is the source music you use stuff that you already know? if not, how do you find it? also, when arranging, do you normally start with a full brass arrangement, or a simple melody+chord outline?
We sit down as a design team and share pieces we know. It's important for arrangers to constantly be listening to music they've never heard of. When arranging, I'll usually start with writing the brass parts and have the other arrangers edit/fill in the front ensemble and battery parts. We're switching up the process this year to be more collaborative with our arranging method.
Congratulations on getting such an early start to your writing career. I marched Phantom Regiment '96-'99 and have been writing drill since 2001. My one corps drill writing gig was for a start up corps that sadly never made it to the field. Still writing for high schools though!
normally I don't like the very low view videos that youtube recommends to me and I was already familiar with Berlioz's story from a different video, but this was still very nice to watch. You have a great way of telling stories!
Thank You!!! This was by far one of the best things i did in my life, thank you for writing this music and helping us make history, i cant wait for next season, even if you arent marching!!
thank you chris for making this season so amazing!!! absolutely loved those mello rips and especially that one part in the closer 😻 super cool being able to march with you!!!
Congrats man.I watched the show and it was really cool. This corp reached out to me and my friend to join but we couldn't due to ho far and costs. But this video was so cool keep up the amazing work!
I played soprano bugle for the United States Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps almost 50 years ago. It was my first introduction to drum corps ever and I've been a big fan ever since. The USNA corps is the oldest continuously active corps in America. The modern DCI corps are an evolution of an amazing musical and marching talents. Congratulations to the Gems for beginning the journey. You will have a lot to learn and a lot to grow into, but it will be an amazing trip. Take your place in the pantheon and recognize that you won't be winning the DCI championship anytime soon, but you will grow musically and personally along the way and THAT is what it is all about. Esto perpetua!
I wish people would call out publishing companies and just ignore copyright law. You gonna sue a nonprofit with no money making no money. Good luck breaking a fair use argument and enjoy wasting tens of thousands
Who gives permission to arrange a piece but not change anything? I can’t wait till copyright only protects commercial distribution of scores and anybody can perform anything
"Another Corps had to rewrite their closer". You talking about Surf? We had the exact same copyright issue but with the George Michael estate. But tbh I'm glad we had it changed our current closer is so much more fun.
Cool video. I hope your writing career is long and fulfilling. I've been writing for drum corps for 23 years and it never gets old hearing my work performed. Truly a thrill. I clearly remember the first time it happened. I re-wrote the finale for the first show I ever marched. The original ending was very unsatisfying, so I spent weeks working out something much bigger. I let the Corps Director listen to it and he approved it. When it came time to learn it, he asked me to conduct. The first run was naturally a bit rough because everyone was sight-reading, but I had chills from head to toe. I'll never forget that experience... and of course, I kept on writing and have been doing it ever since. Keep up the great work!
the words you said at the end of the video were so true and i belivie that you my friend are gifted in first your writing of music, writing of the script of this video, and your editing/story telling skills. I haev a suggestion for you next DCI season you should apply to either work for a world class corp as on the media team or as a arrangment tech
You and I have similar stories! I got to arrange for a small up and coming drum corps as well. The corps director was out of his mind for trusting me to write their program, but I think it went ok! Almost 10 years later and I'm arranging for all kinds of marching ensembles around the country and I couldnt be more blessed. Keep writing!!!
Congrats on your guys success! I have a couple questions to ask if you don't mind answering! One of the hardest parts I find of writing a show is finding good repertoire, Do you have any ideas on finding good sources?, Also do you have any recommendations on how to get connections within this activity as an inspiring composer?
