For all you Drum Corp fans...

[Leland]

2007 Bluecoats- hardest contra book yet.

It was certainly one of the most, "Hey, listen to the contras!"-type books out there. Cadets '91 (where you at, Gary?) was neat, too, playing the 4-over-3 in the opener while anticipating the jam block in the pit.

There have been a bunch of cool contra books out there. I can probably count on Wayne Downey writing nice parts every year (remember his comment in the Brass Roots video about seeing Scouts play "God Bless The Child" for the first time -- "Contras can play that?! Wow!"). Bluecoats isn't Bluecoats without a good contra line, and neither is Phantom. I've also had some ridiculously hard licks to play back in Railmen and where I work now.

I hate having a part get hosed down. I'll make my section play anything that's put in front of us. The blacker the page, the better.

At the other end of the difficulty spectrum, I can't help but laugh to myself when I hear a line play nothing but potato notes for five minutes -- that is, if they're playing at all. I'd have lost my mind by February if I were given a book like that.

[artuba]

I find the term "hardest contra book ever" to be a little vague. I do agree that some books are more challenging and more fun to play than others. Let's face it, some just suck. That's why they haven't been mentioned in this thread.

While I will always have a special place in my heart for Bluecoats, especially the 2007 season, it's not my favorite contra book, sound-wise. That title would probably have to go to a Phantom Regiment from recent memory or a Garfield Cadets from the 80's. The Bluecoats contra book, however, was probably one of the funnest books to play. Even if there was a bad night, the book was still hella-fun to play.

2007 Bluecoats Contra book hardest ever??? I think not. Our main goal in 2007 for the contra line was to get the section playing something not normally heard in the drum corps world, movement in the true low end of the corps. We feel like we accomplished that while also having a hella-fun time with the book.

[tubaguy9]

Last year, we (Pioneer) had a somewhat fun book for the season. I especially liked the contra feature that we had on the Gary Owen ending...And yes, IT WAS ON A G BUGLE!!!!!!!
Although our new Bb Kings are way easier, I still like the G Dynasties we had, just for the sake of being badass...You compare them to the Bb's of today, and they're pretty beastly.
I won't say whether any hornlines had a harder part, because what can add to difficulty of a part is drill, too. But I think the hardest part would be one that is very notey, where the corps is marching all over, and on a G horn.

Warning:Rant
Just my little thing against the Cadets: George Hopkins. I think (and bet) that he was one of those that helped get corps to move to a mixed hornline. Also, due to some of the new rules that he passed, there is speculation that he wants to make DCI into a for-profit, Powerband. This is since he wanted a mic on brass instruments, etc...and also wants a sax in the pit.
Anyways, just my view of things
END rant

As I said, just my perspective.

[KevinMadden]

Warning:Rant
Just my little thing against the Cadets: George Hopkins. I think (and bet) that he was one of those that helped get corps to move to a mixed hornline. Also, due to some of the new rules that he passed, there is speculation that he wants to make DCI into a for-profit, Powerband. This is since he wanted a mic on brass instruments, etc...and also wants a sax in the pit.
Anyways, just my view of things
END rant

As I said, just my perspective.

Heard rumors about these things too... The cadets would make a good marching band

I've actually had the amplified pit rule work in my favor. The Spartans do not amplify their pit. (at least not 4 years ago, now they're in Bb and who knows what else has changed) At one show for some reason some of the pit's cases were out in the pit during a show (I think is was raining before the performance, and everything was covered) The press box percussion judge's tape that night was filled with how much he liked our use of amplified pit, so tasteful, really lets the players hang back and be musical, rather than trying to pound on the instruments and be musical, etc. etc. About 6 minutes in to the tape, the judge says, "oh wait, those are cases and covers, not speakers.....damn" (we won percussion that evening )

[tubaguy9]

Warning:Rant
Just my little thing against the Cadets: George Hopkins. I think (and bet) that he was one of those that helped get corps to move to a mixed hornline. Also, due to some of the new rules that he passed, there is speculation that he wants to make DCI into a for-profit, Powerband. This is since he wanted a mic on brass instruments, etc...and also wants a sax in the pit.
Anyways, just my view of things
END rant

As I said, just my perspective.

Heard rumors about these things too... The cadets would make a good marching band

I've actually had the amplified pit rule work in my favor. The Spartans do not amplify their pit. (at least not 4 years ago, now they're in Bb and who knows what else has changed) At one show for some reason some of the pit's cases were out in the pit during a show (I think is was raining before the performance, and everything was covered) The press box percussion judge's tape that night was filled with how much he liked our use of amplified pit, so tasteful, really lets the players hang back and be musical, rather than trying to pound on the instruments and be musical, etc. etc. About 6 minutes in to the tape, the judge says, "oh wait, those are cases and covers, not speakers.....damn" (we won percussion that evening )

Yeah...George Hopkins just make me unhappy...but then again, I like more of the "old school" style of corps.

[djwesp]

My pick, based of the shows that I have seen or heard, would be Phantom '05. Rhapsody had some killer parts...

Have you heard Phantom '02? Of all the years I marched Regiment, it was probably my favorite contra book. I wasn't a big fan of 05', probably because I spent most of the season on the sidelines (torn anterior tibialis)


As far as contra part "difficulty" goes, even these hard parts aren't too terribly difficult. From 2000-2005 I saw most of the corps' contra books, and nothing in them would be not playable by an intermediate tubist. The difficulty comes in the visual that comes before/after/during these parts. Cleanliness is also paramount and the parts can't be more difficult than can be heard cleanly 50 yards away. You'd also be suprised how certain corps use "tricks" to make things seem more difficult than they are. That's a credit to the designers, especially with the cavaliers, than it is a dog on the performers.


(hopefully gas prices won't kill drum corps...)

[tubaguy9]

Talking of difficulty...Does hardest contra book include the whole brass book?
As far as this year, Pioneer has the hardest brass book, as said by judges...
The conta part? Not that hard, but the pieces we're playing, you all have played all but one before...
Holst suite in Eb
Harkstow Grange (part of Lincolnshire Posy)
Celtic Symphony
Crown Imperial

Familiar music= difficult, 'cause everyone know the stuff.