Platinum Announces 2011 Audition Dates
Platinum Drum Corps is happy to announce that they have finalized plans for the 2011 audition dates for the corps. The corps will host two auditions to the 2011 edition of the Drum Corps. The first audition opportunity will be Nov. 6th in Danville, Kentucky at Danville High School. "We are thrilled to have this audition location available to potential members. We have received a great deal of interest from the Kentucky area, which has traditionally always been a strong area for solid drum corps membership. Camille Towns, the band director at Danville High, presented us with this opportunity and we were thrilled to accept it."...

2011 Mandarins Brass Academy Starts In September
Calling all Brass Players! The Mandarins Brass Academy is an indoor, non-marching ensemble consisting of trumpets, mellophones, french horns, trombones, baritones, euphoniums and tubas. It is a fun, learning environment dedicated to helping brass players grow in their performance level. The Academy meets one Sunday monthly, from September through February. Choose one of three locations -- Sacramento County, El Dorado County, or Stanislaus County. For more information, see the flyer here. Read the rest of the article here (http://mandarins.org/news/news.html#09012010). 

Bluehawks Stay At Top Of IMBA Competition
The Bluehawks from Clonmel remain at the top of the Irish Marching Bands Association competition. Sunday, the corps scored 60.3 points in the Premier Class. The Tallaght Youth Band came second at the IMBA contest in Clonmel, which was the start of the second part of the European competition season. But the battle for silver is not over yet, because Clondalkin Youth Band is just one point away from Tallaght Youth Band. The Inbhear Mor Marchers ended in 4th place, and Tallaght Festival Band followed in 5th place. The Tallaght Youth Band Cadets won the Junior Class, and Ravens Marching Showband became...

Phantom Regiment Board Of Directors Makes Challenge To Phans
Recently, you should have received a letter from me asking for your support of Phantom Regiment's annual End of the Year Campaign -- the popular "coffee mug campaign" -- which kicked off online the day after DCI World Championships. I hope you are going to be able to help. You are no doubt aware that the Phantom Regiment Board of Directors, program director Dan Farrell and I have worked hard the past several years to restore the financial stability of the Phantom Regiment organization, and that hard work is paying off. Read the rest of the article here (http://www.regiment.org/story.cfm?ID=1030). 

Rennick Joins SCV As Percussion Arranger/Caption Manager
The Vanguard is proud to announce the appointment of Paul Rennick as percussion arranger and percussion caption manager, effective immediately. Rennick is Principal Lecturer in percussion at the University of North Texas where he has served on the faculty since 1991. He has been a dominant force in marching percussion for more than a decade, having recently won the Drum Corps International Fred Sanford award for percussion performance for the third time in five years with the Phantom Regiment, while also writing and designing shows for the University of North Texas Indoor Drum Line, which is the current and 16-time...

Troopers Host End Of Season Banquet
The Troopers held their annual awards banquet on Sunday following the DCI World Championships at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Members, staff, family, friends and alumni were on hand to celebrate a successful 2010 summer season. Awards from each caption were awarded to the following members; Brass Caption: Most Improved: Jared Bowen Rookie of the Year: Jennings Barnes MVP: Aidan Richie Read the rest of the article here (http://www.troopersdrumcorps.org/about/news.htm). 

Frontier Returning To DCA In 2011
Frontier Performing Arts Association of Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas is proud to announce the return of the Frontier Drum and Bugle Corps to the all-age competitive Drum Corps field. The corps plans on joining DCA as well as DCI’s al-age division, to compete in the 2011 season. Frontier would like to invite all former and interested new performers, as well as anyone wishing to volunteer to assist the Corps, to attend the Open House, scheduled for November of 2010. The Corps management is currently finalizing staff selection and will soon be announcing their show title and music for the...

Volunteers Needed For Blue Stars Oktoberfest Brat Stand
The Blue Stars and Blue Star Cadets biggest fundraising event is coming up at the La Crosse Oktoberfest Brat Stand. This year we need volunteers to prepare and staff the brat stand from Wednesday, September 22 through Sunday, October 3. This is a very important event for the Blue Stars and Blue Star Cadets, and we rely on the dozens of volunteers that work every year to make this event happen. Please sign up to work in our discussion forums or by clicking on 'more' on the right. Read the rest of the article here (http://www.bluestars.org/). 

