In swing, the first change is the style of the eighth notes. Swing is based on a triplet feel, and the ride cymbal plays a pattern reflecting this, written one of two ways:

    Adding the hi hat on beats two and four produces the basic swing time beat.

    Students should learn to let that pattern run on auto-pilot, so they can add accents with the other drums. Have drummers practice placing accents on different beats in the measure with both the snare and bass drums.

Snare Drum coordination exercise:


Bass drum coordination exercise:


    Remember that all of these rhythms are based on a triplet division of the beat, not the strict dotted eighth-sixteenth rhythm that is written. Drummers should avoid playing the bass drum on every beat. It is in the same frequency range as the string bass and creates a very muddy indistinct sound when both instruments play quarter notes.

Kicks
    One of the most important skills a jazz drummer should have is the ability to kick the band. A good kick accents the rhythm the band plays, which also helps band members hear the rhythm. A kick is made up of two parts, the prep (preparation) and the accent. If the jazz band has a big, accented chord on beat two, the drummer should set things up before the accent by playing a prep rimshot. Then, on the accent, the drummer amplifies what the band plays with the crash cymbal and bass drum.

    A kick can be made more interesting by adding more to the prep in the preceding measure.

    What makes the playing of kicks more difficult than it ought to be is that composers and arrangers rarely write out drumset parts except for young bands. In more advanced literature kicks will be written like this:

    The slashes represent the basic swing pattern, and the small rest and note above the staff show the kick. The note is the bass drum and crash cymbal hit that amplifies the brass section; the rest is where the prep rimshot is placed. Notice that no lead-in is shown; drummers are almost always free to create one based on their abilities. Also, time pattern need not be continuous while the kick occurs. Keeping time through a kick muddies the sound of the band.

    The way drummers learn when and what to do is to listen to swing recordings of such great bands as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, and Maynard Ferguson. Find these recordings at a local library or online. Listening is the best way to absorb the style and to understand what is stylistically correct.

The post Swing Drumset Basics appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Elliot Del Borgo appeared in The Instrumentalist occasionally. Here is an article of his that originally appeared in November 1988.

Selecting High-Quality Literature For Bands and Orchestras

    I will begin by clearly stating that I am not a disinterested observer. As a composer for instrumental groups of varying levels of development it has been and is my goal to extend Paul Hindemith’s idea of Gebrauchsmusik – music in contemporary style for use by all musicians – to today’s performers. As a conductor and music teacher my concern is the aesthetic and technical growth of young players, which can be accomplished by performing carefully selected literature that reflects the long line of musical and artistic development representing the best of Western – and now global – artistic thought.
    In choosing literature for performance, the musical quality of the works should be the primary consideration. While style, technical challenge, audience and performer appeal, and educational value are important considerations, none will be well served if the music does not measure up to high standards of quality. Both conductor and performers need to live with a piece for a long time during the intensive preparation period before a performance. If the music is shallow and poorly constructed, the task becomes less interesting and little growth occurs. Conversely, a solidly composed piece allows for new discoveries and challenges as it is rehearsed and analyzed over a lengthy period of time. Fine music seems to become more interesting with greater exposure, no matter what the level of technical difficulty.
    Musical quality is a most difficult factor to quantify. An airtight definition of true and lasting excellence in this area has eluded aestheticians and critics for centuries. Musical taste is one element of musical quality, though taste is a changing and personal factor. Still, it is possible to make some objective judgments, for example, about how the composer manipulates the various musical parameters. Solid craftsmanship usually will be apparent whether a work is to your taste or not.

    Variety is an important aspect of any composition because it keeps students involved. How well a composer balances variety and repetition to bind together the elements of a composition can be a good indicator of quality. Western music has a long tradition of fine composers who have shown their skill through the interesting, clever, and creative manipulation of their basic musical ideas. Look for variety in certain key areas:
    Melodic material. Check to see whether there is variety in the placement of primary melodic material. A piece dominated by flutes may be appealing to the flute section, but the music may not be very interesting for the rest of the band. Melodic material that is shared with the middle and lower voices can increase the impact of the work. Also note whether the piece contains melodies of varied character. Using both instrumental and vocally oriented melodic lines places different demands on performers and increases interest for the listener.
    Diverse timbres. Review the score, looking for a variety of instrumental colors. Bands and orchestras offer a rich palette of timbres. The composer’s use of individual colors and interesting blends is critical to successful orchestration.
    Balanced material. See if you can easily discern and balance background and foreground material. Ask yourself whether the composer has provided interesting and appropriate backgrounds and if they change in a logical manner.
    Interesting textures. There should be a variety of textures in the work. Polyphonic textures are interesting to perform and give a piece a higher level of sophistication, while homophonic textures are somewhat clearer to the audience. Even sections of monophonic texture can be used to excellent effect. The interplay of textural variety is an important musical element and should be a prime factor in determining the suitability of a piece.

