For part one, click here.

Part Two: With the Instrument

Mastering good breath control is essential if one wishes to improve on one’s instrument --- for, most aspects of playing rest heavily on good breath support. Sound, style, range, endurance, lip flexibility and even musicianship cannot reach a high level of performance without it. 

 

Sound and Style

 

When one watches an athlete hit a home run, punt a “beauty”, serve an “ace” or drive the ball “a mile”, one is impressed with the follow-through motions in each activity. So too, after the commencement of a note, we must follow through with our air. Failing to do so makes a phrase sound disjointed and choppy. It also makes it difficult to develop a warm sound because the sound seems to stop at the bell and doesn’t project throughout the room we are playing in.

 

When we play we should think of making a clothesline with our sound which is only interrupted by our tongue as we articulate --- much like clothes-pegs would divide the line. The sound should be straight unless you are specifically asked to do otherwise, or you choose to shape the note out of choice and not out of habit.

 

One problem resulting from poor air control is the “TWA TWA” effect… that is, the note balloons so that the loudest and most resonant part of the note is in the middle of its duration. Unless a special effect is called for, a note’s volume and resonance should be consistent throughout. If one were to stress any part of the note, it should be the beginning of the note and not somewhere after the attack.

 

Assuming that one’s embouchure is reasonably developed, supporting a note with your breath will make the tone full and rich. You will be amazed at how just thinking of air control and support can improve the way you sound.

 

Range

 

In addition to influencing the sound and style, breath support will also aid range. Blowing really fast through the instrument isn’t a magic formula for playing high if your embouchure isn’t sufficiently developed. However, with a strong embouchure, a good air flow can make playing in the high register more precise, taking away the strained pinched sound, and adding notes to your range. To translate air support to range one must think horizontally instead of vertically. For instance, if you are playing a lower note, think of blowing out a candle one inch away. While blowing a high note, think of blowing out a candle twenty feet away. Try it first using your hand. Breathe slowly into your hand while holding it one inch from your mouth, feeling the warmth of your breath as you do so. Now hold your hand further away and blow into it. Notice how the air is now cooler. Translation: Low note = warm air; High note = cool air.

 

Dynamics

 

A good dynamic range is essential to good brass playing and it relies heavily on breath support and control.

 

I find it very frustrating to listen to a good musician play everything at mezzo forte or even quieter. It doesn’t matter how fast or high he goes: His playing will lack the excitement and intensity that happens when quieter notes are contrasted with forte or fortissimo. Conversely, a player who just blasts all the time is very tiring to listen to, and it is a waste of energy. Playing loud constantly loses its effect in the same way that screaming at children continuously loses its desired response after a period of time.

 

Usually a good oil painting will contain many contrasts, especially in colour. The painter has any number of colours available to him and how he uses them is up to him. Imagine how an autumn scene would look if he had only grey and black to work with, or how an evening winter scene would look if he only used orange and red. Like the painter we need to develop sound colours. If we can only play mezzo piano or mezzo forte we will be handicapped as we try to “paint a picture” with our instruments.

 

It takes a lot of energy to play loudly, and it’s something that needs to be practiced. Muscles have to develop to push the air out fast for loud playing, while air control and lip sensitivity must be developed to play softly. When you practice, try to push the limits of the dynamic spectrum by practicing some exercises both as loudly and as softly as possible.

 

One word of caution: The tone should be consistent throughout your dynamic range. When we are listening to a stereo and want the volume to get louder, we turn the volume knob to obtain a louder, but not different, sound. The violins on your CD don’t start digging into their instruments as the volume increases. So too, we should not start sounding harsh and brittle as we get louder, or pinched and strained as we get softer.

 

Lip Slurring and Intervals

 

How one applies breath control to lip slurs can make the difference between succeeding or failing in this area. The important thing is to change the emphasis from the higher note you are slurring to, to the lower note you are slurring from. In other words, you must pressure the lower note with your air and use it as a springboard to get the higher note. The lower note must also be sustained to the last possible second, eliminating the error time between slurs or intervals. 

Example One:

 

Velocity

 

It is a common fault in many players, that their fast passages lack the intensity and sound that is evident in the slower passages. What one must remember is that a faster passage requires much more air if it is to sound as clear as a slower passage. 

Example Two:

 

Every note in the fast section must be thought of as a solo. If one were to record a sixteenth note run and isolate just one note of that run, that note should be of the same quality as a quarter note in a devotional solo. This cannot be achieved without air support.

 

Experiment on technical passages by pausing at random and listening to see whether the sound of the note you have stopped on is acceptable in tone and quality.

