Band​ ​Rehearsal​ ​Techniques​ ​and​ ​Gestures:  

What​ ​are​ ​We​ ​Saying?​ ​What​ ​are​ ​They​ ​Thinking 

I.​ ​Repetition​ ​versus​ ​Variety:​ ​ ​The​ ​Beginning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Rehearsal 
● The​ ​most​ ​effective​ ​rehearsals​ ​are​ ​those​ ​that​ ​start​ ​on​ ​time: 
● What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​rehearsal​ ​routine?​ ​ ​Has​ ​one​ ​been​ ​established? 
-​ ​Will​ ​there​ ​be​ ​a​ ​Warm-up?​ ​ ​What​ ​will​ ​warm​ ​up​ ​be​ ​used​ ​for?​ ​ ​-​ ​Check​ ​Fundamentals​ ​during​ ​warm 
ups?​ ​-​ ​Posture.​ ​-Hand​ ​position​ ​on​ ​the​ ​instrument.  
-Neck​ ​strap​ ​adjustment​ ​on​ ​the​ ​saxophones.​ ​-Peg​ ​height​ ​on​ ​the​ ​bass​ ​clarinets.   
-Height​ ​and​ ​placement​ ​of​ ​the​ ​music​ ​stands.​ ​-Violin​ ​scrolls​ ​pointing​ ​to​ ​the​ ​wall.​ ​Cello​ ​chairs? 
Bass​ ​stools​ ​ ​-​ ​Attendance? 
● ​ ​What​ ​is​ ​unpredictable?​ ​ ​What​ ​will​ ​you​ ​change​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​things​ ​fresh? 
-​ ​Specific​ ​musical​ ​choice?​ ​-​ ​Tuning​ ​procedure?​ ​ ​-​ ​Seating?​ ​ ​-​ ​Proximity? 
II.​ ​Independence​ ​of​ ​Players​ ​and​ ​Sensitizing​ ​the​ ​Ensemble 
● Nonverbal​ ​communication: 
-​ ​Students​ ​joined​ ​an​ ​ensemble​ ​for​ ​one​ ​reason​ ​–​ ​to​ ​play.​ ​The​ ​more​ ​time​ ​we​ ​can​ ​allow​ ​them​ ​with 
instruments​ ​to​ ​the​ ​face,​ ​the​ ​happier​ ​they​ ​are. 
-Work​ ​to​ ​establish​ ​a​ ​system​ ​of​ ​simple​ ​hand​ ​signals.​ ​This​ ​saves​ ​time.​ ​Examples​ ​are: 
1. Boonshaft​ ​balance​ ​signal​ ​(triangle).  
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​2.  hand​ ​to​ ​top​ ​of​ ​head=start​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​music. 
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​3.​ ​ ​ ​Number​ ​of​ ​fingers​ ​up​ ​for 
​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​4.​ ​ ​where​ ​to​ ​start​ ​in​ ​the​ ​music​ ​(example:​ ​6​ ​fingers​ ​up​ ​for​ ​starting​ ​at​ ​measure 
​ ​six​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​saying​ ​it​ ​aloud). 
● ​ ​Choosing​ ​words​ ​wisely:with​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​6​ ​words​ ​or​ ​less,​ ​ ​can​ ​achieve​ ​the​ ​same​ ​result​ ​thus​ ​save​ ​precious 
rehearsal​ ​time. 
TEJADA:​ ​Some:​ ​Rehearsal​ ​quick​ ​mottos:
1.​ ​Many​ ​minds​ ​vs.​ ​one​ ​mind​ ​concept 11.​Dynamics​ ​are​ ​the​ ​personality​ ​of​ ​the​ ​group

2.​ ​Ensembles​ ​that​ ​breath​ ​in​ ​tempo,​ ​play​ ​in 12.​Teach​ ​the​ ​listener​ ​to​ ​hear​ ​what​ ​YOU​ ​want​ ​them​ ​to​ ​hear
tempo

3.​ ​Respect​ ​the​ ​low​ ​voices 13.​Slow​ ​is​ ​the​ ​same​ ​as​ ​fast:​ ​except​ ​slower!

