PERFORMANCE FUNDAMENTALS How to help your students sound great

PURPOSE Give teachers strategies to help their students improve individual tone quality and overall band sound while differentiating instruction in order to reach all learners. MU.912.S.3.5: Develop and demonstrate proper vocal or instrumental technique. MU.68.S.3.5: Develop and demonstrate proper vocal or instrumental technique.

THE ADJUDICATOR SHEET Performance Fundamentals Tone Quality Intonation Balance Blend Band Sonority Physical Articulation Most of these start with four fundamental concepts that we all talk about. Posture, breathing. Embouchure and sound.

POSTURE We must make our students sit correctly all the time. Consistency is the key with everything we do. Feet should be flat, students should sit forward in their chair and they should be upright sitting in order for their lungs to fill up with air

BREATHING How we teach them to breathe How we demonstrate our prep beat breath Breathing should be relaxed. No tension. Deep, warm, silent breaths.

EMBOUCHURE This involves mouthpiece placement as well as the placement of the teeth, lips and tongue. In order to be effective, we must be a private teacher from the podium. This allows us to not only generalize, but also diagnose problems and prescribe remedies for students who are struggling Daily mouthpiece work reinforces proper embouchure technique and muscle memory.

FLUTE

OBOE Ask the student to bring their lips together is if whistling. When whistling, the lips are drawn together in a rounded position that is slightly in front of the teeth. The chin is flat and the sides of the lips are drawn together. If the student has trouble with the idea of whistling,  ask them to mimic the sound of an owl:  Whooo-whooo.  Now,  ask the student to imagine their lips are creating an inverted whistle, The lips will be formed as if whistling,  but are now also slightly drawn inward. Be careful that the student does not bring the jaw forward at the same time.

OBOE Next, have the student place the oboe reed (without the oboe) on the bottom lip. Only the VERY tip should be inserted just past the red, soft, fleshy area of the inner lip. Have the student surround the reed with their lips to create an airtight seal.  Think of the lips as a cushion and support for the reed. The lips should never suffocate the reed,  because the reed still needs to vibrate freely. When the student begins blowing through the reed,  the embouchure should gently hold and support the reed.

BASSOON Place the tip of the reed on the lower lip. Slightly roll the lower lip into a playing position, taking in the reed. Make sure the top lip is covering teeth, and that teeth are not touching the reed. Close the jaw; the tip of the reed should be inside the mouth so the tongue can touch it, and no teeth should be touching the reed.

BASSOON The top lip should come to the 1st wire; if not, you do not have enough reed in the mouth and need to restart at the beginning. Make sure you have a slight overbite and the lower jaw is drawn back a little. Don't bite but apply pressure; dampen the reed from the lower jaw.

CLARINET

SAXOPHONE Much like the clarinet embouchure except: The angle of the mouth Piece A Thicker less firm lower Lip cushion for the read to rest on

2/3 of the mouthpiece should be placed on the lower Lip TRUMPET 2/3 of the mouthpiece should be placed on the lower Lip (Farkas, The Art of Brass Playing, 1962, pg 32)

2/3 of the mouthpiece should be placed on the Upper Lip FRENCH HORN 2/3 of the mouthpiece should be placed on the Upper Lip

2/3rds of the mouthpiece should be placed on the upper lip. TROMBONE/EUPHONIUM 2/3rds of the mouthpiece should be placed on the upper lip.

Mouthpiece should be a 50/50 split on both lips. TUBA Mouthpiece should be a 50/50 split on both lips.

PERCUSSION Students must understand percussion instruments are capable of producing good sound just like wind instruments are. This must begin from day 1 Technique is imperative

WARM UPS Every Band, Every Day! Warm up the embouchure, increase technique and aural skills Should include a variety of exercises in order to keep students interested and attentive. Warm-ups must be tied into the music that students are performing on a regular basis. Sing!!!!!

FIRST TYPE OF WARM-UP Technique Building or Fundamentals Breathing, Long Tones, Buzzing, Lip Slurs, Chromatic Patterns, Articulation, etc. Based on the individual needs of each student. Necessary for individual growth Can include tricky passages from pieces that are being played in your ensemble.

LONG TONES Again, reinforces embouchure work Reinforces aural skills Can be tailored to lead into and/or reinforce lesson material Focus should be on the breath and the quality of sound coming from the bell.

BUZZING If students can buzz it, they can play it. Allows students to manipulate their embouchures and their apertures as well as develop stronger muscular skills. Free Buzzing! All Technique Building Warm-ups should include 4 steps: Mouthpiece buzzing, free buzzing, mouthpiece buzzing, and then playing on the instrument.

LIP SLURS The equivalent to lifting weights. Builds flexibility, helps with air flow, and increases accuracy. Should be done slowly at first with focus being on clean transitions and centered pitches. Should extend into the full range of the instrument.

SECOND TYPE OF WARM-UP Ensemble Warm-ups Chorales, Chord Progressions, Etc. Focus on entrances, balance, blend, releases, dynamics, intonation, etc. Vital that this be done on a daily basis.

INTONATION Learn the tuning tendencies of individual instruments Work on students’ ability to audiate. The term audiation means inner hearing. Ear Training must be done daily. Tuning chords. Just Intonation vs. Equal Temperament Balance is just as important as matching pitch

JUST INTONATION MODEL

ED LISK CIRCLE OF FOURTHS Circle of Fourths Warm Up Heavily tied to the pyramid of sound as well as independent tuning responsibility Takes away notation so students focus on sound

LISTENING Modeling Recordings Use professional recordings to emphasize style and characteristic sound. This must be done to develop good individual tone and a quality ensemble sound. Record individual students and your ensemble regularly!

BALANCE Poor balance (too loud) is the root cause of many overall sound issues Easiest concept to teach, because it is just dynamics, but... Dynamic markings are like speed limits; you must adjust for conditions Listen for two kinds of balance, melodic and harmonic (also melody and accompaniment)

BALANCE Easiest concept to teach, because it is just dynamics, but... Melody rules; if you can’t hear the melody, you’re too loud (including percussion) Have just the melody play Rule of thumb: cut 30% off the marked dynamic if you don’t have the melody Thickness of scoring has a big effect on melodic balance; adjust for conditions

BLEND What to tell your students: Make your sound disappear into the lowest voice in your section/family. Dump the entire band inside the tuba. Make your sound part of the tuba sound. Be a chameleon, not a zit! Keep sound focused above staff and reduce volume in upper woodwinds. Do this while still maintaining good tone quality….not easy to do!!!!

BLEND What to tell your students: Clarinets think “ooh” to sweeten tone (corners in). Saxophone is seldom heard as its own voice in the best professional concert bands. Percussion, be aware of tone, not just rhythm. If you don’t have good technique, tone will suffer. Remember, your job is to add color, not to over power.

TAKE A STEP BACK Get off of the podium….walk around the ensemble and listen Invite others to hear and rehearse your group Record your group…let the kids assess!

DISCUSSION What do you want to add??? Any aha moments???