Drum and bugle corps Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
This article deals with "classic" drum and bugle corps. For information on the those marching bands who call themselves drum and bugle corps, see the articles on Drum Corps International and Drum Corps Associates. (references left here in appeasement of drum and bugle corps' critic(s), and because drum and bugle corps people have no need to hide the truth)Drum and bugle corps (or simply drum corps) are American (Canada and the U.S.A.) fraternal musical units that arose out of military buglers and drummers returning from World War I and succeeding wars. Drum corps actually existed prior to the early 1900s, but were noncompetitive community musical groups, whereas modern corps may compete.
Drum and bugle corps traditionally consist of only bell-front brass, field drums, color guard, and an honor guard, which consists of the national flag flanked by sidearms, and sometimes sponsors' flags.
Drum & bugle corps have often been mistaken for marching bands, since there is a similarity to both groups having horns and drums. However, marching bands have as their focus certain values, and corps arose from and continue with other values. The former's membership tends to focus on instrumentation and music as motivators. Corps tend to focus on fraternal values, and the particular corps' and the larger collective corps history. Corps generally march in both parades and field shows. There is a great distinction made between "classic" and the alumni corps movement and the groups who make up organizations like Drum Corps International (DCI) and Drum Corps Associates (DCA), links referenced above.
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2 Drums and Bugles in Drum & Bugle Corps 3 Color Guard 4 Drum Majors 5 Performance 6 The Break Between "Classic" Corps and DCI/DCA 7 External links |
Initially after WWI, drummers and buglers gathered in their American Legion ("AL") and Veterans of Foreign Wars ("VFW") posts. Starting in the 1930s, many more corps were sponsored through other patriotic community organizations, such as Boy Scout ("BSA") troops, Elks lodges, YMCAs, the Catholic Youth Organization ("CYO"), Police Athletic Leagues ("PAL"), firefighter organizations, local businesses, and even high schools and universities.
From the mid-1960s onwards, some people, politics and other interests began to shift away from military and patriotic beginnings. However, there are corps who have remained true to their heritage, as well as groups re-forming who also attempt to pick up precisely where they left off. Groups calling themselves alumni corps who have greater association with DCI and DCA people and politics should be considered DCI and DCA groups.
Differing rules and prize structures by the various sponsors led to intense debate and protest during the mid-1960s, especially against the two veterans organizations (AL and VFW). Some people felt that the differences in rules and judging organizations could be quite positive, in that the individual corps and show promoters were the ultimate arbiters in choosing sponsors and judges. But the rise of independent shows and newer regional and national circuits, in some areas, diminished loyalty to local organizations and past traditions.
There had already been a controversial formation amongst the senior corps (those with membership over 21 years), which in turn led to the formation of Drum Corps Associates (for "senior" or "all-age" corps) in the mid-1960s. By the end of that decade, most of the big senior corps were involved therein.
However, it is important for the reader to note that given the independent character of drum & bugle corps at this time, the totally separate nature of drum & bugle corps and marching bands and other performance genres, i.e., theater and dance, was well accepted. This separate nature was so well accepted, that the danger to drum & bugle corps that this change of competitive organization signified was not at all recognized by the masses.
Only a few who had greater knowledge of the persons involved with DCI, particularly when DCI and DCA began changing the rules and the character of drum & bugle corps in the mid-1970s, saw what was happening. As many of these people and corps had been unwitting teachers of the coming DCI interests, often they were the first groups who folded. Further examination reveals that quite a number of these corps and individuals began "folding" due to mysterious losses of sponsorships, inconsistent judging results from contest to contest (despite the greater continuity of DCI and DCA judges), and other political influences and changes which are easier to see in hindsight and with further information (much thanks to the internet and increased networking today amongst pre-DCI leadership and talent).
The stories of these individual corps' folding in and of themselves make interesting reading, and have led to those involved with today's alumni and classic corps more aware in what it takes to preserve and grow now that DCI and DCA have become even more dominant, at least publically.
It is unfortunate that so much of the discussion of drum & bugle corps must currently consist of contrasting what DCI and DCA are and have been, and what drum and bugle corps is and always was. But this tool has become necessary due to the years of misinformation and information wilfully withheld. Such are the sorts of discussions active amongst drum and bugle corps people as we fight for our collective and continuous identity in a hostile political climate. Indeed, there are greater lessons here for non-profit organizations, particularly youth organizations, when there is money for a few to be made as well as other interests who have viewed some aspects - particularly the once nationwide popularity - of drum and bugle corps as either a threat or as a cash cow to be milked.