4.​ ​Know​ ​your​ ​role​ ​within​ ​the​ ​score 14.​A​ ​mistake​ ​is​ ​a​ ​learning​ ​tool:​ ​ ​The​ ​first​ ​time​ ​it’s​ ​accident,​ ​the
2nd​ ​time​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​mistake,​ ​the​ ​3rd​ ​time​ ​it’s​ ​a​ ​habit.

5.​ ​Ensembles​ ​with​ ​expressive​ ​lows​ ​are 15.​For​ ​every​ ​established​ ​mistake,​ ​it​ ​takes​ ​21​ ​repetitions​ ​before​ ​a
expressive​ ​ensembles new​ ​habit​ ​replace​ ​it.

6.​ ​Breath​ ​is​ ​tone,​ ​and​ ​tone​ ​is​ ​beauty 16.​If​ ​you​ ​can​ ​learn​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​habit,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​establish​ ​a​ ​good​ ​one

7.​You​ ​can’t​ ​tune​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​tone 17.​Level​ ​listening:​ ​1,2,3

8,​ ​ ​We​ ​sing​ ​to​ ​hear​ ​ ​or​ ​We​ ​sing​ ​to​ ​internalize 18.​Breath​ ​the​ ​same​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​air​ ​for​ ​a​ ​P​ ​dynamic​ ​as​ ​you​ ​would
for​ ​a​ ​F​ ​dynamic.

9.​Singing​ ​helps​ ​brass​ ​find​ ​the​ ​pitch​ ​and 19.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​hear​ ​to​ ​put​ ​our​ ​parts​ ​together​ ​not,​ ​to​ ​help​ ​you
woodwinds​ ​to​ ​play​ ​in​ ​tune practice!

10.​ ​If​ ​it​ ​doesn’t​ ​sound​ ​like​ ​“one​ ​instrument” 20.​ ​What’s​ ​the​ ​tonal​ ​shape​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​produce?
it’s​ ​out​ ​of​ ​tune! Column,​ ​barrel,​ ​inverted​ ​triangle,​ ​triangle
 