 

Taking a good breath and supporting your playing with a controlled air stream will not only make things easier for you technically, but will also give you better endurance.

 

God bless you as you strive to develop your skills as a “King’s Minstrel”, a privilege and honour shared by Salvation Army musicians found in the Lord’s service.

- written by Major Norman Garcia

Major Norman Garcia is a Canadian Salvationist currently serving as Corps Officer at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, alongside his wife Lois. He is known just as much for his humor as well as his musicianship. He served in The Canadian Staff Band for a number of years, as a soloist as well as a band member.

Part One – Without the Instrument

 

When one thinks of playing a brass instrument, one tends to think exclusively in terms of range, finger velocity, articulation, and lip flexibility as being those things which make up brass technique. If we think for a moment about the nature of wind instruments we are reminded of the fact that one thing makes them different from most other instruments --- the element of air flow. Before any of the previously mentioned elements of playing can take place, a stream of air must be set in motion. It is this stream of air which is directly responsible for causing the lips to vibrate, the essential element of sound production. It only follows that learning to control this stream of air is of utmost importance in the development of brass technique.

 

Taking a Full Breath

 

It is extremely important that a full breath is taken. Imagine letting out all the air in a balloon. At first the air gushes out, but gradually as the balloon becomes deflated the air speed slows down. To keep the air flowing at the same velocity and force when the balloon is deflated, one would have to apply some type of force to the outside of the balloon.

 

The balloon here exemplifies how our lungs work when playing an instrument. If we take a full breath, hardly any effort is needed to make a fairly forceful stream of air. If our lungs are not full we have to use more effort to duplicate the stream of air made with a full set of lungs. Muscles which should be relaxed become strained and inevitably the sound suffers. Another reason for taking a full breath is that it leaves you much more flexibility in timing when you breathe. You are no longer tied to taking a breath because you’re desperate for air, but can now breathe in the places that it makes the most musical sense.

 

Many articles have been written on the subject. Some suggest a downward pull of the diaphragm. Some recommend raising the chest. Perhaps the most logical approach is to concentrate on having as much air pass through your mouth as possible when taking a breath. If four litres of air pass through your mouth, four litres of air will end up in your lungs. All you need to remember is to stay relaxed and not tense any muscles not required for breathing: e.g. raising your shoulders. It is common for the throat to tense while inhaling. Thinking of the syllables “oh” or “aw” should help keep your throat relaxed as you inhale.

 

Letting it Out

 

Now that we have lots of air in our lungs we must concentrate on controlling an air stream. It is most important that this column of air flow smoothly from our lungs to the end of our instrument. We must therefore eliminate everything that might impede this. One obvious area is our posture. If we slouch or have our neck bent downward we are actually kinking our air passage, like kinking a garden hose. Strive for good posture without being uncomfortable by being too rigid;.

 

Secondly, we must look to see if other extramuscular activity is interfering with our air stream. The most common culprit is a tense throat. Stay as relaxed as possible.

 

Thirdly, we need to make sure our mouthpiece and instrument is clean. This is often overlooked by many players.

 

Suggested Exercises

 

These exercises should be ‘practiced’, aiming for improvement through rehearsal. I strongly recommend doing them before playing your instrument for the first time in the day.

 

1) Take a deep breath, concentrating on keeping all parts of your body relaxed. Hold it for a moment while keeping your throat relaxed, then exhale.

 

2) Do the same thing as above, except that as you exhale, audibly count to ten. Your voice should sound completely natural, not tense or strained.

 

3) Take a deep breath, but this time while exhaling whistle a note. Try to keep the tone steady and even. Try to hold the note for as long as possible, keeping relaxed as possible.

 

4) Stand about six inches away from a wall. Place a small piece of paper against it. Take a full breath and then try to hold the paper against the wall with your breath only, while exhaling. To do this you will need to refine the air stream by making it pass through a smaller area between your lips. How far away can you stand and still accomplish this? Can you feel the extra work it takes when your lungs are becoming empty?

 

5) Try to follow the following graphs by increasing or decreasing the column of air, while exhaling and counting beats. Remember to keep your throat open and relaxed. Beside each graph are the musical equivalents.

 

- written by Norman Garcia



Major Norman Garcia is a Canadian Salvationist currently serving as Corps Officer at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, alongside his wife Lois. He is known just as much for his humor as well as his musicianship. He served in The Canadian Staff Band for a number of years, as a soloist as well as a band member.

 

Who would believe that by making a Bronx cheer into a metal tube one could make beautiful music? But, this is the world of brass instruments!