    Contrast is a key element of the composer’s craft. Juxtaposing contrasting ideas heightens the effect they would have individually. A solidly written composition will contain contrast, particularly in the following areas:
    Dynamics. Here is one of the oldest and most effective means of creating contrast. When reviewing a score, carefully note indications of dynamic levels and types of change, such as sudden fortissimos, gradual decrescendos, and crescendos created by adding instruments. Consider how the percussion section is used to enhance dynamic contrast within the piece.
    Rhythmic material. A solid and well-crafted piece should contain more than predictable rhythmic patterns. The music should exhibit a lively vitality that gives it an exciting propulsion and sense of momentum. Slow sections should afford the opportunity for careful use of rubato at important points within the phrase and at cadences.
    Tempo. If the length and type of piece allow, contrasts in tempo can provide relief and interest as well as serve as an important structural element. Look to see whether slight gradations of tempo are carefully marked and if they are appropriate to the overall phrasing of the section.
    Instrumentation. Look for contrast in the use of woodwinds versus brass or strings versus winds. Sectional writing provides differing timbres as well as opportunity for players to rest.
    Mode and key. Note the overall harmonic scheme of the piece. Most well-written tonal or neotonal pieces have a definite and logical progression of key centers, somewhat like a progression of chords, which is an important part of musical structure. The change from major to minor in tonal pieces or a striking modulation can give a work a strong individual flavor. Attention to these matters shows the composer’s thought and care in forming the macro-structure of the piece and produces a genuine sense of purpose and direction.

    Musical interest lies in the ear of the beholder, and no two musicians think exactly alike. Because our musical judgments are the product of a great variety of influences, there is room for varied responses to any composition. Nonetheless, it is possible to objectively consider aspects of it, such as:
    Fresh ideas. Ask yourself whether the piece has a unique sound that is reminiscent of other works by the composer. The selection should have a musical personality of its own.
    Harmonic material. Do the harmonies reflect an inventive scheme that uses tension and release with clearly defined cadence points? Given the wide latitude afforded contemporary writers, it is reasonable to expect interesting and varied harmonic material that will enrich and extend students’ concepts of the harmonic element in music.
    Dramatic shape. The overall design of the work should include carefully placed high points and a logical approach to these points. The elements of contrast, discussed earlier, are an integral part of writing a piece that has an effective rise and fall of dramatic line.
    Coherent ideas. A logical unfolding of musical thoughts results when ideas are coherently planned; Aaron Copland calls this unfolding the long line in a work. An important question to consider is whether repeats are essential. For example, does a D.C. or D.S. represent an important balancing of ideas, or does it simply lengthen the composition?
    Natural transitions. Be aware of the use of transitional passages and how they are scored. Specifically note the smoothness and naturalness of these passages as the work moves from section to section.
    It is the combination of all these elements that gives a composition its aesthetic impact, though it is extremely difficult to quantify this aspect of any musical composition. What the band or orchestra director can do is to determine whether the results of the composer’s effort to work with these elements has led to a piece that has a musical meaning to whether the piece is simply an exercise in note-spinning. At the very least, careful attention to the parts will give better insight into the value of the whole.
    When planning a program be sure that the composers represented are a good sampling of the best of the musical art for the type of ensembles. The serious and committed conductor will take the time to make an informed judgment as to the musical value of the works he has selected for performance; he will not play poorly written music. Excellent educational pieces for young musicians lay the groundwork for fine performances of masterworks later on.

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What led up to your joining the Chicago Symphony?
    I had no serious thoughts about playing in the Chicago Symphony until after college, when I placed well in several auditions. However, I failed to win a position in eight or nine auditions for other orchestras before I played in Chicago.
    Nobody made it after the first round of auditions, nobody made it, but I was invited back. I later learned that I had a little assistance from Alfred Wallenstein, one of the guest conductors, who said to then-conductor Jean Martinon, “You need to listen to this young man, and if he has already played for you, you need to listen closer.” In addition, Leopold Stokowski wrote a letter of recommendation. I don’t know where it is, but I would love to have that letter.
    In January 1966 I played a second audition and was invited to join the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on February 6th at age 251⁄2. Those were indescribable moments, the happiest times of my life because I knew that I would be doing something I had dreamed about since I began playing the horn, and especially since high school.
    The high school lunch room was underneath the auditorium, and behind the lunch room was the band room. Most band members ate their lunches there and listened to recordings of the Chicago Symphony under Fritz Reiner. Our band director, A.R. Casavant, encouraged this, and I had the sound of the Chicago Symphony firmly in my head long before I ever got out of high school.

How difficult was it to be a section leader in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 25 1⁄2?
    Among the three older people in the section was Frank Brouk, who occasionally sat on my left and played assistant to me. He had one of the most beautiful horn sounds I have ever heard, and I set out to emulate him. He was also a wonderful person to play with and welcomed me warmly. So did the others in the section, but I realized rather quickly that I could not and should not say anything to the rest of the section until I had passed my probation period and proven myself. For a while I led only by example, not by words, and played my very best.
    Six months into my first year we had already made many recordings and gone on tours, and things were going well. One night at Ravinia I had dinner with Dick Oldberg, the third hornist, who said, “Dale, I want you to know that if you want me to do anything differently, you have only to tell me.” I asked if I could use him as a foil or a springboard. Instead of saying anything to the older men in the section I could get your attention and ask you to try things or explain what I was trying to do. I worked out a system of communication this way and never suggested anything directly to the veterans about musical matters. Everyone in the horn section was cordial, but when I thought something could be better or different, I spoke to Oldberg, and it worked out quite well.
    Eventually the older men in the section realized I was neither a threat nor an ogre who would put them down or question their technique or musicality. We got along just fine, and I rarely had to exercise that option but tried to lead by example.

