field judges off the field. In a more dramatic fashion than the guard sheet change proposal listed above, I'd expect this to move the adjudication system away from adjudication actual technical skills and more on the overall production from the box. I tend to favor the current system of adjudication that balances adjudication of the big picture and the fine details. I do see the financial savings in cutting panels back from eight judges to six judges. That would be a 25% reduction in judging costs for flights, transportation, food, housing, etc.
8. Sound Reinforcement Limits
I'm a little curious how this would be measured and enforced. Are they using a decibel meter at the press box or on the front row, because obviously location would significantly change the reading. I worry this rule might make groups lower the volume of their productions significantly out of fear of going over, which could change the dynamics of performances. It would probably help corps that tend to not produce as much sound, by putting a limit on maximum amount of sound.
Bonus: I think there's a way to combine the Scout's weekday show proposal (#2) with Steve Vento's proposal (#8) to measure the dBa audiences produce and convert that into a rank and rate system.
