D'Addario Education Collective

Advise, tips, thoughts, and inspirations from today's top educators.

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The Electric Stride Pt. 1 - Sound Reinforcement

By: Kevin Shah

All branches of the pageantry arts have evolved significantly in the last decade, and we are definitely at a point in our development where a vast number of ensembles and designers are creating at very high levels, and shows are pushing the boundaries of what is possible every season. The front ensemble is at the forefront of evolution in the percussion voice, and a lot of that growth has come in the form of a higher level of musicianship and artistry for the players and the increased sophistication of orchestration and use of electronics and sound design.

The umbrella of “electronics” in the front ensemble include several sub-categories that are worth exploring as separate mediums - each with their own purposes and considerations: Sound Reinforcement, Synthesizers, and Sound Design. Each one of these topics is a universe of its own in terms of craft, but we can explore some big picture ideas on each to consider as you navigate them for your ensemble.

Sound Reinforcement

Sound Reinforcement refers to the use of microphones and other systems to amplify any member of your ensemble. Usually this includes most of the acoustic instruments in the front ensemble, as well as any soloists or ensembles for your winds - wired or wireless. The most important question to ask when amplifying any instrument is: why? The answer generally should be: to achieve a more favorable Blend and Balance for the audience/judges. [One caveat would be that “favorable” is subjective, and generally much different for judges vs. general audience solely based on location in the stands. So as you decide what is favorable, always keep location in mind.]

The reason most front ensembles choose to use microphones is that acoustically they cannot compete with a large wind section or battery and would require an approach to the instrument that could be damaging or un-musical. Amplification of the front allows players to approach the instrument with a much more musical and dynamic approach and allows for their sound to be properly blended into the full ensemble. Once you have your ensemble properly amplified, always be aware of their presence in relation to all the other elements. It is very easy to create a lopsided blend where the acoustic elements in the front are either too present, or un- natural sounding.

When amplifying soloists, similar considerations apply. The goal should be to bring the solo to the front of the mix, but not to dominate the mix. Also, be mindful of the intent of any given section of music before adding effects to the solo. Does the moment require extra reverb? The answer to this will depend on the section of music as well as the performance venue. Outside, the answer might be yes, but in a gym or other indoor facility too much added reverb can muddy up your mix to the acoustic instruments.

When considering gear purchases there is a huge range in terms of price and quality. Generally you will get what you pay for. The quality of microphone / amps and speakers will go a long way to your overall quality of sound. There are many mixers at a variety of price points and functions - however on a limited budget, this might be the area to invest in after investments in quality microphones, wireless systems and speakers.

If you are planning on using wireless microphones, it is a very tricky subject and requires a good deal of management and care. It would be best to invest in a higher-end wireless gear as quality and range can be quite problematic on the consumer grade systems that are typically available at over-the-counter music stores.

In the next part, we will discuss synthesizers.  

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What are the Parts of the String?

By learning a little about how strings are constructed, you can be better positioned to make informed decisions about what strings are right for you. Your choice will depend on your instrument, your budget, the styles of music you play, and your own preferences regarding tone, projection, bow response, and feel.

When considering different types of strings, the main factor is the material of the core. The core, which runs all the way through the length of the string, has the largest impact on how the string sounds and feels. Today, players have four materials to choose from when buying strings:

Gut: Strings made from the intestines of sheep and cows are still used today. Players who specialize in baroque or historically informed performance practice will often use strings made purely of gut, while modern-style players may choose gut core strings wound in metal for added durability. Gut strings have a warm, round sound, fast bow response, and are flexible beneath the left hand, although they are more difficult to keep in tune than most strings made from modern materials.

Solid Steel: Strings with a solid steel core are very durable and pitch stable, and have a clear sound that is louder than gut. Solid steel is frequently used by entry level players because it is an economical and durable choice, but it is also used by professionals for Violin E, Viola A, and Cello A & D strings. Professional players are drawn to the projection and brilliance of a solid steel core sound.  Musicians who play outdoors, or in ensembles with non-stringed instruments, like a mariachi band, may choose solid steel to complement and match the tone of the other instruments.

Stranded Steel: Stranded steel (rope core) strings are made of multiple wires twisted together, which creates a more flexible string than solid steel. Stranded steel has excellent bow response and is especially popular with cellists and bassists, as well as players of alternative styles such as folk, bluegrass, rock, and jazz. In general, stranded steel strings may have a more textured and complex sound than solid steel.

Synthetic: Synthetic core strings can be designed to produce a variety of tone colors, from very bright to warm and dark, and are especially popular with professional violinists and violists because of the tonal possibilities they offer. Because they stretch more than metal core strings, they will require a few extra days to settle in and become pitch stable on the instrument.

The second part of the string that affects its sound is the winding. String designers may add up to four or more layers of winding to produce a string that is the correct weight to vibrate at the correct pitch. By using different metals of varying varying densities, and by manufacturing them using a range of configurations and techniques, designers can produce strings with a wide range of characteristics.

Two more string components are worth noting, even though they do not affect the performance of the string. The silking, now made from a synthetic material, is an organizational tool for identifying both the the brand and pitch of a particular string. For D’Addario strings, the silking at the tailpiece indicates the sub-brand. For example, Helicore strings have blue and yellow silking. In the pegbox, the each color corresponds a specific pitch - for example, all D’Addario A strings have black silking.  [link to D’Addario’s silking chart here?] Finally, the ball end anchors the string into the tailpiece or the fine tuner. Alternatively, some violin E strings are made with a loop, for use with hooked fine tuners.

Knowing these basics of  string construction will help narrow your focus as you explore different types of strings, and ultimately find your favorite combination of tone, projection, bow response, and feel.

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School’s Out for Summer…Now What?

Patrick Rehker

It’s something that every student (and teacher) looks forward to- SUMMER BREAK! While I think it’s important to take a break, summer can also be a great time to fix issues in your playing and improve.