What are some of your most poignant memories?
    There were so many that I could fill a small book. On tour we performed Frank Martin’s Concerto for Seven Winds, Timpani, and Percussion 23 times before recording it. When Georg Solti came, the first recording we made with him was Gustav Mahler’s Sixth Symphony and the second was Mahler’s Fifth. Arnold Jacobs came up to me midway through recording the Fifth and said, “Dale, this is going to make you famous.” Solti’s wife said I was going to be a living legend. Such statements should be taken as compliments, but if you let your head swell and something goes wrong, even for just one concert, it reflects poorly. I appreciated the kind words, but I realized there were hundreds more performances to go.
    Our performance of Mahler’s Fifth in New York under Solti had an ovation time of over 20 minutes. Most ovations last between two and four minutes, but we were kept standing on the stage and saw no sign of the applause stopping; no one in the audience left. We were not going to play an encore because you don’t do that after Mahler 5. Solti just kept walking out and introducing everybody again and again. I have never experienced anything like that before or since.
    We had many wonderful concerts with Solti in various parts of the world. We took Mahler 5 on tour; I have played the piece well over 100 times in performance. I do not wish to diminish Orchestra Hall performances, but many times, our tour concerts were even more spectacular, because the orchestra would rise to an unbelievable level.
I am asked about memorable concerts frequently, and there is no way that I could list them all. If I went back over all the programs and where we were on tour, I know the list would include many with Carlo Maria Giulini, Claudio Abbado, and Daniel Barenboim. Our performance of Tristan and Isolde with Barenboim in New York was incredible, and when we played the Mozart-Da Ponte Operas (Le nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte) with Barenboim at Orchestra Hall, it was pure joy. That is one of the reasons all of us play in an orchestra, to give people joy. You play your best and give your musical personality to the world. When people really appreciate this, it is fantastic.

Who is your favorite composer to play?
    Being a horn player, I have always enjoyed playing the Romantic composers: Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Mahler, and Wagner, but I also love playing French music and Mozart. Often the answer to that question is whomever I am playing at the moment.
    I love Mozart and am just amazed at his genius. It is difficult music to play because it is so transparent. Mahler has some very thick orchestration, and there are a lot of things going on that the audience might miss, but that is impossible with Mozart. You hear everything. The same is true for Brahms. I am sorry Brahms did not write 14 more symphonies.
    We who are fortunate enough to play in a big orchestra that can play anything in a wide range of repertoire are the luckiest musicians in the world. When playing with colleagues who play at a high level all the time, it is extremely rare for something to be wrong. I remember Solti saying to the recording engineers, “They can play 20 minutes and never make a mistake.”

What are the conducting traits you most admire?
    It is ideal when conductors are fine musicians themselves, either by having been players in an orchestra or fine soloists. The depth of knowledge of each conductor is also important. A good conductor should know the piece and composer extremely well and be able to convey that with his whole being. The greatest conducting technique in the world is less important than knowledge and musicianship, but having good technique makes everything that much better. A conductor like Guilini never conducted for the audience, it was always for the music and the orchestra.
    There are some conductors who are absolute geniuses on the instrument they play, the way they conduct, what they know about music, and how they think about music. Barenboim was like that. Solti was a great musician. We found out how great he was when he started studying the piano after 35 years of not playing. He was a wonderful pianist.
    I have been lucky enough to have such experiences as playing The Three-Cornered Hat by Manuel de Falla under Ernest Ansermet, who premiered the work in 1919. He knew the work like nobody else did because he knew the composer. Mstislav Rostropovich was a friend of Dmitri Shostakovich; he had stories to tell about what was going on at the time and strong ideas about the music because of that. William Steinberg, who conducted the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, worked with Arturo Toscanini. The influence and the knowledge of these people in the past comes down to us today.

What prompted your decision to leave the orchestra this year?
    Many professional musicians set a time when they will retire, such as after 30 years. In the last six to twelve months of their playing, they seem eager to go. This never happened to me. Ultimately, no one can physically play forever, so eventually a decision must be made, and when the time comes, it is not always black and white. It certainly wasn’t for me. I had noticed some things about my playing and my body, which hinted that retirement time was looming, but I am stubborn enough to figure out what is wrong and try to fix the problems. I wanted to come back and play the way I did 20 years ago. If you can do that, things can get better, and for me they have. I can do things now I could not do two years ago.
    I went through a down time in my playing, and, as I have done many times in my career, I went back to the basics of playing. In doing so I discovered some things about myself, playing the horn, teaching, and the basics of performance that will help not only my students but maybe some of my colleagues who will eventually go through the same thing.
While this was going on I had also been teaching at Indiana University as an adjunct professor. This past year the dean called me in to say he wanted me there full time. The combination of playing struggles, the invitation to teach full time, and my late wife Alice’s illness and passing two years ago led me to ask how much longer I wanted to play. Norm Schweikert, former second horn, is a horn historian. As far as he can tell, no solo hornist has ever played as long as I did in the same orchestra.
    In February I decided it was time to retire. I had remarried and had many good things to look forward to. Three conservatories in Italy wanted me to teach there, and I received invitations to conduct in more places. On June 18 I conducted in Barcelona, and in a year I will conduct in Madrid. There are many opportunities. Since I reached the decision to retire, my playing is getting better, but that does not mean I would change my mind. Sooner or later I would be back in the same situation and would again ask myself if it is time. However, I don’t want other people to ask that question for me, and would rather make the decision myself.