2011 Pacfic Crest Season Information And Dates Posted
Pacific Crest is Southern California’s World Class drum and bugle corps. Our performers are among the best in the world at what they do, and demand personal excellence and intense competition. They join Pacific Crest to travel 12,000 miles and perform for 100,000 fans in some of the world’s most iconic venues. In short, they experience a summer like no other. DECEMBER EVENTS (Plan to attend all four days) Experience Camp Saturday and Sunday December 11 and 12, 2010 9 AM - 6 PM each day December Auditions Read the rest of the article here (http://www.pacific-crest.org/Drum-Corps/join-pacific-crest.html). 

Jersey Surf Announces 2010-2011 Rehearsal Dates
With the final sounds of the Jersey Surf's "Living the Dream" performance still lingering in the thick, hot, summer Indianapolis air, plans are already well underway for the corps' 21st Anniversary season, which gets underway Thanksgiving Weekend at the Camden County Technical School on Cross Keys Road in Sicklerville, NJ. Schedule is tentative and is subject to change. Unless otherwise noted, camps begin on Friday at 8PM and end on Sunday at 3PM. Participants will sleep at the school and all meals will be provided by the Jersey Surf. Read the rest of the article here (http://www.jerseysurf.org/articles/216/1/Surf-announces-2010-2011-Rehearsal-Dates/Page1.html). 

DCA Heads South For 2012
We invite you to join us at the spectacular Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, in the historic city of Annapolis, Maryland, for the 2012 DCA World Championships! The charming maritime city will be ready for drum corps fans to enjoy and explore. Through the efforts of many, Annapolis has been preserved, taking visitors back to the time when George Washington and Thomas Jefferson walked its streets. Their presence is still felt today through the city's historic buildings, pubs/restaurants and storytellers. Annapolis is 350 years young - a vibrant city, proud of its charming colonial heritage, while offering the latest in dining, accommodations,...

Paul Rennick Joins SCV as Percussion Arranger and Caption Manager
The Vanguard is proud to announce the appointment of Paul Rennick as percussion arranger and percussion caption manager, effective immediately.

Vanguard & Blue Devils Combine Forces - September 11
We're going to repeat something fun that we started a few years ago and will be combining our annual after-the-summer fleet day with the Concord Blue Devils on Saturday, September 11, from 8:00AM to 3:30PM at SCV Hall in Santa Clara.

Brass Advantage with Wayne Downey - Issue 22
Welcome back to the land of “All Things Brass.” This installment of Brass Advantage is “Part Two” of an article written by Ms. Lucinda Lewis (Principle Horn of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra) that was written for both music educators and brass players seeking advice on embouchure health and rehabilitation:

Spartans Look Forward To 2011
This weekend, we celebrated the end of a great season at our 2010 Awards Banquet. And now we move forward to 2011 and a great opportunity for further success. Congratulations to Michael Poulin, 2010 Spartan of the Year and to Jamie Fortier for receiving the Director’s Award. This fall The Spartans will be attending multiple marching band events in Mass, NH and Maine over the next 8 weeks and will culminate the end of our recruiting season with the 2011 Open House to be held on Sunday November 21, 2010 at the Boys Club in Nashua. Please visit our Join page to learn...

Support For Injured Crown Mellophone Player, Bus Driver
During Carolina Crown's performance at DCI Finals, mellophone player Ryan Brannen suffered a compound fracture of the tibia of his left leg. Ryan is now back home in Washington state and is already undergoing physical therapy as his leg heals. With the medical expenses incurred due to Ryan's leg surgery and hospital stay, as well as the cost of marching again in 2011, any assistance for Ryan and his family would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to send cards and/or checks to: Carolina Crown 227A Main Street Fort Mill, SC 29715 Attn - Ryan Brannan

Requesting 2011 Audition & Membership Information - HERE'S HOW....