At the time of the formation of the Combine and the demise of the VFW's sponsorship (and, to a slightly lesser measure, the American Legion - which still has some association with DCA), there was much hope of increased funding opportunities for all corps, as well as greater creative freedom for what was being then-promulgated as the "overly-military" nature of drum & bugle corps. In the larger cultural atmosphere of the late 1960s and early 1970s, this argument had some persuasive force. However, now that patriotism is no longer so controversial, there is much lamentation over this centralization of power over drum & bugle corps over the military organizations' interdependence therewith.
In 1969, there was the infamous "walkout" on the VFW rules meeting being led by the VFW's Tony Schlecta. A few of those involved in this walkout were instrumental in the formation of the alleged "Combine" of many corps in 1971 - which many drum corps traditionalists at the time recognized as "the year drum corps died". in reaction to the assault on tradition. Drum Corps International (for "junior" corps with members aged 21 and under) formed out of the Combine in 1972, and involved most of the people involved therein. After this transition, many of the ties to corps' original military and patriotic sponsoring organizations, as well as commitment to their individual corps identities, were lost over the years.
A further questionable history is why there was a near-total demise of military drum & bugle corps. By the 1960s through the mid-1970s, many military bases had a drum & bugle corps, and each military branch - including the Coast Guard - had a "premier" drum & bugle corps. For some yet undetailed reasons, nearly all of these groups have folded - the primary exception being the The President's Own, the Marines Drum & Bugle Corps. This latter development was largely due to the leadership of Colonel Truman Crawford, who has now passed from us and was the oldest still-serving member of our Armed Forces at the time. Pleasingly, the Air Force Academy Alumni corps first appeared in 2003, as part of the rise and interest in the alumni/classic corps movement. Someday, the chapter on this unnecessary debacle will be written as more is known thereon.
What were once hundreds of single-key of G bugle corps now number around 60-70. Nevertheless, there is still plenty of life in the "classic" drum and bugle corps style, as more groups form, more fans and members formerly involved in pre-DCI corps get involved, and as new members and fans are re-introduced to our activity.
There is some discussion amongst drum and bugle corps people as to what era we should "go back to", for those who question such matters. It is this writer's feeling that the best time in our history - though such resonated for another decade - was the mid-1960s, when there was was no open discussion of the need to "improve" or "change" drum & bugle corps. In our Golden Age, there was nothing that needed changing - and each and every drum & bugle corps fan and alumnus wishes that the "improvements", "changes" or "evolution" never happened - and that those involved therein ought to have simply gone to marching bands so that today's communities might still have their drum and bugle corps, with buglers available everywhere to sound taps for veterans and other such benefits of an alternative community and fraternal musical organization.
With the widespread use of the 1892 Army field trumpet, which was actually a "straight" (valveless) bugle in the key of G, American drum & bugle corps evolved in that key. However, it wasn't long before some members in some corps wished to add more notes to their brass repertoire. Early lines in the 1920s and 1930s reportedly would add D crooks on some horns in order to play more complicated songs in two lines, similar to a bell choir. 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 the look and handling of the straight bugle. The valve allowed a full chromatic scale to be played with the exception of a few notes, which drum corps arrangers could skillfully arrange around. The acceptance of the single-valved bugle took some time. Originally, the American Legion required that valved bugles have screws to allow the valve to be removed during certain competitions. Some smaller corps had straight bugles even into the 1960s, and there are still some (mostly foreign) corps and other groups who continue to use straight bugles to this day.
In 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. Some people feel the evolution should have stopped here with the valve-slide bugle. It is a unique instrument in the single key of G that provides unique musical effects. In the hands of a bugler with multi-years drum corps experience, all notes are possible and perfectly in tune.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the slide was sometimes replaced with a rotary valve, which allowed for a full chromatic scale to be played with less expertise as well as making it easier for young band members to join. In hindsight, this move is seen as band influenced, which drum & bugle corps fans, alumni and members regret. Nevertheless, at the time such "improvements" were taken more in stride and drum corps continued to flourish - particularly since drum lines, color guards, marching techniques, judging and the like still retained their historic characteristics. Many corps retained their slide-piston bugles into the mid-1960's, and many parade corps still existed that used straight bugles and single-valved models. In fact, straight bugle sections and groups still exist today.