Having a break from school and homework allows for more time to focus on your playing. Plus, usually you have more free time in general which allows for more time to practice. Here are some tips for your summer practicing:

·     Be realistic with your practice routine. If you haven’t been putting 4-5 hours a day into your sessions, don’t expect to all of a sudden make that your norm. Instead, set a schedule you are used to and stick with it. Being consistent with your practice will be easier to add 30 minutes here or there.

·     Keep your instrument out all day on the appropriate instrument stand. I know that if my clarinet is already assembled, I will be more inclined to pick it up, put on a reed, and get another session in. You will be surprised how many small sessions you can get in one day. It really adds up!

·     Focus on one thing to accomplish for the break. It can be improving articulation, tone, technique, or anything issue give your problems. It will be less daunting to have one area to improve with adequate amount of time.

·     Attend a music camp or festival. There are so many music programs you can apply for from anywhere from a couple of days to over eight weeks. These are great to help focus and guide your practice over the summer. You can also get to study with world-renowned artists, teachers, and conductors.

Whether you choose to stay home or go off to a summer festival, summer is the perfect time to accomplish goals and improve your playing!

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An Introduction to String Tension

By: Annika Donnen

String tension is the amount of force along the length of a string. In the string industry, this is measured in pounds or kilograms, and the tension measurement of each string can be found in a chart on the packaging. For ease of comparison, sets of strings are categorized as Light, Medium, or Heavy tension. Although these terms are widely used across string manufacturers, two sets of strings labeled “Heavy” can actually be quite different, since there is no industry standard.

How does tension affect sound and response?

In general, the less mass a string has, the easier it is to set in motion. Light tension strings have less mass than their medium tension counterparts, and therefore will feel a little “softer” under both the right and left hand. They have a faster bow response, and speak at softer volumes more easily. On the other hand, they will have less projection and ability to play at higher dynamics.

Heavy tension strings have more mass than medium tension strings, and will take more energy to set in motion. Because of this, the bow response is a bit slower, and they will not speak as well at the softest dynamics. The benefit is that they offer the ability to “dig in” and play with much greater power and projection.

How should I pick?

When exploring different tensions, it can be helpful to start with medium tension, to find a string that generally sounds the way you want it on your instrument. From there, you can experiment, even mixing strings of different tensions together. (For example, some cellists prefer to play on medium tension A and D, with heavy tension G and C.) Lighter tension strings could be considered to address issues such as having difficulty getting the instrument to speak at soft volumes, or to “open up” an instrument that isn’t resonating. They could also be used for playing music that requires a lighter bowing style. Heavy tension strings could be considered for players who have a heavier bowing style, and for whom medium tension strings feel too soft. They can also be used for playing styles of music where projection and power is crucial.

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Helping Every Student Succeed

By: Michael Christiansen

A goal for every music teacher is to make each student feel successful. Each student wants to feel like they are progressing and succeeding…who doesn’t. It’s a fact of life that some students will progress faster than others. This is true in every discipline, not just in music. How can everyone be engaged? How can those who are moving quickly be taught so they are nor bored and feel constrained, and how can those who are moving slower feel like they are moving ahead, happy with their progress, and not holding up the others? There are many answers and methods that have been used over the years. Sometimes the answers are as numerous as the number of students. However, there are some universal solutions.

The first solution to the challenge is obvious. Kind and encouraging words from the teacher are worth their weight in gold. I still remember many of the supportive comments made by my teachers. However, be careful not to hand out compliments that stretch the truth too far, or are too commonplace. Compliments are more meaningful when they are earned.

The level of repertoire can also be a motivator. Exercises, solos, accompaniment pieces, and ensemble music have to be selected that are challenging, but within reach of the students abilities.

Finally, the use of “layered learning” can be invaluable in helping all of the students be engaged and feel successful. Educators often refer to layered learning and “differentiated instruction.” When skills can be taught at varying levels, the students in the same class can move at different paces. For example, if the students are being taught their first chords, the one and two-finger G, G7, and C chords, there may be students in the class who already know these chords and are bored with appearing to move backwards. A page of more advanced G, G7, and C chords could be given to the advanced students to learn. The same music can be played in class, but the more experienced students are now being challenged, by learning more advanced chords. This same principle can be applied to teaching, strum patterns and other accompaniment styles, note reading, rhythms, and ensemble music. Most of the lessons in the Consonus blended learning courseware contain a separate “layered learning” section where more advanced material for each lesson is supplied. These pages can be duplicated and given to the students or viewed online.

As Yoda said, “Do or do not…there is no try.” Hopefully, you will get your students to do…not just try, and they will have a good, positive feeling about what they can do.

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Introducing Your Students to Tuning: Tips for the Private Guitar Teacher

By: Mike Christainsen

Okay…for your first guitar lesson, I’m going to teach you how to tune the guitar.  No, don’t do it…yet!! There is a time and place for everything and teaching your guitar student how to tune in the first lesson is neither. Assuming that your student can even identify differences in pitches is a mistake.  At first, turning your student loose to tune their own guitar can take forever and the student may well do more damage than good. The teacher should tune the guitar for the first while. When it’s time for your student to learn to tune his/her own guitar, the tuning process can be approached several ways.

Matching Pitch -Regardless of the method of tuning used, it’s a prerequisite that the student first learns to match pitches; it’s imperative that they begin by learning to identify when a pitch is higher or lower than another. You could start your students out by playing two pitches – one being dramatically higher or lower than the other and have the students tell whether the first pitch is higher or lower than the second.  The response might be “duh…higher” or “duh…lower.  Keep playing two pitches and have one of them be stationary.  Keep bringing the second pitch closer to the first, until they match. The “duh” will be omitted from the student’s response as the pitches get closer and more concentration is required to hear the difference in pitch. Eventually the student’s ear will be trained to hear differences in pitches, even when they are close.