 

The intention of this article will be to identify how this hollow tube performs that miracle of sound, and along the way perhaps discover why tuning problems still plague even our most competent players.

 

Creating sound...

 

Music results when vibrations create sound waves. The speed or frequency at which these vibrations occur determines the pitch perceived by the ear:  The faster the vibration, the higher the pitch.

 

Just as the string is the source of vibration for the violin, so the lips are for brass instruments. By blowing air through a tube, sound waves are set up inside the tube which acts as a resonator and amplifier according to the frequency of vibration of the lips.

 

On a violin string only one pitch can be produced, that is, until the vibrating length is altered through pressing the string against the fingerboard. But because of the flexibility and large mass of the human lip, a whole series of notes can be produced on a fixed length of tubing. This phenomenon is known as the ‘harmonic series.’

 

The character of music in our western culture (as opposed to Chinese, say) depends on a system of twelve equal semitones to every octave; equal temperament. Because the basic tube produces an overtone series that conforms to the natural laws of physics and not to this man made system, it must be adapted to make it usable. The addition of a mouthpiece and a bell help to bring the overtone series into something close to our equal temperament.

 

So far the hypothetical instrument we have considered is something like a bugle, in that it would play only the notes of the harmonic series. You will notice that higher up in the harmonic series the notes become closer together. In the Baroque period when trumpet playing flourished, the length of the trumpet was roughly twice what it is today so that it could be played in the upper register where more notes were available. But, this instrument would only be playable in one key, so additional pieces of tubing (crooks) were designed to make ti possible to play in different keys.

 

Why we need valves...

 

To fill in the gaps between the notes of the harmonic series, i.e. to make possible all the notes of the chromatic scale, the length of tubing would need to be variable while playing the instrument.

 

The trombone uses the simplest method of varying the length by use of an adjustable slide. Other instruments bring extra lengths of tubing into use by valves or pistons which redirect the air flow. The second valve lowers the pitch by one semitone; the first valve by two semitones, the third valve by three semitones.

 

What about intonation?

 

To lower the sound one semitone requires a six percent reduction in the frequency of vibration, hence a six percent increase in tube length. The amount of additional tubing needed to lower the pitch for each subsequent semitone would be greater, and this is precisely where built-in tuning problems occur. We can’t expect the same piece of additional tubing to alter all notes by exactly half a step; six percent of a 50 inch tube is not the same as six percent of a 60 inch tube.

 

To accomplish this in a valve instrument we need a compromise. As can be seen in the diagram, valves one and two are made slightly too long so that when they are used in combination, the resulting note will only be slightly sharp.

 

The third valve is longer to give slightly more than three semitones, so that the combination with other valves will not be too far off.

 

Obviously, the most out of tune combinations will be those using the most valves: 1/3 for low D, and 1/2/3 for low C sharp.



(Click here for larger picture)

 

The intent then with compromise tuning is to make some notes a little flat so that others will not be too sharp. Notes using valves will not be perfectly in tune; neither will they be too far off.

 

When the compromise tuning built into the modern instruments fails to overcome problems in the physical properties of the instrument, it is left to the performer to blow it in tune, using the lips to affect the pitch slightly. This can only be done to a small degree before the tone begins to suffer.

 

Modern manufacturers, however, have come up with several devices to improve intonation on valve instruments. High quality cornets, for instance, will feature first and third valve slides that are finger adjustable so that notes using valves one and three can be individually tuned.

Compensating Systems...

 

For larger instruments, finger adjustable valve slides are generally impractical because of the size of tubing. Most large instruments now have a compensating system which brings into use extra crooks only when certain valve combinations are used (see diagram below). This compensates for the progressive nature of the physical problems involved in low end valve combinations.



(Click here for larger picture)

 

Some euphoniums and tubas have a fourth valve which lowers the pitch by a fourth, making it possible to play low D and C sharp in tune. The fourth valve also makes it possible to play a fourth lower in combination with other valves. The progressive problem of intonation will still effect these combinations.

 

Get to know your instrument...

 

Problems of intonation are different from instrument to instrument, and even from model to model. The secret, then, is to get to know your instrument. Find out which notes tend to be out of tune and decide what to do about it. Experiment with the moveable slides and alternate fingerings. You will be able to improve certain notes immediately. To help you further unlock the secrets of your particular instrument you might use an electric tuner.

 

Temperature also can affect intonation. Anyone who has done outdoor serenading at Christmas time will realize that the cold air does funny things to their tuning. Since sound waves travel more slowly through colder, denser air, we actually hear a lower pitch. A change in air column temperature from 2.7º C to 32.2º C will cause a difference in pitch of a full semitone.

