Dear Dr. Fillmore (and potential lifelong enemy):

    I am writing to recommend Harmon Moot for admission to your music school. I can recommend him with confidence (confident that I will be glad to be rid of him) and can assure you that he will be a fine addition to your school (“fine” being a two on a scale of one to ten with ten as the highest).
    I have known Harmon for six years (it seems like 20) and found him to be sensitive (he cries easily), assertive (obnoxious and pushy), and never rash (he thinks too slowly to be rash). He has shown strong leadership skills (not unlike those of Attila the Hun) and is extremely conscientious (probably paranoid). His enthusiasm (often out-of-control) is contagious (he brings others down with him).
    Harmon’s tuba playing can be best described as emotionally evocative (often makes me want to cry), rhythmically innovative (can’t count), tonally mature (if the sound of a full-grown bull moose is what you’re looking for), and technically sound (if he plays from his first-year band book).
    Harmon comes from a very close-knit family (they meet at the principal’s office once a week and the jail every other week), and he is certainly in need of financial assistance (just don’t give him cash or he will buy video games instead of textbooks).
    I fully expect that someday Harmon will be outstanding in his field (and that’s exactly where you will find him).

Sincerely (sorry for what the future will hold if you accept him),

Trey Reely
Riverview Bands
(telephone number unlisted)

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     •A great group of band parents can’t make a poor band play well, but a negative group of band parents can destroy even the best of bands.

     •The very best band parents recognize that band directors are the source of authority and decisions in the band program. Quite honestly, it doesn’t mat­ter if you don’t like the music, the uniforms, the drill, the concert program, or the director’s spouse or significant other. Band directors make the decisions for the band program.

     •If parents want to help, they should strive to uplift their children and the directors. Being negative serves no good. Parents who are concerned about their child should schedule a conference with the band director and a school administrator. Other­wise, they should voice only positive and uplifting thoughts for their children and the band program.

     •Parents should remember that schools do not require band for graduation. If you or your child are unhappy with the program, ask a guidance coun­selor to remove your child from band. Band is a wonderful experience; but it is not necessarily for everyone, and not everyone will do well as part of an ensemble.
     •Band parent organizations can be a vital asset to band programs, but they are neither necessary nor required. Some band parents have the mindset that “they can’t fire me; I’m a volunteer.” In reality, some band parent organizations have disbanded when they no longer effectively supported the program.
     Parents should never lose sight of the fact that their purpose is to support the band directors’ decisions and the music curriculum. If they can’t, they shouldn’t be a part of the organization. If they believe some decisions are harmful, they should set up a conference with the school administration.

     •Band students are a special bunch of people. They tend to be more talented academically and socially than other students, and they tend to be more motivated to attend college and have higher standards than others. They are a treasure to behold.
     Parents sometimes forget that their especially talented children are surrounded by other impressively talented children who might have greater talent or be more capable. When another student, perhaps even a younger student, earns a higher chair or receives more exposure than their child, parents should resist the urge to question or challenge the director’s decision. Instead, consider the talents, private lessons, dedication to practice, and  ability to perform under pressure as factors that have contributed to the student’s success. He just may not necessarily be the teacher’s pet.
     High-achieving students may un­consciously exert pressure on their peers to uphold standards. This is a good thing and certainly not meant to be disrespectful. Again, if some­thing in the band room is out of line, a conference is in order. If not, your child needs to step it up and perform to the level of his peers.

     •It is a guarantee that drama will ensue whenever you have a group of teenagers together for an extended period of time. Band parents should avoid becoming a part of the drama or contributing to it. Children will hear and quickly pass along the words that adults say to one another or to a spouse. Stay out of it.
     If something needs to be said, make sure the directors don’t already know about the problem before you tell them. It is the job of student leaders to keep gossip to a minimum and to keep the directors aware only of what they need to know.

     •Parents should remember that band is an experience for their child, not for them. Too many adults have nearly won a trophy, possibly played a solo, or almost received a standing ovation but didn’t make it; they are determined their children will have what they did not.
     Keep in mind that your children won’t know what they are missing unless you make it obvious to them. Most band students get a big kick out of taking part in parades, road trips, and great rivalries with other bands. They don’t think of themselves as failures until parents complain that they didn’t win first, were outplayed by another ensemble, or didn’t sound as good as the previous year. Projecting lost dreams and wishes on to your children is simply poor parenting.