Headstock Tuners - Another method of tuning is to use a headstock (clamp on) tuner. This is a fantastic device to have the students use early in tuning. The headstock tuner is simple to use and can be used by the students early in his/her training.  A headstock tuner that attaches to the guitar is a great tool. Planet Waves makes headstock tuners that are durable and easy to use. Headstock tuners have become so commonplace and user friendly that I won’t go in to how to use them. Walk your student through the instructions.

When using the headstock tuner, the student needs to learn to hear (or see on the tuner) when the pitch is too high or too low. The visible tuner allows the student to see when the correct pitch is being approached. If the pitch of the string is too low, have the student tighten the string until the correct pitch is achieved. If the pitch is too high, do notloosen the string to the desired pitch and stop. Never bring the pitch of the string down to the pitch. Go too low and then tighten it (bring it up) to the pitch. Hence the term “tune up.” This rule applies to all methods of tuning.

Tuning Without a Tuner - Eventually, it is also recommended that the students learn to tune the guitar to itself without the aid of a tuner. This is done by fretting the out-of-tune string and then adjusting the pitch of that string until it matches and “in tune” open string. For example, match the second string, fifth fret to the “in tune” first string open. Most method books show how this is done and the process can also be found at many online sites.

There are other methods of tuning, such as matching harmonics, but the techniques mentioned here work well for beginner students and will provide your students with the tools necessary to learn to tune accurately and quickly.  

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Pitch-Perfect Percussion

By: Veronica Wicks

How different is indoor vs. outdoor tuning? Veronica Wicks explains the artform of tuning your drums in different environments, and how getting technical brings out the emotional.

Tuning and instrument preparation for battery percussion is a delicate and time-consuming process. It can take hours to implement properly and days to dial in the sound preferable to the individual and environment. As daunting as this sounds, I actually find the art of tuning to be gratifying and about as personal to the artist as the music and performance element is. It’s one of the most important components to a distinguishable battery percussion sound.

A variety of factors contribute to the presentation of battery percussion sounds in a performance setting, ie: indoor acoustics, outdoor environment, stick implements, age of drum heads, weather, and the player. Given all these factors, I choose a few different methods depending on the environmental scenarios between outdoor vs. indoor.

One of the things I like to consider when tuning in both indoor and outdoor settings is the natural make-up of the instrument. I find the sounds I like the most to be congruent with the drums built-in functionality. Personally, it feels as if the natural state of the drum is an integral part of creating authentic sounds. Given that, I usually don’t alter or add too much layering to what the drum and head already bring.

At many of the groups I work with, we’ve experimented with different approaches to tuning depending on the environment. Beginning with snare drum in an outdoor setting, we tune the bottom head to a C# and usually the top head is tuned to “feel” but slightly lower than the bottom head so it can flex and push air down the column of the shell. If you’re an instructor, I find this part of tuning a snare to be educational for the student. It helps to give them a pitch for the bottom head so they have something to shoot for. Additionally, I would also teach them to not only listen for pitch while tuning but to also balance each lug to its opposite. Tuning lugs to their “opposite” helps create that stretch and tension across the whole drum in opposition. I usually share with students that the gut insert lugs on a snare drum will typically be lower than the other lugs so it’s ok to give them a little extra tension. From there, it’s all just a slow process in bringing them up to pitch after you’ve balanced and matched all of the lugs. I would also suggest taking your time to get the bottom head all the way up to pitch. Give it a few days to stretch and maybe start at a lower pitch, then as the days progress and the head begins to stretch - reach the final pitch of C#. Sometimes, we’ve found that we want the snares to be a little higher and often take them up to a D. In indoor settings, sometimes the crispy, higher D pitched sound is more desired so we usually stay within the range of C#-D for outdoor and indoor. Something we also do in a more detailed fashion and wouldn’t typically have a student do is leveling and tuning the guts because that is an integral part of the snare voice. I could go into lengthy detail about that process but to sum it up - we basically leave all of the guts on and don’t remove any of them.

Tenor tuning is definitely one of the areas I find the opinions fluctuate on whether tuning to notes or tuning to general pitch references is more common. For outdoor I think one of the most difficult things about tenors is that they are one of the smallest sections on the field, so projection is typically an issue. Trying to get anywhere from 3 to 5 tenor players to cut through on a field can be difficult. I’ve experimented with using pitch references but have found the most consistency by tuning to the same notes for each drum. This helps me have a reference and then I can adjust that note higher or lower depending on how they are projecting. For outdoor I usually start with these notes as a foundation: A - 14”, C - 13”, D - 12”, and F# - 10”. Often times in the summer it’s easier to go in this lower range because we aren’t worried about acoustics and you can get away with a little extra resonance. Sometimes I find this range a little low and often take all the drums up a half step. I even experimented this year with going up a full step: BDEG#, with spike and spock usually more “feel” based for textures. I think what I found to cut the most is anywhere within the range of ACDF# to BDEG#. It takes some messing around with, especially in a drum corp or outdoor setting to get the projection right but that is usually the range I stick to. For indoor, we usually always go with BDEG# because indoor acoustics and too much overtones and resonance don’t work well. I think the higher pitches help cut a bit more and dry up some of the twang that tenors can sometimes have. In teaching students to tune, notes give them a clear reference point and consistent sound to aim for. Additionally as important as it is on snare to balance the lugs in opposition, I would stress the importance of that for tenors as well. Sometimes rebalancing and clearing out all of the lugs can make an old head sound better again.

Bass drum tuning fits into many of the same regards as tenor and snare. As mentioned earlier, we like to keep some of the natural resonance but do opt for some muffling on bass drums. All credits for bass knowledge and sound go to Matt Gonzalez and Steven Herman for the muffling and note pitches we select to use at nearly all of my groups. We don’t use any pre-manufactured bass muffling but rather use a local foam shop and customize the sizes ourselves and use adhesive spray to attach to the shell closest to the outer edges of the drum. We muffle to remove some of the overtones that bass drum can have and help to get more tone out of the drum. The same muffling methods are used for both indoor and outdoor.