DCP Presents Live Coverage from DCA Championships
Drum Corps Associates (DCA) and Drum Corps Planet (DCP) are once-again partnering to provide complete online coverage of the 2010 DCA World Championships, which will be held over Labor Day weekend in Rochester, NY.  The live blog coverage begins with the DCA Prelims competition on Saturday, September 4th at 2pm, continues with the Alumni Spectacular program on the morning of Sunday, September 5th, and concludes with the DCA Championship competition on Sunday evening starting at 5:00pm.

Box Center Episode 2010-15
Episode 2010-15 of the Drum Corps Planet Box Center podcast is now available for download! With the DCI season still in our rear view mirror and the DCA Championships in Rochester on the horizon, DCP Managing News Editor Kevin Gamin looks at the results from DCI and at the corps which are already making plans for 2011. Kevin also reviews the latest scores from the all-age competitions last weekend as Ra-Cha-Cha and Labor Day weekend get closer. Show Discussion (http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=140669) Show Notes (Coming Soon!)

Vanguard Pictures from the Spring and Summer of 2010
The 2010 SCV summer tour is revisited through pictures taken by the corps' summer photographer.

Vanguard WINTER GUARD Auditions For 2011
The 2010 silver medalist and 2009 World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard Winter Guard will host auditions for the 2011 winter season on Saturday, September 18 from noon to 5PM and Sunday, September 19 from 10AM to 2PM in the Santa Clara/San Jose area.

Vanguard WINTER PERCUSSION: 2011 Auditions/Workshops
The Vanguard Winter Percussion will hold pre-audition workshops for the 2011 season on Sundays starting October 3, 2010 and ending October 31. Auditions for the 2011 season will be held on Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7 at the Santa Clara Vanguard Corps Hall.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, DEDICATION AND SUPPORT IN 2010

Johnny Rabb - Freehand Technique
Hudson Music announces the release of The Original Freehand Technique by Johnny Rabb. This advanced Book and CD combo pack documents and explains a...

The Evolution Of Blast Beats
Hudson Music announces the re-release of The Evolution Of Blast Beats by Derek Roddy. This advanced Book and CD combo pack documents and explains popular...

BodyBeatâ„¢ Compact Pulsing Metronome
The BodyBeat™ offers a new approach on typical metronome use. The BodyBeat™ metronome produces a pulsing vibration allowing musicians to easily internalize the beat. Watch Bart Elliott's...

SoundSeat Drum Thrones
Bart Elliott originally received his first SoundSeat drum throne, the BreakDown Gas Lift model, back in 2001. Hear what he has to say about...

Welcome to Bart Elliott's DRUMMER CAFE
SERVING IT UP HOT AND FRESH ... EVERY DAY! community forum (http://www.communitydrummer.com) and entertaining broadcast, Drummer Cafe TV (http://www.drummercafe.tv), the Drummer Cafe provides the latest drumming...

Indian Rhythms for Drumset
Hudson Music Releases Indian Rhythms for Drumset Book/CD (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423456785?ie=UTF8 tag=drummercafe-20 linkCode=as2 camp=1789 creative=9325 creativeASIN=1423456785) by First-Call World-Percussionist Pete Lockett. Listen to audio examples as well as print...

Steve Smith - Drum Legacy DVD
Steve Smith’s Drum Legacy: Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants Musical Tributes, In-Depth Analysis and Great Performances. Check out several clips from this new DVD and...

Moog's New Little Phatty: Inside Details Revealed, Pricing $1000-1500
Think you know everything about Moog's new synth? Think again: surprises like a version that could sell for as little as US$1000 are just the kind of surprises we like to hear. CDM's Lee Sherman has known some of these details for a while but couldn't tell any of us (even here at CDM); now he brings us this exclusive report.

Moog Music officially confirmed the existence of its new budget synth last week but there’s much more to the story than the official specs reveal. First up the name. Dashing the hopes of many on the official Moog forum, who in a bit of wishful thinking actually came up with their own name, the “Orbiter,” Moog insists it is indeed the “Little Phatty.” Love it, or more likely hate it, the blame rests with long-time Bob Moog associate Steve Dunnington. The name comes from the initial concept for the synth. Moog briefly flirted with creating a classic synth with no memory for presets that would be marketed with a campaign suggesting musicians “roll their own.” Hence, the Little Phatty.

