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Totally agree with this! At this year's Drums Along the Rockies show, the percussion judge to an admirable extent did go out onto the field to judge the drum line. It was so noticeable, I wondered if the rules had been changed back.

On field judges were always a hype as a member.

I believe the argument was also made that drill was getting more complicated as well, which is definitely true. It's a lot harder for judges to follow on field that it used to be. Also, despite members not being injured, judges have definitely been injured on the field during shows. That being said, definitely agreed that it doesn't seem quite right. P1 and P2 sounds like a much better option, and judges can definitely do a better job of getting out in front of the battery and the front.

Make Judging Great Again🤝

FE bias warning One tangential thing I felt as a former member… the FE doesn’t really contribute to the visual score, so often it felt like our overall score was out of my hands. (It’s even worse in wgi, where my performance could only affect 60/100 possible points) With that in mind, is it really that bad that front ensembles contribute a bit more to the perc music score than the battery because the judges are on the sideline? It’s literally all we do all summer and the battery at least affects the vis caption so their effort still matters more in the end

I agree.

ALL FAX NO PRINTER! 📢

The only part of member safety that I believe is going to be a top concern is Heat. Global warming is going to bring this activity down more than anything else in the foreseeable future, corps are already rehearsing less due to record setting temps summer after summer. Wondering how many seasons we’ll have left… I aged out in 2016 so On-field judges is all I know. Bring em back!

I think it was 2014 that an on field judge actually gave a snare drummer their drum back when it fell off the harness so they could finish playing the show which I think was pretty awesome

100% agree. and i just want to add how incredibly invaluable the judge's tape itself was, as a document/record of a line's final product on the field. of course it doesn't catch everything--that's impossible with just one judge on the field, but the judge's tape offered real proof of a drumline's mettle, on the field, when it really mattered. the tape was the purest, least refutable evidence of a line's quality of sound, and offered a way to settle differences of opinion. you think 93 cadets' line was cleaner that star? well, let's check the tape! there was just no better way, other than storming the field yourself during finals and running around with the corps, to hear what the line actually sounded like. and i still love to go back to those tapes! it's a rush to listen to, like, charlie poole or glen crosby lose their shit over a perfectly executed roll. it's part of the culture. and now that's gone. but beyond denying this critical artifact of a corp's ultimate product, i just find the whole thing and the way they went about it really insulting? like, each and every drummer who marches pours everything they have into being the best musician they can be alongside their brothers and sisters in the line. really prioritizing/acknowledging the importance of being clean, of being able to determine who is piss clean vs who is just regular clean means the world to them--that was the whole game, you know? and im not necessarily talking about scores, right? scores are one thing, but more than that, i feel like everyone involved in the activity claimed that execution at the highest levels was the name of the game--until it just, wasn't? "oh yeah, that whole thing about caring who is the cleanest line? yeah not so much...we're just not doing that anymore. oh, but don't worry, we'll still let the judges stand on the sideline." like, what? i dunno yall, it just feels like a stab in the back sometimes, and more than amps or samples, props or show length, i feel like this change really threatens/damages what this activity is all about.

I agree. I recently saw this. But, I watched Prosperie recently and he’s running back and forth often.

Colin did 4's back in 2005 I believe with the Madison Scouts

Just listened to a tape (undisclosed judge) where they said “man I wish I was back there to hear all that” which implies the judges inability to not just evaluate, but even just hear the beats. To me, that restriction / prevention of a judge to make a conscious decision to position himself in a good spot to evaluate is a problem. I understand member safety is a key goal here but I think a compromise can be found. As someone who marched before, during, and after the removal of P1/P2, there was a noticeable shift in how I felt programs as a whole were being evaluated and the accuracy (or rather inaccuracy) of the tapes. It felt like 60-70% of the book could’ve been played perfectly or been a dumpster fire and would’ve had little to no affect on the analysis or score, as opposed to turning around in the middle of a run and gun movement and seeing J Pro or Pipitone sniffing your taps all the way through a brass pass-through. That level of constant engagement from a judge really brought an edge and focus to performance that I feel has gotten lost to some degree. Being able to execute with professionalism and composure at the most tired, nervous, and effort-demanding part of the show is as valuable to me as the cool lick you play behind the sideline and practice the majority of every day. Long story short I think P1/P2 was a great way to split the responsibilities of listening for content/ clarity/ front to back alignment etc, while also having a checks and balances within the perc score and be able to corroborate clarity on the field with clarity up front. I also say this as unbiased as possible, the group I am affiliated with is currently doing pretty well in percussion at the moment so the argument that I’m complaining because my horse isn’t winning the race is invalid. 🙂 That being said, I do believe competitive success is a by-product of your character and excellence outside of the performance field and even outside of the rehearsal field. It shouldn’t be your sole motivator for doing this activity. There are a lot of factors both in and out of your control that must align for you to win. If you chase that and only that, you are going in the wrong direction. The most rewarding person to compete and win against is yourself. Being a better person and member everyday and creating a culture and environment that encourages excellence is what makes a “winning” drumline. Now having a good judge system to recognize that is nice too haha