Some of the differences though for outdoor vs. indoor with bass drum are the pitches and sizes. For outdoor, the sizing is 18”, 22”, 24”, 26” and 30” tuned to DADGB starting from bottom bass to top bass. For indoor, the sizing is 16”, 20”, 22”, 24” and 28” tuned a half step higher, so D#,A#,D#,G#,B#. I think the difference in size helps with volume during the summer and getting that low end where in the indoor seasons it’s not as necessary to have as much low-end resonance. As we dive into specifics and professional standards, I believe each individual customizes the notes and sizing for their liking. This is what we have found to work well within our tonal sounds between tenors and bass drums but many times I find myself with tenors, and Matt with bass drums, altering and experimenting with pitches each year to get it completely dialed in.

All in all, there are so many variables when it comes to tuning. Most of my preferences on tuning have come from experimentation and trying to find that distinguishable sound that matches my identity and character of how I play as an individual and how I would like my lines to play. When it’s in that perfect sweet spot, I like to back up about 20-30 feet and listen to the full battery ensemble. When all battery percussive elements are working together tuning and pitch-wise, combined with the composition and players - then we can make drums sound like something emotional; something beautiful that resonates not only with us as a staff, but with the listener as well.

For more information to get your ensemble Built to Compete visit: http://percussion.daddario.com 

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Must-Have Mobile Applications for the Modern Musician

By Dr. James Barger

During my first year of undergraduate school in the fall of 2006, I purchased a portable metronome and AC adapter for around $100. My cell phone, a flip phone at that time, was great for making calls or sending text messages (on a limited paid plan), but boasted no internet access or apps.

Fast forward and the times have changed! Most of my students carry around a small device in their pockets or backpacks capable of replacing many analog practice tools and rocketing their practice room productivity and efficiency beyond what my high school or undergraduate self could have ever dreamed!

The following are some of my favorite mobile applications that I find myself using in my own teaching and practicing on a regular basis. Certainly, this is not an exhaustive list, but one that stems from my own experience. If you have any favorite apps not mentioned in this article, please feel free to share them in the comments below!

Tuners

Tonal Energy - This app is a favorite among students (good intonation is rewarded with a smiley face) and professionals alike. The display is visually appealing and intuitive and it is crammed with many advanced features. Among these, I especially enjoy using the tone generator for drone practice and tuning chords as well as the Analysis tab to dig into the overtones in my sound (Harmonic/Spectral views) and to address dynamic control (Waveform view). The app also features a metronome, the ability to record, and an incredible selection of alternate temperaments.

Tunable - Minimalist in design but powerful in execution, this is my favorite tuning app to address steadiness of pitch over time. I work with this app daily during my warmup to ensure that I maintain the center of pitch for the duration of a note and through slurred intervals and melodic lines. In addition, I use this app for visualizing my vibrato and have found it an effective tool for both teaching and refining vibrato shape and control.

Metronome

Tempo - This has been my favorite metronome app for years and is my go-to when I am practicing mobily. It features a wide range of tempos from 10 BPM to 800 BPM, a tap tempo function, and many subdivision options (from 1-13 with the ability to set strong, weak, and silent beats) as well as compound and irregular time signatures. One of my favorite tools within this app is its “Automator” feature which allows you to set parameters for increasing the tempo over time (e.g. increase 2 BPM every 4 bars or every 30 seconds) and muting measures to work on internal pulse precision (e.g. mute 2 bars after every 2 unmuted bars.)

Jazz Musicians

iReal Pro - This is a must-have app for any gigging jazz musician or anybody who wants to improve their improvisation or tune-learning chops. After downloading the app, head to the forum to download the file that contains 1,350 jazz standards (there are also playlist downloads for Brazilian, Latin, Blues, Pop, Country, Holiday, Smooth Jazz, Jazz Exercises, and many others). While the app does not show tune melodies, you do have the ability to control tempo, transpose to any key, loop sections, and control playalong EQ (my favorite is to practice with Bass and Click on 2 & 4 only).

Amazing Slow Downer - While not specifically a jazz app, this is an excellent tool for working on jazz transcriptions. I strongly believe in learning to transcribe from recordings in actual time, however some passages can be tricky, especially in the beginning, and this app does a fantastic job of slowing the tempo without changing the pitch. Another great use of this app is to work on memorizing jazz tunes or classical repertoire. Upload your favorite recording and save practice loops for various sections with which to play along and you can memorize music in a fraction of the time. Using the pro version of the app allows you to connect to your Spotify account and import music from any of your playlists.

Music Reference

MusicTools - This is a very simple app, but one that comes in handy quite often. At its core, this is a free music dictionary that has nearly all of the common foreign musical terms found in repertoire. In addition, there are reference charts for common music abbreviations, tempo-related terms, and symbols. Next time you run across pietosamente in your music, you won’t be left in the dark!

For Listening

Spotify/Prime Music/Apple Music/YouTube - Every serious musician should be spending time dedicated to focused listening and mobile apps make this easier than ever! There are more options than ever before to listen to professional recordings of soloists, chamber music, and band/orchestra and many of these options are free or discounted for students.

Practice Tools

Focus Keeper - I frequently implement the Pomodoro Technique in my daily practicing or while completing other tasks (writing this article, for instance!) The basic premise of this technique is to alternate blocks of 25-minute distraction-free, focused work and 5-minute mental breaks. When struggling to practice (what Steven Pressfield refers to as “The Resistance”) it is often enough for me to commit to just one block of practice - after the timer goes off, I am usually deeply absorbed and excited to continue after a quick break. I use Focus Keeper to keep track of these timed blocks as well as tracking how many sessions I complete each day.

Music Reading

ForScore - For those who have taken the plunge into paperless practice and performing, a dedicated app to organize your sheet music and music books is a must-have! ForScore gives you the ability to markup your music (including common musical symbol stamps), execute page turns by tapping or foot pedal (there is even a half-page turn option that is quite useful), and import PDF files from your favorite cloud services. Performing a recital or jazz gig? Add your pieces to a setlist and flow from one to the next, interruption free.

