Music Camp 2009 Trumpet Section Intro to Marching Band Concepts

© 2009 Shawn Wright - Daphne High School

1. Motivation
a. Why practice?
i. Prosperitas est perficio super vicis:
This means “Success is achieved over time”, meaning victories aren’t won at
competitions, but at everyday practices and rehearsals.
ii. Band is not like a family, it is a family. It’s a group of people that don’t
necessarily like each other, but live and grow together. Like in a family, there is
a hierarchy of responsibility and authority, and like in a family, there will be
conflicts, but ultimately, we need to strive to do whatever is best for the band
as a whole.
b. Competitions
i. While Competitions should not be the main focus of our band, they are an
important part of what we do, and one of our goals should be to do well at
competitions.
ii. I bet we could get first at every competition we go to this year if we work hard
and practice enough.
2. Expectations
a. Practice Expectations
i. Expected to remain at attention until told otherwise.
ii. To mark time when playing or anything similar.
iii. Expected to not play unless instructed.
iv. To not talk during practice (this excludes talking about the practice or show)
b. Discipline
i. Expected to do what you’re asked by any section leader or director/tech.
ii. Do it without question.
iii. Act mature at all times. We can have fun will still being productive.
iv. During practices/rehearsals/performances, band takes priority, excluding only
emergencies.
c. Football Game Performance
i. Be responsible
ii. Play all stand tunes. No jipping out, ever (excluding extreme pain/bleeding lips).
iii. Do not sit when the game is in play.
iv. Sit when a player is hurt.
v. Pay attention to the game.
vi. Follow all the rules while in the stands and in uniform.
d. Competition Performance
i. You are a representative of our school , and more importantly of our band.
 ii. Whatever you do from the time we line up at the gate before performance can
affect the judges perception of our band, and thusly our score.
iii. You must have perfect bearing from the time you line up at the gate, until after
you’re out of sight of the stadium.
iv. Your uniform needs to be worn correctly at all times. No “Sagging Bibs” or
incorrect T-shirts.
3. Bearing
a. Attention
i. Feet Together
ii. Legs Straight, but not locked
iii. Back Straight
iv. Shoulders Flat, Down, and Back
v. Head Straight
vi. Chin Up
vii. Arms Out, Parallel, and Correctly Angled
b. Horns Down
i. 1st Valve Slide Straight across eye level.
ii. Horn 6-7 inches from body.
iii. Hands Folded Cleanly & Consistently
iv. Arms out, but not flying away
c. Horns Up
i. Bell up just across top of the horizon
ii. Arms out, but not flying away
iii. Left hand cupped around valve casing, no palm touching the horn
iv. Right hand following angle of arm, fingers curved, not flat
v. Pinky on top of ring, not behind or inside
vi. Right thumb between 1st and 2nd valve casings
vii. Left ring finger in 3rd valve slide finger ring. Pinky behind ring, middle & index
behind 3rd valve casing. Left thumb in 1st valve slide thumb saddle
d. Personal Amenities
i. Jewelry permitted only as rules dictate
ii. NO CELL PHONES WHILE ON FIELD OR IN STADIUM EVER
iii. No iPods, mp3 players, or any other electronics
iv. No Watches, timers, stopwatches, etc. While on field
e. Competitions
i. Stay at attention from the time you line up at the gate until you are well out of
sight of the stadium, no matter what.
ii. Look straight ahead the entire time. Do not turn your head for any reason, use
your peripheral vision
4. Breathing
a. Open Mouth
i. “O” shape helps approximate the correct oral cavity ideal for breathing
 ii. Tongue resting at the bottom of the mouth
iii. No part of the mouth obstructing the air flow
b. Open Throat
i. Cold air should hit the back of the throat when inhaling
ii. No “gasp” sound should be heard during inhale. This means the throat is
restricting air flow
c. Expanding
i. Think of the torso as a cylinder that expands outward, not upward, as you
inhale. This provides for a greater air intake.
d. Shoulders
i. Shoulders should NOT move during breathing. Only the torso should expand
outward
5. Buzzing
a. Breath Control
i. Air stream should be steady and consistent
ii. Fast, warm air allows the lips to vibrate in a more relaxed position
b. Consistency
i. Attack and release should sound the same
ii. Tone should not “slide” in on the attack or “fall” out on the release
c. Tone
i. Tone should be full, dark, and “round”
ii. Tone should not be “airy” or bright
iii. Tone should be centered and consistent
6. Playing
a. Breath Control
i. Same as for buzzing
b. Tone
i. Same as for buzzing
c. Attack
i. Attack should not be harsh or hard
ii. Attack should not be soft or light
iii. Attack should be firm and “round”
iv. Tone should not “slide” up from the attack
v. Tone should be the same in the attack as the desired tone for the note
d. Release
i. Release should not be sudden or hard (stop tongued)
ii. Release should reflect attack, and be consistent
iii. Release should be “round”
iv. Release should not “fall” or “slide” out and away from the note
e. Style
i. Style should reflect the piece, as well as tone, ensemble, and dynamic
ii. Style should remain consistent throughout the piece
f. Articulation
i. Articulation should reflect style, ensemble, and dynamic
ii. Articulation should be consistent, and even throughout
g. Consistency
i. Every member and every section should perform the same way at the same
time, every time
ii. Consistency must be practiced, it does not happen
h. Horn Angle
i. Horn angle should remain the same as at attention
i. Near-Ear Listening
i. Listen to the people next to you
ii. Balance with those people
iii. Play in the same style as them
iv. Be consistent with those people
j. Section Listening
i. Listen to your whole section
ii. Balance with everyone in your section
iii. Play in the same style
iv. Be consistent throughout
v. Everyone should sound like the same person
k. Full Band Listening
i. Listen to the rest of the band
ii. Balance with everyone
iii. Play in the same style
iv. Be consistent throughout
v. Everyone should sound like several exact same recordings of smaller ensembles,
played back at the same time
l. Balancing
i. Play in the same dynamic
ii. Play in the same style
iii. Use the same articulation
iv. Do not overpower anyone
v. Do not “carry” anyone
m. Intensity
i. Be intense without being overpowering
ii. Focus on all aspects of playing
iii. Your attitude should reflect the music
iv. Your bearing should reflect the music
v. Intense does not mean loud
vi. Intense means you have an intent to play your music to the best of your ability
and to be serious about your performance