papajohn56

And for my real comment, though the score is a mess like you said, that's an easy fix. This is great so far, I can tell you've studied what goes into a great show. I really don't know what else to say honestly, I like it. Ok, here's my one critique: Your percussion parts, both battery and pit need some serious attention. A lot of this stuff isn't really designed for a player, but more for audio instead, especially on snare. It ranges from real easy beginner stuff, to nearly impossible if some of these triplet rolls are done single stroke. It's also very easy for woodwinds, not many runs or technical passages.

Umm, stop being a troll. Marching band has evolved into its own genre of instrumental performance, and can include classical great works, or contemporary music. I've heard marching bands that sound better than some great wind ensembles. A lot of work goes into writing a full ensemble marching show, as much work as any major symphony. You don't think we marching band composers and arrangers put everything we have into our works as well? Marching bands are an extremely expressive medium, in combination with the visual aspect especially.

He means use ottavas instead of a bunch of ledger lines I think. Right now it's taking over the tuba line. Also I'm not sure I quite "get" the flow of this show

I'm more a fan of Broken Arrow and Ronald Reagan HS myself.

It will be one of say, 5 or so movements in the show. Typically the introduction hit has to occur within the first minute so that the fans/judges don't lose interest. There will be a transition into the second movement so it flows, I don't like to do the start/stop thing.

Okay, so I'm arranging a show that is actually based on the music of older video games. So, I ask that you don't discredit the music due to the source material, but rather listen and look at the quality of the arrangement at hand. Presently I only have the intro, which is approx. one minute long, and is music of the Zelda series. A few notes: 1. Synthesizers will be utilized to make sounds of strings and a choir, and possibly more later on. 2. There will be NO drumline. I am strictly writing this piece for pit. Purists may called me a heathen for this, but I'm going in the mode of how Tarpon Springs does it. An amazing pit more than makes up for what may be a mediocre drumline. 3. I know I could probably clean up the score some. 4. Easy to play intro. The rest of the show will get much more complex. So, here goes: http://www.tindeck.com/audio/fileshack/u/utra-Zelda1R4.mp3 MP3 Score attached. Zelda1R4.pdf

Watch a Bands of America show. Many bands use synthesizers now, many use two and three or more. Some have even used a full choir, such as Westfield High School. Some take instrumentalists and have them sing, such as Avon High School. Here's a good example:

You can use six basses, look at L.D. Bell High School in Texas and at Bands of America. They use six. Also don't water down the difficulty of spots unless it is professionally impossible, which I don't hear really. A good high school will take up a challenge and rise to it. Nice Shostakovich quote around 1:30, reminds me of Phantom 1996, as well as Irmo HS 2001. Okay, here we go: The intro is very nice, I can see it coming out of a percussion feature or a ballad with these mallet movements. It gets pretty difficult in those spots. When the winds come in, I foresee a lot of visuals going on until low brass comes in, then it all begins to come together around 0:45 for the build to the hit at 0:56, like a faux-band front. Nice, but I kind of don't like how it goes down to zero again so suddenly for a closer. I guess I'd have to hear the rest of the piece. The snare solo up to the Shostakovich quote is a bit boring. Is there a theme to this show? I'm wondering where that quote came in. You have quite a few builds to hits, but followed by dying down, only to build again which is giving me a false hope of a real huge hit several times. I like the dissonance build around 2:33. For the ending, I don't hear enough low brass, and to give it more of an effect at the hit, be sure you have low brass in octaves. Overall it's good, I just am left with the feeling of "It's missing something", as if it's missing some sort of hit to bring all of the themes presented together.

You arranged Dorman's show? I saw Dorman perform this for their field show this year at 5A State at SC State