Recording

Built-in Recorder - Every musician needs the ability to record themselves in the practice room and this is also quite useful to record lessons, master classes, rehearsals with accompanists, and chamber music rehearsals. Directors could also gain insight into their teaching by recording their ensemble rehearsals. For these purposes, I have tried several apps over the years, but always come back to the default built-in recorder that comes pre-installed with most mobile devices. My favorite app for this purpose had a designated gain control which overrode my phone’s terrible compression, but it has not been updated and no longer works on today’s devices.

Sight-reading

The Monster Musician Reader - This is a brand new app at the time of this writing, but one that shows much promise in developing the sight-reading skills of young musicians! Organized into various levels or “books” by rhythmic demands, students select their instrument and then play along with the hip, modern-sounding accompanying tracks while the app listens and scores based on accuracy of pitch and rhythm, adding a fun gamification layer that will keep students challenging their friends and coming back for more!

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Stretching and Releasing Tension

Elizabeth Rosinbum

Throughout my musical career, I have had the incredible opportunity to study the relationships between yoga and mindfulness. From learning Carrie Koffman’s yogic breathing exercises, participating in Dr. Allison Adams’s “Yoga for Saxophonists” doctoral research project, and studying mindful practice in Dr. Noah Kageyama’s insightful research in The Bulletproof Musician, I am convinced that alleviating physical tension by properly warming up the body is essential to the health of any musician.

Regardless of your age or playing ability, here are three practical methods to warm up the body in preparation for playing:

Stretch

I call this “The T-Swift” with my students because we “Shake it Off” :).

While standing with feet hip-width apart, gently turn your torso from side to side. This is a gently spinal twist that helps loosen the upper body.

Roll both wrists in slow circles clockwise and then counter-clockwise. Repeat with neck, rolling the head in circles. Finally, repeat with each ankle.

Forward fold: bending forward at the waist, touch your fingers toward the ground. The goal here is not to touch the ground; instead, let gravity gently pull your shoulders and torso to stretch the spine. Keep the knees soft to prevent hamstring tension.

Scan and Release Tension

The most common areas of physical tension in our bodies are in the shoulders and back muscles. Because it is possible to carry tension anywhere on the body, though, it’s crucial to give yourself a quick once-over to find problematic areas and systematically relax tightness.

Tighten muscles for 3 seconds, and gradually relax for 3 seconds. Start by scrunching up your face muscles for a few seconds before letting them gradually relax to a neutral expression.

Work down the body systematically tightening and relaxing. After the face, try raising your shoulders to your ears, clenching fists, abdominals, quads, calves, and feet.

Deep Breathing

Challenge yourself to take diaphragmatic breathing exercises one step farther to start your practice session by adding a mindfulness element. This is best done with eyes closed to eliminate visual distraction.

With every inhale, mentally repeat a process cue (your goals and intent with your practice session). The more specific the goal, the more focused and productive your playing will be!

With every exhale, release tension. As you notice negative thoughts or distractions, acknowledge them, always bringing your focus back on the breath.

This takes practice! You may need to bring yourself back to your process cue and exhale 35 times before it comes easy. Be patient with yourself and know that distraction will lesson with continued practice.

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Saxophone Sound Troubleshooting

by Gary Paulo

Having trouble with tone production or consistency in your saxophone section?  Let’s take a look in to what could be causing an uncharacteristic sound within your concert band section and troubleshoot to find a solution!

Starting with the player – we should make sure they are playing with a great embouchure and using an air stream conducive to making a great tone.  

A Couple Quick Embouchure Tips

The embouchure (without the mouthpiece in the student’s mouth) should look like a circle.  Have the student whistle a tone to solidify the shape.  I also like to have them pretend as if they are drinking water out of a straw.  Both examples have the embouchure making a circle.  

Make sure the chin muscles are not bunched!  Also make sure the student is not playing with an overbite/underbite.  

Finally, the bottom lip should slightly cover the bottom teeth.  Too much lip rolled over will always yield a stuffy, non-responsive tone that goes flat in the upper register.  It should not look like they are putting their chin on the reed!  Use less lip (if you can believe I’m saying this!)

Airstream – Have your students use fast air and a large quantity of air.  Practice breathing exercises.  Below are a few examples I use almost every time I play (I generally use just a few of these each time I practice/perform)

In 4/out 4 – 4 equal counts of an inhale keeping the throat open and relaxed.  Exhale and make the aperture as small as possible to create resistance.  Exhale for 4 counts (“crescendo” the last 2 beats!)

In 2/Out 4 – Inhale and fill to capacity in half the amount of time by doubling the energy in!  Exhale same as above.

In 2/Out 6

In 2/Out 12

In 1/Out 7

In 1/Out 1 (if you get a little lightheaded, and it happens, stop the exercise!)

Equipment – Making the Best of What You Have

Reed and Reed Placement – If air and embouchure are not a problem with your students, then we need to look at the reed and reed placement.  

Reeds should not be chipped, and they should have a yellowish tint in color.  Reeds that are too old (and haven’t been chewed on yet) will lose their yellow tint and turn pale, and then brown specs will turn up along the fibers of the reed (running the length of the reed).  An old reed will lose its vibrancy and the tone will become edgy or have a buzz.

A very quick fix would be to use a reed trimmer; however, I have found a tool like this to garner inconsistent results (but you should still try it!), which leads me to:

Rotate your reeds!  Having a reed case that fits 4-8 reeds will surely solve the “old reed” problem.  Note: New reeds should only be played on for short periods of time during the first week.  This will allow them to settle in and be more consistent in the long run!  Overplaying a great reed out of the box will only cause it to lose its life too early.  A visual clue you are over playing a new reed:  the tip becomes transparent!

Reed Placement – Big Points:

The tip of the reed should be even with the tip of the mouthpiece.  Even if the student is playing an old reed on a stock mouthpiece, having the reed even with the tip will give them the best chance for success!  If the reed is too low the tone will be airy and stuffy, almost as if the reed is too hard.

