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91-615: The Anaheim Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps , commonly referred to as the Anaheim Kingsmen , were a competitive junior drum and bugle corps . Based in Anaheim, California , the corps was a charter member corps of Drum Corps International (DCI) and the first DCI World Champion. The Kingsmen had their origins in the Anaheim Explorer Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, founded by Don Porter in 1958. Practicing on military installations,

182-618: A defined season at all. They practice and perform as they deem necessary or possible. Occasionally such corps make exhibition appearances at DCI or DCA shows. While on tour, junior corps travel mainly at night after leaving the performance venue. Members sleep on the buses and in sleeping bags on gym floors when the next housing destination is reached. Housing for the entire tour is secured in advance through local schools, churches, or other community facilities. Corps practice their shows for as long as possible each day before getting ready to leave for that night's competition if scheduled. Not every day

273-470: A dividing point in the timeline of the two types of drum and bugle corps. Modern drum and bugle corps are a continuation of the classic variety, for all intents and purposes, having the same origins, though some corps in the "classic" model do still exist. Traditionally, drum and bugle corps consisted of bell-front brass horns, field drums , a color guard , and an honor guard . Drum and bugle corps have often been mistaken for marching bands , since there

364-420: A few bass-baritone bugles began to be seen. These larger euphonium-like instruments, pitched like the baritone one octave below the soprano and tenor, added a deep foundation. By 1960, the bass-baritones had largely supplanted the baritones in most corps. One widely applauded and popular 1962 addition was the contrabass , the biggest horn and lowest voice, two octaves below the soprano, which partially rests on

455-545: A fixed payment structure for all participating corps. The second major reason was the desire by the some corps to have more control over their competitive performances. As an example, at the height of the Vietnam War a 1971 show by the Garfield Cadets drew criticisms from VFW organizers over a formation where the corps formed a large peace sign , which angered the staff of that corps over its loss of "artistic freedom". Both

546-436: A fraction of the corps that existed in the 60s and 70s remained, although several new corps, some of which have become very successful, did start up along the way. Freed from the traditional and more-restrictive judging rules of the late 1960s, corps began making innovative changes such as the use of B ♭ brass instruments, wide-ranging tempos, intricate asymmetric drill formations, elaborate guard costumes and props, and

637-400: A glossy sparkle or pearlescent finish. Until 1965, usually only one cymbalist was used in the field corps although two or even three cymbalists were not uncommon, especially on parade. Until 1963, bass drummers used one stick or mallet and provided the foundation note in the battery. But in that year, drum instructors nationwide added two-stick rudimental bass-drumming to their drumlines,

728-454: A historic style adopted from fife and drum corps. While rudimental bass drummers now had more to do, the one-stick bass drummers were often kept on as "foundation bass" or "straight bass" (also as standard bass) drummers. (In the 1930s and 1940s, those corps bass drummers using two mallets were termed as scotch bass drummers.) Until 1965 single tenor drums were commonplace in some corps, the single tenor drum, beaten by 2 soft or hard mallets in

819-417: A marching opportunity for young women. There have, however, been many all-girl and all-male corps throughout drum and bugle corps' rich history, up to the present times. But prior to 1960, there were far more, which provided competitive opportunities for those corps who wished them, often without the touring requirements of today. And some units/areas of the country had mixed-gender corps going back decades. In

910-456: A musical activity which extended the camaraderie of combat to a musical "battle" on (football)-sized fields. The evolution and perceived "politics" of judging, however, has led most "classic" corps to move to exhibition-only performances which not only avoids judging preferences and politics but also cuts the costs of performing and of producing field presentations. Until the 1960s, competitive shows traditionally began with an inspection — owing to

1001-483: A new show each year, approximately 8–12 minutes in length, and refine it throughout the summer tour. Shows are performed on football fields and are judged in various musical and visual categories, or "captions". Musical repertoires vary widely among corps and include symphonic , jazz , big band , contemporary , rock , wind band , vocal , rap , Broadway , and Latin music , among other genres. Competitive junior corps usually spend between 10 and 15 weeks on tour over