 
● ​ ​Non-conducting  
-​ ​Puts​ ​responsibility​ ​on​ ​those​ ​that​ ​make​ ​the​ ​sound​ ​ ​-​ ​Allows​ ​conductor​ ​to​ ​“coach”​ ​ensemble​ ​as​ ​a​ ​“fly​ ​on 
the​ ​wall”​ ​ ​-​ ​Allows​ ​teacher​ ​proximity​ ​with​ ​“distant”​ ​players 
● ​ ​Establishing​ ​the​ ​internal​ ​pulse​ ​within​ ​the​ ​ensemble​ ​(people​ ​are​ ​uncomfortable​ ​with​ ​silence)  
-​ ​“Mr.​ ​Snare​ ​Drum”​ ​fills​ ​up​ ​silence​ ​-​ ​Pulse​ ​rides​ ​somewhere​ ​above​ ​the​ ​ensemble;​ ​conductor​ ​puts​ ​it​ ​there, 
ensemble​ ​ ​ ​keeps​ ​it​ ​there 
● ​ ​Keeping​ ​the​ ​internal​ ​pulse: 
​ ​-​ ​“Listen​ ​for​ ​who​ ​is​ ​in​ ​charge?”​ ​(helps​ ​balance​ ​and​ ​blend)  
​ ​-​ ​Isolate​ ​fragments​ ​that​ ​make​ ​a​ ​musical​ ​line 
● ​ ​Intonation​ ​and​ ​style​ ​(Many​ ​times,​ ​the​ ​percussion​ ​are​ ​in​ ​charge)  
-​ ​When​ ​can​ ​percussion​ ​not​ ​adjust​ ​pitch? 
-​ ​When​ ​can​ ​percussion​ ​not​ ​adjust​ ​articulation?​ ​-​ ​Find​ ​the​ ​model 
● Visualize​ ​the​ ​melody: 
-once​ ​the​ ​group​ ​is​ ​pretty​ ​good​ ​with​ ​a​ ​chunk​ ​of​ ​music​ ​as​ ​they​ ​stand​ ​up​ ​and​ ​sit​ ​down​ ​when  
they​ ​have​ ​the​ ​melody. 
● The​ ​silent​ ​rehearsal?​ ​ ​Can​ ​it​ ​be​ ​done? 
III.​ ​Efficiency 
● ​ ​Before​ ​you​ ​stop​ ​the​ ​ensemble: 
-​ ​What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​problem?​ ​(may​ ​not​ ​need​ ​to​ ​tell​ ​them​ ​this) 
-​ ​Will​ ​it​ ​get​ ​better​ ​with​ ​another​ ​repetition,​ ​or​ ​do​ ​they​ ​need​ ​more​ ​help? 
​ ​-​ ​What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​correction?  
-​ ​Where​ ​will​ ​you​ ​restart? 
•​ ​Pretend​ ​you​ ​are​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​ensemble  
-​ ​The​ ​band​ ​as​ ​a​ ​big​ ​chamber​ ​ensemble:​ ​breathe​ ​with​ ​them  
-​ ​Assuming​ ​you​ ​are​ ​on-task​ ​as​ ​a​ ​player,​ ​what​ ​would​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​do​ ​in​ ​rehearsal? 
1.​ ​Successful​ ​performance:​ ​do​ ​it​ ​again​ ​ ​2.​ ​Unsuccessful​ ​performance:​ ​try​ ​it​ ​again  
3.​ ​Don’t​ ​understand:​ ​explanation​ ​ ​4.​ ​Bored:​ ​go​ ​to​ ​something​ ​else​ ​-​ ​Drill​ ​in​ ​rehearsal:​ ​ ​Isolate​ ​the 
problem,​ ​then​ ​back​ ​ ​ ​up​ ​for​ ​varied​ ​repetition 
IV.​ ​Awareness 
-​ ​The​ ​sanctuary:​ ​Approach​ ​the​ ​rehearsal​ ​time​ ​as​ ​the​ ​most​ ​important​ ​part​ ​of​ ​your​ ​day.​ ​The​ ​ensemble 
members​ ​will​ ​sense​ ​this​ ​level​ ​of​ ​importance,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​reflected​ ​in​ ​their​ ​rehearsal​ ​demeanor.​ ​Simply 
put​ ​–​ ​if​ ​you​ ​care,​ ​they​ ​will​ ​care. 
-HAVE​ ​MUSIC​ ​PLAYING​ ​AS​ ​STUDENTS​ ​SILENTLY​ ​ENTER​ ​THE​ ​REHEARSAL 
ROOM:​ ​Do​ ​this​ ​every​ ​day!  
-​ ​Use​ ​silence​ ​as​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​attention​ ​ ​-​ ​Conducting​ ​sound​ ​and​ ​pitch 
V.​ ​Level-appropriate​ ​literature  
Vi.​ ​CONSISTENCY​ ​IN​ ​TEACHING​ ​IS​ ​THE​ ​CORNERSTONE​ ​OF​ ​A​ ​GOOD​ ​ENSEMBLE” 
-​ ​repeat​ ​your​ ​words​ ​or​ ​instruction​ ​until​ ​a​ ​the​ ​student​ ​autocorrects​ ​and​ ​establishes​ ​a​ ​new​ ​habit. 
VII.  CONSIDER​ ​THE​ ​POSSIBILITIES​ ​OF​ ​“KID​ ​POWER.”​ ​MAKE​ ​A​ ​LIST​ ​OF​ ​DUTIES 
SIMPLE​ ​PRE​ ​AND​ ​POST-REHEARSAL​ ​TASKS​ ​THAT​ ​YOUR​ ​ENSEMBLE​ ​MEMBERS 
CAN​ ​HELP​ ​WITH 
● Empower​ ​band​ ​members​ ​with​ ​“business​ ​of​ ​the​ ​band,”  
-consider​ ​assigning​ ​students​ ​to​ ​erase​ ​the​ ​board​ ​at​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​each​ ​rehearsal,  
-remove​ ​papers​ ​and​ ​other​ ​trash​ ​from​ ​the​ ​instrument​ ​room​ ​floor,  
-straighten-up​ ​the​ ​chairs​ ​and​ ​music​ ​stands,​ ​sharpen​ ​pencils,​ ​and​ ​so​ ​on.  
-​ ​establish​ ​a​ ​feeling​ ​of​ ​ownership​ ​within​ ​the​ ​organization. 
● ​ ​TRAIN​ ​AND​ ​USE​ ​STUDENT​ ​CONDUCTORS 
Training​ ​student​ ​conductors​ ​can​ ​be​ ​very​ ​quick​ ​ ​ ​-.​ ​Students​ ​can​ ​conduct​ ​warm-