[gyutae]

Has anyone ever been involved in a drum off or drum competition? I know that Guitar Center has something like that once in a while and I was wondering what the atmosphere was like and how they were run. Has anyone ever WON anything like that as well?

[full metal]

I entered the one guitar center had last year and I dont know about nation wide but here it was a really bous deal and they couldnt even follow the rules that were set forth buy the company.

one thing was if you work for guitar center you could not enter the contest and well over half of the drummers in the contest worked at that store.
and there is only so many slots open to play.
seconed the guy that won at the store I played at knew all 3 judges personaly.

so I really didnt think that it was a very fair comp.

[DrummerMom]

I played at the G.C. Drumoff last year. I new won of the judges. I didn't place but I had fun there were alot of great drummers. I was so impressed by the young man that won. He was polite and not full of himself like a lot of the other drummers. He truly tore it up! Also, I was the only female to play at my location.

I was also in solo and ensemble contest in high school.

I didn't fair very well my freshmen year. (I got a III on my solo)
I was nervous. I played Rolling Accents by Buggert. Grade 4 solo

I also played:

Drum Master Medley by Prentice/Mills, Grade 4 solo (II the first time, Superior the 2nd time)
Double Drummin' snare duet by Harr/Rubank , Grade 3 duet(Superior)
Echoing Sticks by Buggert, Grade 4 solo (II the first time, Superior the 2nd time)
Thundering Through by buggert, Grade 4 solo (II)

[gyutae]

I'm interested by the Guitar Center drum offs. Where are you guys located and how did you do? Is it basically 1 on 1 with eliminations?

[Qwerk]

Originally Posted by DrummerMom

I was also in solo and ensemble contest in high school.

I didn't fair very well my freshmen year. (I got a III on my solo)
I was nervous. I played Rolling Accents by Buggert. Grade 4 solo

I also played:

Drum Master Medley by Prentice/Mills, Grade 4 solo (II the first time, Superior the 2nd time)
Double Drummin' snare duet by Harr/Rubank , Grade 3 duet(Superior)
Echoing Sticks by Buggert, Grade 4 solo (II the first time, Superior the 2nd time)
Thundering Through by buggert, Grade 4 solo (II)

I've done the Solo & Ensemble in my state as well. The last time I did really well. I did a snare solo and got a 1 (highest rank) at regionals, and a 1 at state and I was doing a class A (hardest class) peice. I must admit, the judges didn't notice several mistakes, but still.

[gyutae]

With snare drum solos, they're basically just judging on correctness, right? There's really not as much creativity involved, unless you're improvising. I guess feel, dynamics, style, and chops would factor in too for snare drum pieces.

[Qwerk]

I don't know about snare solos in general, but mine had a lot of dynamics (everything from pppp to fff), was really fast, and involved some different cross-stick and rimshot type things. You're right though, in that a lot of it is based on how correctly you played the peice. The only way I've seen improvisation used in Solo & Ensable, is if someone has a lower class peice and wants to make it "harder". Since mine was already the highest class, there was no point.

[dnastrands]

Y'all should a solo called 'Earth', by Don Worth a try. It's tough. I played it at a district competition (my first time ever cometeting) and placed fifth. I nervous, incredibly nervous (dripping sweat).
There was a fellow competitor named Collin Hill (he ended up getting a full ride/four year scholarship to Texas) played a solo called Synchronicle. He played excellently, he has inspired a lot of my long roll speed and technique.
My friend John-Mark Morelli also played. he and colling tied for first and went to state. It was very intense.

[gyutae]

Originally Posted by dnastrands

Y'all should a solo called 'Earth', by Don Worth a try. It's tough. I played it at a district competition (my first time ever cometeting) and placed fifth. I nervous, incredibly nervous (dripping sweat).
There was a fellow competitor named Collin Hill (he ended up getting a full ride/four year scholarship to Texas) played a solo called Synchronicle. He played excellently, he has inspired a lot of my long roll speed and technique.
My friend John-Mark Morelli also played. he and colling tied for first and went to state. It was very intense.

That's pretty crazy, I feel like I was there from your description. Sorry about placing 5th.