The Selmer Band Manual by Nilo W. Hovey

FOREWORD The success of a school band or orchestra is to a large degree dependent upon the competence of its individual members. The contribution of each individual in turn can be evaluated in terms of three factors, each of which is necessary for effective participation. The first of these factors is ATTITUDE. Each student must be willing to share the responsibility of establishing and maintaining high standards of excellence in his organization. Each student must show respect for those in authority and cooperation with his fellow members. Teamwork is just as important in the rehearsal room as it is on the football field or basketball floor, The second factor is SKILL IN PERFORMANCE. Meeting the demands of the part to which he is assigned is will require individual preparation beyond the time spent in rehearsal. Fluency of technique, a pleasing quality of tone, and intelligent interpretation are equally important phases of musical performance. Individual practice should provide for improvement of all three of these phases. The third factor is KNOWLEDGE of numerous fundamentals, rudiments and terms which are commonly used in the study and performance of music. The student who merely "plays the notes’’ cannot possibly play with understanding. He must comprehend the language of music in order to speak it properly. The third factor mentioned above is frequently neglected. With this in mind. Selmer presents this booklet to assist you, the school musician, to improve your knowledge of “the language of music.”

Chapter 1

Technique While effective performance demands more than technique, this is listed first simply because the notes must be “under the fingers” before proper attention can be given to intonation, tone quality and expression. The better you prepare your parts the more time your director will have to work out ensemble (group) problems in the rehearsal. Slow, accurate practice of fast moving passages is a most effective method of developing adequate technical skill, whether it be done individually or in the full rehearsal. If your director chooses to use some of the rehearsal time in this way, you should be patient and give careful attention, knowing that his goal is the same as yours — to improve the accuracy of the organization as a whole.

If you are lacking in general technical ability you can improve your playing by consistent practice on scales, arpeggios, thirds, and other technical studies which your director or private teacher will recommend. This type of exercise may not provide you with the greatest musical excitement, but it will help you become a better performer and a more valuable member of your organization.

Intonation This is the musician’s term for playing “in tune.’ Good intonation is certainly among the top elements in importance, for the other aspects of good playing are obscured if an organization plays out of tune.

It has been said that a poor workman complains of his tools, and this frequently applies to the school musician who plays out of tune. It is certainly to your advantage to have the best instrument that you can afford, as well as a good mouthpiece (and a reed, if you play a reed instrument), but no instrument is in perfect “tune” by itself! A competent performer plays it that way, whereas a poor performer plays a fine instrument badly. Playing in tune requires certain physical disciplines. Good posture, a good embouchure, and adequate breath support all contribute to good intonation. The clarinetist may tune to the given pitch but may nevertheless, play badly out of tune. So perhaps the most important factor involved in good intonation is careful listening. (Even a fine professional musician could not play in tune if his ears were plugged.) Listen to your pitch in relation to those near you and try to eliminate the “beats’ which are the result of faulty intonation.

Music that is high, loud and fast does not encourage careful listening; in fact, if used incorrectly, it can result in poor intonation and tone quality. Many directors use sustained tones, chords, unison scales and chorales to improve the intonation of their organizations, for this type of practice will do much to encourage careful and discriminating listening. If your director uses this procedure, you may be certain that he is making a sincere attempt to improve the intonation of your group.

Wind instruments cannot be built to play perfectly in tune without some favoring by the player. Another factor in good intonation is the knowledge of how to favor notes that are sharp or flat on your instrument. This process is also called “humoring” the tone. It is accomplished in different ways on different instruments — sometimes by relaxing or tightening the embouchure or by changing the direction of the air column, sometimes by increasing or decreasing the amount of breath that is used, and sometimes by using an auxiliary fingering. It is part of your business as a musician to find out how this is done on your instrument. Ask your director or your private teacher for advice, and apply his suggestions in your practice so that GOOD INTONATION becomes a habit.