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1092-455: A shift towards competition and the AL and VFW both ran successful competition circuits through the late 1960s and early 1970s. With improved national transportation trends by the 1960s, drum and bugle corps proliferated, both in the sheer numbers of both new and established corps across North America, in the many competitions held then, and in the stadium attendance counts. At this time, however, there

1183-398: A single composer's material is featured. Corps have performed virtually every genre of music that can be fit for on-field adaptation, including jazz, new age, classical, and rock music. It is becoming increasingly common to hear the corps performing original music, composed specifically for the corps by their musical staff or consultants. The exclusive use of bell-front brass instrumentation

1274-615: A single harmonic series. Until 1999, drum and bugle corps horn lines within DCI were required to be pitched in the key of G. That year, the DCI rules congress passed a rule change to allow "brass bell-front valve instruments in any key with the exception of sousaphones and trombones." In World Class, the rule did not go into effect until the 2000 season, while Open Class opted for a two-year moratorium prior to implementation in 2002; DCA followed suit in 2004. Hornlines are now most commonly pitched in B ♭ , with mellophones pitched in F. In 2014,

1365-502: A standstill performance. It is similar to that of a marching band , but more in line with military presentation and heritage. Further, perfection of execution is more traditional to drum & bugle corps. A marching band takes instruments which are used indoors and takes them outside in order to participate in outdoor ceremonies. A drum & bugle corps took outdoor instruments and remained outdoors, occasionally going inside for "standstill" concerts. Drum and bugle corps is, traditionally,

1456-404: A weekend. For this reason, and to boost audience attendance, large competitions are more frequently scheduled on weekends. A typical regular-season contest consists of fewer than 10 corps, with corps from one or more classes competing together but scored separately. In North America, DCI and DCA corps occasionally perform at the same shows. DCI also schedules larger contests interspersed throughout

1547-414: A well-run corps is just like a well-run business. It requires many people to handle fiscal and operational responsibilities. There are four levels of staff operating a drum corps: Executive Management , Executive Staff , Instructional , and Volunteer . Each plays an essential role in creating a well-run corps. The executive management consists of the board of directors and the executive director. Often

1638-402: A wide variety of other auxiliary instruments such as hammered dulcimer . Since the keyboard instruments do not project as well as brass or marching percussion, they are often amplified to produce adequate sound. Due to the size of these instruments, the pit typically remains stationary, positioned directly in front of the field and centered on or around the 50-yard line. However, some groups use

1729-448: Is a defining musical element of drum corps. Throughout the years, the horns used in drum corps have been changed from true, single-valved bugles to B ♭ brass instruments. While brass bugles in these competitive drum corps began as military signaling devices, successive modifications made them capable of greater ranges of music. These traditionally valveless, key-of-G bugles evolved to include pistons and rotors, gaining notes beyond

1820-713: Is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments , percussion instruments , electronic instruments , and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations , corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions. Participants of all ages are represented within the corps activity, but the majority are between the ages of 13 and 22 and are members of corps within Drum Corps International. Competitive summer drum corps participate in summer touring circuits, such as Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA) [Now recognized as DCI All-age ] Corps prepare

1911-459: Is a performance day; many days on tour are spent simply traveling to a distant location or entirely on the practice field. A full-sized, adequately funded junior corps will have a fleet of vehicles, including three or more coach buses for members and staff, a truck or van to carry souvenirs that are sold at shows, and two semi-trucks, one for show equipment and one that serves as a kitchen on wheels. Most meals for all members and staff are provided by

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2002-560: Is a similarity to both groups having horns and drums; and they are both essentially bands of musicians that march. The activities are different in organization (marching bands usually associate with high schools and colleges while drum corps are freestanding organizations), competition and performance (marching bands perform in the fall at football games, drum corps usually compete during the summer), and instrumentation (drum corps use only brass bugles and drums, marching bands incorporate woodwinds and other alternative instruments). Within

2093-415: Is another technique used, most often at slower tempos. As an alternative, there are four major groups which utilize a bent leg technique ( Santa Clara Vanguard , Madison Scouts , Pacific Crest , and Guardians), in which the feet come off of the ground and move in a bicycle type motion. Marching technique programs have largely been inspired by dance technique. Terminology from ballet and high school band