What is the Chicago brass sound, and how did it come about?
    The Chicago brass sound is a compilation of time, of people who were extremely excellent players, and of sound, but the two people who sealed that were Adolph Herseth and Arnold Jacobs. On the top and the bottom they set an example that has never been set before or since by two people at the same time. They are the primary reason the Chicago Symphony sounds the way it does. Everybody who came in and played in the middle of them imitated them. When playing with them, you realized quickly that they set a fantastic example to emulate.
    The sound has continued after their passing, but Herseth was the type of person who comes along only once every 500 years. I am lucky to have played with him, and we are all lucky to have heard him. There are many recordings to back that up. I made more than 650 recordings, and I know Herseth made more than that. The documents are there, and people can listen if they are willing.
    I often wonder what it is about music that affects us so. The sound of notes together in a concert can make us laugh, cry, or feel nostalgia. It affects everybody in some way, and the more you know about it, the more it can affect you. It was the answer to a dream and a series of prayers to be able to have played on this level and make music and give so much joy to myself, my colleagues, and audiences around the world. There is no other art form like music, and I got to do it for nearly 50 years in one of the world’s greatest orchestras.           

The post 47 Wonderful Years In the Chicago Symphony, A Conversation with Dale Clevenger appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    With the myriad cornet and trumpet parts called for in concert band repertoire, it is often difficult to seat the section in an efficient manner that lends itself to proper blend, balance and communication within the section. Many times, a system in which parts are simply passed down the line is adopted. Although this will work if there are three or four parts for similar instruments, the problems arise when a piece has parts for both cornets and trumpets. When starting rehearsal with such pieces, time is usually wasted finding out where the parts are located and where to seat the players. This usually results in awkward seat changes or worse, having students perform their parts without regard to who is seated where.
    Some conductors move the trumpet parts to the end of the section, isolating the first trumpet and cornet parts from each other and possibly causing dynamic, blend, and intonation problems. While performing as the principal cornet of the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band, I was charged with assigning parts for the cornet/trumpet section and developed a system to alleviate the above problems. When seating a cornet/trumpet section, the amount of movement within the section from piece to piece should be limited. In addition, strong players should be split between cornet and trumpet parts, and the two firsts should be seated next to each other.

Small Sections
    Where possible, a six-person section works well for smaller bands. This scenario is successful for most part divisions and allows for an assistant first cornet to help mitigate any range and endurance demands. A seating formula for this type of section can be seen above.

Large Sections
    In larger sections, I would place two strong players to the left of the principal; these players are assigned the trumpet parts in a three-cornet-two-trumpet scenario and would be rolled into the first section of any work with homogeneous parts. After the first four players are positioned, simply go down the line in audition order to place the remaining musicians.

Exceptions
    When using a rotating system, the players move, but the seat positions remain the same. This keeps the leadership positions in the same place and provides consistency to both the conductor and the section.
In many Alfred Reed pieces, the section is divided into three trumpets and two cornets. In this situation, I gave the Trumpet 1 part to the principal player and the two cornet parts to the players to the left of the principal. This doubles the prominent trumpet parts while allowing for single players to perform the lighter, more soloistic cornet parts.
    If flugelhorn parts are needed in older march or overture scores, place them at the end of the cornet section.
    Use of these charts should make this confusing task much easier for the librarians, section leaders, and directors who assign the parts. It will also promote a section where the roles and lines of communication between individual members as well with the conductor are defined clearly.    l

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Keeping Organized
    As a flute professor at a state university, most of my days are quite full. From woodwind quintet rehearsals to lessons, advising, and meetings, many work days run from 8 am until 11 pm. Making a list of what I need to accomplish each day and each week helps me make the most of my time and keeps me motivated.
    A typical notebook entry might include: Practice all major and minor three-octave scales (q = 120), all thirds and fourths (q = 80), and Andersen, Op. 60, No. 5. Practice all marked places in the Francaix Woodwind Quintet slowly and in rhythms. Record Mozart Concerto in G, K. 313 cadenzas listening to be sure all ideas are clear. Play Mozart Concerto, movement 3, by memory. Listen to Debussy Trio, 2nd movement and the 3rd movement of the Bernard Divertissement.
    Notice that this entry includes several essential practice elements including scales and thirds and fourths, the warm-up portion of my practice. Then comes an etude followed by chamber music and concerto work. I also include listening projects into the daily routine because I consider it part of practicing. I make a point to be specific about what I have practiced in terms of rhythms, slow work, or any other exercise I apply. This helps me to track and progress toward goals. For instance, to reach the printed tempo in the first movement of the Francaix I practice the straight sixteenths in dotted rhythms. (long/short and short/long). On each repetition I slowly bring up the tempo while keeping the rhythms sharp. Eventually, I will be able to play the long passage as written with confidence. 
    From the timetables in my notebooks, I have found that it works best to learn a new piece well in advance of a performance and then put it away for a while. A couple of weeks before the performance, I take out the piece and rebuild the tempo. There is something about shelf life that makes technical passages feel more solid.

