Bandroom Tips
Bandroom Tips: Inventory
Every band director I have worked with keeps some kind of music library. They all have a system of cataloging music. What a vast majority of them do not have are...
Keeping track of Auxilliary Percussion
Tips on helping students keep track of Auxiliary Percussion instruments.
Breathing for Young Low Brass Players
Awareness is the most important first level of breath training for young brass players. There needs to be a team meeting at the beginning of low brass class to...
Training Young Low Brass Players… Ear Development
It takes a three-part approach when training low brass players to be contributing members of any ensemble. These activities should be developed simultaneously, as...
Helping Your Flute Students Play in Tune
It is extremely common for young flute players to play with the flute placed too high on their bottom lip. Playing this way causes the sound to be thin, shrill and...
Tuning a Flute
A flute, with proper design, is made to produce a particular scale with the headjoint set in only one optimum location. Deviating from this ideal location will require the player...
Tell Them HOW to Practice!
This tip for new music educators comes time proven based on my many years experience as a middle and high school band director, and fine arts administrator. Imagine...
Engaging those trouble makers in the back of your band room…
Ah yes, the percussion section, ever so important to the whole sound of the ensemble and ever so responsible for sounds you rarely want to hear. Talking too much,...
Students Not Playing Their Instrument in Class?
As a band director, I am sure you are aware that sometimes students don’t play their instrument in band class. There can be a myriad of reasons for this: 1) they...