This week's lesson is a bit of an experiment.
There's a pervasive belief - most likely started by people who can't do what drum corps do - that drum corps are "rigid", or "unmusical", or "filled with jocks".
I heard a lot of this talk at music school. It's hipster hate, and it's almost completely false.
The idea that the very same people who would try to play in perfect unison in percussion ensemble...
...or with a string section in orchestra...
...or in a ballet...
...or with a jazz band...
...would then turn around and criticize a group who straps on drums instead of leaving them on stands, and does the same thing...is narrow-minded beyond words.
Part of the reason I'm "coming in hot" is to head off any potential critique of drum corps from my subscribers.
It's true:
Drum corps is different from drum kit
You don't have to be good at marching to be good at drum kit
If it's not for you, that's fine
But you know what else?
Glenn Kotche and Keith Carlock marched.
Mark Guiliana is fabled to have marched (though I can't confirm that as of writing this).
Even Thomas Pridgen checked out DCI videos to inspire him.
All of which is to say...you should be open minded to drum corps.
And if you already are open-minded to it, great news!
Hot-off-the-presses for drum corps season, I've got a new lesson.
Kyle Tsuchiya, of Bluecoats and Broken City fame, joined me to answer some of the most burning drum corps questions.
(We also got a ton of killer footage of the best drum corps.)
Back next week, same time, same place:)