2184-517: Is divided by two is divided by two The timing and organization of contests varies significantly from circuit to circuit. Only large DCI corps typically have the funding and time commitment from members to participate in DCI's touring circuit, where corps spend the majority of the summer traveling around the continent performing at different local and regional contests. In other circuits, and for smaller DCI corps, competitions are usually scheduled to allow corps to travel, perform, and return home within

2275-536: Is to drums which retain the Golden Age's unique sound. The color guard and non-musical marching members in drum & bugle corps largely developed out of military honor guards. Over the years, some corps have included baton majors and majorettes — but largely, the auxiliary units have consisted of tall flag carriers (8' foot pikes), rifles (developed from military rifle drill teams) and saber squads. The drum & bugle corps still maintains an honor squad, consisting of

2366-551: Is used to describe foot placement and positioning, and members of the color guard and hornline often jazz run in order to maintain upper body stability when moving at fast tempos with large step sizes. While performances and competitions only occur during the summer, preparation for the next season starts as soon as the last one ends. Corps activity of some sort goes on year-round. Months in advance of next season's first camp, corps begin assembling their staffs, choosing their musical repertoires, writing drill, etc. For junior corps,

2457-457: The American Legion . Owing to many of these groups' roots, corps were traditionally militaristic. By the late 1960s, many corps wanted more creative freedom and better financial compensation than was offered by their sponsoring organizations. Some felt the prize-money structures, based on competitive placement, were not fairly compensating all corps for their appearances. Additionally, some felt

2548-580: The Anaheim Angels . In late 1971, the Kingmen became a founding member of Drum Corps International. However, 1972 got off to a rocky start, when founder Don Porter suddenly resigned as director. With rumors of the corps' demise spreading around the country, the corps reorganized under interim directors Don Wells and Don Linscott. Starting late, the corps spent six weeks of hard work to put their show together before departing on their national tour. The corps won both

2639-509: The Fourth of July weekend, corps often locate themselves in large metro areas so they can participate in more than one parade. Competitions are usually held at college or high school football stadiums or similar venues, and are scored by circuit-approved judges. Most circuits follow the three-caption system of General Effect (GE), Visual, and Music, with GE carrying the most weight. This is the scoring system currently used by DCI (others are similar):

2730-588: The Madison Scouts ), Elks lodges, YMCAs , the Catholic Youth Organization , Police Athletic Leagues (such as would found the Bluecoats ), fire fighter organizations, and local businesses, as well as Churches , grammar schools , high schools and colleges . By far, Church-sponsored organizations predominated the drum corp circuits in the eastern coast states. In addition, the touring concerts of

2821-672: The drum and bugle band of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada regiment of the Canadian Army Primary Reserve , which by then was among the pioneer bands of that type in North America, would also be an inspiration for the formation of early military and civil corps in the 1910s and 1920s, spurred on with the 1934 formation of what is now today the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps . Rivalries between corps led to

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2912-454: The 1880s, and no less than John Philip Sousa saw their potential, for these formations he wrote his first book, Trumpet and Drum , which included his own compositions for such formations. In addition to VFW- and AL-sponsored corps, other drum corps were founded by Boy Scouts of America troops (such as the corps that would become the modern-day corps: the Racine Scouts , The Cavaliers and

3003-637: The 1990s. The Kingsmen Alumni Corps returned the Kingsmen name to the field in 2007, making several appearances, including a performance at the DCI Semifinals at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on August 10. Source : At the annual World Championship Finals, Drum Corps International (DCI) presents awards to the corps with the high average scores from prelims, semifinals, and finals in five captions. Prior to 2000 and

3094-462: The Combine and Drum Corps International demanded that corps themselves should control rulemaking decisions. The VFW and American Legion rules differed to a degree (although American Legion rules predominated in nearly every contest) and pressure increased to find a common judging system. Concerns were also voiced over contest promoters' rights in choosing sponsors and judges, and complaints arose regarding