 

A discussion of intonation must include a word on centered sound. To truly get the best from the instrument a player must find the center of each note and in so doing the whole instrument will resonate in a characteristic manner. This ‘sweet-spot’ effect is the player’s first clue that he is on his way to playing tunefully. No, the instrument can’t do it all alone.

 

Musicians will never be totally free from problems of intonation. However, understanding the instrument and the basic reasons for these problems is the best step to eliminating them. In the final analysis the ear is the most important tool we have. When we can understand, listen and apply what we know, we are well on the way to making tuneful music.

Written by Steve Brown

I was reading an article a few years ago with a title that has stayed with me, and it has become a question I ask myself on a regular basis: “Are your memories greater than your dreams”?

 

 This is not only a great personal question, but it is a great question to ask when it comes to worship services and church vision. Many Army churches are still sorting out issues regarding tradition and innovation. How much tradition do we keep? How much innovation can our congregation handle without becoming too disgruntled?

 

 This balancing act is actually played out in scripture in a variety of ways. In the Old Testament tradition was established through the Levitical laws. Tradition was played out through the daily sacrifices and rituals, and annual festivals such as Passover and Day of Atonement.

 

 Yet throughout the Psalms we never find King David beginning with “Let us sing an old song unto the Lord.” He was definitely a believer in continually introducing new songs and prayers.

 

 God Himself harbors the dichotomy of being an unchanging God whose attributes include creativity. When He created man in His own image, we inherited this creative drive to be continually inventing, and trying out the new.

 

 One of the most interesting scripture passages takes place in Isaiah 43. To put verses 18 and 19 in context, one must begin at verse 16: “This is what the Lord says – He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: ‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!’ Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

 

 It is as if God is saying, “Remember all the great things I did for you in the past? Well, forget about them! You are spending so much time looking back that you are missing out on what I am doing for you now, and what I about to do for you in the future!”

 

 This pattern of tradition and innovation is continued in the New Testament, at the table of the Last Supper. In John 13:34 Jesus says to His disciples, “A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” It is at this same table that Jesus introduces us to a ‘new’ tradition, that of communion: “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19).

 

 Peter and Paul, also, do away with old traditions by not requiring circumcision for the Gentiles (Acts 15:5-11; Romans 2:17-29; Galatians 5:6 & 6:15, 1 Corinthians 7:19), but endorse the ‘new’ traditions of communion and baptism (1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Acts 10:46-48).

 

 Paul, in Hebrews 8, discusses the Levitical sacrifices by quoting from Jeremiah 31 where it says, “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel…” and finishes the chapter with “By calling this covenant ‘new’ he has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.”

 

 But perhaps the connection between old and new is best summed up by Jesus Himself in Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Thus the new covenant sheds light on the old, and the old is best understood through the lens of the new.

 

 So how does all this relate to worship? I like to use a metaphor of ‘anchors’ and ‘sails’ to illustrate. Pretend you have signed up for a cruise. Exciting, eh? But if the whole cruise entailed of sailing from port to port without stopping, after awhile you may feel like you’re missing out on something. Likewise, if you got on the ship and it didn’t go anywhere, but stayed anchored right in the port where you embarked, you would be pretty disappointed – how boring! The whole point of the cruise is the balance between sailing and seeing new sights, and taking time to anchor now and again in order to thoroughly investigate and appreciate the port you are sailing through.

 

In our worship we need enough ‘sails’ – new experiences, new music, new formats, new instrumentation, etc. – to keep us from becoming bored. Too much repetition causes people to ‘tune out’, to recite by rote, and a loss of appreciation for the meaning in the worship.

 

 But we also need ‘anchors’ – traditions, familiarity, and predictability – in order to feel a sense of belonging and security. Too few anchors causes confusion and alienation – a worship service may be exciting with all the new stuff happening, but I can’t participate because I don’t know any of the songs or the liturgy. I am out of my comfort zone.

 

 The challenge in creating a meaningful worship environment for your congregation is to find this balance between ‘anchors’ and ‘sails’. Are there enough sails to prevent boredom? Are there enough anchors to prevent alienation? In future THEME articles we will explore some creative and practical ways to find that balance.

- written by Kim Garreffa, Contemporary Music Consultant, THQ

 

Modern Technology has been unable to devise the horn player’s most desired accessory: a clam filter. In the absence of such a miraculous device, the player must assume the responsibility for keeping the clams out of the horn.  The type of clams in question are not the mollusks so often found in chowders and chip dips. They are, instead, the horn player’s term for the chipped notes which seem to plague so many performances. While human frailties make it virtually impossible to eliminate the clams they can be reduced at least to the status of endangered species.