Using Practice Sheets with Students
    Because these practice sheets have helped me so much, I suggest that my students use them as well. My students come from a variety of musical backgrounds. Some have taken private lessons from age ten, while others have never taken private lessons but come from a strong band program. Before getting started, I first look at how each student approaches a practice session.  During an early lesson I ask them to practice for thirty minutes while I observe. This practicing is recorded so we can then listen together and discuss how to improve the student’s practice techniques.  
    First, we discuss what practice techniques were done well and which were missing, the most common omission being repetition. A seasoned performer knows that playing a passage well once can be helpful, but it will not make it consistent. Challenging passages should be repeated many times. Another common problem is that many of rhythmic or note mistakes go by without concern. When students encounter a tricky spot, they should slow down the tempo to get it right. Never feel ashamed of playing too slowly.
    Another common mistake students make is to play through everything at a tempo that is too fast for comfort. The tension that comes with this will appear in a lesson or performance. I suggest starting slowly and bring the passage up a couple of clicks at a time. The next day start slightly slower than the fastest tempo of the previous day and repeat the drill. There may be some days when the tempo only progresses slightly, even one click. When this happens I make sure to practice the passage in various rhythms and then bring the tempo back up from an even slower tempo.
    In this learning-to-practice lesson we talk about how the practice session comments might translate into words in the journal. For example, they should write down the metronome speeds as they practice a passage and keep track of how the tempo may have changed (four or five clicks being the average) from one practice session to the next. I ask them to write down how they organized the practice time and of course write down any bad habits to improve. Entries might include relaxation techniques or a change in stance to prevent an arm or shoulder pain. Other entries could include performance practice (run-throughs of solos, etudes, or excerpts), rhythmic exercises for technique work, and thoughts on interpretation and general patience. 
    When a student and I review a journal, I take note of what may be lacking in an entry. When students do not feel as prepared as they would like, a little detective work in the notebook will often uncover the practice problem. 

A Student’s Opera Audition
    Recently one of my graduate students prepared for his first opera orchestra audition. I made a point to ask him about the context of the excerpt he was to play for me, indirectly suggesting he learn the synopses of the operas on the list and be able to remember where in the storyline the excerpt occurs.
    As an undergraduate at Juilliard, while preparing for my first opera orchestra audition, I recorded my preparation in one of my most memorable journals, a thick red book with blank graph paper. I associate this red journal with hours in the listening library, writing down abridged synopses, and finding exactly where in the score the excerpt could be found. In this particular notebook, I came up with a systematic way of getting to know the excerpt list:
1. Write down the synopsis in a simple way (most of the ones I found in the library were dated and confusing).
2. Listen to the entire act where the excerpt is located.
3. Write down what is occurring in the storyline when the excerpt is played.
4. Write down where (in minutes and seconds) the excerpt can be found and what the CD call number for the recording was in the listening library.
My teacher in graduate school, Robert Langevin, later advised me to prepare an audition list as if it were a list of monologues: each one a different character in a different context from the next. He said the people behind the screen are waiting for those characters, not only the technical aspects.

My synopsis of Der Rosenkavalier, in the red notebook from around 2000.

Recorded Notebooks
    Recording each practice session and keeping the tracks organized on a computer or smartphone is another useful for both my students and myself. In the past students have asked about what I think of their progress on etudes. Now, they can easily refer back to earlier recordings themselves. I advise students to record run-throughs and take note of what has changed and what remains the same from one recording to the next. I also encourage them to send recordings to me in between lessons so I can reply with suggestions. As a conductor once said to me, “Listen to recordings of yourself and notice the problems in your playing. Keep focusing on the problems, and eventually you will become so aware and sick of those problems, you will never repeat them.”
    Soon, this idea will be taken a step further as students will have the option of uploading tracks to Blackboard. This way everyone in the studio will be able to listen to the tracks and make observations.
    What musicians do is not as tangible as a painting or sculpture. Sometimes we think we are playing in an expressive way but actually could exaggerate more. We may think there is attention to detail in practice sessions but the tendency is to leave out several important steps. Practice notebooks, both hard copy and recordings, are important to develop artistry and technique. I do not know where I would be without them.              

The post Practice Notebooks appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Sealed a new job with a handshake in Arnstadt. #easygig
14 August 1703

J.S. Bach @JSBach
The boys in my choir behave like #imbeciles but they make up for it by singing terribly!
30 August 1703

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Chicken for supper! Mmmmmmmm. #bachbachbachbach
12 September 1703

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Just contracted a major headache after listening to imbecile bassoonist. Thought a nanny goat had invaded the rehearsal. #bachache
2 August 1704

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Bassoonist Geyersbach lucky I didn’t stab him! Can’t even walk the streets without wacky woodwind players accosting me. #bachworsethanbite
4 August 1704

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Walking to Lubeck to hear organist Buxtehude. #bachwach
18 October 1704

J.S. Bach @JSBach
My feet hurt. #longwach
22 October 1704

J.S. Bach @JSBach
#Buxtehude rocks!
15 November 1705

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Might be neat to replace Buxtehude after he retires.
15 November 1705

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Thirty-year-old daughter part of package deal. #Forgetthat!
16 November 1706

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Muhlhausen. Got married today to Maria Barbara. #Kissingcousins!
17 October 1707

Author’s note: In 1708 Bach accepts a position in Weimar where his first six children are born.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It’s a girl! #babymaker
29 December 1708

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It’s a boy! #bach2
22 November 1710

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Twins! #bach3and4
23 February 1713

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It’s a boy! #bach5
8 March 1714

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It’s a boy! #bach6
11 May 1715
J.S. Bach @JSBach
I was called a famous Weimar organist in Das beschutzte Orchestre! #bachrachs!
21 February 1717
Author’s note: In September 1707 Bach was in Dresden, where he challenged the French keyboardist Louis Marchand to a little Baroque “dueling banjos.”