The reed should be centered along the side rails and table of the mouthpiece.  The side rails and table of the mouthpiece will almost always be slightly wider than the width of the reed.  Make sure the student can see equal amounts of the rails and table on either side of the reed.  This element is extremely important in getting the reed to vibrate at its maximum potential.

Soaking the Reed - The reed should reach its saturation point.  There are many variations of soaking the reed, and all of them are probably good!  My philosophy is as follows:

Whenever possible I soak the reed in hot water.  Not boiling, just hot from the tap.  If you don’t want to use tap water then room temperature bottled water will suffice.

If I’m unable to soak using water, then I use the old-fashioned method of soaking the reed in my mouth.  

In both scenarios one should soak the entire reed.  For optimum tone production the entire reed vibrates, and in order for the fibers to vibrate they have to be malleable.  The only way the fibers are malleable is when the reed has been soaked.  If your student sounds airy and buzzy chances are the student is playing on a dry reed.  Have them take a moment and re-soak their reed.

In summary:

Double check embouchure (too much/little lip; overbite/underbite) and air!

Check reed quality/age/integrity of tip and placement

If the student has an airy tone – try re-soaking the reed, and checking if the tip is too low/high on the mouthpiece

If the student has a bright and edgy tone try a harder reed, but only go up a half strength!

Happy Practicing!

[daddarioeducation]

Value vs Premium Reeds

By: Neal Postma

Before we answer this question, we need to first define what “value” and “premium” reeds are. “Premium” is pretty straightforward; but when I think of “value” products, a bin of $0.99 straight-to-DVD movies at a gas station comes to mind. That said, there are certainly less expensive reeds that fill a need in the music community, but I advise caution and never buy the cheapest option.

Without mentioning names, there are several extremely low-cost reeds on the market. In the end, you get what you pay for with these reeds. A student that has been playing clarinet or saxophone for a month can tell immediately that there is something off about these reeds. Every private teacher and band director I have met will advise staying away from these reeds. To achieve ultra-low prices, manufacturers use low-grade cane and cut the reeds at high speeds which leads to major consistency problems. However, this does not mean that a first-year student needs to be playing on the higher-cost premium reeds.

In the 1930s, saxophonist Roy J. Maier teamed up with Frank di Michele to start a reed manufacturing company in Southern California. Maier was a professional jazz saxophonist fresh off a tour with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and di Michele was a clarinetist formerly employed by Walt Disney Studios. They engineered an entirely new way of cutting reeds and developed innovative reed designs. These reeds were selling like crazy to professional and student musicians across the country. Over the years the company developed new reed designs, but this original cut remained in the arsenal. To improve cane quality, the company went as far as to grow their own cane fields and were the first in the industry to do so! Over the years, the clarinet reed lost favor with classical clarinetist, but the saxophone reeds remained a favorite for jazz musicians. Eventually, the company developed a new digital production process that cut reeds to higher tolerances than any other in the world. Can you guess what reed this is??? None other than the staple, Rico Orange Box. Rico reeds were developed as professional-level reeds and were treated as such in the music community for decades. Today, however, they are largely seen as “student-level” reeds.

When looking for a reed for a saxophonist or clarinetist that is new to the instrument, there a few traits to look for. First, a thinner tip will offer quick response to allow fast tonguing. A thinner vamp (the exposed part of the reed that is not covered in bark) will allow for less resistance and ease of playing. These qualities allow the student to have success early on with less frustration. These are also qualities that allow a lot of flexibility, making the reeds ideal for jazz playing or studio work. In short, these are the qualities that Maier and di Michele sought in the Rico Orange Box Reeds!

Now we need to answer some tough questions:

“If these reeds are good, why are they less expensive than D’Addario Reserve or Select Jazz.” There are two main factors that come into play here. First, the design is much older. Just like any product, an older design tends to be less expensive than the new and improved. Second, while D’Addario sources high-quality cane from its own plantations, they use the best of this cane for Reserve and Select Jazz.

“I heard there are consistency problems with Rico reeds, is that true?” NO! Rico reeds are now cut on the same machines as the Reserve and Select Jazz. These machines cut reeds to higher tolerances than any other on the market.

“Can I play these reeds for the entirety of my clarinet/saxophone career?” This is where things get a little tricky. I advise all my students to play on Rico Reeds for the first year. The low resistance and fast response make them ideal to start on. Not to mention the low cost is also ideal as first-year students tend to break reeds quickly. In year two, I advise switching to a “premium” reed such the Reserve. This will darken their sound and make it rounder and fuller. Even if saxophone students are playing in a jazz ensemble, I advise they go to Reserve in year two. Clarinetists playing in a wind ensemble or orchestra should stay on a Reserve, Reserve Classic, or Reserve Evolution indefinitely. If they are playing in a jazz or dixie band setting after playing for a few years, I would advise them to try a Rico again! The flexibility Ricos provide will allow the effects sought in these styles. Saxophone students that have been playing for a few years and would like to play more jazz have different options. The first step is to work with a jazz mouthpiece such as the Select Jazz. I advise a small tip (5 or 6) to start. What reed to pair with this mouthpiece is up to the player. The Select Jazz is D’Addario’s premium jazz reed. Most jazz artists sponsored by D’Addario choose these reeds to play on, and this is what I play on in a jazz setting. These reeds are a newer design than the Rico and tend to play rounder and can push more volume. That said, I would advise trying a Rico again! Depending on what setting I am playing in, I will pair a Rico with my jazz mouthpiece!

In conclusion, students should start on a lower (NOT LOWEST!) cost reed like a Rico. After a year or so, it would be ideal to switch over to a premium reed such as a D’Addario Reserve, Reserve Classic, or Reserve Evolution. Down the road, the option of coming back to Rico in some circumstances might be appropriate.