Common Terms For proper understanding and interpretation of music, you must know the meaning of many terms which are in common use. There are hundreds of such terms, but the following may be considered a minimum which every music student should know. By studying a few terms each week, you will soon develop a good vocabulary which will be a real asset in your future musical experience. accelerando (accel.) - gradually faster adagietto – slow, but not as slow as adagio adagio – very slow agitato – agitated; rapid al fine – to the finish alla – in the style of... (such as alla marcia – in the style of a march)

allargando (allarg.) - gradually slower and broader allegretto – Light and moderately quick, but not as fast as allegro allegro – rapid; lively amore, con – with tenderness andante – moderately slow, but moving andantino – generally a little quicker than andante

Chapter 2 Phrasing

Suppose you were to ignore all punctuation marks in reading the preceding paragraph. Stop in the middle of a sentence and let your voice drop as though you had concluded your reading. Skip over the periods and continue on into the next sentence without a pause. Overlook all commas. Your reading would not be very meaningful. would it? Now this would be comparable to poor phrasing in music. One might refer to a phrase as “a sentence of music” and to the function of phrasing as “grouping the notes according to musical thoughts.” In music of certain periods a phrase usually consists of two, four, or eight measures, but phrases of three, five, and seven measures are not uncommon. The wind instrumentalist, as well as the singer, marks the end of a phrase by a breath, and in compositions of slow tempo by a slight “tapering off” and other minor modifications of the printed part. Good phrasing demands much more than a breath in the right spot. However, you will make your playing much more interesting to hear if you find a “peak” note (or notes) within the phrase. In vocal music, the words frequently provide a clue, but the instrumentalist must search for it. Sometimes the important note will be the longest one, but it will not likely be the shortest Sometimes it is the highest note. But it could also be the lowest one if the melodic line tends downward. Sometimes it is a note which is “foreign” to the key in which you are playing. If a rhythmic pattern is repeated many times, it will likely be the changing note that is important. Perhaps you have heard that the first beat in each measure is an accented one, but this would not be good phrasing if done without variation, for it would result in monotony. Just to point out the importance of finding a musical meaning to the phrase. Let’s examine the following sentence: “I thought you would drive to Chicago.” What meaning do you derive from it? Now try reading it in different ways, giving importance to the capitalized word: “I THOUGHT you would drive to Chicago.” “I thought YOU would drive to Chicago.” “I thought you would DRIVE to Chicago.” “I thought you would drive to CHICAGO.” See what a difference a little emphasis will make? Read with expression - play with expression. Sometimes the phrase starts at the bar line as it does in the following familiar hymn:

But quite frequently the phrase starts with a “pick-up” note as it does in this familiar tune:

In the latter example, phrasing at the bar lines would destroy the musical meaning. So do not allow the bar lines to dictate the phrasing. In some works of comparatively recent composition phrasing has been indicated by the composer, and generally it is well to abide by his suggestions. It should be emphasized. However, that in many fine musical compositions there is more than one way to phrase. This is as it should be, for individual expression could be stifled by a “foolproof” mathematical formula for phrasing. Phrasing is an art, not a science. You are encouraged to use your imagination, to try your own ideas, and to consult with your director or private teacher to check your results.

Tone Quality In this phase of music more than any other you can learn by imitation. Try to build a mental concept of the tone you are trying to produce. Hear as many fine performers on your instrument as you can, analyze their tone quality, think of words that describe it, then try to reach your goal by conscientious practice. Remember that lightning speed of the fingers will not help you in your study of tone. Long, sustained tones will allow you to hear what you are doing and will permit concentration on proper control of the breath and embouchure. To the wind instrument player, selection of a good mouthpiece is of great importance. Never purchase a mouthpiece “over the counter” without the advice of a competent teacher. In addition, the player of a reed instrument must be particularly fussy about his reeds. For without a good reed, the best equipment will give poor results. There is another aspect of tone quality which has an important effect on the sound of your band or orchestra. A fine tone quality from sixty musicians is not a guarantee of a fine ensemble (group) tone. Those sixty must blend their tones so that no section or individual stands out in an obtrusive way. Only the ‘show-off” attempts to out-blow his fellow members. So as an individual, you must make an effort to blend your tone with that of the organization as a unit, except when you are performing solo on the instructions of your director.