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Vintage Japanese Synths, Electronics Saved from Ban (Really)

The Japan Times, an English-language newspaper, reports today that the Japanese government is backpedaling on its plans to ban the sale of used electronics. (Thanks to velocipede for the tip, in comments on our previous story.) It sounds as though musical instruments were at the heart of the controversy, as Ryuichi Sakamoto argued for vintage synth liberation. Outraged resellers and electronics lovers took to the streets to protest the ban, as shown here . . . playing Famicom. (Which, oddly enough, proves to be at least as fun as burning down KFCs.) More after the jump now that we have some solid details . . ..

Free IK/Sonic Reality Sounds for Reason: TasteFill
Reason is more than a soft synth package: it's a platform, with rich support from a devoted community and, increasingly, an incredible amount of soundware tailored to the program's unique features. IK Multimedia and Sonic Reality are going hog wild with new sounds for the app, and the quality of their Sonic Refills is very good from what I've heard so far. But why not try out some sounds for free:

Free Sonic Refill for Reason

I'm sure there has to be a good sound for a Thursday in there somewhere. And thanks to Reason's Combinator, they're all ready to play. Mostly, I'm excited by Malström patches. Mmmm, granular.

Got a favorite ReFill for Reason? (Or one of your own?) Let us know. I'm off to try out the new Props' Drum Kits, myself..

Bob Moog's Vision: New Moog Synth Specs Officially Confirmed
Sometimes I forget I'm dealing with Moog Music. Apple wanted to dig through the email accounts of websites republishing specs of a rumored audio interface it never shipped. But Moog? They've basically said, oh, whoops, we accidentally leaked specs, and have nicely provided official confirmation on the front page of their Website.

Basically, what you've got is what we predicted: a mono synth with everything you love about Moog's musical instruments, at a budget price. (The price was ommitted from the official space but is rumored to be around US$1500.) Two genuine analog oscillators, classic modulation and filters including the legendary Moog ladder filter, CV and MIDI control, and 37 keys.

So that's it; story over, nothing more to tell? Not yet. Next week we look forward to bringing you some images of this new instrument as well as some additional details not covered in the currently-published specs. Wednesday March 29 is the date Moog will go public.

It's also comforting to note this one detail on the Moog site: this instrument was something Bob Moog envisioned. I think it's likely the last instrument to bear his name with which he was closely involved. So, whether or not it's something you'll be putting in your studio, it'll still be great to see it -- just as it's always great to see new ideas from creative designers, including the lesser-known hardware and software visionaries whose musical inventions we use. That's my answer to anyone who claims this stuff is over-hyped.

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Mobile Music: Tracker for Nintendo DS, DS Homebrew Music Roundup
Music creation in your pocket -- and a little Metroid Hunters to boot? Believe it. The Nintendo DS is taking off as a platform for homebrewed music creation. First glimpsed via comments here, Tobw has launched his NitroTracker for Nintendo DS. Based on tracker-style sequencers of old, NitroTrack is a sophisticated mobile composition tool, with sampling capability (via the DS' mic), sample playback, and advanced song creation capabilities. In comparison to other game handheld trackers like LSDJ on the Game Boy, this one is a joy to use: you can just tap with your stylus to edit, rather than having to endlessly scroll with directional pads. The game even takes advantage of the dual screens of the DS for editing. I can't wait to try it; now I just need to figure out which is the best CF/SD adapter to get for DS, now that I have reason to use it. (You need a memory card adapter in order to load this and other homebrew software on your DS.)

NitroTracker homepage with downloads, screenshots, docs

There's plenty of potential for other homebrews on the DS, too. Here's just a quick overview of some of the possibilities:

NDS Homebrews: DS homebrew ROMS and reviews community, with plenty of links and resources; a good starting point for learning about homebrews (and yes, as always, there are caveats when you're learning to do this!)

Drunken Coders, news and resources for homebrew development on DS, GBA, SNES, and even Wonder Swan. Helpful if you're learning about homebrews or developing your own.