 

Basic Considerations:

 

The key to accurate horn playing is proper tone production. The embouchure, breath support apparatus, and tongue must interact in a balanced manner to produce a clear, well-centered sound. If only one of these falls out of line, a clam will surely result. A brief description of each of the critical tone production factors is in order here.

 

Embouchure

 

Set the mouthpiece by having the student place the lower rim of the mouthpiece on the lower lip. Then, roll the upper rim onto the upper lip. This will give the characteristic 2/3 upper lip – 1/3 lower lip set, and should work well with most dental formations. (Young players sometimes tend to set the mouthpiece carelessly. Have them observe how carefully fine professional players set their mouthpieces).

 

Using the embouchure muscles correctly results in a free dark tone, good endurance, excellent glexibility, and a relaxed high register. The key to proper usage lies in maintaining a slight pucker rather than a smile, thinking of lip compression rather than mouthpiece pressure, and keeping an open aperture between the lips rather than pinching.

 

Poor use of the embouchure muscles shows most clearly in the high register. Inexperienced players often try to compensate by squeezing the lips together and using an inordinate amount of mouthpiece pressure. The result is a pinched sound and low endurance.

 

Support

 

Lack of support from the air column and the creation of tension often result when young players chest-breathe. The student should concentrate on expanding the abdominal muscles when taking a breath. Encourage the young player to fill the horn with a sufficient volume of air to cause the embouchure to vibrate properly.

 

Articulation

 

The horn player uses two basic types of articulation: Tonguing and slurring. Most student horn players tongue too softly and fail to create the strong initial surge of air necessary to make a clean attack. Encourage your horn students to tongue much more percussively than their colleagues in the other brass sections. Not only will this produce more accurate attacks by individual horn players, but the clarity with which your horn section plays should increase.

 

Tongue placement varies from person to person, but I find that touching the tongue to the spot where the palate and upper teeth meet seems to work best for the majority of players. Use the syllable “duh” for the most natural tongue action.

 

Slurs should be made smoothly and without abrupt changes in air flow. The two most common faults in slurring are: stopping the air between the notes and “pushing” each note into place --- both of these produce clams.

 

Case Histories:

 

I have classified the various types of clam-prone horn players. By studying these ‘case histories’ you may find some remedies for your own students’ problems.

 

The Quick Draw waits until the last possible second to lift the horn before playing. When he finally positions the horn, the embouchure and the notes produced seem to be a matter of chance. Encourage this student to take the time to set carefully.

 

The Bush-Thwacker usually tongues between the lips, thus creating an explosion of sound on each attack. (With care the explosion can be further developed into a resounding “splat!”). Work on tongue placement and developing a continuous air stream.

 

The Chicken Clucker, a cousin to Bush-Thwacker, offends less because so little sound comes out of the horn. The tiny sound which he makes results from the initial surge of air behind the tongue. But no well-supported air stream follows. Have the student work on “blowing through” the sound after each attack.

 

The Balloon Blower has just the opposite problem from the previous two. This timid soul begins each attack with little tongue action and swells each note into place. Work on a solid percussive tongue action and constant air flow.

 

The Hooter, a highly developed Balloon Blower, uses no tongue action at all. Instead, he merely blows into the horn to obtain an indistinct, delayed-action attack and a “hooty” sound. You can help this student by working on tonguing.

 

The Halfer pushes each note in a slur (sometimes known as “the big bad wolf syndrome”), resulting in a “wah-wah” effect. Have the student work on keeping a steady flow of air while slurring.

 

The On-again Off-again stops the air between the notes of a slur, resulting in uneven slurring and frequent clams. Again, work on maintaining a steady flow of air.

 

The Woof-off has problems ending notes, not beginning them. Instead of making a rounded release with the glottis, this player uses a surge of air to let everyone know exactly where the cut-off takes place. The student should practice tapering long tones, gradually making the taper and natural cut-off happen more quickly.

 

The Tut-tut, the infamous tongue cutter-offer, stops the air stream with his tongue and produces an “uht” at the end of each note. This character, like Woof-off, should concentrate on making tapered releases.

 

The Biter exhibits a “peach-pit chin” as he pinches for (and usually misses) high notes. Work on basic embouchure formation, keeping an open aperture and creating a large amount of lip compression. The student should check for a flat chin, a sure sign that the embouchure muscles are working properly.

 

The Cud Chewer generates a large amount of chin action when attacking a note or changing pitches and extreme distortion of the embouchure results. Have the student look in a mirror as he plays, keeping in mind the necessity for firm embouchure muscles at all times.