3185-460: The DCI Board of Directors passed a rule change that changed their definition of a bugle to allow the entire brass family, including trombones and concert French horns. The percussion section consists of two subsections: the front ensemble (also known as "pit") and the battery (also known as the "drumline"). Front ensemble members perform on orchestral percussion , electronic instruments , and

3276-617: The G-D-F# bugles. Slide-piston and/or rotor-piston bugles were common into the mid-1970s, and many non-competitive parade corps still existed that used straight bugles and single-valved models. Manufacture of horizontal-piston bugles ceased in the 1990s, as most bugles were being sold to DCI drum corps, which legalized two-valved vertical piston instruments in 1977 and three-valved instruments in 1987. The main advantages of horizontal-valved one-piston-with-slide and/or piston-rotor bugles include: Additions to drum and bugle corps voicings occurred in

3367-550: The Kingsmen left the field after the 1988 season. The Kingsmen organization relocated to Stanton in 1989 and reorganized their bingo operation, which continued to raise money for the group for at least another dozen years. They purchased a building in Garden Grove for use as a corps hall. The Kingsmen continued to sponsor percussion ensembles and winter guards for competition in Winter Guard International during

3458-671: The U.S. Open in Marion, Ohio and the CYO Nationals in Boston before arriving in Whitewater, Wisconsin for the inaugural DCI World Championships. The Kingsmen placed third in the preliminary competition, behind Santa Clara Vanguard and Blue Stars , but vaulted past both corps in Finals to win the first-ever DCI title. The Kingsmen were very successful in 1972, with a score of 88.15, the highest score at

3549-489: The adoption of the current scoring format, the Anaheim Kingsmen won these captions: High Color Guard Performance Award High Brass Performance Award High Percussion Performance Award Drum and bugle corps (classic) The term "classic" is used for the purposes of this article to differentiate it from modern drum and bugle corps , using the time period of the establishment of Drum Corps International as

3640-472: The board are unpaid volunteers. This group is almost always long-standing within successful corps. They create the long-term vision and strategy for the organization, handling the financial, operational, and organizational issues to keep the corps running. The board of directors may be composed of alumni and other closely affiliated people. They hire the Executive (operational) Director who is responsible for hiring

3731-478: The center of attention, and visually reinforce the choreography. As visual programs have increased in complexity, corps have developed and formalized various movement techniques, the goal of each being the achievement of fluid, consistent movements that allow for precise musical technique at all tempos, step sizes, and directions. Given that instrument-wielding members most often face toward the audience (for maximum sound projection), marching technique must not affect

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3822-443: The championships are often the only time all corps in a class compete together. Some circuits also organize optional individual and ensemble (I&E) competitions for individuals or groups from corps to showcase members' skills outside the field performance environment. These are usually held only once or twice per season at championships or a major regional contest. Members practice their routine(s) in their scant free time throughout

3913-431: The color guard has become a crucial part of each group's visual and thematic program. Standard equipment includes silk flags, non-functioning rifles, and sabres, and other objects like bare poles, hoops, balls, windsocks, and custom-made props are sometimes used to create visual effects that enhance the show. The primary role of the color guard is to complement the corps' musical program by creating visual interpretations of

4004-448: The cook truck, but occasionally corps have scheduled free days where there are no rehearsals or performances and the members are free to see some local sights and procure their own meals. Competitions are not the only performances that corps partake in while on tour. Most corps also participate in parades and standstill performances throughout the summer to gain further public exposure and to supplement their budget with performance fees. On

4095-603: The corps and its members adopted a very military style, even when out of uniform. In 1963, the Explorer Scouts corps split into two new corps: the Kingsmen and the Velvet Knights . By the late 1960s the corps, nicknamed "The Blue Machine" was touring nationally and became a contender for major national titles in the early '70s. The corps at this time was financially sound, having a strong parents' support group and corporate sponsorship from Disneyland , Knott's Berry Farm , and

4186-421: The corps in all venues. Early in the 20th Century, commands were usually issued either through a mace or baton, and/or with whistle signals. Eventually this evolved into vocal commands and manual signals, although military units still maintain the baton-signaling methods. A drum and bugle corps performance consists of the playing of music, usually accompanied by marching on parade, in field-drill formation(s) or in