J.S. Bach @JSBach
#Marchand runs away. What a #wimpen!
18 September 1717

Author’s note: Duke Wilhelm had Bach imprisoned for stubbornly demanding his release from service.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Prison food. Yech! #bachblech
7 November 1717

J.S. Bach @JSBach
New job in #Cothern!
7 November 1717

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It’s a boy! #bachtothefuture7
17 November 1718

Author’s note: Bach’s first wife, Maria Barbara, died in July 1720. His new wife, Anna Magdalena, was 16 years younger than he was.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
I still got it! Married again! #bachinthesaddleagain
3 December 1721

J.S. Bach @JSBach
New in Leipzig. Teaching some Latin. Yech!!
16 May 1723

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It’s a girl! #bachtothefuture8
1 June 1723

Author’s note: Bach went on to have 12 more children, this last one tweeted in 1742:

J.S. Bach @JSBach
It is finished. I think. I hope. She really hopes.
22 February 1742

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Literally flipped my lid today! Threw my wig at an organist who should have been a cobbler! Lucky for him I missed. #bachinations
14 December 1731

J.S. Bach @JSBach
They say I played too long today. I’ll show them! #getoffmybach
17 February 1735
 
J.S. Bach @JSBach
I hope they enjoyed the Reader’s Digest version today! They wanted short, so I gave them short.
24 February 1735

J.S. Bach @JSBach
I wish people would let me do my job! #getoffmybach
August 15 1736

Author’s note: It may be unfair to consider Bach primarily a grumpy old organist. Some tweets show a lighter side of Bach not seen in surviving written correspondence, which tends to chronicle disputes of one kind or another with his employers.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
I have enough kids to have my own vocal and instrumental ensemble. Eat your heart out Partridge family!
25 December 1730

Author’s note: There is no evidence that the family toured Germany in a funky-colored carriage.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Practiced wig tossing today. Threw one twenty yards with great accuracy. Organists beware!
14 December 1731

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Hope to see all my peeps at the Christmas Oratorio tonight! It’s good enough to make even a Lutheran smile!
25 December 1734

J.S. Bach @JSBach
Directed choir at funeral today. Wish there were more funerals so I could pay more bills!
16 April 1737

Author’s note: The frequency of Bach’s tweets diminished over the years, likely because of eye problems that may have begun around 1745 and worsened until his death on July 28, 1750.

J.S. Bach @JSBach
I’d rather listen to Geyersbach on bassoon than sit for a portrait again.
24 March 1746

Author’s note: This was his last tweet.

For a more complete discussion of Bach’s tweets, particularly in reference to his compositions, see the article “Das Musical Tweetums and Ubernamens of J.S. Bach” by Wilhelm Schlobberknocker in the January issue of the Zeitschrift Anachronischen.

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1Equipment Make sure all of the school instruments are in good repair and easy to tune. Stock up on extra mutes, rockstops, strings, rosin, cleaning cloths and shoulder rests. Keep a box of pencils near a pencil sharpener and have students take a pencil out for rehearsal and return it to the box at the end of class. As students come into the classroom, check their equipment to make sure there is enough hair on the bow. Pegs and fine tuners should move easily and be in convenient positions. Strings should be wrapped cleanly and shoulder rests should be set to the appropriate height. Reserve part of the first class of the year to discuss instrument maintenance. Make sure students know not to touch the wood of their instruments or the bow hair with their hands. Leave time at the end of each class to wipe off instruments and put them away properly. Create an environment in which students care for instruments and treat all of the instruments in the room with respect.

2Playing Position. Insist on an excellent playing position. Often violinists are slouched in their chairs with scrolls pointing toward the floor. Cellists and bassists tend to lean over instruments and let their heads drop forward. Make sure cello chairs and bass stools support proper alignment. Teach students basic arm and back stretches that promote strong playing positions and healthy muscles. Have students stand up and stretch every ten minutes. For violinists and violists, practicing standing up can improve playing positions almost instantly. Experiment with revolving seating so that everyone gets a chance to sit in front. Have sections sit in different formations or place yourself in the center of the room with the orchestra around you. Students who are buried in the back of the orchestra tend to have the weakest positions because they don’t think anyone can see them.

3Tuning Students often tune quickly and haphazardly, stating “that is good enough for now” or “my peg is stuck so I will just adjust to it.” Budget enough time for the ensemble to tune thoroughly and accurately. Use a tuner and develop a tuning policy. If the concertmaster supplies the A, have her play the pitch with a solid, bold tone. Have sections tune separately so that everyone can hear themselves. Stronger students can help less advanced students who struggle with tuning. An orchestra that tunes well has a much greater chance of playing repertoire in tune.

