Tonal Drums-Corp sounding Drum Sections in HBCU bands.


PsiSnake

PsiSnake

Well-Known Member
....what is the deal with this movement?

Have you noticed that some schools drum sections are slowing changing their sound? High Schools too. I do know that this tonal movement is all up and down the east coast, MEAC schools particularly, and they are crazy about it. This drum sound has trickle down to some of the black ATL high schools.

My question is why? The sound is that of a corp style band. How can you be a showstyle band with a corp sounding drum section? The sound does not fit R&B music and is not funky. How can you be funky with tonal? These HBCU's playin' these corp style cadences....bring back the funk! Yes these cadences does show a great deal of technical technique, but who cares; we know you can play, you are in a college band and you have mastered your instrument. Again...keep the funk. Our show style of marching is not designed for a corp style cadence/beat. You cant pop 90's to rudiments.

Most of the SWAC bands drum sections are maintaining the funk; I just hope that they dont fall for this tonal concept that is slowly beginning to plague our bands.

Anybody feel me?

"Snake"
 
I totally feel you!!! That's why I love funk factory because they keep doing what they do which is playing with funk. Everything from the way they tune the drums to the style of cadences are funky. Alot of schools (especially in the MEAC) has a white is right mentality and little do they realize that the PWC's are watching and imitating HBCU's more and more.

P.S. ATL is a MEAC town and has alot of directors from the MEAC. That's why they're following suit. I believe that the more the Jukebox and other SWAC schools start going to ATL and wiping the floor with these MEAC bands, the more the kids will see that the MEAC is square......
 



PsychoJag said:
I totally feel you!!! That's why I love funk factory because they keep doing what they do which is playing with funk. Everything from the way they tune the drums to the style of cadences are funky. Alot of schools (especially in the MEAC) has a white is right mentality and little do they realize that the PWC's are watching and imitating HBCU's more and more.
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....THANK YOU!!!!

They done let some white boys or whoever question their playin' ability. Now they think they gotta prove something; so they change their sound. They have been bamboozled. I caint believe these directors have fallen for this isht!

"Snake"
 
Venom Skywalker said:
Why is wanting to play more technically challenging pieces considered trying to be white? :retard:
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Nothing is wrong with playing more technically challenging pieces but since when does it call for changing your whole style?

Duke Ellington played Classical music with FUNK!!!!


Another thing is that ya'll look down on others for not conforming to what the PWC's are doing.
 
PsychoJag said:
Another thing is that ya'll look down on others for not conforming to what the PWC's are doing.
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You mean kinda like what you're doing for certain MEAC bands for not playing funk? It's human nature to think your style is right..whatever your style is. Everybody dont have to be the same. If it fits them then have at it.
 
Venom Skywalker said:
You mean kinda like what you're doing for certain MEAC bands for not playing funk? It's human nature to think your style is right..whatever your style is. Everybody dont have to be the same. If it fits them then have at it.
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Nah......read again. We're talking about bands changing from funk to corps sounding percussion. I'm not saying only our style is right.

BTW.....who says that it's more challenging? Any college musician can go to the woodshed and perfect a challenging piece but every musician can't play funky........
 
Venom Skywalker said:
Why is wanting to play more technically challenging pieces considered trying to be white? :retard:
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....because thats what white corp style bands do; their history.

Yes corp style bands are identified as white bands because most are. Most have percussion features during their halftime shows and display all of that rudiment and technical stuff; so yes, if you switch to that, you are being white.

You dont see corp style drum sections changing their sound to that of a showstyle band. Playin' technical is not show style. We play mostly R&B music and in that music, you dont hear that corp tonal sound.

These black bands sellin' out IMO. You aint funky know more, but to each his own.

"Snake"
 
PsychoJag said:
BTW.....who says that it's more challenging? Any college musician can go to the woodshed and perfect a challenging piece but every musician can't play funky........
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He said...
Yes these cadences does show a great deal of technical technique, but who cares; we know you can play, you are in a college band and you have mastered your instrument.
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...and generally speaking he's correct, but that's neither here nor there. My issue came with the trying to be white statement. It's like saying someone that speaks with "correct english" is trying to be white.
 
Venom Skywalker said:
It's like saying someone that speaks with "correct english" is trying to be white.
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And this^^^is my issue. So you're telling me that playing funky is wrong and playing with corps style technique is "correct"?

Speaking correctly is fine but if you perm your afro, bleach your skin, start dressing like Jay Leno, start dating Paris Hilton, then yes it's safe to say that you are trying to be white.
 
PsychoJag said:
And this^^^is my issue. So you're telling me that playing funky is wrong and playing with corps style technique is "correct"?
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Nope..which is why I put it in quotes. And I also dont look down on playing funky. I think it's a good thing we have some bands that are focusing on playing on a greater technical level. Cant say I've been as impressed with any section as much as I was with a promotional clip I saw of NSU on youtube. All bands dont have to have the same sound.
 
Venom Skywalker said:
Nope..which is why I put it in quotes. And I also dont look down on playing funky. I think it's a good thing we have some bands that are focusing on playing on a greater technical level. Cant say I've been as impressed with any section than I was with a promotional clip I saw of NSU. All bands dont have to have the same sound.
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That's true I think that sections should be different just like bands should be different but my whole point is that as HBCU bands the funk is a part of what we are. You can't lose that..
 
PsychoJag said:
That's true I think that sections should be different just like bands should be different but my whole point is that as HBCU bands the funk is a part of what we are. You can't lose that..
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...I think

If you gone do the technical stuff and play with tonal drums, then that band should go completely corp style. You caint dip & dabble and mix the two; it just dont go together.