Common Terms For proper understanding and interpretation of music, you must know the meaning of many terms

which are in common use. There are hundreds of such terms, but the following may be considered a minimum which every music student should know.

a poco – a little; gradually appassionato – intensely; passionately; with Deep feeling arioso – in vocal style (also see “cantabile”) assai – very (Such as allegro assai – very fast) a tempo – in time; generally implies a return to Original rate of speed ben – well (Such as ben marcato – well marked)

brilliante – brilliantly brio, con – with spirit; brilliantly calando – gradually slower and softer cantabile – in a singing style chromatic – by semi tones (half steps) coda – the final added measures of a musical composition con – with crescendo (cress.) - Gradually louder

Chapter 3 Style

There are many terms in music which come under the heading of “style” For example. Con graze means “gracefully,” maestro’s means “majestically.” luggable means “sadly,” et cetera. Ad infinitum.

But there are three terms which, if understood and observed by all school musicians, would result in much better unity of interpretation and musically intelligent performance. One of these is legato. Legato means “smooth and connected” and any composition, section or phrase so marked should be played with almost no perceptible interruption of tone except at phrase ends. Many times the character of the composition demands legato style even though the composer has not indicated it on the music. A flowing beat by the conductor should be sufficient clue to the members of your band or orchestra. Solid, uninterrupted support of the tone (“follow through”) should be used; spasmodic use of the diaphragm will result in a poor legato style. Beginnings of phrases should be accomplished without a harsh attack; endings of phrases should be nicely rounded off, not terminated abruptly. In other words, “Come in without knocking; go out the same way. A second essential style is marcato. Our music dictionaries tell us that marcato means “marked”, “emphatically” etc. To this, one might add the word “detached.” So many wind instrumentalists would play marcato passages more effectively if they would depend on spacing well-supported tones, use a

less explosive stroke of the tongue, and forget about brute force! A little “daylight” after each tone would help obtain the “marked” effect that is desired. Sometimes the composer indicates marcato on the music; sometimes he uses accent marks (>); at other times we must depend on the emphatic beat of the director to inform us. In any case, marcato demands precise attacks and equally uniform releases of the tones to be fully effective. The third essential style is staccato. Staccato is also a separated, detached style, but too often a passage so marked becomes something of a “tutters’ contest,” with the resultant “sputtery” effect. Consequently, many directors like to add the term “lightly” to their definition of staccato. It has been said that a true staccato should never be performed at any volume level above a mezzo - forte (mf). Even though this is not completely accurate, it does provide good advice for the school band and orchestra. The degree of detachment should vary with the tempo or speed of the composition, with less separation between the tones in slow tempo. The composer indicates staccato by the use of the term, or by dots over or under the notes, whereas the director indicates it by short, pointed, rebound beat.

Recall these three terms at frequent intervals so you will always interpret your music in the correct style: (1) Legato: a smooth, connected style (2) Marcato: a heavy, detached style (3) Staccato: a light, detached style

Dynamics One of the qualities of musical expression concerns the various degrees of loudness and softness. This quality is called “dynamics.” It is difficult to recall a single musical composition which should not vary somewhat during the course of its performance, but many school bands and orchestras play a full program with little contrast in volume, (The worst of these are loud all of the time.) Such a program is indeed dull and uninteresting. Every musical organization should attempt to play, WITH CONTROL, five recognizable levels of volume: pianissimo (pp), piano (p), mezzo-piano (mp), forte (f) and double-forte or fortissimo (ff). If we were to add mezzo-forte (mf), then the number of levels would be six.

Perhaps you noticed that the words “with control” are capitalized. School instrumental organizations are faced with two difficult problems in obtaining good dynamic contrast. The first is to develop a solid, full-sounding fortissimo without roughness and distortion of tone quality, and the second is to develop a resonant pianissimo that is not weak and feeble. As an individual player you can help solve these problems by practicing control of volume on your own instrument, Many teachers recommend sustained tones, played with crescendo (gradually louder) and diminuendo (gradually softer). Listen carefully as you play, and do not allow the pitch of your tone to change as the volume changes.

