Bring back the beat: UP council calls for UAAP drum return

JR Isaga

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Bring back the beat: UP council calls for UAAP drum return
The UP Diliman University Student Council calls for the full return of the drums in the UAAP men's basketball games

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – In a solidarity statement with several UP varsity captains, the UP Diliman University Student Council (USC) has called for the full return of the UAAP drums.

The USC statement – signed by incumbent USC chairperson Yael Toribio and prominent varsity captains like UAAP champion King Miyagi of the men’s football team and newly minted PVL Collegiate Conference champion Tots Carlos of the women’s volleyball squad – also called for supporters and drummers of other UAAP member schools to join their call using the hashtag “#StandWithTheUAAPDrummers” on Saturday, September 15.  

While the current UAAP Season 81 drum limit has been upped to four bass drums and two snare drums from its initial 2-1 bass-snare limit, the difference was still noticeable during the opening day men’s basketball tournament matches at the Mall of Asia Arena.


According to sources, a 6-4 bass-snare ratio is optimal for big venues like MOA Arena and the Araneta Coliseum and that the current 4-2 bass-snare ratio limit is still not enough for the beats to be properly heard. For a 2-1 limit as initially implemented, the beats would be inaudible, the sources said.

They also said that the league held no prior consultation with the drummers before releasing the initial and revamped drum limits.

Prior to Season 79, there weren’t even any limits, the sources said. Drum squads were able to freely put massive 12-8, 10-6 or 6-4 bass-snare drum lines without any repercussions. Limits would only be placed during the annual UAAP Cheerdance Competition, since drummers of all eight member universities are present at the venue. 

 

 

Even before the UP USC statement was released, supporters of other drum groups already expressed their outrage online after the initial 2-1 bass-snare limit was released. The protest gained enough traction for the league to double its initial limit to four basses and two snares.

Shortly afterwards, the Nowhere To Go But UP (NTGBUP) Foundation capitalized on the online clamor by releasing a protest video of their own with the UP Pep Drummers. (WATCH: UP drummers out to make some noise)

The drum squads have been carrying extra drums since opening day just in case and are hoping that the league would relax the current limits even further.  – Rappler.com

 

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