1974/1975 Drum Corps Rules
1. ELIGIBILITY: Drum and bugle corps composed of members not over 21 year of
age as of September 1 of the competing year shall be permitted to compete.
No member shall compete with more than one such corps. Directors, drum majors
and color guard taking any part in the contests are subject to judging and all
requirements, except that drum majors and musical directors are excluded
from timing and boundary penalties.
2. POINTS: Corps will be judged on the following:
Marching and Maneuvering 25.0 points
Drumming 20.0 points
Bugling 25.0 points
General Effect 30.0 points
total: 100.0 points
3. SCORE SHEETS: the following shall be used:
DCRC FORM:
74-001 Summary
74-002 Timing and Penalties
74-003 Marching and Maneuvering 25.0 points
74-004 Drumming-Execution/Exposure 20.0 points
74-005 Bugling-Execution 15.0 points
74-006 Bugling-Musical Analysis 10.0 points
74-007 General Effect-M&M 10.0 points
74-008 General Effect- Percussion 10.0 points
74-009 General Effect- Brass 10.0 points
74.010 Contest Recapitulation Summary
4. CONTEST SITE: The contest field shall be in the shape of a football
field 160 feet wide by 300 feet long, with the outside lines and the 50 yard line
marked, with visual markers at each corner and at each end of the 50 yard
line.
5. EQUIPMENT: The musical equipment of each corps shall be limited to:
Percussion instruments: Snare drums, tenor drums, baritone drums, bass
drums, cymbals, tymbales, bongo drums, conga drums, tom-toms, timp-toms, and
tympani ( the tympani must be played only by the man (men) who carry it (them)-
only a tympanist may play another tympanist's drum). In addition all hand -
held percussion accessories may be used, provided they do not require the
fielding of any additional member(s) to carry them.
Mallet Instruments: Vibraphones, chimes, xylaphones. orchestra bells, and
bell lyre are legal.
All mallet instruments must be carried either vertically or horizontally; in
one or two parts, each by a different player. It may not be grounded. Only
the carrier of each respective instrument may play that instrument. Assorted
types of mallets may be carried. Two or more mallets may be used at once in
chordal work. Only two players/carriers of mallet instruments will be allowed per
corps. Ressonators may not be used. No motors allowed. Any modification of
the structure of the keyboard or frame will be acceptable. Any combination of
metal, synthetic or wood keys may be used on a mallet instrument. Dampening
may be done mechanically or by hand. Electric amplification is forbidden.
Percussion Implements: All implements (devices used to strike an
instrument to produce sound, such as sticks, beaters, mallets, etc.), with the
exception of brushes, are considered legal. Any drummer may use more than one pair of
implements.
Bugles: By the word "bugle" as used herein is meant a straight bell-front
instrument. Each bugle shall be pitched in the key of G and may have one
piston valve which may be used freely to play in one additional key: either D or F.
The free use of a slip slide (used to enable the playing of low A flat) or
rotary is optional. The use of mutes is permissible for any bugle. Any other
variations of these types of instruments, and all types of instruments, are
illegal.
6. COLORS AND STANDARDS: Each corps shall be required to use its colors and
standards in the contest, to be composed of at least a minimum of two, which
shall be a National Color and its guard.
When forming a front, the National Color shall fly to the right of all other
flags, banners, guidions, silks, or other identifying material. No other
flag, banner, guidion, slik, or other identifying material shall ever precede the
National Color while facing in the same direction. The National Color shall
always be guarded, and while guarded no other flag shall pass between the
guard and the National Color. The National Color shall never be lowered or dipped.
NOTE: By National Color it is meant the recognized flag of the country from
which the corps originates.
Part 7.
CONDUCT OF CORPS: Each corps shall be in competition with its complete
personnel not less than 11 1/2 nor more than 13 minutes. It shall be in
motion with all its musical equipment not less than a total of 8 minutes. A warning
signal will be given at the expiration of 11 1/2 minutes. CORPS PROPER is
defined as playing members only.