4277-413: The corps into a concert formation (usually played standing still). Then, an "out of concert number" follows. There is the "exit" piece off the field — the opposite sideline, followed by the final fanfare, often but not always played at a standstill. The corps then reconfigures into a single or double file and proceeds to "troop the stands" - marching from the audience's right to its left in columns close to

4368-405: The corps that remained, longer travel times were necessary to attend the shrinking numbers of contests, further adding to the financial and time demands on the organizations and their individual members. At the same time costs for the increasingly complex field shows mounted and creative and instructional demands rose leading many competitive corps to falter and become inactive. By the late 1990s only

4459-600: The corps went inactive in 1975 to try to reorganize its finances. After their return to the field in 1976, the Kingsmen were no longer a contender, touring and attending DCI for only three years before again going inactive, this time for four years. The corps returned to DCI competition from 1982 to 1986, but never placed higher than 28th. The corps then restricted itself to local West Coast performances in Class A60, with some success, but, after losing their drum line to another corps and their fully loaded equipment trailer to thieves,

4550-525: The corps' country's National Flag and "protectors", or "sidearms". Often, the honor squad will contain rifle or saber carriers, or carriers of sponsors/posts' flags and if needed, the honorary flags of the corps' past championships. Sometimes the "sidearm" member is just that — someone who sports a gun holster. In the 1960s and prior, most color guards tended to be small, consisting of a few squads. As most big corps — again, with exceptions — were often all-male, many color guards were all-female in order to provide

4641-411: The corps' military heritage — to ensure all on the field were qualified to compete, and that the uniforms and equipment were presentable according to standards. Scoring was done by circuit-approved judges which considered performance and overall effect in both music and movement. Classic-era drum and bugle corps emphasized the stages of their presentations (beginning, middle and end) by their location on

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4732-650: The current judging rules were stifling musical and theatrical possibilities. At the peak of North American drum corps participation (with perhaps a thousand active corps in the U.S. and nearly as many in Canada), several corps decided to "unionize", as stated by Don Warren (founder of the Cavaliers ). They formed their own organizations, which ultimately led to the formation of Drum Corps Associates (DCA) in 1965 and Drum Corps International (DCI) in 1972. By this time, many corps had already lost their church or community sponsors. For

4823-515: The end of World War I, advancements in radio technology rendered using drum and bugle corps for communication obsolete. When the war concluded in 1918, there was no longer a need for these instruments. The instruments were sold to veteran organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the newly founded American Legion (AL) . These veteran organizations would become the first sponsors of civilian drum and bugle corps. The veteran's initial goal

4914-417: The end of the minimum time permitted for the field performance.) The corps might perform an "opening fanfare", followed by an "off the line" number which takes the corps to mid-field. The next traditional number is a "color presentation" or "color pre" (presenting the national flag according to the flag code ). Following the presentation of the colors is an "into concert" or "park and Bark" piece which takes

5005-403: The executive staff, the instructional staff, and recruiting volunteers. The executive staff usually includes the operational office staff, the program director(s) and tour director(s) who run the day-to-day operational needs of the organization. The instructional staff puts the show on the field. They create the concept of the show, choose and arrange the music, write the drill, and instruct

5096-444: The field. A performance typically begins with the corps stepping "off the line" (the left goal line on a standard American football field). The corps signals its readiness to the audience and judges by a drum major's salute. At the first step or note of music, the timekeeper will fire a timing pistol to designate the official start of post-inspection judging.(The timing pistol will be used again as an eleven-minute warning to designate

5187-529: The following example from the All-American Judging Association: To many, the late 1960s marked a high point in American drum corps activity and participation. Based on a meeting in 1970, a group of five corps of that era met to organize a by-invitation-only cooperative group that took on the working title of "The Combine". Drum and bugle corps (modern) A modern drum and bugle corps

5278-449: The formations made by the performers on the field. Modern drill formations are much more complex and dynamic than the drill formations of early drum corps. Traditional blocks, company fronts, and symmetrical formations — while still utilized occasionally for impactful moments — have largely given way to more abstract and artistic designs. Drill writing at large is meant to keep instrumental sections together, put featured members at