Additions to drum & bugle corps voicings occured in the mid-1960s. One widely applauded and popular addition was the contrabass, the biggest horn and lowest voice and which is carried on the shoulder. The mellophone was introduced soon after, but did not prove to be as popular an addition; the french horn remained the dominant middle voice. Again, these changes were welcomed, as they added color to the corps sound without any real character changes (as listed previously) in the activity at large.
The valve-rotor bugle remained popular until the late 1970s, when drum & bugle corps were told by certain political interests that such was the only way the instrument companies would continue making bugles. These rules changes were passed - and unfortunately, since DCI and DCA had come into being by this time, and because assurances were given that "two-valves would be allowed, but never three-valves". At that time in our history, we never believed that anyone would care to turn drum & bugle corps into marching bands. However, we have since learned that those we trusted then were already discussing the possibility. It was a sad decision we collectively allowed. The facts are, of course, that instrument companies will make anything there is a demand for.
And so, two vertically-mounted valves became standard - at least in DCI. Many in the alumni corps movement, now gaining strength and numbers, are actively popularizing the older bugles, with all their alleged demerits and discovering the virtues of what helped make buglers powerful horn players. They are helping to turn back a bad decision which helped lead to by-and-large the demise of a separate, special and unique activity.
In the 1990s and on, the movement toward band instruments in DCI was solidified when three upright valves became commonplace. Further, in the late 1990s, corps began using horns in keys other than G. These changes have eliminated bugles from DCI/DCA since the current approved instruments are the same as F/Bb bell-front instruments currently being marketed to the marching band community. Since the instruments in DCI/DCA are the same as band instruments these days, drum & bugle corps adherents decline to acknowledge DCI/DCA groups who use such and prefer them as bands.
"Classic" corps drum lines traditionally consists entirely of rope drums with skins. These drums produce a unique, deep, resonant sound. The movement in classic corps is to drums which retain that unique sound, which has resounded on the battlefield for centuries.
The instrumentation of the DCI and DCA percussion sections, or "battery" of a corps has changed markedly over the years. See the marching percussion article for more information on such equipment. However, in drum & bugle corps, even the usage of the term "percussion" is largely seen as a sign of orchestral and band-influences and unnecessary terminololgy. In drum & bugle corps, "drum line" works just fine.
Unlike DCI and some marching bands, "classic" corps do not include any stationary percussive instruments. A common saying among classic corps, fans and alumni is, "If you can't carry it, it doesn't belong on the field." While some people who prefer the "percussion section" version find such limiting, traditional drum & bugle corps recognizes that the traditional drum line increases and focuses the reliance upon human prowess, rudimental drumming and execution, and creativity within the genre, as well as cutting costs and travel needs for the corps. Further, such limitations further the identity and unity of sound of the corps from performance to performance, whether on the field, in parades or other community performances.
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 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. Sometimes the "sidearm" member is just that - someone who sports a gun holster.
In the 1960's 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 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 time. 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.
Today, 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 yardlines on football fields were more rare and optional, the color guard often was an integral part of drill "dress" (positioning by sight, interval and direction). Contrary to some of today's criticism, largely by those who did not see them or are more interested in dance, tall flag lines were a strong marker of drum & bugle corps, both visually and as an enhancement to corps' special musical nature.
The field leader in drum & bugle corps is called a drum major. Some corps had more than one, but there is usually a designated primary drum major who leads the corps in both marching direction and musical direction. Traditional corps drum majors are effective showmen who command the corps in all venues, without resort to batons and podiums.
A drum and bugle corps performance consists of the playing of music, accompanied by marching in formation(s). It is similar to that of a marching band, but in line with the military presentation and heritage. Further, uniformity 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 which tend to "blow the walls down". Drum & bugle corps fans and members expect such and prefer such, just as marching bands have their virtues according to their genre.
Drum and bugle corps is, traditionally, a fraternal musical activity which extended the comraderie of combat to a musical "battle" on (football) field. The evolution and politics of judging, however, has led most "classic" corps to move to exhibition-only performances. This change both avoides judge preferences and politics, and also cuts the cost of performing.
Competitive shows traditionally began with an inspection - owing to 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, considering performance and overall effect in both music and movement.
A performance typically begins with the corps stepping "off the line" (the goal line on an American football field). The corps signals its readiness by a drum major's salute. 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" piece which takes 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. This was and is the traditional structure of of a drum & bugle corps' field show, which endured for decades and classic alumni drum & bugle corps still perform, if they employ much marching in their programs.