 

The Half-pint is an anemic soul who takes little or no breath before playing and quickly runs out of air. Work on support and keep reminding him of the necessity of starting with a “full tank”.

 

The Inflationary, a chronic chest-breather, puffs his chest like a blow-fish. He develops little support producing instead, a considerable amount of physical and psychological tension. Work on abdominal action in breathing, especially during inhalation. If the student gets the knack of how to breathe properly, tone, accuracy, power, and phrase length should improve markedly.

 

It is important to bear in mind that secure playing results from the mastery of basic techniques. By working on the techniques of tone production and by studying the “case histories”, the accuracy of your horn section should improve. Perhaps we will not need to invent a clam filter after all!

- written by William B. Stacey

saguitarsongs is a website that offers downloads of approximately 400 lead sheets (melodies with guitar chords) for popular hymns, Sunday School Choruses, Salvation Army favourites, and more.  It is ideal for contemporary worship bands, and for churches and events where a guitar player provides the sole source of accompaniment. 

There is an initial access fee of $15.00, and after that all downloads are free. New music is continually being added to the site, as well as proper guitar and bass charts, and Spanish lyrics. To view all the songs available for download from the site, click here.

To view a sample song, click here.

To sign up with saguitarsongs, click here.

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” – 1 Cor. 1:10 NIV

 

This can be the text of a good sermon dealing with divisions in the church, or it can also be the pleading of a bandmaster trying to correct the solo cornets for rushing because they think the tuba section is dragging…

 

“Don’t forget your home practice!”  How often have we heard our bandmaster say this? But how do we approach it? What do we attempt to accomplish during the home practicing?

 

Home practicing is a very personal thing that should be done in private. Although it is different for everyone, there are some general principles to be followed that will make the time spent productive. To be most effective, practicing should be done on a consistent, regular basis, preferably at the same time and place every day, as regular habits are easier to stick to. Consistent practice every day is much more productive than longer sessions done sporadically.

 

Practicing should be an intellectual exercise as much as a physical one. Be analytical and critical of your own playing, listening for imperfections and things to improve. Practice things slowly so that each note has a good full sound, correct articulation and intonation. Once this has been achieved, the speed can be increased.

 

The amount of practice time varies greatly from person to person, due to available time and amount of ambition. As a general rule, half an hour is enough to maintain the present level of proficiency. More than half an hour gives a player a chance for real progress.

 

Whatever the amount of time spent in personal practicing, it should be done thoughtfully so that efficient use is made of available time. Have a goal! Think of the areas you would like to improve on, and then design a plan to help you approach them. This will give some focus to your practice time and help you measure your progress.

 

Daily practice should be divided roughly into five sections. It is easy to concentrate on certain aspects of playing and neglect others, so it is important to discipline oneself to work on all aspects of playing. The five areas are: Warm up, Technique, Lip Flexibility, Melodic (Tone) Production, Repertoire.

 

Warm up

 

The well-used analogy of an athlete warming up before a game is a good one. A brass player needs to warm up for the same reasons that an athlete needs to warm up before exerting himself. The omission of a good warm up can lead to damaging of the muscles in the embouchure. A good warm up prepares the lip muscles and the respiratory system for the demands that will be placed on them during practice or performance. There are many good warm-up routines available, one of which should be chosen and used each time before playing. Remember always to think about the sound you are producing. This is the time to make sure that you are doing all the fundamentals (i.e. posture, breathing, articulations, slurs, etc.) correctly.

 

An example of a good type of exercise to do in warming up is shown below. There are many variations that can be made to this --- make up your own to keep it interesting --- but always remember to do it slowly and accurately.

 

Long tones are beneficial for developing and maintaining a well-centered, full tone. Concentrate on maintaining a straight, steady tone, with no vibrato or wobble due to inconsistency in the air stream.

 

One of the greatest weaknesses in brass players is the failure to produce a full, well-supported and centered sound on each note. The warm-up is an ideal time to concentrate on this. The lips must always be supported by a straight steady flow of air.

 

Do nothing strenuous during the warm-up period, as that defeats the whole purpose of having a warm up. Do not spend a disproportionate amount of time on the warm up. Remember always to maintain balance in your practice period.

 

Mouthpiece Buzzing

 

Buzzing the mouthpiece without the instrument is an excellent means of warming up as it helps focus the lips and gets them buzzing. Buzz various things such as a siren up and down the register, arpeggios, and simple limited range melodies. Aim for a “rich” buzz with and without the use of the tongue, producing specific pitches accurately. This will help in producing accurate tones and clean articulations when the horn is used.