(a) Time in motion shall be determined by deducting stop time from 11 1/2
minutes. A stop begins when the first man of the corps proper comes to a
halt and ends when the last man of the corps proper leaves a halt, except that
stops of 20 seconds or less shall not be considered stop time.
(b) All members of the corps other than the corps proper may take positions
on the field in the area between the stating line and the finish line prior
to the commencement of timing and judging.
(c) Each corps shall enter the field over the starting line (to the left
of the judges' table and extending along the entire backside line) and exit
over the finish line at the opposite and of the field (to the right of the
judges' table and extending along the entire backside line). After timing has
commenced, there will be no penalty for marking time on the starting lines
or for entering and leaving the competition field over the starting lines up to
the first 60 seconds of the corps' performance. All boundary lines will be
enforced after the first 60 seconds. Should the corps choose to re-enter the
field after all its members are across the finish line, all playing and
maneuvering must cease when the total time reaches 13 minutes.
(d) Timing and judging will start with the first step of a member of the
corps proper or with the first note of music, whichever occurs first. All
field judging will cease with the 11 1/2 minute signal or when the last
member of the corps crosses the finish line, whichever occurs first. Timing will
continue until the conclusion of the performance; time in motion shall cease
when the first member of the corps proper crosses the finish line or with
the 11 1/2 minute signal, whichever occurs first.
(e) Singing, chanting, talking or shouting, either in unison or
individually while on the field is not permitted, except for drum major(s),
color guard commander(s), National Color squad commander, or weapons squad
commander issuing orders to their respective units.
Part 8. Penalties
PENALTIES: The following penalties shall be in effect:
(a) A corps violating any requirement of rule 1 shall be disqualified
and its position and standing in the contest shall be forfeited.
(b) A 1/10 point penalty shall be assessed for each member of the corps
in violation of rule 7, section c, first sentence, to a maximum of two (2)
points penalty for 20 members or more.
(c) A corps failing to report to the ready line for competition at the
stipulated time, shall be penalized 1/2 point for each 15 minutes of
lateness or part thereof up to the conclusion of the contest.
(d) Once a unit reports to the starting official that it is ready for
competition, the unit must start in 60 seconds or less, or be assessed a
2/10ths point penalty for each six seconds or fraction thereof over 60
seconds.
(e) Any infraction of the Competitive Flag Code shall be penalized 3/10ths
of a point per offense (per offense is 16 steps or change of direction). The
competitive Flag Code shall be that adopted by the Drum Corps Rules
Congress, November 16-17, 1973
(f) A 1/10th of a point penalty shall be assessed for each piece of
dropped equipment or uniform. Equipment or uniform items may be deliberately
grounded without penalty.
(g) A 1 point penalty shall be assessed for the retrieval by any member
of each piece of dropped equipment or uniform. Equipment obviously grounded
deliberately may be retrieved by any member of the competing unit without
penalty.
(h) An individual who falls to the ground on the field will be assessed a
1/10th of a point penalty. Such member may recover on his own without
further penalty, but any equipment or item of uniform which becomes physically
separated from the individual will be considered as dropped equipment.
(i) A 2 point penalty shall be assessed for the use of any illegal
equipment, instrumentation or implement.
(j) After the corps has entered the field of competition A 1/10th of a
point penalty shall be assessed for each offense for each member crossing
any boundary line and returning onto the field (prior to the completion of
contest requirements). Completion of contest requirements is defined as the time
between the first step or note of music played by the corps proper,
whichever occurs first, and the 11 1/2 minute signal or as the last member of the
corps proper crosses the finish line, whichever occurs first.
(k) A corps violating any timing requirements for which no specific
penalty is provided shall be penalized 2/10ths of a point for every 6 seconds or
fraction thereof, over a maximum or under a minimum timing requirements.
(l) A corps violating any rule, or part of a rule, for which no specific
penalty is herein provided, shall be penalized, for each such violation. not
less than 1/10th of a point nor more than disqualification, at the
discretion of the contest director.