Rudimental Drumming

Yes indeed, the 60th annual! Plenty of rudimental drumming to be found

Details can be found here:
https://www.westbrookdrumcorps.org/muster

Thanks for your continued reminders, Stuart. For those as myself who have never had the opportunity to attend a muster, what are we missing out on?

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Marshall Digmon
N.A.R.D. Member 10042

Yes, Stuart, please provide a review.

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"If rudimental drumming were easy..."

So musters are the main gathering point for the drum corps classified as " Ancient", which in the competition world means 110 bps, 2/4 and 6/8 time signatures. The corps preserve the martial music from the french and indian through the Civil wars. Most wear some approximation of uniform from those time periods.
The basic corps consists of fife, snare drum, and bass drum, as well as color guard.
The drums are wooden, with rope tension adjusted with leather ears, calfskin heads, and on the snares, catgut. The snare drums are tall, the bass are wide. The bass is played with 2 sticks, and both use rudiments to create the patterns.
As i sat to grab a burger before the 12:30 kickoff, a couple at the table asked me what this muster-thing was as they had stumbled upon it. I gave them what i just detailed. They asked if it was a competition. I said no, .... but ... you want to look better than everyone else.
It starts with a parade, which ends at a ballfield. After the last corps is in, the exhibition starts. Each corps marches onto the infield and plays 2 - 4 songs. Each receives a ribbon for attending, then march off to be followed by the next corps.
The host corps usually provides a muster meal for all participants. It really is a shared experience type of event. I see people there that I've known for 20+ years ... that i see once or twice a year at musters.
At the conclusion of the last corps presentation, the jam session begins and runs to 11 at night.
The corps share a large set of standard songs that lend themselves to being played enmasse
The drumming will vary between being played straight/traditional, and being tweaked in many directions in order to be a little unique.

They have changed the webpage in order to present video of this past muster, and prepare for next years

http://westbrookdrumcorps.org/copy-of-muster

Would love to go one year. Oh to live in the northeast! (except maybe during the winter!)

Thanks for posting Stuart.

Nice! Thanks, Stuart! Re the jam session, is it open to anyone attending? Corps members only? Random folks carrying sticks?

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Marshall Digmon
N.A.R.D. Member 10042

Anyone and everyone. Didn't bring a drum? Ask a couple questions on drumming, or better yet, offer up a beer and you can probably borrow one for a song or two.

In the same vein, after the last official corps in the parade is what is known as "F Troop", a mass marching unit of anyone who wants to march, which includes some people who have already marched with their corps and anyone else. That's what i did this year. I was a little rusty, but did okay.

Sound like a good idea to have cooler on hand. I've always wanted to attend a muster to at least see the happenings. Joining in for some drumming would be a bonus.

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Marshall Digmon
N.A.R.D. Member 10042

The largest, Deep River, is always the third Saturday in July.

The next largest, Westbrook, is always the forth Saturday in August.

There are others in between, and a few in early Fall.