by Sam Pilafian | Feb 24, 2015 | Bandroom Tips, Motivating Students
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 introduce them to the new world we will live in. Both breathing health and development of airflow mastery...
by Sam Pilafian | Jan 25, 2015 | Bandroom Tips, Recruitment and Retention
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 each activity opens the doorway to improvements in the other two areas. This is truly an integrated...
by Cate Hummel | Dec 22, 2014 | Bandroom Tips
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 sharp. Another common problem is covering too much, i.e. more than half, of the blow hole with the...
by Joe Butkevicius | Dec 10, 2014 | Bandroom Tips
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 to adjust their performance to play notes in-tune. As the deviation from the ideal...
by Scott Abrahamson | Dec 10, 2014 | Bandroom Tips
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 the setting: you have just prepared your band room for what you expect to be a fantastic rehearsal....