Common Terms da capo (D.C.) - from the beginnings dal segno (D.S.) - from the sign diminuendo (dim.) - gradually softer dolce – sweetly energico – energetically etude – a study fermata – a hold or pause forte (f) – loud

fortissimo (ff) – very loud forza, con – with force forzando – forcefully accented fuoco, con – with fire, energy furioso – furiously giocoso – joyfully grandioso – grand or noble style

Chapter 4

Balance If you are a good ensemble performer you have learned to adjust your volume level according to the relative importance of your part. The volume mark indicated on the music may generally be accepted as a guide but not as the final criterion.

Suppose, for example, that you have a melodic passage marked “mp” (mezzo-piano). If the director stops your organization to comment that the melody does not come through properly, it may be necessary for you to play at a higher volume level than you consider “mp” and for those on other parts to play more softly. If, on the other hand, you are playing a rhythmic accompaniment part that is marked “ff” and the melodic line is obscured, it may be necessary for you to play “mf” so that all parts will be properly balanced. As a reminder that a certain passage should be louder or softer, it may be permissible for you to pencil in the change on your printed part. Good balance, then, requires the proper mixture of melody, one or more harmony parts, counter-melody, and rhythmic accompaniment parts. The final judgment must be made by your director, but you can do much to simplify his problem by listening carefully and evaluating the importance of the part you are playing. Remember that the melodic line must always be predominant, and that other parts are to be subordinated to it regardless of the volume indicated. During rehearsal and performance watch your director carefully for a sign that you should play louder or softer. Such signs are generally indicated with the left hand – palm down for less volume, palm up for more.

Articulation Clean-cut articulation bears somewhat the same relationship to music as enunciation does in speech. Very likely you have heard speakers in your assembly programs who, with a normal speaking voice, were very easy to understand. They were heard distinctly because they enunciated clearly. That is what you should attempt to do with instrument - make it ‘‘speak distinctly”. Two important factors in articulation are correct use of the tongue and correct use of the breath. In the course of your musical experience you will frequently hear the term ‘‘attack,’’ which refers to the start of the tone. Whether soft, medium, or loud, each note (except those within a slurred group) should start with a precise attack which is produced by proper breath support and a positive action of the tongue. Most teachers recommend a tongue action which is similar to its use in pronouncing one of the following syllables: too, tah, ti, tuh, or doo, dah, dee, duh. The tongue operates something like a valve which releases the column of air. NEVER say thu, tha, or any syllable which starts with the “th” sound. And remember when your director asks for a precise attack, he does not mean “accent”.

The tempo (speed) of a passage exerts considerable influence on articulation. For example, in fast

tempo the group is played . The first note is attacked in a precise manner; the second one is not started with the tongue but is released early – that is before it has been sustained its full value; the third and fourth are played with a light staccato. Be certain that there is as much space

before the third note as there is before the fourth. In fast tempo, likewise, the group ,

is played . In slow tempo, however, these groups would be played quite broadly, with each note receiving full value, articulated with almost no separation of tone. During your playing experience, it is likely that you will see most of the following articulation, each of which demands a slightly different degree of separation.

Common Terms For proper understanding and interpretation of music, you must know the meaning of many terms

which are in common use. There are hundreds of such terms, but the following may be considered a minimum which every music student should know.

grave – very slow and solemn grazia, con – with graceful style grazioso – gracefully larghetto – slow, but not as slow as largo larghissimo – very slow, more so than largo largo – very slow legato – smooth and connected leggiero – lightly lento – very slow l'istesso – the same (such as l'istesso tempo – the same speed)

maestoso – majestically marcato – marked; with emphasis marcia – march style marziale – martial meno – less (such as meno mosso – less movement; slower) mezzo – medium; half (such as mezzo-forte – medium loud; mezzo-piano – medium soft) moderato – moderately

Chapter 5 Rehearsal Marks

In many school bands and orchestras considerable rehearsal time is wasted by frequent repetition of interpretive suggestions by the director. In most of these cases, time could be saved and progress accelerated by the use of penciled rehearsal marks placed on the printed part when the director’s comments are made the first time.

