Playing Tips

A Long Tone Warming Up in Half Steps

For a well-rounded tone quality, I am convinced you need to warm-up the band always using long tones from B flat concert and play half steps down to low F concert and back up using half steps. It results in better tone and better tuning. It’s simple, but it works over a period of time.

Fix it in the Mix!

Breath, Breath in the Air….

When a student is sitting poorly they are able to take in air until their lungs can’t take in any more. To the student, this feels like a full breath of air. We know that once they sit up their chest cavity will be more open and allow them to take in even more air. To demonstrate this, hold up an empty disposable 12 oz. plastic water bottle, which represents their lungs.

Perfectly on Pitch

Young clarinet players often play with unsupported, flat sounds in the upper register. This is often caused by a “mushy” bottom lip and chin. Ask your clarinetists to imagine they are looking in a mirror and putting on either lipstick or chapstick. As they do this, the bottom lip should stretch automatically and the chin will go flat. A firm bottom lip and a flat chin are essential for a good clarinet embouchure (especially in the upper register) and this should get your clarinet players making the correct embouchure.

Keep it Warm

Begin each rehearsal with a warm-up routine that focuses on some basic playing. This will develop good tone, intonation, blend and balance, technique, and it will engage the students to develop deeper listening skills. There are many good ensemble method books that can be incorporated to help a director initiate this phase. All in all, this could be 10-15 minutes of the most important time spent at each rehearsal. Everything done during this time period will transfer to other portions of the rehearsal.

Essential for Embouchure

David Snyder of Illinois State University in Normal, IL presents this month's Playing Tip.

The Sound of Silence

I’m very insistent on the sound vs. silence duality. We will often practice by starting a note together with a solid sound and releasing the note together as a group. Depending on the group, it sometimes takes only two or three tries, sometimes it takes 15-20 minutes of work, but we get there.

“Use the Force” For Quick 
Knowledge Assessment

To get all students involved and to quickly assess their knowledge, I will pose a question and have students close their eyes when they have the answer. I will then ask them to raise their hand when they hear the correct answer, or I will have them show me fingers for beat counts, et cetera. Doing this allows me to quickly get feedback on their retention and cuts down on written tests.

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Sing the Chord!

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When tuning a chord, have students sing the chord, then bring the instruments up to their face and play the chord after a breath. They will quickly see the difference in intonation and adjust accordingly, if they are listening.

Paying Tips: Zip Tie that Triangle!

I have seen too many triangle clamps with incorrect ways of supporting the triangle. Sometimes there is only one hole on the clamp for the support to pass through. There needs to be two holes in the base of the clamp. That being said, try using a small zip tie to connect the triangle to the clamp. It’s durable and doesn’t muffle the triangle sound. Be sure not to make the zip tie too tight or it will rub against the clamp.

Playing Tips: Keep the Tips Close

To ensure young percussionists are playing with their stick beads close together, take a quarter or a fifty-cent piece and place it directly in the center of the drum head. Then take a pencil and trace a circle around the coin so your students can see the circle when they start to play. Instruct them to play within the circle. This will train them to play with their stick beads close together. This produces a more consistent sound on the drum. You can also draw a circle toward the front edge of the drum head for softer playing zones.”