The basic elements of a quality drum corps show...

Then there is the visual part of a show: does the colorguard enhance the picture or muddy-up the show? The visual part is really what makes drum corps what it is, and not just some glorified concert band. You can see that anywhere. But the proper venue for drum corps is a good, old fashioned football field. Even a soccer field will work if you know your drill.

The colors, drama, lines, shapes, wave forms, scatter drill and other marching elements make for an eye-pleasing panorama. In most good shows you can look all over the field and see things going on that enhance the show. Most people need to see a show several times in order to catch it all.

There is much said about the closer in a drum corps show. Many corps will spend much time and effort to craft the right ending. Some constantly change it during the season, trying to tweak it and get it just right. The common thread with closures is that they are loud, usually quadruple forte, and long, with a resolved chord that finally relaxes the tension musically built up during the last few phrases. This is all too common and seems like a good idea, in that a group gets the chance to make a strong and lasting impression ok the audience.

Some groups also put in alot of fast drill toward the ending. This of course increases the difficulty level and keeps the audience (and judges) on their toes, paying attention for that original nuance that may increase the GE just a tad. Just a tad may be enough to propel a corps from the middle of the pack to the top nowadays.

I have seen corps change chords, as well as drill during finals week, ultimately breaking out their last visual scene, prop, gimmick or drill form just to get that edge. The video you may own of finals night may not be the whole story. I have seen YouTube footage of corps in their early season and you would be surprised what kind of editing occurs in the drill book...