In hindsight, corps fans and members have realized that such a performance not only preserves the meaning of drum & bugle corps - through the color presentation, but gave a structure to each corps' performance which was congenial for fans and members alike. It was simple to pick a few of the field performance songs for parade numbers - most usually the into concert and out of concert numbers. Marching from end-zone to end-zone also maximized the use of football fields as proper stages for a drum & bugle corps' power of projecting music. An interesting part of this analysis is that DCI and DCA corps do not use all of the field and generally play only to the higher part of the stands (the viewing "box") surrounding the 50-yard line all of the field, and their hornlines generally number 50- to 60-or so hornplayers. Traditional drum & bugle corps won for years - and satisfied audiences from 1- to 50,000 - with hornlines generally numbering 25- to 35 playing members.
Such was and is the commanding power of drum & bugle corps in the outdoor element amongst performing genres.
The type of competitive rules drum and bugle corps used to compete under are exemplified by the following, from the All-American Judging Association:
Over time, many corps chose to become members of DCI or DCA, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of support by their traditional sponsors. The increased requirements of time and money to participate in DCI and DCA circuits proved prohibitive for many non-profit organizations with other primary missions. Groups without adequate funding did not survive. Many other groups chose not to move to the new style, citing tradition or principle. It was at this point that "classic" drum and bugle corps and DCI/DCA corps became two very different activities.
The distinctions remain stark. "Classic" corps try to draw their membership from fairly local communities, and thus participate in year-round activities: parades, standstills (concerts), Memorial and Veterans' Day ceremonies, etc. Competition is part of the fraternal experience, but not the be-all and end-all of the activity.
In contrast, DCI and DCA corps are less community-based organizations, with many non-local members, staff, and managers present only for rehearsals and performances. The cost of membership may be much higher than in "classic" corps. Also, DCI and DCA put more focus on competition, and less on other activities; this arguably makes for a higher level of performance, but also a very different experience.
Many fans of "classic" drum and bugle corps do not consider DCI and DCA to be drum & bugle corps at all because of these differences. Further, alumni and classic corps will argue that DCI and DCA groups operate in a self-hating mode, because of the latter's preferences for orchestral and band values while exploiting the history and cachet of drum & bugle corps, whose values they disdain except for the marketing of their groups and products.
By the same token, many fans and members of DCI and DCA corps have no interest in their collective corps history (more proof that they are not drum & bugle corps, who honor their past and their alumni), often arguing that classic drum & bugle corps is dead or dying and was much less in all aspects than DCI and DCA corps today. DCI and DCA corps are often not interested in the history of the activity at all; and as classic and alumni corps who know are history will say, there's good reason they don't educate their revolving-doors of new members (despite marketing themselves as an educational activity).
It is the hope of classic and alumni corps to reclaim what we never gave up. But unfortunately, the DCI and DCA bands - and they market themselves as such within the marching band market - will not give up the term "drum & bugle corps", even though they have nothing in common with the activity they took over often under false pretenses.History
Drums and Bugles in Drum & Bugle Corps
Bugles
Drum Lines
Color Guard
Drum Majors
Performance
Example Competition Rules
DRUM & BUGLE CORPS RULES - JUNE 29th, 1958
* A minimum drill of 11 minutes, a maximum 13 minutes.
* All judging will continue through entire performance.
1. Inspection. Condition of uniforms, equipment and general
appearance as a military unit. All instruments used must
be on the inspection line. Total penalty will be deducted
from the General Effect score.
2. Musical quality of bugles or fifes...............25%
3. Excellence of drumming...........................25%
4. Marching and maneuvering.........................30%
5. General effect...................................20%
* A penalty of 2 points will be deducted from the total score
for each minute or fraction thereof for over or under time on
the field.
* If a member of the corps proper steps over the side boundary,
a penalty of 1 point for each error will be assessed.
* A 2 point penalty for any breach of the flag code.
* All competing drum and bugle corps must march in the parade
and appear in the grand finale to qualify for competition and
prizes.
* All-American judges will be in charge. No contestant or
directors will be allowed to converse with judges while
contest is going on. Please abide by this rule.
* Any unit not reporting within 15 minutes of their set
inspection time shall be penalized 2 points; a unit not
reporting within 30 minutes shall be penalized 4 points.
* Failure to report by any unit prior to the start of the
inspection of the last competing group shall disqualify the
unit.The Break Between "Classic" Corps and DCI/DCA