Tobw's simple sampling keyboard: Not as advanced as this tracker, but a fun toy

DS Wiki: Comprehensive info for homebrew users and developers alike; a must-visit

Make Blog How-To on running homebrew games with PassMe

Unlike Sony, Nintendo doesn't appear to be quashing this sort of development on DS, thankfully. Now I just need to clear an evening for some tracking goodness -- and Metroid, too. (CDM Metroid Wi-Fi clan, anyone?).

Manage your Mac and PC Plug-ins: PlugAdmin
Plug-ins are great, and they're a nightmare. They're great because you have access to literally tens of thousands of virtual sound making and processing devices, from costly works of art to bizarre free toys. They're a nightmare because the plug-ins in the latter category -- the odd free plug-in you just downloaded -- can crash your system, even with the plug-in validation features now in many hosts.

I've long suggested disabling plug-ins you don't need, but I usually do it manually because I haven't found a tool that manages them effectively. PlugAdmin could change my mind. First, it's cross-platform, Mac and Windows, and the Mac release works with RTAS, AU, VST, MAS -- the whole enchilada. Second, it has a whole host of cool management features, including backup. The only downside is that the Windows release doesn't seem to cover DirectX plug-ins, probably having to do with how DLLs behave on Windows. I'll be trying it; if you do, too, let us know how it goes or if you have a tool you prefer. US$19.99 for this software..

Japan Banning, or Not Banning, Vintage Tech; Protesting with Famicoms
Matrixsynth and Music thing have continued their coverage of Japan's hated new PSE law, set to go in effect April 1, which would ban sales and purchase of used equipment that fails strict electrical certification -- read, all that vintage game and music gear you love so much. Trying to follow this story is more than a little tricky, between changing information from Japanese bureaucrats and translation issues. Thankfully, Jun and Aaron have been trying to help us out over in Music thing's comments, including this lovely haiku from Aaron:

Electronics spring,
New law restricts used good sales,
Kirn's question answered?

In short, the reason none of us knows what's going on is no one in Japan, the lawmakers included, seem to know what's going on. First, Japanese lawmakers passed a law which must have seemed sensible to them, tightening restrictions on purchasing and selling electrical devices based on certification -- thinking nothing of how this law would affect Japan's sizable number of used electronics resellers. Protests from customers and sellers alike pressured the government to create an exemption for certified vintage gear. Great, we're done! Nope: apparently that new certification (certifying that the gear doesn't need the other certification) doesn't cover the very gear it was supposed to protect, because it wasn't certified via the older certification. And as for the free testing equipment and testing procedures . . . oh, I don't know.

In the meantime, let's just enjoy the photos of the mass protest in Tokyo (courtesy Asobitsuchiya) that featured people marching with vintage recorders and synths (really), and even playing Nintendo Famicom (that's NES to the rest of us) in the streets. Now that would have made protest marches I've been in so much more fun. (But, yipes, you won't even be able to buy old Famicoms?)

Anyone in Japan want to set us straight on what's going on?

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Free, Do-Everything Stereo FX/Modulation Plug-in for Mac
It slices, it dices! It runs in GarageBand! (and every other AudioUnit host on the Mac) How much would you pay for an effect that has a stereo delay, random pattern generator, envelope follower, "glitchy" decimator, ring modulator, low and high shelf filters, lowpass filter, and a randomizer for parameters? That's not one, not two, not four, but five modulation types. Would you pay $50, $100, $15,000 for this plug-in? What would you say to the price of free?

Erm, sorry, not sure what came over me there. But anyway, Polyfractus is a new freeware AU plug-in for the Mac, available exclusively at MacMusic. At this price, or lack thereof, it looks like quite a worthy addition to your arsenal. I like the randomization -- a bit like an Executive Decision Maker for audio processing, which might be just what I need today..

Cakewalk DAW Labs Tests High-End PCs (Racked, Laptop, and Otherwise)

Bless Cakewalk. While most of the music software business lags behind on the latest computer tech, these guys are out on the bleeding edge. They're one of the first developers in any product category (not just music) to take advantage of the 64-bit edition of Windows. And they've been busily testing all the high-end PC laptops, desktops, and rack-mounted machines for a quick encapsulation of how they're performing. The machines they like include some systems built for pro audio, like the Rain Recording systems we've been talking about, as well as some mainstream boxes from Dell, HP, and Alienware. They even share audio card details and the setups they've used at trade shows:

Cakewalk DAW Labs.