 

Buzzing the lips alone is also a useful exercise. Try buzzing a limited range melody such as “God save the Queen”. A good lip or mouthpiece buzz may not come right away. Stick with it and it will develop without too much trouble.

 

Technique

 

The area of technique covers many aspects of playing, all of which could not be covered in the average practice session. This is where refining practice habits is very important. There are, however, fundamental areas that must be worked on continually to maintain good technique and production.

 

The most important areas are scales and arpeggios, and articulation. In working on technique, the use of a metronome is invaluable (available at most music stores). Start each exercise slowly, at a tempo where each note can be played perfectly, and gradually work up speed. The metronome makes you maintain a steady pace, play note values accurately and helps measure your progress.

 

Do not just practice in the keys with which you are familiar. Challenge yourself with keys, where the third finger is used --- chromatic scales in the low register are particularly helpful in strengthening the third finger. Practice in all registers, trying to maintain a consistent sound from the low register to the high. Experiment with enharmonic fingerings to make difficult patterns easier.

 

Scales are important to maintain evenness and accuracy of technique, as well as improving sightreading ability through instant recognition of patterns already learned.

 

Articulation is another area of great importance. The attack is the first thing heard when playing a note, so its importance is obvious. In the Army, we play in very many styles which require different types of articulation. As has already been mentioned, it is important that each note be played as correctly and accurately as possible. This can only be done with a good start to the note. Good articulation is a combination of correct movement of the tongue, supported by a steady column of air. The tongue should work as a release valve for the air by pronouncing the syllable ‘too’ (tongue placed slightly above the upper teeth).

 

The air flow must be very steady and consistent. Often notes come out in a pear shaped fashion sounding like a ‘dwa’, as opposed to a straight shape, ‘too’.

 

Think of the air as always having forward direction. A good exercise is one out of Herbert L. Clarke’s “Technical Studies” book:

Try playing it slurred, thinking of keeping the air moving and maintaining a straight shape to the notes. After it can be played accurately and smoothly, try tonguing the exercise, ensuring that the air flow is the same as it was when played with no tongue. This might be compared to a long sausage being sliced. The tongue serves the same function as the knife, moving up and down to slice the sausage (air). The sausage never changes shape through the cutting of the knife, but stays constant, only separated.

 

Apply this concept to the Clarke study. All types of articulation should be practiced in this manner in all keys (legato, staccato, accented, non-accented, etc.). Make sure each articulation is clean and precise. You may be surprised at how hard at first it is to get through the whole exercise without any faulty articulations, but don’t be discouraged! Persevere until every note is perfect. This will result in fewer split notes and a much better sound.

 

Space does not permit a discussion of multiple articulations (double and triple tonguing) in this article. Don’t work on them until the single tongue is fast and accurate. Developing multiple articulations too soon may result in a lack of development of the single tongue.

 

In all areas of technique, have a goal. Don’t just whip through different exercises each day to appease your conscience in the vague hope that you are improving. Consider which aspects of your playing you would like to improve, select the appropriate exercises and work on them every day. Once again, start slowly and increase the speed as development warrants.

 

It is a good idea to keep a written record of your practice routine, i.e. what you practice and at what metronome markings.

 

Studies and Etudes

 

Studies and Etudes are an excellent way to apply the aspects of technique just studied to actual playing. It is a useful and enjoyable exercise to sight-read straight down the study without any stops. Once this is done, it should be rehearsed slowly and methodically until all the difficulties are overcome.

 

Lip Flexibilities

 

Lip flexibility exercises are good for improving slurring technique, smooth legato playing, and for building lip strength and endurance.

 

Lip flexibility exercises are ones in which you change notes without the use of valves. When going from the low register up (and vice versa), it may help to use different syllables: ‘oh’ for the lower register, working up to ‘ee’ for the higher register. The arching of the tongue in this way performs the same function as in whistling lower to higher notes, that is of compressing the air stream.

 

When slurring from note to note concentrate on keeping the air stream going, as if you were playing one long note. This will make for a smooth slur with no break in between, and ensure that the lips keep buzzing. If the lips stop vibrating, the slur will be broken, so it is very important to ‘blow through’ from note to note.

 

Melodic (Tone) Production

 

The majority of playing that Salvation Army bandsmen do is of a melodic nature, in hymn tune playing and in band work. Therefore it is important that every player has the capability to play melodic passages smoothly, with a good full sound and a sense of line, not just a series of notes tuck together. Each note should have a sense of direction leading to the next note, else it becomes static, going nowhere. This is important for all band parts from basses up, not just the solo cornets. Every player in the band should have a solo cornet tune book to practice the tunes from, keeping the above mentioned concepts in mind while practicing them.