4Rhythm Students who count accurately and subdivide automatically learn music quickly. Include rhythm exercises in each class. Extract challenging rhythms from pieces students are studying and practice the rhythms on open strings and in scales. Use a rhythm exercise as a warm-up or to work on a specific bowing technique. Each week, focus on a different meter. Practice tapping rhythms, saying rhythms, and playing rhythms pizzicato. Hook the metronome up to a speaker so that everyone can hear it. Practice with bowed subdivisions and fill-ins. Create a packet of one hundred rhythm exercises and challenge the students to perfect all of them. Students who complete the rhythm challenge can receive a small reward such as a new pencil or mute.

5Technique Teachers often are tempted to gloss over technical exercises because class periods are short and there is always an upcoming concert for which to prepare. Try to include a technical segment in each class period. Have a scale plan so students cover all the major and minor scales each semester. Reserve two weeks at the end of the semester to review the most challenging scales and arpeggios. Practice scales with numerous bowing variations so that technique is not solely associated with intonation. Bowing variations can include slurs and staccato bows (2-24 notes per bow), brush stroke with 2-4 repetitions per note, colle bow strokes at the frog, and sautille strokes with 4 or 8 repetitions per note. Encourage the students to invent their own bowing variations for scales and incorporate them into group scale practice.

6Tone Students are assigned difficult repertoire to stretch their technique and keep them engaged. Take time out from drilling notes to work on the beauty of the sound. Have the ensemble practice easy melodies in unison to work on vibrato and bow distribution. Practice melodies all at the frog, all in the middle, and all at the tip. Practice vibrating just first finger, just second finger, or just third finger. Experiment with the amount of bow hair used, from flat hair to a tilted bow. Practice melodies with different dynamics and work on the adjustments that should be made to successfully articulate each dynamic. Section members should play with the same bowings, in the same part of the bow, and with the same amount of bow. Have each student listen to the person on their left, right, and across the room and try to blend into the other player’s sound. 

7Composition Keep manuscript paper in the orchestra room and encourage students to experiment with composition. They could create rhythm exercises or write out intervals and simple melodies for the orchestra to play. Writing out scales by memory helps players understand key signatures and intervals. Students who compose learn music on a deeper level. Composition also prepares serious students for more advanced studies of music theory.

8Chamber music Integrate chamber music into the program. Split members of the orchestra into smaller groups and have them work on the orchestra music without a conductor. Organize weekly chamber music readings in which strong and weak students read chamber music together. Form a trio or quartet of strong students who can perform in the community and boost visibility for the program. Playing chamber music improves students’ ability to lead, listen, and breathe together.

9Mentors Bring in guest coaches to present masterclasses and teach sectionals. Invite professional musicians to perform as soloists with your orchestra. Seeing and hearing musicians play at a high level is a great motivator for students. Many orchestra programs do not have adequate funds to bring in guest coaches and performers. However, there are usually young teachers in the area who are trying to build private studios and establish a name in the community. They are often willing to present a masterclass or perform at a low cost in return for the publicity and connections they will acquire.

10Watch, Listen, and Learn Assign listening projects to students. If there are nine violists in the orchestra, each can listen to a Beethoven symphony. Sixteen violinists can study the sixteen Beethoven string quartets. Have recordings playing as students enter for class. Watch YouTube videos of master performers and talk about what makes these artists great.  Advanced students can perform for the other students. Encourage students to attend concerts and recitals. If tickets to a symphony concert are too expensive, ask a local orchestra if you can bring your group to a dress rehearsal.  Students who are exposed to great music and musicians become more excited about their own practice and performance.        

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    Drum majors are the hidden gems of a band program for directors who know how to use them. Often, directors who were not drum majors themselves have no idea of the extent to which this student leader can make the marching season smoother. Most drum majors want to help more, but at their age, they don’t want to overstep any bounds. Here are ways to help drum majors find that niche that makes them the most useful, both on and off the podium.

Choosing Drum Majors
    I have narrowed my selection process down to three main categories: conducting ability, musical ability, and leadership skills. Conducting ability includes conducting various time signatures, left hand coordination, and keeping a steady beat. This is the least important area for me, mainly because I believe most students can become coordinated with enough practice. Slightly more important is a student’s musical ability, including rhythm reading skills, instrument proficiency, and musicality. Drum majors should understand how to communicate musical ideas through their conducting. Leadership skills are the most essential of the three categories and include dedication, responsibility, compassion, the ability to teach, respect for all, and the ability to take charge. What makes my drum majors extremely productive is their ability to take charge and handle situations with care and compassion. This can be difficult to find in a high school student, which is why I look at drum major candidates’ leadership skills over their ability to conduct. It makes for a larger pool of candidates from which to choose.
    Although it can be tempting, avoid keeping people from being drum major because they are needed on the field. It is important to pick the best leaders, even if they are your best musicians. Some of the best drum majors I have had were great primarily because of their leadership ability; unfortunately, they also happened to be the top players in the band. Do not be discouraged if you have to move a strong player to the podium; the rest of the section will step up.