5369-567: The front ensemble in creative ways by moving them around the field or putting them in different locations. A full-size front ensemble typically features 10 to 15 members. Members of the battery perform on marching percussion instruments, including snare drums , tenor drums (also known as "quads", "quints", or "tenors"), tonal bass drums , and cymbals. A full-size battery typically features 7–10 snare drummers, 3–6 tenor drummers, 5-6 bass drummers, and sometimes cymbal players, which tends to be 4-6 players in size. In modern drum corps,

5460-498: The hornline to be able to achieve the desired Bugle Low A, and in the mid-1960s a bass-baritone rotor to E was briefly offered. By 1967, the American Legion Uniformed Groups Rules Congress approved a mutual request by a number of instructors and managers to permit G-F-F# piston-rotor bugles in competition. This lighter bugle is able to achieve better intonation and a more complete chromatic scale than

5551-447: The hornline. Being visually oriented, guard members are not as bound to facing the front sideline, and may face any direction at any time as dictated by choreography. The most common backward marching technique requires balancing on one's platform (visually seen as the 'toes' and keeping the heels off the ground), which is especially effective at faster tempos. The reverse the heel–toe roll step, allowing for heel–ground contact

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5642-488: The key of G, American drum & bugle corps evolved in that key. However, some members in some corps wished to add more notes to their brass repertoire. Some corps in the 1920s added D crooks on some horns in order to play more complicated songs in two lines, similar to a handbell ensemble . Ludwig added the first valve to a bugle to make the G-D horn-in-one, wisely making the valve horizontal rather than vertical in order to preserve

5733-501: The lack of self-governance of competition circuits. The dissenters also expressed reservations about the increasing numbers of independent non-corps-sponsored competitions. Some corps managers, directors and instructors walked out of the 1969 VFW national rules committee meeting after their requests for major rules changes were not approved, and some of the protesting participants then formed the by-invitation-only (and short-lived) Midwest Combine in 1971. In 1972, Drum Corps International

5824-411: The late 1940s and early 1950s, inventive buglers across the country took to sanding one of the tuning slides so it could be used like a trombone slide. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, the slide was sometimes replaced with a half-tone rotary valve to F#, which allowed for nearly a full chromatic scale to be played. Some bass-baritones were equipped with full-tone rotary valves to F in order for some of

5915-408: The latter half of its season. These are restricted to corps in specific classes and feature many (if not all) of the corps within each class. European circuits, such as DCUK, operate on a "minimum performance and lot" system: appearance at the first two shows of the year is determined by lot, and then the corps must appear in a minimum number of shows before the circuit's championships. In such a system,

6006-481: The look and handling of the straight bugle (and to make it more difficult to spot by unobservant judges in circuits which had not yet legalized the valve). The single horizontal valve allowed the diatonic scale to be played by each bugle. While those of the Army sported tabards of their reporting units or commands, only several civil corps carried the tabards of their affiliated organization on their bugles. The acceptance of

6097-431: The main grandstands while saluting, to the accompaniment of the drumline . Rarely, the bugles may offer an encore tune at this time. The corps members then will be at liberty until the final corps is on the field, and then will again muster for the massed "retreat" ceremony at which all the participating corps re-enter the field simultaneously, each usually in its own parade formation as only one corps "plays them on". As

6188-508: The mainland United States drum and bugle corps can trace their origins to the many Veterans of Foreign Wars ("VFW") and American Legion ("AL") meeting halls, where First World War and Spanish–American War veterans met and formed musical ensembles to entertain their communities, some of them being veterans of drum and bugle/field trumpet ensembles within the armed forces (Army, Marine Corps and Navy). The tradition of these military ensembles would later be adopted by civilian groups beginning in

6279-469: The members have been chosen and camps are held more frequently as the beginning of the summer touring season approaches. Most junior corps require their non-local members to secure temporary housing (often with local members or a vacant dormitory) near the corps' rehearsals facilities around Memorial Day weekend. For most of May and into June (as college and high school classes end), full-day rehearsals are held virtually every day so members can finish learning

