Playing Tips

I like to use a Hoberman sphere (http://goo.gl/GTEmXh) as a tool to show my students how to play effective dynamics.

I have over ninety students in one sixth grade beginning band class, and it always takes a little longer to...

Have your percussion section warm-up for about thirty seconds to a minute at the beginning of class.

Once a student learns the first five tones, I like to teach them scale degrees as well. Doing this allows...

My favorite rehearsal tip to share with directors is to record your ensemble weekly. This works for marching band, concert...

Use a stopwatch to time transition events. For concert band rehearsals, use a site like online-stopwatch.com to show the students...

When you have that student who just can’t understand how to tongue on the clarinet or sax, take a drinking...

Descending lip slurs are a piece of cake, and almost no young brass student struggles with that skill.

Take at least one or two minutes to warm up the percussion section when beginning class. Having them do sixteenth...

During the warm-up chorale, I point to my ear periodically to remind students that it is THEIR job to play...

Still fighting the time battle? Nearly every student in your band program has their own smart phone or a tablet.

Assign a method book exercise that gets the fingers/slides moving.