Drum Majors as Leaders
    A drum major who can conduct triple time against duple time is less important than a drum major who will step up, take charge, and lead. I remember having to take a sick day one spring as we were preparing Alfred Reed’s Armenian Dances, Part 1 for a looming performance. I left the substitute teacher the best plans I could come up with. The next day, I came back to school to learn that my drum majors were not satisfied with losing a day of practice, so they took the initiative to rehearse the band. One drum major took the woodwinds and the other took the brass. They knew what we had worked on in class the previous day, so they reviewed those concepts and then led some much needed woodshedding. They stood up, took charge, and showed the other students that the music was more important than getting an easy day.
    These students might not have conducted all the mixed meter in Armenian Dances perfectly, but they did gain some invaluable life skills, and the band didn’t lose a day of practice. This scenario doesn’t answer the question of why these two students stepped up. They stepped up because I trained them during marching season to take charge and to teach.
     Drum majors frequently end up becoming a metronome for the entire season and are given little else to do. Tell the drum majors from the beginning that the role of drum major is a year-long job, and give them responsibilities in concert band season as well. Give them opportunities to make decisions, and let them help run their band.
    Be careful about criticizing drum majors in front of the band; this detracts from their leadership. Simply correct them if needed. I have seen many drum majors become timid and disrespected because they get blamed for more than they deserve. Just like any other student, they will also tune you out after so long. Sometimes it is their fault, but instead of critiquing their performance throughout the rehearsal, correct them quietly or talk to them after practice. I have found this simple rule makes them more confident and allows them to retain the respect of the band. Drum majors should be the most confident and respected student leaders of the ensemble. If the other band members see you nagging the drum majors frequently, they will begin to do so as well. This approach will also make it more difficult to find high-quality candidates for next year’s auditions, and you may be left with the ones who simply want their name announced at performances.

Drum Majors as Teachers
    Watching a drum major teach should be part of the audition process. There are several activities that drum majors can teach on their own. Using drum majors to teach sectionals or help with the visual block is a great way to have an extra staff member. The band director need not do this alone.
If you need help setting drill, teach drum majors how to read a drill chart and give them a section to set. The first few times might be disastrous but they will catch on quickly.
    Drum majors also work well as a note-taker or an extra set of eyes. Give them an assignment during rehearsal, like keeping a list of struggling students, sections of the music that need work, or something as simple as fixing a straight line in a section. Listen to the drum major’s suggestions; they might be great.
    Be careful not to assign too much teaching responsibility; they are still students themselves. It is extremely important to talk to your drum major about this before giving them an assignment. Remind them they are also students and cannot speak to the band as you would. However, they still must accomplish, to a degree, the duties of a staff member. Furthermore, always make sure supervision is nearby when they are teaching. After rehearsals, you may choose to critique their instruction briefly but constructively.
    Perhaps the most gratifying characteristic of drum majors I have had in the past was their ability to lift me up in a crisis. There were several times while teaching high school that I felt downtrodden, and they noticed. They encouraged me to dust myself off and keep trying. This meant more to me than anything, and in those moments I knew I had selected the right students back in the spring. That is why moral leadership and compassion should be considered in auditions as well.

Drum Majors as Employees
    Drum majors are not psychics. Give explicit instructions and make sure they follow through. I train my drum majors to line off the field, take attendance, lead stretches and exercises, and take charge of some on-field instruction. They should also bring things to the field, such as the amplification system and microphones, their podium, scores and drill books, and extra coordinate sheets.
    Do not be afraid to use drum majors as personal assistants to handle whatever is not absolutely necessary for you to deal with. If you tell them what you expect at the beginning of the season, they will not get angry when you ask them to do it. Have them type up a bus or packing list (make sure to check it over) and teach them how to use the copier’s advanced functions so they can help you with such tasks as minimizing music for flip folders. My drum majors even knew how I liked my coffee (with two packs of sugar).
    If you make sure these assignments are done correctly and accurately, these traditions will continue from year to year because other students will already know what is expected of a drum major before they audition.

Drum Majors as Learners
    Perhaps the biggest oversight that occurs with drum majors is when they are not still treated as learners. Teach drum majors to conduct competently. Conducting is more than keeping a steady beat; it is an art form that requires passion, enthusiasm, and an ability to convey emotion through music. Everyone plays better under the direction of a passionate conductor, and there is no reason to believe that a student conductor cannot have the same effect on an ensemble.
    Nothing is too advanced for a high school conductor. No teacher would tell trumpet players not to play Clarke studies because they are too hard or tell woodwind players to avoid extended scales because the sound is less good in extreme ranges, so be sure to teach drum majors how to be musical conductors rather than simply a metronome. Drum majors are members of the marching band just as much as winds, percussion, and auxiliaries are.

Drum Majors as Performers
    Drum majors should have a checklist of things to do in performance:
• The drum major should be the first one onto the field and the last one off.
• The salute should be kept simple.
• Drum majors should acknowledge the audience at both the beginning and end of the band’s performance. This is a sign of appreciation to the people who have come to watch the show, as well as to the judges.
• Drum majors should smile. Music is meant to be enjoyed, and everyone should see that the drum majors enjoy their role and love their band.
• Drum majors should feel comfortable enough conducting to come out of the box a little, especially with expression.  By conducting with feeling, the band will play more emotionally.

    Drum majors can be the greatest asset to the marching band if permitted to use all of their abilities. Teach them the way you want things done. It might be a little strenuous for the director the first couple years, but the tradition of great work ethic will filter down from year to year, and eventually go on autopilot. Try these tips, and I believe your marching season will run more smoothly.  

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