6370-402: The members on their technique. The staff consists of brass, percussion, guard, and visual instructors who are most often alumni of the corps or other corps. A well-funded World Class corps usually has 15-20 full-time instructors. Just as members, they attend winter camps and travel with the corps all summer long. Volunteers are the lifeblood of any corps. Parents, alumni, friends, and fans make

6461-494: The mid-1930s with the popularity of the baritone bugle , pitched one octave below the soprano . The tenor bugle also came into use at about this time, and although it was pitched in the soprano range, its slightly larger bore offered a darker, almost cornet-like and more robust tone. The tenor bugle fell from general favor by 1960 though they remained in bugle catalogs. French horn bugles became popular by mid-century, serving as bridges between sopranos and baritones. By 1950

6552-414: The modern era, now that gender is culturally less divisive and the requirements of corps memberships being military veterans (to a certain percentage) is uncommon, sections are much more rarely limited by gender. Mostly during the late 1960s, flag lines in particular mushroomed in size. During the days of execution drill, wherein yard lines on football fields were more rare and optional, the color guard often

6643-477: The movement of change under new leadership, and by the mid-1970s the rapid introduction and proliferation into competitive drum and bugle corps of previously-unfamiliar innovations (on-field dancing, creative costuming, novelty effects and unusual instrumentation) effectively ended the Classic competitive era. With the widespread use of the 1892 Army field trumpet , which was actually a "straight" (valveless) bugle in

6734-823: The music and marching drill of the show. This pre-season "spring training" is usually 3–4 weeks long. It is not uncommon for members to rehearse 10–14 hours a day, 6–7 days a week throughout the entire pre-season. In mid to late June, corps leave to begin their summer tours. For all-age (formerly senior) corps, the process is not quite as grueling. Since most members have lives outside of drum corps, senior corps rehearse on weekends and occasionally on weekday evenings. Rather than extensive tours, senior corps usually take weekend trips to perform in shows, and make longer trips only to regional championships and finals. Many smaller DCI corps and foreign corps have similar itineraries. Non-competitive corps, such as classic-style corps, alumni corps, or newly aspiring corps might not have

6825-431: The music and motion halts, the field announcer summons the corps' commanding officers to center front, recognitions are made, and lastly the scores (if this was a judged contest) are announced. Each corps then marches off individually with its own music in order of placement, and the winning corps often remains, continuing to perform. The type of competitive rules drum and bugle corps used to compete under are exemplified by

6916-422: The music through choreographed dance. The color guard can also enhance the overall drill design by marching in formations that integrate with the rest of the corps. However, the color guard most often performs as an ensemble that frames the rest of the corps or performs within the drill formations of the corps proper. Like all other sections of the corps, the guard often features solo work. Drill formations refer to

7007-415: The rigidity of members' upper torsos. Although most horn players are able to follow this technique, members of the battery must keep their entire bodies facing forward at all times due to the nature of their equipment. This has led to the invention of the "crab walk" or oblique, where the legs cross over one another to facilitate sideways motion; the technique is used mostly by battery, but in rare instances by

7098-418: The season is a very intense process. Most corps begin having camps on or around Thanksgiving Day weekend and continue having monthly weekend camps throughout the winter. Potential members travel far and wide—literally from around the world—to attend the camps of their favorite corps. Membership in the top corps are highly competitive and are generally determined during the first few camps. By spring,

7189-469: The season. Most corps are operated as or by dedicated non-profit organizations; very few are associated with schools or for-profit entities. Some corps are even parts of larger non-profit performance arts organizations, which might also include theater groups, winter guards , winter drumlines , and other various musical or visual activities. In Europe, many are also registered charities, assisting with their fundraising aims. Despite their non-profit status,

7280-496: The shoulder. The mellophone or mellophonium was introduced soon after, and was quickly popular for its capability of soaring above the rest of the bugle section. However it did not supplant the French horn , which remained the dominant middle voice. Other less-popular bugle types introduced in the 1960 included herald trumpet bugles , euphoniums , pistonless slide sopranos and piccolo bugles or "angel bugles" pitched an octave above