This line doesn’t get the credit they deserve for having the maturity and discipline to nail sooooo many cold attacks, re-attacks, and front-to-back stabs. The risk is beyond ballsy, and that’s why the Bluecoats are the Bluecoats. Because 95% of other groups would fall apart trying to put such an intricate and ballsy show on the field. Yet the Bluecoats make it look so easy that we forget how hard it all really is.

Bring back judges on the field.

I've actually never been a fan of a judge on the field because they're invariably always missing something. I watched drum corps for decades where the judge is stuck on the field and is missing out on a cool front ensemble moment, and vice versa. As a show designer/arranger myself, that used to drive me nuts, especially since you spent countless hours refining the show and some judge is hanging out with the wrong section at the wrong time. When I do judge percussion (albeit high school), I prefer to be in the stands so I can take it all in. I can quickly jump to wherever I need to be with my eyes and ears, rather than sprinting here and there, only to just miss something because I didn't make it in time. Having a judge on the field assumes that the battery has their moments and the pit has theirs and never shall the two meet. Yes, I also understand that it's impossible to read everything, especially when the battery is close to the back hash, BUT, I think being in the stands is maybe the lesser of two evils in the "readable" category. I do agree with y'all that shows are too long--put a 10-min. cap on it!

And bring back P1 and P2!!!

Best part of the day 7 1/2

I absolutely love Boston again this year for the same reasons I have the previous two. That said, I definitely enjoyed the previous two years' writing more than this year's. While their lot videos have always been deadly clean, it seems from my experience watching them at Finals the past two years they've had difficulty maintaining that cleanliness on the field. I haven't seen much of this year's show on the field but will be seeing them at Finals. Super excited for them and would love for them to take the drum trophy if they earn it!

The biggest problem with drum crops are themselves, it just feels soulless without judges on the field. These kids are pouring their hearts into beats that aren’t even being heard or seen because of the judge/FloMarching camera issues. These changes should be in favor of the kids, not the adults who aren’t on the field.

Prosperie is awesome. He's enjoying it as much as the kids. Sad that is gone.

Agreed! Side note: does anyone know how long Allan Kristiansen has been a DCI percussion judge?? He was there in 2000, my first year marching and I still see him out there judging now. Definitely one of the greats.

DCI.. The percussion community is BEGGING you!

A comment for the code!

Idea… have a drone follow the battery. Judge watches on a monitor with headphones.

I agree with this. There is no way to properly judge each drumline after seeing the show for the first time if you're stuck on the front sideline. You're trying to listen to the line 50 yards away while they're covered by a wall of sound from the hornline it just isn't possible to critique them the same way. There is also a clip of the percussion judge being trapped by the front ensemble during a BAC show since he can't move past the front sideline and the hornline encircled him. Limiting the judges mobility isn't the way to go

Phantom was great in Murfreesboro at MTSU last night !!I recorded it from three rows up on the 50 above the wall through aisle. The percussion projected really well last night. It was a beautiful night for drum corps : 78° degrees 57 percent humidity and very comfortable. The corps defeated Crown for the first time since Murfreesboro 2016 I believe. SUTA Ondraus Cissell 1984 Phantom Regiment percussion member 1985-1986, 1990-1993 Phantom Regiment percussion staff member

20:00 you’re correct - really strong front ensemble. Multiple times where the vibes are in on big runs with four in the hand instead of just chords/octaves over top of the marimba runs. That definitely bumps up some of the clarity/blend that the snare line is still achieving. Love this ensemble product. Boston and SCV has my favorite battery, but Bluecoats and Phantom have fantastic percussion ensembles. Great analysis as always, guys.