Suppose, for example, that your director suggests that a particular note or series of notes should be played longer in value and in a more legato manner. A short, straight line placed over or under the notes in question will remind you of this fact on each subsequent reading and it should not be necessary for the director to repeat his comment:

If the director desires a semi-legato or slightly detached style, you would use the straight lines and dots:

If the director desires a detached, staccato style, use the staccato mark:

If you are not breathing in the correct place, a comma will remind you the next time:

If a definite space is desired between a pair of notes, or an abrupt release is wanted, use a short. diagonal line:

If you are consistently flat on a particular note, use an arrow to indicate that it should be favored upward:

Use the arrow in reverse for a sharp note to be favored downward:

If your director designates the “peak” note or the climax of a phrase, use an asterisk:

If your part should be louder or softer for effective balance, change the printed volume marking:

Many other supplementary marks may be suggested by your director. Remember that a pencil is an essential part of your rehearsal equipment. Save rehearsal time by marking the director’s suggestions on your part!

A Comparative List of Tempo Markings Generally very slow to slow Larghissimo Largo Larghetto Grave Lento Adagio Adagietto

Generally medium Andante Andantino Moderato

Generally fast to very fast Alegretto Allegro Vivace Veloce Presto Prestissimo

Metronome Marks M.M. � = 60

M.M. is an abbreviation for Maelzel's Metronome.

� usually indicates the unit of measurement or the kind of note which receives one beat. 60 indicates the number of beats per minute. Generally speaking, the metronome mark gives the performer a reasonably accurate means of establishing the tempo. It is used to supplement the meter signature and terms indicating speed.

�/� Adagietto tells us that there are four quarter notes to the measure and that the tempo is slow. But if these symbols are accompanied by “MM. tempo 60,” we are more completely informed, we now know that a quarter note receives one beat and that there are sixty beats per minute. Some examples of metronome indications and their interpretations follow:

Common Terms For proper understanding and interpretation of music, you must know the meaning of many terms which are in common use. There are hundreds of such terms, but the following may be considered a minimum which every music student should know. molto – very morendo – dying away mosso – motion; movement moto – motion; movement non troppo – not too much opus (op.) - a musical work or composition ottaba (8va) – an octave (such as ottava alta – octave higher; ottava bassa – octave lower) pesante – heavily, with emphasis pianissimo (pp) – very softly

piano (p) – softly piu – more (such as piu lento – slower; piu mosso – faster) poco – a little (such as poco animato – a little more animated; poco meno – a little less) poco a poco – little by little prestissimo – very fast; more so than presto presto – very fast primo - first

Chapter 6 Key Signatures

It should not be necessary for the director of a school band or orchestra to use valuable rehearsal time to remind his students that “D is flatted in the key of Ab” or that “E is natural in the key of F,” and yet, this is a common occurrence. One of the responsibilities of every student musician is to KNOW the common key signatures and the notes that are affected by the sharps or flats in these signatures. Not all of the twenty-four key signatures (twelve majors and twelve minors) are used in school band and orchestra music. If you request it, your director will likely check the ones which are the most common, the ones which you should know thoroughly. If you wish to progress beyond this minimum responsibility, you will find all the major keys listed on pages 16 through 18. (Minors are omitted—not because they are unimportant, but be cause deviations from the major signatures are clearly indicated by the use of accidentals.) One method of mastering the key signatures which will improve your technical skill at the same time, is to practice these scales, Select the correct clef and the octaves which are within your playing range, and practice the scales diligently. Improved knowledge and playing skill will reward you for your efforts.

TREBLE CLEF INSTRUMENTS FLAT SCALES Flatted notes are black. In progressing through the flat keys, note that the extra flat is always on the FOURTH DEGREE of the scale.

TREBLE CLEF INSTRUMENTS SHARP SCALES Sharped notes are black. In progressing through the sharp keys, note that the extra sharp is always on the SEVENTH DEGREE of the scale.

