On tuning and practice by simon foo

The below step- by- step approach is developed for students so that they know how to practice correctly both at home or during sectionals.
This step- by- step method consist of five stages:
Stage 1 getting the notes right!
This is the most basic but time consuming. This stage is usual done individually before coming for rehearsal. Some time it is helpful to have the senior to guide them along during the sectional practices. They should follow the steps below, making sure each step is mastered before moving on to the next.
1.1 Read the notes right
1.2 Knowing the correct fingering
1.3 Pitching the notes right
1.4 Playing the correct note’s values.
1.5 Playing the correct rest value

Stage 2: Breathing at the correct place and marking down where to breathe after consulting the director or sectional leader.
After getting all the notes, phrasing is the next stage similar to the first stage, this is usually done individually but like wise a section should come together to an agreement as to where to breath together.
Hint on how the student can figure out the breath marks:
2.1 Look for the long slur lines
2.2 Comma
2.3 Usually 2, 4 or 8 bars depending on the music
2.4 Sing out the melody or note and make sure it sounds natural

Stagger breathing
Sometime the music is written in such a way that there should be no breaks at all. This is where stagger breathing comes about. Each player must breath at the different points of the phrase so as to ensure that the music does not break at all. The section leader must plan where each player breathes and it must be practice as a section.
Stage 3: Make a difference in the music by adding articulation
Articulation marks are symbols like slur, staccato, tenuto and accent etc. They indicate how the notes should be played. They add the style to the music.
Getting this correct can help in a lot of blending or precision problems during he rehearsal.
Stage 5: Adding the correct dynamic
This also helps in the balance during the full band.
Stage 6: Tempo
6.1 Never compromise notes for the tempo. Always practice at a slower tempo especially the running notes) only increase the speed when they are familiar with the notes.
6.2 Put marking on the measure that requires a change of tempo, example RIT, RALL etc.


-Tuning individual instrument for better intonation


“The tuning process is different for each instrument family, and there are important tuning differences for certain instrument within families.”

Many band I come across tuned to concert Bb note for the whole band. Although tuning one note doesn’t mean the intonation of the instrument will be good but at it makes it easier for us to adjust our tuning. One method that makes sense to everyone is to tune to an open note or a stable tone on the instrument. A common practice by many professional ensembles is to tune the woodwinds to concert “A” and Brass their open note the concert “ Bb”. The Horns to Concert “F”, which is the key that they are built in.
Clarinet is very different from the other woodwinds instrument by being the only one that overblown a 12th (instead of an octave). All professional clarinetists I come across will tune the clarinet to two notes the concert A to adjust the bell and Open “G” which is the concert F to adjust the barrel compensate.

-Teaching tuning and listening procedure for better intonation

In the recent years, the tradition of tuning from the soprano instruments- the clarinet or oboe has change. Through a better understanding of overtones, many band directors I came across have switch to tuning from the bass instrument either the tuba, bass clarinet or baritone saxophone. The lowest fundamental note affect all the other higher tones above, the lower instrument of the band affect the tuning of the higher instrument. Most of the band will tune their bass instruments with the tuner then match the sound from the lowest to the higher instruments.

There is no special short cut on tuning after I try all the three methods; it all depends on personal preference and the student able to listen. “ The teaching techniques used from students earliest musical experiences frequently create confusion and problem. When students are instructed to listen for sharpness and flatness in pitch, the attention focused to discerning the highness or lowness, instead of the actual beats or misaligned frequencies of two or more sounds.”

Therefore we need to teach the students step by step, an effective way to do it is to use two experience players to demonstrate. One player will tune at standard A=442 and the others at A= 445,the varying frequency will collide creating a buzz. At this moment we will not ask the student to recognize flat or sharp, they just need to listen to the speed of the buzz (Beats) .We must then explained to them that the faster the beat the more out of tuned and the slower the more in tuned. To get rid of the buzz, the student has to experiment by put adjusting the slide in or out by try and error until it is beat less (buzz disappeared) and they are perfectly in tuned. Procedure “A” or “B” is good to train student to listen for the beat to match their sound, but this process tends to take up more time. Procedure “C” takes a shorter time but needs a more experience band, for less school band it is good to let the student sing the oboe tuning pitch correctly before they play. We must not spend too much time on this process once the students are clear how to identify and correct pitch errors. Do a group tuning when time is limited.

New tuning procedure (A)

Lower woodwinds-→ Tuba-→ Euphonium→ Trombone-→ Trumpet-→A/T saxophone-→ Horns --→ clarinet--→ Flute-→ oboe






New tuning procedure (B)

Tuba→Euphonium→ Trombone→Trumpet
Euphonium→Baritone saxophone → Bass clarinet
Trumpet → Alto sax
Alto saxophone→ Clarinet
Clarinet→ Flute
Flute → Oboe

Traditional tuning procedure (C)

Oboe sounds “Bb” all brass tune to this note.
Oboe Sounds “ A” all woodwinds to this note.
*Band without oboe tune with clarinet or even Alto Saxophone