8 problems and 3 solutions to help you brass section play more in tune. 1. The perfect fifth is sharp in the overtone series. In the overtone series partials 3, 6, and 12 are sharp. Sharp is indicated with a red note and a sharp underneath. The 3rd, 6th, and 12th are all the same note, the fifth above the root. Avoid tuning to these partials. 2. Trumpet and Horn: In the 3rd and 6th partial trumpets and horns play G, F#, F, E, Eb, D, and C#. All of these notes play sharp because of the nature of these partials. The 6th partial; high G, F#, F, and E is even sharper than the 3rd partial. 3. Euphonium, Trombone, and Tuba: In the 3rd and 6th partial trombones, baritones, and tubas play F, E, Eb, D, Db, C, and B sharp. The 6th partial; high F, E, Eb, and D are sharper than the 3rd partial. Solution 1: How can I make this info help my brass section? Brass players should avoid tuning to these partials. Avoid having the brass tune to concert F for trombone, baritone, and tuba, G for trumpet and C for the horn. If those notes are in tune everything else will be flat, making the instrument hard to play in tune. Trombones should extend each slide position flatter than normal to play the 3rd and 6th partials. The 6th partial will need to be played flatter than 3rd partial. Trumpet, baritone, and tuba should voice these notes a little lower. Voicing means to shape your mouth to adjust pitch. “OO” voices the note flatter, “EE” voices sharper. 4. The fifth, seventh, and tenth partials play flat. In the overtone series partials 5, 7, and 10 are flat. Flat is indicated with a blue note and a flat underneath. The fifth and tenth are all the same note, the third above the root. Do not tune to concert D. The seventh partial is so flat it is unusable on all brass instruments except for the trombone. 5. Fifth Partial: Trumpet and Horn Trumpet E, Eb, D, and Db at the top of the staff and French Horn (same notes right below the staff) need to be raised in pitch to be in tune with a tuner. 6. Fifth Partial: Euphonium, Trombone, and Tuba Trombone, Baritone, and Tuba note D, Db, C, and B are flat. Trombone and baritone at the top of the staff and Tuba in the middle of the staff. 7. Seventh Partial: Trombone The trombone is the only brass instrument that uses the seventh partial. All positions should be adjusted very sharp. G should be in Sharp 2nd position and F# should be in sharp 3rd position. 8. Problems with unisons because of partials! Trumpet E, at top of staff and Trumpet E in the staff, or Euphonium D in the staff or Tuba D in staff or many other endless possibilities. In example 1 it shows pitch problems in normal music. Example 2 shows how Band Intonation Chorales and Exercises shows pitch problems. Solution 2: How can I use this to help my brass section? Checking octaves can be a huge help in making your band sound in tune. Practice exercises to tune octaves. Check octaves within your music and ensure they are in tune. Many times it does not matter if the other notes are out of tune as long like notes are in tune. When I first started tuning piano the best advice I got was “unisons are king.” Tune the unison notes first and teach your students to tune unisons and you will find 90% of pitch problems are gone. Solution 3: Retaining information? You can teach your brass until you are blue in the face but until you show them what to do and repeat it 700 times they are not going to remember what to do to adjust pitch. They are not going to remember and apply it all of the time unless you give them reminders and show them what to do. That is why I came up with Band Intonation Exercise and Band Intonation Chorales. Quick easy chorales to teach your students to: play in tune, show them problems and how to fix them. That is it, in a few minutes of rehearsal a week you can review and teach all the skills that your instrumentalist needs to play in tune. Teach them to listen and when and how to adjust. Brian R. Thompson graduated from The American Band College and received his degree from Sam Houston State University with a Masters in Music with an emphasis in Instrumental Conducting. He also received his Undergraduate degree from University of Utah, in Salt Lake City UT and an associate degree from Snow College, in Ephraim UT. He has been teaching for the past 13 years in rural Utah. He has taught middle school and high school bands. Brian was a quarterfinalist for 2018 “Educator of the Year” by the Grammy foundation. He is the exclusive composer/arranger for Sevier Band & Percussion.
That sounds fun, extra work!8 years ago I was asked to host our Region Honor Band, Choir and Orchestra. Our region consisted of five schools.I thought that would be a great honor for me to be able to host. It was not that much of an honor, just a ton of work. My band program ended up losing a lot of money to host. I later realized by expanding the program to involve more schools it would be more financially stable and benefit more programs. Why go to all the work?You probably already have other honor bands in your areas at colleges and universities. Why start your own? I can tell you the reason I liked it most of all was the benefit it gave to my kids. Every year I have one or two kids who make it into the All-State band and a few more that audition and make it into different honor bands. Every kid comes back from those rehearsals motivated to be a better player and to help make a better program. If you host one at your school more of your students can be involved and your band can benefit more from it. Where do you start? Pick a day.Talk to directors in your area and communicate with them your idea. Find a weekend when you are going to do this. Find a day that most directors are free and willing to give up to benefit their kids. You really need other directors there to make it a success. It is hard to plan around all the different activities but some of the things that we try to plan around are; musicals, state football play offs, swimming meets, speech and debate, drill team competitions, local community events, etc. If I pay attention to the schedule it can really help out later. One year with only five bands, two back out because of the state football tournament. It was very difficult to run with bands missing. Now we run it in December because for our area we generally do not have to play at any basketball games. Musicals are over, it just seems to work out well. Other schools in our area do it one in January. Once again talk to local directors and decide but ultimately pick a weekend that works for you. Pick a conductor.Your first year is always going to be the biggest financial risk. The largest cost will be the conductor and his needs. You may want to find someone that lives close your first year so you do not have all the extra costs of hotels, paying for mileage etc. Pick a director who you think can connect well with the kids. Ultimately, this is the most important choice you make to make this honor festival a success. My favorite guest conductors have been other high school teachers who are in the trenches right now teaching. They know what kids are like today and they can teach and make the whole experience fun. Next week, Picking music and nominating the band. |
Brian ThompsonExperienced band teacher, author, clinician and musician. Brian has a Masters in conducting from Sam Houston Sate University through the American Band College. He was quarter Finalist for Grammy "Educator of the Year" 2018 CategoriesArchives
March 2020
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