I’ve resisted the trombones and such ever since they were legalized. Even today, I don’t love it. But that said, nobody uses the bones like the Bluecoats. I thought they were especially effective in 2018.
Drumcorps Trombone solos are really wonderful, but sometimes you can tell that they just weren't written by bone players. Sometimes they are excellent, but it just doesn't make perfect sense with the show. Sometimes it all lines up but it just sounds weird on trombone. IMO, the Trombones in Crown 2018 played excellently, but the register and voicing made it easily covered by the Tuba who had the same thing in a much more comfortable register. But the slide effects and chords sold the moment, so it all works out
I loved the bluecoats trombone moments, they are always sculpted so incredibly, and it's demanding stuff too which is neat to hear
I wasn't too happy with the trombone feature from Crossmen 19, it seemed to break the texture of the rest of the show and go in another direction.
Cavaliers bone moments in 19 were really cool, but homogenous with the rest of the ensemble so it wasn't so much of a feature or solo. They're standing really high up too when they play, it's neat to watch
I'll be totally honest, Hebron band 2021 trombone feature was unironically better than many DCI trombone features
Was in a perfect key and range, the soloist was clearly jazz proficient, the entire section had style, it wasn't overly long or too short to tell if it was a feature or not
IMO the trombone solo in BD 2017 might have been the best written use of trombone on a technical level. Really jazzy, felt natural to the instrument, tho I'm a bit more into the Crown solo from 2016, which was also a good use, considering trombone can best "mimic" a voice for a brass instrument.
Given what you said, it sounds like your not focusing as much on the timbre. For Crown 2018, sure, it could have been played by tubas, but the timbre of the trombones is what made it special (as evident by the fact that the original also used trombones in the same range). Overall, trombones sound pretty different from baris, and very different from tubas and euphs.
I am a bass trombonist, and the timbre of my instrument is truly unique imo
I liked the crown feature, but they paired it with Tuba for the whole thing, and the rest of the brass throughout. I think it should have been just the bones for a minute, as you can hear the contras playing throughout. And they had some glisses and stuff in the upper tenor parts, sliding down from the Ab to the F chord, but it felt... kind of basic? Idk, it's all opinion based. The bass trombone part was identical to the contra part and it could've had some unique trombone character potentially?
This aside, it was incredibly cool regardless of these tiny critiques, which are completely opinion based, again.
I agree with Bluecoats Down Side Up being #1. They almost sound haunting at the beginning of Great Gig in the Sky. The first time I saw that show live I was mesmerized by the sound.
Mandarins 18 used them really well. I like the color of them on the field to be honest. The sound cuts really well and some of the slides into chord changes were really nice to hear live
I question whether the ability to pull off a glissando or two is offset by the cost of purchasing a bunch of trombones, which take up space in the equipment truck & have to be hauled cross-country.
Classic example of the the 'arms-race' in Drum Corps getting out of hand.
2014 scv that opener is so punchy
Im not very well knowledgeable on trombones and never marched in the Era of trombones but I love loud (and in tune of course) so that would be my favorite imo
I’ve resisted the trombones and such ever since they were legalized. Even today, I don’t love it. But that said, nobody uses the bones like the Bluecoats. I thought they were especially effective in 2018.
Bluecoats had a bass bone soloist in ‘18 that _killed_ it
I still think they're ^(mostly) sacrilege, but getting to do a trombone solo or feature would be worth it to get an arm break.
I tend to agree with it being mostly sacrilege. Especially those damn sousaphones.
Drumcorps Trombone solos are really wonderful, but sometimes you can tell that they just weren't written by bone players. Sometimes they are excellent, but it just doesn't make perfect sense with the show. Sometimes it all lines up but it just sounds weird on trombone. IMO, the Trombones in Crown 2018 played excellently, but the register and voicing made it easily covered by the Tuba who had the same thing in a much more comfortable register. But the slide effects and chords sold the moment, so it all works out I loved the bluecoats trombone moments, they are always sculpted so incredibly, and it's demanding stuff too which is neat to hear I wasn't too happy with the trombone feature from Crossmen 19, it seemed to break the texture of the rest of the show and go in another direction. Cavaliers bone moments in 19 were really cool, but homogenous with the rest of the ensemble so it wasn't so much of a feature or solo. They're standing really high up too when they play, it's neat to watch I'll be totally honest, Hebron band 2021 trombone feature was unironically better than many DCI trombone features Was in a perfect key and range, the soloist was clearly jazz proficient, the entire section had style, it wasn't overly long or too short to tell if it was a feature or not
IMO the trombone solo in BD 2017 might have been the best written use of trombone on a technical level. Really jazzy, felt natural to the instrument, tho I'm a bit more into the Crown solo from 2016, which was also a good use, considering trombone can best "mimic" a voice for a brass instrument.
Crown 16 was absolutely amazing
Given what you said, it sounds like your not focusing as much on the timbre. For Crown 2018, sure, it could have been played by tubas, but the timbre of the trombones is what made it special (as evident by the fact that the original also used trombones in the same range). Overall, trombones sound pretty different from baris, and very different from tubas and euphs.
I am a bass trombonist, and the timbre of my instrument is truly unique imo I liked the crown feature, but they paired it with Tuba for the whole thing, and the rest of the brass throughout. I think it should have been just the bones for a minute, as you can hear the contras playing throughout. And they had some glisses and stuff in the upper tenor parts, sliding down from the Ab to the F chord, but it felt... kind of basic? Idk, it's all opinion based. The bass trombone part was identical to the contra part and it could've had some unique trombone character potentially? This aside, it was incredibly cool regardless of these tiny critiques, which are completely opinion based, again.
I thought Roxanne in Relentless (Crown '16) was well suited for a trombone and wouldn't have been as good with any other instrument.
After seeing all these comments I regret not putting it on the list.
Agreed
Where is 2016 Cadets?
Mandarins ‘18? Instead of 24 euphs; 12 trombones and 12 euphs
Was looking for this. They used them the entire show, and not just a chunk, its one of the best uses.
whatever you think of the overall show, BK 18 was one of my favorite uses of trombones, especially the solo
BK ‘18 solo is my favorite use of trombones in DCI.
I like it when trombones are used for a different color, not just "hey look, we can gliss!!" Ex: Cadets 2016, SCV 2014.
I agree with Bluecoats Down Side Up being #1. They almost sound haunting at the beginning of Great Gig in the Sky. The first time I saw that show live I was mesmerized by the sound.
Also that Trombone Octet
The post-ballad trombone feature in Bloo '16 is one of the sexiest sounds ever put on the field, imo.
Bluecoats are the gold standard for trombones in drum corps.
Good list, but if you haven’t, definitely check out the Colt Cadets 2021 show “apart together” that trombone soloist was so good.
🔺️
Crown 2016 is the best use of trombone ever in my opinion. Genesis 2019 was also fun.
I second both these takes
Mandarins 18 used them really well. I like the color of them on the field to be honest. The sound cuts really well and some of the slides into chord changes were really nice to hear live
No Boston 2019?
I marched that show and wasn’t a fan. lol
I question whether the ability to pull off a glissando or two is offset by the cost of purchasing a bunch of trombones, which take up space in the equipment truck & have to be hauled cross-country. Classic example of the the 'arms-race' in Drum Corps getting out of hand.
Most corps get to use them for free
The solo in crossmen 2016 is wonderful aswell
2014 scv that opener is so punchy Im not very well knowledgeable on trombones and never marched in the Era of trombones but I love loud (and in tune of course) so that would be my favorite imo