You can easily have a staff member who knows the show with the percussion judge on the field with. Not to tell them exactly where to go, but to make sure that they are safe for big drill moves or if they might back up to a guard member.

I never understood why the field judge change was made. There were no instances where the judge actually interfered and injured a member of a corps. I personally think of the time in 2014 when crown dropped a drum on the field and the judge picked it up running across the field to give it back and listen to them nearly all the way out on the far sideline. Judges can’t do their job properly this way.

For the algorithm. ✊

What’s my favorite Metallica song? Why of course: BATTERY! BAT-TER-RY!

Hard disagree. Shows are not too long, show designers have just been up their own rear ends for the last decade or so. The problem is Blue Devils have been winning year after year with crazy esoteric shows so everyone is trying to chase points on the judges sheet like them. The difference is not everyone has the talent pool of BD so those shows come off as less engaging since you are not getting the same visual and brass appeal so people just sit there in confusion. I think very few people would argue the Phantom's show is too long, or say Troopers 22, BK 15, Crown 16. All non winning shows that people will remember for a long time. TLDR; Corps just need to go back to designing shows for the fans instead of points on a sheet.

i think this team's battery is playing with really nice blend and clarity, but this book just seems so...inconsequential, to the show. they're kind of just...there, in the middle-of-the-road, not really taking any risks, or really even making much of an attempt to move me, communicate very much to me, as an audience member? there are 2-3 cool moments, i suppose--the tenor/front ensemble synchronization is dope, but this book mostly forgettable, to me. a top 6 line, but its hard to see how a judge would justify awarding a sanford--esp since the line is very often back/midfield throughout the show? as a corps, i think this show idea is interesting, but they scored a 94 last night, and it's not even august, and that's kind of ridiculous, to me.

I like to sum up blue devils beats as being hard as hell to clean up and learn but really really fun to play when you know it

It’s not that they’re too long, it’s that most of them suck now. Designers have gotten lazy and there’s not enough money to go around. So the small corps are struggling to put shows on the field let alone shows that will entertain you. And the elite corps aren’t what the used to be. No uniforms, no exciting drill, etc.

I’m glad you did a full ensemble react video.

For me, the big plus in this book is the front to back which definitely translates much better in the context of the actual show versus a lot video. In terms of actual battery content, this is pretty simple compared to what Blue Devils and Boston are doing.

Y'all saw my comment. Nice I knew it

Their snare line sounds a little bit "fuzzy" still...is it the tuning of the drums? I know that sometimes I'd try to tune my snare lines a bit lower in order to hide them. ...also I've become a Huge Bluecoats fan in the last 3 years! I LOVE the show this year!

I feel like their battery roughness came from timing and re-attacks per say, like imo they play consistent stuff really well (trip rolls) and if they tighten up maybe they can snag a top 3 top 2 (first would go crazy).

That Mario impression at 14:45 was amazing Evan 😂😂😂

12:44 my fav part of the show, perhaps I’m biased being a fan of Adam Neely and Sungazer.

I'm not a percussionist but I've got pretty good ears for music and I hear percussion writing thats willing to give up points on the percussion sheets to gain GE and Music scores. When I hear Boston I hear a concerted effort to win the percussion sheets but with the Bluecoats I hear writing thats completely commited to making the entire show/corps better. The other thing that impresses me, and I commented the exact same thing on your 2023 Bluecoats percussion video, is that I know exactly where I am in the show while I listen along to this because the percussion writing is so integrated with the rest of the corps.

So fresh & so clean.👏🏼

Best part of the day pt 7

What I consider rare in modern drum corps battery arranging is the ability to actually hear the entire piece simply through the percussion scoring, rather than just seeming like a bunch of detached technical exercises. Bluecoats and SCV are superb at this. I really wished it was more common practice.

A comment for the code!

When I first heard these guys this season my immediate thought was they are playing some of the BEST hand to hands I've ever heard. The consistency and interp are off the charts

I’m a bloo alum and was honestly worried about this show early season. Holy crap was I wrong