Rack Rig: Pro Flight Case for G5 Tower, Good Enough for Sting
Sticking your desktop machine into a flight case doesn't require a PC. You knew some high-end Mac audio customers would come up with something. Mike Salera writes us from the pro audio department at the legendary NYC Mac shop Tekserve. He's got just the solution:

We recommend the folks at Nashville Custom Cases, who offer the "Pro Tools Case" ($1,625) and road-ready cases for the Apple Cinema 20" display ($525).

Cheap? No, but neither is the rest of a serious touring rig, and note that customers include Sting and CBS Studios. (Not sure Sting bought this case specifically; they do all manner of custom cases. And yes, they're based in Nashville, or at least nearby Brentwood.) Thanks, Mike!.

Above and Beyond
One student's dream helped a team of Berklee students show a village of children the world of music.

Joe Lovano Earns a DownBeat Triple Crown
Alumnus Joe Lovano '72 garnered accolades from music critics around the globe.

Phil Wilson Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
The Berklee professor is honored by the International Trombone Association.

PODCAST: The Bad Plus
Innovative jazz trio the Bad Plus flaunts convention with originals as well as deconstructed versions of tunes by Nirvana, Blondie, and Yes.

VIDEO: What's Happening at Berklee
Take advantage of the best way to learn about what's coming up on campus.

Berklee Riffs: Masters of Fingerstyle
Guitar great Tommy Emmanuel and faculty member Guy Van Duser squared off in a Berklee recital hall.

Forty Years at Berklee: Steve Lipman
Alumnus and long-time student affairs administrator Steve Lipman reflects upon his decades at Berklee.

NPR at Newport: Berklee Global Jazz Institute Septet
Listen to the BGJI's Newport Jazz Festival set on NPRmusic.org.

Alumni Profile: Kirill Gerstein '96
Go to Berklee, become a world-class concert pianist? Kirill Gerstein talks about taking the less-traveled path.

Berklee Global Jazz Institute Septet In Concert: Newport Jazz Festival 2010
Hear the Berklee Global Jazz Institute Septet's archived concerts from the 2010 CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival.

Fall Signature Series Highlights Pop, Bebop, Latin, and Abbey Road
Paula Cole, Ron Carter, Jorge Drexler, and a Singers Showcase performance of Abbey Road are all on tap for the fall Signature concert series.

Berklee Riffs: Five-Week Ensemble Showcase
Summer students wrapped up their Berklee experience with a fast-paced series of performances.

14 Full Scholarships Awarded at Berklee City Music Concert
It was a life-changing night for 14 talented youth, who could not afford to come to Berklee on their own.

Student Profile: P.J. Brutzman
Five-Week Performance Program student P.J. Brutzman is taking the opportunity to jam with fellow musicians as much as possible—and even meet a hero.

PODCAST: Folk Arts Quartet
The Folk Arts Quartet, which combines traditional fiddle styles with a foundation in the classical string quartet, brings its "chambergrass" to Berklee's 2010 Summer Concert Series.

Andrew Bird: A Study in Artful Contradiction
Singer/songwriter Andrew Bird talked about improvising, the creative process, and breaking genres.

Berklee Launches Program for Blind and Visually Impaired Students
With the success of a pilot effort this summer, Berklee will make a program for blind and visually impaired students part of the curriculum this fall.

Jaci and Those Guys Battle It Out at Five-Week
After winning Berklee and Sonicbids' Battle for Five-Week, Jaci and Those Guys attend the summer program as a group.

Felix Peikli Quintet to Play Oslo Jazz Festival, August 20
The student group will also perform at Oslo's U.S. and Japanese embassies, as well as TV 2 Norway.

The Dilla Ensemble Builds a Bridge to Brooklyn
A nine-member Berklee group travels to NYC to perform the music of hip-hop legend J Dilla.