BASS CLEF INSTRUMENTS—FLAT SCALES Flatted notes are black. In progressing through the flat keys, note that the extra flat is always on the FOURTH DEGREE of the scale.

BASS CLEF INSTRUMENTS—SHARP SCALES Sharped notes are black. In progressing through the sharp keys, note that the extra sharp is always on the SEVENTH DEGREE of the scale.

Common Terms rallentando (rall.) - gradually slower religioso – in solemn style ritardando (rit.) - gradually slower ritenuto – a steady pace, but slower than preceding tempo rubato – temporary irregularity of time, lengthening certain notes at the expense of others scherzo – playfully; usually in rapid tempo with rhythmic and dynamic contrasts scherzando – in light, playful style

segno ( ֠ ) - the sign sempre – always; continually senza – without sforzando (sfz) – forced; with emphasis simile – the same; continue in the same manner smorzando (smorz.) - dying away soli – more than one performer in unison solo – a composition or passage for one performer

Chapter 7

Taking Care of Your Instrument

Woodwinds Never subject a wood instrument to sudden temperature changes, for his may crack the body. Never play a wood instrument when it is cold.

When you have finished playing, use a chamois swab to remove all moisture from the bore—especially at the joints. This will prevent the wood from absorbing moisture, the greatest single cause of cracking. Oil the bore of a new instrument ever two or three weeks for the first three months, making certain that the oil does not touch the pads. Use a few drops of specially prepared bore oil or a good grade of olive oil, and apply it with a cloth or cotton swab. After the first three months it should not be necessary to oil the bore more often than once a month. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BASSOON IS AN EXCEPTION in the matter of bore oiling. Most bassoons are treated to resist moisture and the tenor and boot joints are usually rubber-lined, Oil would rot the rubber. It is sufficient to remove moisture and dirt with a dry cloth or regular bassoon swab. Never assemble a wood instrument when the bell, body or barrel rings are loose, for serious damage may result. Loose rings can be adjusted quickly by a competent repair man. All points of friction in the key mechanism should he oiled regularly with special key oil, or a very light oil, applied with a toothpick or a needle. This will minimize wear, keep the key action in top shape. and eliminate the possibility of screws becoming rusted in, Oil the keys held by long screws by backing out the screws about half of their length. After the oil seeps into the key hinges tighten the screws again. Keys that are on pivot posts may be oiled between the post and the end of the key rod. A small camel’s hair brush should be used to remove dust and lint that gathers around the posts and springs and under key rods. Cork joints should be kept “live” by the application of a small amount of cork grease. Dry cork becomes brittle and will crack easily. Adjusting screws are for delicate adjustment of the mechanism. Particularly in the case of the oboe and flute these should not be moved! If you think your instrument needs adjusting, ask your director or see a competent repair man. After each playing, clarinet and saxophone mouth pieces should be cleaned with a soft cloth, and the ligature screws loosened before the mouthpiece is put in the case. NEVER USE HOT WATER TO CLEAN A HARD RUBBER MOUTHPIECE.

Fingerprints should be wiped off the body and keys of the flute and saxophone after playing, and before returning the instrument to its case.

Brasses

It is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for “breaking in” a new instrument. In some cases the use of valve oil is recommended, in others, only water. But in any Case it is important that you keep the valves, valve casings, slides and the entire bore clean. One of the most important items in the care of brass instruments is keeping the mouthpiece clean. Do this by removing all particles of dirt with a toothpick, then flushing with clear water. Never leave the mouthpiece in the instrument after playing. In case of a stuck mouthpiece. NEVER use pliers or force in any way. Take the instrument to your director for his advice.