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Mindfulness in Practice and Performance

By Elizabeth Rosinbum

As an artist on stage and an educator in the practice room, I am constantly struck by the power of being mindful of the work that I’m doing. We are taught long before picking up our instrument about the power and necessity of constructive criticism to learn and improve. However, our practice usually falls into two categories: 1. bored repetition (autopilot), or 2. mental meltdown from our constructive critic yelling about all the things we miss. If we practice on autopilot mode and expect our inner critic to suddenly shut off during performance, then how on earth can we hope to be successful on stage!?

The key is to use our constructive criticism to inspire confident performance. If our goal is to make our musical performances intensely personal and communicate with the listener, we have to operate from a positive attitude (telling ourselves “yes I can”) instead of berating ourselves for mistakes and fearing a negative outcome (“no I can’t”).

To have a more positive mindset under pressure, we must practice with confidence and purpose. Confident performances come from successful repetitions in practice and from a positive outlook that focuses on the performance itself, not the result. Therefore, our self-talk and statement of intention before playing is paramount to a positive result. Instead of focusing on what you don’t want with vague descriptions like “I don’t want to mess up in measure 9,” focus on what you dowant “to blow faster air in measure 9 through the phrase.”

It may seem silly to spend time mentally preparing for performance when the work itself seems most important, but it is worth its weight in gold. Remember that all the work, including the mental focus necessary to play with confidence, is achieved in the practice room. Pay attention to the words you use in your self critique. Use positive language and practice with purpose, identifying precisely what you want to convey to the audience.

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STUDENT CORNER: Private Lessons – The Key to Developing Skills on Your Instrument

By: Neal Postma

As a private lessons teacher, I am often asked why students need lessons. They have a band teacher, isn’t that enough? The short answer is, unfortunately, “no.“ First and foremost, band directors can have upwards of 100 students in a single class. It is impossible for each student to receive individual attention in this setting! A student can have issues with fingerings, embouchure, tonguing, etc. and the director may not even be aware of the issue until an individual assessment towards the end of the semester. Even if directors are aware of these issues in class, it may be more than they have time to address. Imagine you have a 50-piece ensemble. If you were to adjust every student’s embouchure, it would take an entire class period! Directors find a balance of individual work and ensuring that the entire ensemble stays on track. Band directors, like most musicians, have one or two instruments that they play at a very high level. Music education degrees certainly include courses that cover all of the instruments, but you can only learn so much in a single semester. Working with someone that has truly mastered an instrument is entirely different and the insight they provide is very in-depth by comparison. Private teachers will be able to quickly listen and give feedback to assess specific issues with a student’s playing. When taking private lessons, students can hear a professional on their instrument. Simply listening to a great musician will make them play better, they need the sound in their ear! Listening to recordings can certainly have some success, but there is a big difference to have somebody in the room regularly that is playing at a really high level! Possibly the most important factor is simply the individual assignments and attention that a student will receive. Working with a private teacher on an instrument will give them regular feedback with an individualized plan on how they can push themselves to a higher level. Every student develops at a different speed and some skills come more naturally than others. An individual lesson gives the teacher the opportunity to dig in and encourage what a student does well and give very specific direction on how to work on areas for improvement.

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Executing Common Saxophone Repairs

By: Andrew Martz

The two most common saxophone issues that occur on high school and middle school campuses on a daily basis are loose screws and sticky keys. Fortunately, with a little bit of guidance and inexpensive tools, any saxophonist, young or old, can fix these pesky problems. Make a quick trip to your local convenience or hardware store and follow the simple steps outlined below and you will be an expert at repairing and providing some much needed preventive maintenance to your saxophone.

The tools I suggest that every saxophonist should have on hand are:

- Small flat-head screwdriver

- Piece of 1000 grit sandpaper. 

The size of the screwdriver is negotiable as the screws on the saxophone do vary in size; however, I typically suggest starting with a screwdriver that is meant to repair lens glasses. As for the sandpaper, it is necessary to have a piece of sandpaper that can easily loosen and remove residue without damaging your saxophone. I find 1000 grit sandpaper is the best option as it is a very fine piece of sandpaper yet still easy to find out your local hardware store.

Tightening a loose screw is simple; identifying which screws to check regularly that can cause the greatest inconvenience can be a much more difficult task. I suggest that students regularly check the screws on their left hand palm keys as well as the screw at the bottom any number of key posts found on their instruments, especially those closest to the curve of the bell. If you are experiencing loose screw regularly, these two areas on the saxophone tend to be the most common ones to check.

When it comes to sticky keys, most saxophonists have experienced a sticky G-sharp or Bis B-flat key. While using a dollar bill used to be the go to tool, it takes a fine grit piece of sandpaper to help alleviate this problem more long term. Place the piece of sandpaper between the key and tone hole, similarly to that of the dollar bill, with one simple adjustment. Ensure the sandpaper side is covering the tone hole; when you pull it out while depressing the key, any residue that is on your tone hole will stick to the sandpaper. Performing this repair regularly to your G-sharp and Bis B-flat keys will certainly make sticky keys a thing of the past.

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Setting Goals for the New Year

By: Anna Roach

As we say goodbye to one year and welcome a new one, it is important to set goals and perhaps resolutions for the new year. As performers, teachers, and students of a progressive craft like music, it’s also important to think about our accomplishments in the year past and use those to motivate and propel us into a new year of productivity and accomplishment in our daily musical practice.

For many of my students, is easy to get burnt out at the end of the All-State contest and feel like there is no gas left in the tank for Solo and Ensemble and/or the concert season that is yet to come. By celebrating and acknowledging accomplishments of last year, we can recommit ourselves to enjoying the upcoming challenges.

Here is an exercise that I like to complete myself and also have my clarinet studio complete at the beginning of every new year. I hope that it helps reinvigorate you and your students as well!

Celebrate your past year:

What are five musical accomplishments that you accomplished last year?

These can truly be ANYTHING! From making strides in improving articulation speed to a fantastic solo that you performed in your band concert.