 

Beautiful tone production is the prerequisite to all other facets of your performance. Without beautiful sound, there is no music!

 

Repertoire

 

This section of practice time can be devoted to band parts that need to be practiced at home, solos and other material that interests you. It is your responsibility as a band member to work on the band parts with which you have trouble. It is not the bandmaster’s job to teach these parts during rehearsal.

 

When working on repertoire, don’t dwell on the easy parts that you can play, and conversely, don’t just whip by the bits that you can’t. Work at the difficult sections slowly and methodically (again, with a metronome), isolating the problem and finding an intelligent approach to overcome it. Make sure, after you can play the trouble spots, that you can play them in context. It is of little use to be able to play a difficult run without being able to work into it or out of it.

 

There is a large repertoire of Salvation Army variation solos which are an excellent practice tool, whether you consider yourself a soloist or not. They contain melodic passages, articulation, scale work, flexibility, range and any number of aspects of playing that can be worked on in one piece. Besides, they are fun and challenging.

 

The practice room is the place to develop good habits. If you cannot play something well there, you don’t stand a chance in performance! Remember to practice in all registers, at all dynamic levels. Try to simulate performance conditions in practice, so that your lips will be able to handle it. Don’t expect to be able to play high, or loud, without practicing this way.

 

Get into the habit of doing things as well as you can, all the time. Don’t settle for anything less!

 

Don’t let the practice period become a drudgery. Always challenge yourself. Make your routine your personal challenge and look forward to the time with your instrument. Remember, your banding depends on it!

 

Recommended study material:

 

Arban  - Complete Conservatory Method

Herbert L. Clarke – Technical Studies, Characteristic Studies

Charles Colin – Lip Flexibilities

Max Schlossberg – Daily Drills and Technical Studies

 

Some points to remember:

 

Practice slowly and accurately

Develop good habits in the practice room

Maintain balance in your practice period

Practice in all registers, at all dynamic levels

Blow the air through the horn

Use a metronome

Have a goal

 

Most of all, have fun!

 

- written by Steve Brown, a 26 year veteran member of The Canadian Staff Band

A paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13...

If I could sing with the voice of an angel, and if I knew more about music than my fellow songsters, but didn't love others, I would only be making a noise. If I could memorize words more quickly, and could anticipate the songster leader's cues better than anyone, but did not have love, I would be as useless as an alto in the bass section.

Love suffers through long, difficult songster rehearsals; it is kind when another songster pitches a wrong interval or sings flat.
 
Love doesn't become envious or cynical when someone else gets a solo. It never boasts of being the best, but gives recognition for abilities to the Giver of all talent. Love does not put down another songster to make itself look better.
 
Love is not angered when the congregation does not respond well to the songster selection. It does not resent being upstaged by the offertory, band or special music.
 
Love does not rejoice when another gets blamed for singing the wrong word or note, but rejoices when the selection is complete, and God is glorified.
 
Love supports various tensions from fellow songsters and those in authority to make serving God the number one priority.
 
Love continues to do the best possible, even at 9:55 p.m. on rehearsal night, when some are getting restless and are not giving their utmost concentration.
 
LOVE NEVER FAILS!!!!!
 
If there are proud prophesies of our being superior, they will be wrong and cease, if there are boastings of extra‑special musical abilities, they will be silenced, for our skills are limited, and we can only accomplish so much.
 
But when we have been made perfect, the need for these inadequate special gifts will disappear. When I sang in the singing company, I sang like a child; I thought like a child and I reacted like a child. But when I joined the songster brigade after my voice changed, I didn't participate in the singing company any more.
 
For now, we are looking at the Christmas cantata, one song at a time, but in December we will see the completed work. Now we are skimming over some of the music, but by then we'll know the entire cantata, as God has always known.
 
And the onlysongs that will be of any importance will be faith, hope and love; but the greatest song of all is LOVE.

- submitted by Bob Young. Originally published in Jul/Aug/Sep 2001 of THEME.

As you are reading this article, hundreds of brass instruments throughout the world are being needlessly abused and neglected. Many lie in lonely cases with months’ worth of dirt, moisture and food deposits, ruthlessly eating away at their insides.  What a shameful thing to allow to happen to an instrument that can be a thing of beauty!  Look into your case:  You may be surprised (or disgusted) at what you find.

 

The cleaning of brass instruments is really a relatively simple process. A little bit of work at regular intervals will keep an instrument in top shape and out of the depths of degradation in which some instruments find themselves.