Corp style= technical, heel to toe march style
Show style= funky, poppin 90's 8 to 5 march style.

"Snake"
 
PsiSnake said:
...I think

If you gone do the technical stuff and play with tonal drums, then that band should go completely corp style. You caint dip & dabble and mix the two; it just dont go together.

Corp style= technical, heel to toe march style
Show style= funky, poppin 90's 8 to 5 march style.

"Snake"
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I don't care for the tonal drums either. IMO it's lifeless.
 



PsychoJag said:
I totally feel you!!! That's why I love funk factory because they keep doing what they do which is playing with funk. Everything from the way they tune the drums to the style of cadences are funky. Alot of schools (especially in the MEAC) has a white is right mentality and little do they realize that the PWC's are watching and imitating HBCU's more and more.......
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It's got nothing to do with "white is right" or corp style. It has everything to do with having more versatility. Funk is cool if that is all you like; but if you want to do more, you might want to use different instrumentation. Oh yeah, you can still do FUNK with different instrumentation, but it would be difficult to do Latin, Caribbean, South African, etc. or pop tunes that have deployed techno instrumentation very well without harmonically-tuned drums.

White don't make it right, but Black ain't all that there is either.
 
As a percussionist I hate that tonal mess. :smh: I can't figure out why these young dudes are trying to prove themselves to these corp style bands. Our cadences come from the soul. It's part of your funk that makes you go with the cadences when you create them.
 
I do not like it in show bands. It does not sound right at all. It is like listening to go-go music for every song.
 
I think the FAMU guy is missing the point. It's just a matter of which style FITS better with what WE do... and tonal bass drums DO NOT fit better. lol. I was in a corp style band in high school and we played a couple of JSU's arrangements and I promise you the percussion part made ALL THE DIFFERENCE. lol. The songs sounded totally different (less appealing) with our tonal bass line and TIGHT head snares. lol.
 
"NOISE TALKA" said:
I think the FAMU guys is missing the point. It's just a matter of which style FITS better with what WE do... and tonal bass drums DO NOT fit better. lol. I was in a corp style band in high school and we played a couple of JSU's arrangements and I promise you the percussion part made ALL THE DIFFERENCE. lol. The songs sounded totally different (less appealing) with our tonal bass line and TIGHT head snares. lol.
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Exactly.
 
"NOISE TALKA" said:
I think the FAMU guys is missing the point. It's just a matter of which style FITS better with what WE do... and tonal bass drums DO NOT fit better. lol. I was in a corp style band in high school and we played a couple of JSU's arrangements and I promise you the percussion part made ALL THE DIFFERENCE. lol. The songs sounded totally different (less appealing) with our tonal bass line and TIGHT head snares. lol.
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LOL NT when Madison Central came to OB for the playoff game I was shocked. I was just sitting there minding my own business when they started to play get ready. LOl Then they play Big Ballin.:xeye::xeye: complete with the dance. Man those pink toes was all into it..
I said to myself then. JSU has influence on the PWHS...LOL
 
shawiggi said:
LOL NT when Madison Central came to OB for the playoff game I was shocked. I was just sitting there minding my own business when they started to play get ready. LOl Then they play Big Ballin.:xeye::xeye: complete with the dance. Man those pink toes was all into it..
I said to myself then. JSU has influence on the PWHS...LOL
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Im tryin to tell ya. You don't know nothing about Madison Central. lol. We started with Get Ready and I'm So Glad when I was in school... Every year they add more and more. The director (Goff) really tries to give the students a good mix of songs... BIG BALLIN' is a crowd favorite at MC home games. lol. They gonna have a book after a while. lol. Last year they did Get Ready, Big Ballin', Neck, Sweet Escape, Yea' (usher)--old as hell. lol

Man we played Get Ready for the first time against Callaway my senior year. lol. We got in the stands 1st quarter ... dayum band director talkin about "ALL RIGHT... LET'S PLAY GET READY...HORNS UP"... Black kids: "NOOOOOOOO FOOL... SAVE IT. THAT'S ALL WE GOT!!!" lol. So we saved the jurnt a smooth three quarters... blew it on Callaway... the stadium was dyin'.
 
I think it is only a problem when you have black schools in the MEAC trying to down play funk because they feel they are closer to DCI level by doing what they are doing...

Just like the arguement we (SU) folk had with FAMU... FAMU feel it is "Concert season" all year long......

You playing RnB music for BLACK folk and you taking a concert approach?!?!

Folk say what they want, but that ain't nothing but the black man trying to look good for Mr. Dwightman....
 
SUtrp96 said:
I think it is only a problem when you have black schools in the MEAC trying to down play funk because they feel they are closer to DCI level by doing what they are doing...

Just like the arguement we (SU) folk had with FAMU... FAMU feel it is "Concert season" all year long......

You playing RnB music for BLACK folk and you taking a concert approach?!?!

Folk say what they want, but that ain't nothing but the black man trying to look good for Mr. Dwightman....
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Well that's a little different. I can appreciate FAMU's ballads all day. I think a concert approach is appropriate on some r&b slow tunes. Now "sweet sounding" and RAP/POP stuff.... does not mix. lol. and that's the meac problem.
 
"NOISE TALKA" said:
Well that's a little different. I can appreciate FAMU's ballads all day. I think a concert approach is appropriate on some r&b slow tunes. Now "sweet sounding" and RAP/POP stuff.... does not mix. lol. and that's the meac problem.
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Naw, I don't have nothing against the ballads... Because Ballads don't tend to be funky no way...
 
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