Clean the inside tubing of the instrument regularly by pouring water through the entire bore. Work the valves up and down while the stream of water is going through the instrument so that valve chambers and slides are cleaned too. The most common cause of sluggish valve action is dirty valves and valve casings. Valves may be cleaned with soap and water, but soaps that contain abrasives are likely to damage the valves. Be on the safe side by using castile soap. For the valve casings, use a cleaning rod and clean cheesecloth, being extremely careful that the metal rod does not touch the casing wall. Rinse valves and valve casings with clear water before replacing the valves. Also keep tuning slides and valve slides clean. Ordinarily, soap and water will do, but if the slides have become quite corroded, it may be necessary to use metal polish to restore the finish. Before replacing the slides, wipe them clean, flush with clear water, and put a small amount of Vaseline or tuning slide grease on them to prevent sticking. If your instrument has a lacquer finish, the outside tubing can be cleaned with clear water and a chamois, or you may obtain better results with a good quality lacquer cleaner. Do not use silver polish, commercial cleaning fluids, alcohol, or any cleaner which contains alcohol. Silver-plated instruments may be cleaned and polished with a good grade of silver polish.

Trombone Slides Because of the great variety of finishes used on trombone slides and the variation in amount of tolerance used in fitting slides, it is best to follow manufacturer’s instructions regarding lubrication. If cold cream and water is recommended, follow this procedure: Clean inner slides thoroughly with a soft, clean cloth, Apply a very small quantity of cold cream to the end of each inner slide. Pour a little lukewarm water into outer slides, then insert the inner slides and “slush-pump” the slides thoroughly. Remove inner slides and repeat the process, inserting each inner slide individually. Drain the water and the instrument is ready to play. A single application may last for a week if the, slides are ‘slush-pumped’ with lukewarm water before each use. Remember that cold cream accumulates dirt

rapidly so frequent cleaning of the slides may be necessary. If oil is recommended for your instrument, be certain that you use a good grade of oil manufactured for this purpose.

Drums

The mechanism for adjusting the tension of a drumhead or snares should be treated like any other mechanism. Moving parts should be oiled often enough to keep them in good working order. All metal parts should be treated with a thin film of light oil from time to time to protect them from moisture and dirt. Be sure to keep oil away from the drum heads. It is best to keep drum heads under tension at all times, even when they are not in use. If the drum is to be stored for any length of time, lower the tension slightly—perhaps a single turn of each screw. If it is necessary to increase the tension for playing in damp weather, release the extra tension when you are through playing to avoid breakage should the atmosphere return to normal. Snares are also best kept under tension at all times. This will prevent gut snares from stretching unevenly, and delay wire snares from wearing through the head.

Hints on Systematic Practice It is a significant fact that some students obtain highly satisfactory results with less practice than others who accomplish very little. This does not suggest that there is but one way to practice, but rather that some students use systematic methods of achieving definite aims. A conscientious musician strives constantly to improve his tone quality, his interpretation, and his technique for these are the fundamentals of good musicianship. Consequently, we may assume that efficient practice should be designed to improve all three of these elements. The student should attempt to discover the weakest phase of his performance and spend a large portion of his time developing it, but never with such concentration of effort that the other phases are ignored. For tone quality, long tones, slow scales and arpeggios and cantabile style melodies are recommended. You are urged to re-read the paragraph on “Tone Quality” and remember that unless you hear what you

are doing, hours of practice will be to no avail. For interpretation, solo literature is especially recommended. A wealth of fine material is published in this category, much of it of high musical content. Etudes which stress melodic interpretation are also available for most instruments. For technique, exercises of all types, including scales, arpeggios and interval studies are recommended. These should be practiced with varied articulations, for coordination of tongue and fingers is an important part of technical development. Work for accuracy at all times and remember that careless practice is worse than no practice, for it fixes had habits. In addition to the above, you should set aside a period for individual practice of band music. You should consider each composition placed in your folder as a definite assignment to he mastered outside of the rehearsal period. After noting the passages which are difficult, you should work them out carefully, so your director can use the full rehearsal period for putting the parts together properly.

Common Terms sordino – mute (con sordino – with mute; senza sordino – without mute) sostenuto – sustained spirito, con – with spirit; brilliance staccato – separated, detached style stringendo (string.) - gradually faster subito – suddenly tacet – silent tempo – time;speed tempo di valse – waltz time tenuto (ten.) - sustain full value valse – waltz veloce – very fast vivace – vivacious; lively vivo – lively; brisk