Minute Clinic
Whether you want to learn how to arrange for your ensemble or just want to improve your arranging skills, here are my top 10 arranging tips and tricks arranging. Of course, these can and should be considered when composing your own music as well. All good arranging, in my opinion, is based upon the overtone…
Read MoreThe beauty of music is that there is something for everyone. What one person thinks is the greatest piece ever written could be the most annoying piece for someone else. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that axiom is never more apparent than in the selection of literature for…
Read MoreIt’s the end of the year. I ask my beginners which piece was their favorite. I hope they name the piece that was the most challenging. I expect them to name the “Pops” piece or the piece that was “fast and loud”. Instead, many choose one of the easier pieces from earlier in the year. I am surprised and ask, “why?” Their responses…
Read MoreI don’t need to write about the importance of every minute of rehearsal time. You know this. The fact that you are reading this post suggests that you are well past that stage in developing outstanding educational practices. However, if you regularly find yourself starting rehearsal with a French horn in your hands that needs…
Read MoreAs a composer, I am often asked how to interpret one of my pieces and to give specifics on different aspects of it. This can range from as general as tempo to more specific things like phrasing or what exactly I had in mind with a specific marking. I appreciate that these questions come from…
Read MoreA colleague of mine once asked, “Do our bands start sounding bad right before a contest or did we finally start listening?” The earlier we start to really listen, the better our marching bands will be. As with concert band, jazz band and chamber ensembles, it takes daily cultivation and development over a long period…
Read MoreAny of us who have spent time in the classroom know that at some point a student will come up to you and want you to look at a piece that they wrote. If you are not yourself a composer/arranger don’t sweat it, there are things you can do that will help to cultivate a…
Read MoreHave you worked on breathing lately? While it may sound simple, there’s nothing better than breathing exercises to help get your band ready for action. The following are some teaching concepts you can use to teach dynamics and concepts of crescendos and decrescendos. All exercises are to be done by blowing air through the instrument…
Read MoreAt some point in our lives most of us have pondered what makes us successful. Some people consider lavish lifestyles, big paychecks, large families, and/or important careers successful. However, if you want to be good at something you have to come to terms with a few things: 1: You can’t ever be “good enough”. The…
Read MoreYou have a passion for music and an interest in the industry. You want to write music professionally…but how? Take it from a seasoned professional, it takes time, knowledge, and hustle, but it is possible. Avenues are plentiful for writing music: film scoring, pre-recorded music for media, music libraries, and many more, but before you…
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