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COMMENT(S): Point / counter-point: adding a bass-section judge
Published: December 16, 2009
Author: LewAlcindor | (report inappropriate content) |
| This is hilarious. Nobody would step up to put their name and offer the counter-point side for the article, but people are ready to give long-winded opinions under a fake name. I'm going back to basketball... |
Published: December 15, 2009
Author: rutherford | (report inappropriate content) |
| I believe that any performer who develops his/her art to a competitive level deserves to be given feedback and assesed according to measurable standards, whether this is done by a separate adjudicator or by the ensemble or drumming judges with additional preparation and training to give that assesment. I stongly believe the mid-section has evolved and is enhancing the whole musical and dare I say visual presentation of the pipe band art form. Let's try and update the rules and encourage excellence in all the instrument sections of a band. The music is evolving at a fast pace and the regulating bodies should support and nurture this evolution, not hold it back.
Rafael Gutierrez |
Published: December 15, 2009
Author: r12sull | (report inappropriate content) |
| Yikes, touchy subject for sure!
I think I'm leaning towards the con side here, but it's not for lack
of respect to the midsection. I love the way the midsection has developed
in recent years, and, my own band tries to stay on top of these trends.
As a drumming judge, I'm always aware of the midsection, and will comment
on the odd thing here or there (if necessary), but I can't say it ever
becomes a focal point for me. I'm guilty of the "bottom of the sheet one-liners"
too, and, the comment will usually sum up something to do with the phrasing,
rhythmic support or (ocassionally) the weight of the midsection. The fact of the
matter is that there really isn't time for a drumming judge (or ensemble judge,
for that matter) to sit back and "watch", and, comments about volume, voicing,
phrasing, etc is better suited for the ensemble sheet. I wish I could sit back and
watch more often, because I enjoy seeing a great midsection at work. I love how
arm motions can add lift to a strathspey without playing a note. Very cool stuff.
However, I just can't agree with adding a midsection judge, and certainly not
at a 20% split of the results. I think changing the criteria for drumming and
ensemble judges to include more midsections comments might be an option, and
there's a few ways that we could do that.
I will admit that adding a bass/tenor judge would progress the state of the
midsection tenfold around the world. The bands with the more established or
progressive midsections - of which there are relatively few - would hold a huge
competitive advantage, forcing the other bands to follow suit. I just don't know
if that's the answer, though. As it is now, the bands with the stronger midsections
hold a competitive advantage anyway.
Where I live, most bands struggle to have more than a tenor or two, and simply
aren't capable (for reasons mostly out of their control) of putting together a
midsection like we've become accustom to hearing in grade 1. There are bands in
this area that would not be able to compete if we had a required number of tenors.
Maybe a compromise would be midsection competitons in the morning, along the
lines of piping quartets or drum fanfares. Often, the fanfare contest happens
after the last drum solo, with all the drumming judes participating. So, you
get, say, three sheets for your performance. If we had a midsection contest in
this way, the judges would be able to write complete sheets discussing all
aspects of the performance. 1-2 pipers and a snare drummer for accompaniment?
The RSPBA eliminated the "best bass" award a couple years ago, and there was a
time (maybe 15 years ago now?) that they'd considered getting rid of the "best
drum corps" award entirely. The drum corps award was introducted in the 1920's
to encourage drum corps to advance and get away from the standard military
beats of the day. It worked, and the era between the 1st and 2nd World Wars was
perhaps the most progressive and significant time in the history of pipe band
drumming, and subsequently, ensemble.
-Ryan. |
Published: December 15, 2009
Author: Lawrie | (report inappropriate content) |
| 2 or 3 tenor drums can be attached to a single harness (via simple engineering) and played by one person. I've seen it done. Two tenor drummers can therefore produce as much support to a pipe band as 6 can.....but minus any flourishing of course. So, with this in mind, why does this not happen in Tyler's band? Simple answer: he sees the aesthetic ahead of what one hears. This whole push for recognition and “feedback” is nothing more than a push for stand-alone silverware. And, not surprisingly, it is pushed by those who stand to benefit the most from it in terms of recognition and kudos (as if some of the self-promotion that is going on isn’t nearly enough already). The art of tenor drumming is progressing as Tyler would like in spite of the current (and realistic) situation. The majority of it looks and sounds good. There are always exceptions to this, as some flourishing moves look more suited to rhythmic gymnastics than they do a band of people playing music. The argument that a lack of feedback is holding it all back is flawed. The addition of another judge paves the way for a raft of further requests and suddenly we find ourselves bowing and scraping to a loud minority that can break into the top flight in less than one-eighth of the time a piper can (due to the demands of each respective instrument). The obvious solution is to better equip and support the judges, rather than be condescending towards them and suggest they cannot hear what is going on. “To the make of a piper go seven years of his own learning and seven generations before. At the end of his seven years, one born to it will stand at the start of knowledge, and lending a fond ear to the drone, he may have parley with old folks of old affairs.” (Neil Munro-“The lost Piobaireachd”). If some tenor drummers are becoming involved in such a short period of time, and breaking into the top flight in just a few years, celebrate and be grateful for that fact alone, for you know little of how fortunate you are. In summary, I’d still like FMM’s chances at the worlds sans tenor drums. | |
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