1. _______________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________________

Set long-term goals:

Name five goals you would like to set for yourself in the new year.

Think BIG here, but be specific. For example, instead of saying that you’d like to play a difficult solo and receive a ‘superior’ rating or study orchestral excerpts for a contest, commit to an actual solo or choose several pieces to discuss with your private lesson teacher. Choose exact excerpts that you think you would like to really improve upon.

1. _______________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________________

Now for the most important part- Set short-term goals:

Name five ways that you will begin to achieve one or two of those long-term goals THIS week.

Pick one or two long-term goals that you are most excited about achieving, and take the first step in the process! For example, listen to as many recordings as you can find of the solo that you’d love to perform or the excerpts that you’d like to perfect. These smaller goals will compound on each other and help you reach your long-term goals in a much more sustainable (and far more fun) way!

1. _______________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________________

This exercise is a fantastic way to jumpstart practice and create new and improved musical habits in the new year, but if this sort of goal-setting practice resonates with you, don’t stop here! Set new weekly goals each week to keep yourself on track. One last pro-tip: Don’t worry if your short-term goals seem small. Steady and frequent realization of small goals is much better than cramming and feverish practice in the long-term. Happy 2019! Let’s crush our daily and weekly practice goals.  

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Preparing for College Auditions: Tips for Interacting with Professors via Email

By: Kristen Thompson

Getting ready to audition at any music school usually involves interacting with the professor whose studio you’re aspiring to join. When communicating via email, you want to ensure to convey your own interest and professionalism while respecting this professor’s time. Keep in mind that most professors receive a large quantity of email per day, so don’t be disheartened if it takes a day or two to hear back! Here are some general tips to keep in mind when reaching out:

Add a subject line. Consider something direct like “Prospective Student Question” or “Audition Requirements Question” to set your message apart. Remember - this professor likely has many messages in their inbox, and you want yours to catch their eye.

Use a proper greeting. Beginning your message with “Dear Professor XYZ” or “Dear Dr. ABC” conveys respect and sounds professional. Even if you have a previous relationship with this professor, avoid using “Hey” or “Hi” in your greeting. Remember, this is an email to a professional, NOT a text message to a friend!

Be concise, but thorough in your message. No need to add lots of extra words to your message. Be warm and polite, but get to the point! If this is your first interaction with this professor, it’s ok to be a bit more introductory in your opening.

There is no need to add resume items to your message unless this is asked for. Include this information as part of your application instead.

Use a proper signature. Thank the professor for their time, and consider signing with something cheery and concise such as “Sincerely” or “Thanks again!”. Add your first and last name following your closing.

Before sending, PROOFREAD! Then, proofread again! Run spell check, have a parent or friend look at your message, and thenpress send.

Remember as well that your email communication is a reflection of yourself and might be this professors first interaction with you as a prospective student. A few additional email tips before you send:

Consider if your email address is appropriate for the professional world. If it’s the same email you’ve had since middle school (i.e. [email protected]), it might be time to upgrade to something more mature.

Double check that you are sending your question to the correct person. Most universities have an admissions person (or department!). No need to fill the clarinet professor’s inbox with questions about your application. It’s likely that they won’t be able to help you!

Also double check that your question isn’t one that’s addressed in the prospective student FAQ’s.

SAMPLE MESSAGE:

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Audition Requirements Question

Dear Professor Smith,

I hope this finds you well! I am a prospective student for admission to ABC University next fall and am looking forward to meeting you at my audition.

I had a question about the audition requirements: I play a lot of (insert secondary instrument) and was wondering if it would be permissible to perform a solo on it as part of my audition?

Thanks so much for your time!

All the best,

Kristen Thompson

[daddarioeducation]

Act Like a Pro: Rehearsal Etiquette 101

By: Kristin Thompson

When it comes to being a productive member of any ensemble, the best thing you can do to show your professionalism is comporting yourself like one. Act professionally and you will be treated as such!

The easiest way to do this? Two words: BE PREPARED! If you think about it, when everyone shows up to rehearsal ready to go, the music-making process is infinitely more satisfying, productive, and nuanced. For me, this is why I became a performer and my most memorable experiences have been with colleagues who respected everyone’s time by being prepared for rehearsals and ultimately performances.

Want to make your 2019 rehearsals your best to date? Check out these suggestions:

Prior to the first rehearsal, take time to look over your part and work through any tricky sections. Mark instrument or tempo changes, listen to recordings, and learn all of your solos.

On the day of rehearsal, make sure you have everything you need before leaving home. Music? Pencil? Reed container? Instrument stand? Water bottle? I always make a list the night before and pack as much as possible well in advance of leaving. This makes the hours leading up to a rehearsal much less stressful and puts me in a mental place to rehearse well.

Plan your arrival time well in advance of when rehearsal starts. One piece of advice that has stuck with me since high school is “To be early is to be on time. To be on time is to be late.” Arriving early gives you the piece of mind to set up and get situated, find your best reed (or reeds if you’re doubling), and do some warming up.

If you have rehearsal at the end of a long day, anticipate this by packing dinner or snacks to eat en route or once you arrive. This is a must-have for me; rehearsing “on empty” usually makes me grumpy and distracted.

Do take time to get to know your colleagues! Networking is important as a musician, but beyond that, making music with friendly faces is so much more joyful than with strangers. Of course, save long conversations for breaks and pre/post rehearsal. Similarly, take a moment to introduce yourself to the conductor and personnel manager if this is your first time with this group.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for clarification as needed during rehearsal. This is especially true of the first rehearsal- there may be errors in your part that need to be fixed or intricacy between parts that warrants another run. Check quietly with stand partners or those around you if you have questions- often this leads to answers! If you found errors or have interpretation questions from your practicing, touch base with the music director prior to rehearsal or during a break.

Maintain a positive attitude and champion the success of your colleagues and the group. Compliment solos and your favorite moments in the music as you deem appropriate. Genuine praise is always appreciated!