7371-497: The single-valved bugle took some time. Originally, the American Legion required that valved bugles have screws to allow the valve to be locked onto either the G or D open scale during certain competitions. Some smaller corps had straight bugles even into the 1960s, and there are still some corps, bands and other groups who continue to use straight bugles or G-D piston bugles to this day, as entire horn lines or as bugle sections. In

7462-602: The sopranos. The valve-rotor bugle remained popular until the late 1970s, when rules changes moved toward two-valve upright bugles. Classic corps drum lines of the 1950s and 1960s used fewer exotic percussion instruments and relied instead on the stadium-filling power of a traditional line (or " battery ") consisting of six or eight 12-inch-deep (300 mm) by 15-inch-wide (380 mm) double-tension maple snare and tenor drum shells and two or occasionally three 26-inch-wide (660 mm) by 12-inch-deep (300 mm) bass drums with an ornamental shell covering of hard plastic in

7553-461: The summer, practicing and performing full-time. The term "modern" is used for the purposes of this article to differentiate it from classic drum and bugle corps , using the time period of the establishment of Drum Corps International as a dividing point in the timeline of the two types of drum and bugle corps. Modern drum and bugle corps stems from a rich American and Canadian military history, separate from other marching musical activities. Towards

7644-412: The time in the finals. The team arrived a day late to the finals in 1973 and performed the same arrangement, earning a 13 point penalty as a result. This, combined with the expense of staying at a motel before Finals and the loss of Don Porter's financial abilities put the corps into financial distress. They continued to challenge in DCI for only two more years, finishing 6th in 1973, and 3rd in 1974, before

7735-542: The tradition of British corps of drums, served in the same role as the snare drums but without the snares below. The action of beating the mallets was following the British, Dutch or US Marine Corps practice, in which the tenor drummers played their drums as either flourishing tenors following British precedence or rhythm tenors similar to snares. The first multiple tenor drums appeared in 1966 and would be adopted by many corps in later years. A few corps even mounted glockenspiel in

7826-465: The use of stationary orchestral percussion instruments. A few corps still utilize the traditional G bugle which is very rarely found in DCI marching units. A typical show usually revolves around one genre of music, or sometimes melds separate genres together. Modern corps' programs have become increasingly conceptual and programmatic, with overarching show themes rather than loosely related musical selections. Often, especially within classical selections,

7917-529: The vertical bell lyre form as part of their percussion unit. The older-type, less-expensive and lighter single-tension drums, such as most corps used through the 1940s, were most often ordered for novice and feeder "cadet" corps. Until 1956, drum heads were of stretched unborn calfskin , but beginning in 1957 the Ludwig Drum Company introduced mylar drum heads that gave a crisper sound and were impervious to damp weather. The movement in classic corps

8008-558: Was an integral part of drill "dress" (positioning by sight, interval and direction). Unlike the color guard, drill teams or honor guards in the DBCs of the 1960s were male-dominated, with mock rifles and sabres used. The field leader in drum & bugle corps is called a drum major . Some corps appoint more than one, but there is usually one designated chief drum major who leads the corps in both marching direction and musical direction. Traditional corps drum majors are effective showmen who command

8099-534: Was finding ways to engage with their communities while maintaining a connection to military traditions and values. Drum and bugle corps became the perfect vehicle for adapting military musical traditions to civilian life. Beginning after World War I through the 1970s, corps and competitions were often sponsored by the VFW, Boy Scout troops , churches, fire departments, Rotary clubs , the Royal Canadian Legion , and

8190-450: Was founded, and was designed to create one uniform, corps-governed competitive circuit for junior drum and bugle corps (members aged twenty-one or less). DCI formed its own rules-governing body and enacted membership fees causing further disparity between startup drum corps and more professional units. This milestone event marked the beginning of the modern drum corps era. Most of the still-numerous North American competitive corps joined in

8281-454: Was unrest among some directors and instructors who were critical of the competition-rules committees of the veterans' organizations which governed and sanctioned state and national championship competitions. The payment structure for shows was weighted so that the corps with the highest placement got the most prize money; corps who attended shows from great distances but placed poorly were at times left with financial losses, and some corps sought

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