     •Change takes time and adjustment. In life, bosses change and peer groups shift. I suggest you look at accepting change and the ability to adapt as a great life skill. Whenever a new band director joins the staff, things will be different, and different does not mean wrong. 
     Change is good. Change can shake things up and revive energy. Great directors are careful to hold true to important traditions; but otherwise, all bets are off. Everyone – ensemble mem­bers and band parents alike – should be excited about new opportunities to build new traditions. Parents and students, be patient when changes take place in your lives.

     •The laws and policies governing students have changed over the years and may be very different from the policies parents knew. As a parent, it’s easy to look at someone who can’t play his part, marches with two left feet, or doesn’t meet financial commitments and wonder why the person isn’t  kicked out of band or at least made to sit on the sidelines.
     In reality, there are a number of laws and policies protecting students from any type of perceived discrimination or violation of privacy. These regulations often prevent directors from taking action against poor performers; all teachers have to follow certain rules or risk being fired.

     •Common courtesy and respect go a long way. Please pick your children up on time so the band director can go home too. Take the time to say thank you to the directors and the volunteer parents who work so hard for the band program. Thank the school administrators who show up at band functions. If you can’t make a booster meeting, don’t complain about decisions the group made in your absence or waste everyone’s time at the next meeting by bringing up old business.

     •Make an effort to volunteer at least once in a while. If you can’t, please don’t criticize or complain about those who do.

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Trailers, Trucks, and Logistics
    During construction the majority of students attended classes in a multitude of trailers temporarily located on one of the few green spots left on campus. After several meetings with the transportation department staff, the band directors (Kerry Bryant and me), and administrators, we came up with a way to transport band students to and from Wal­mart using a county work truck as the primary mobile band room.
    This truck, which we directors drove, arrived at a campus parking lot 30 minutes before the start of school so that all the band sudents could place their instruments on board for the one-mile trip to our make-shift rehearsal hall. First period band students loaded school buses at 8:15 and when they arrived at Walmart, helped in removing the instruments from the truck and placing them in the loading zone in the band room.
    Rehearsals started about 10 minutes late and ended about 10 minutes early every day (block schedule allows for 90 minute classes) to accommodate packing, reloading, and boarding the buses. If students wanted to take their instruments home after school or back to campus for marching band rehearsal, they had to take them to the loading zone.
    The bus returned first-period students to campus and then brought second-period students to band rehearsal a short time later. Then after the end of third period, these students loaded all the instruments and equipment in the loading zone onto the band truck.
    Everyone had to plan ahead because the marching band still practiced on campus, and any equipment left be­hind would not be available for re­hearsals. Students who wanted to practice at home would have to make a return trip to Walmart if they forgot their instrument. We kept the extra marching band equipment used for away games on a trailer.

Rough Edges

    It took time to smooth out un­forseen problems in this arrangement. Students who were late for the bus were left on campus and had to complete alternative assignments in the library. If the weather was too hot, after school marching band rehearsals had to be rescheduled. Rainy days meant marchers huddled under the concession stand at the stadium as football players commuted to the YMCA or recreation department.
    Every football game seemed like an away game because the truck and trailer were in use all the time. I had to request transportation for sectionals or other after school rehearsals so students could make the trip to our unusual quarters.

Handling Football Games
    Football games also proved to be a challenge. For home games the band met in the cafeteria of the high school after unloading equipment from the truck and trailer parked by the stadium. For away games, students met at Walmart and returned there after each game to meet parents or pick up their cars. It also meant we directors had to activate and deactivate the building’s fire alarm, a scary task considering the other departments in the facility.
    The other tenants of the building were entirely welcoming, albeit skeptical at first. The Pro­fessional Deve­lop­ment Center employees quickly be­came accustomed to hearing music coming from the back of the building, and it wasn’t strange at all to have Barrow County School ad­min­­istrators or the superintendent look in and listen to rehearsals during their lunch breaks. The students, of course, had strict instructions as to where they could be in the building and adhered to them without incident.

Year Two Begins
    By the fall of 2007 the band program started its second year of warehouse rehearsals with the hope and promise that the new band room would be completed by the winter holiday break. True to the building planners’ word, the gym was ready in early December and the Winder-Barrow High School Band moved back to the high school.
    The new school facility is a huge im­provement over the old design because our Fine Arts teachers assisted with suggestions for floor plans and layouts of their rooms. The rehearsal room now has doors to the main driveway of the school for loading and unloading instruments, a large storage room, two offices, and one music library.
    It was completed without ceiling tiles so that the ceiling would be a little higher than normal. Our band boosters graciously provided the funds for additional marching uniform storage lockers, and the following year they obtained a grant for instrument storage lockers completed the new band room.

Looking Back
    Having a school under construction for 18 months, plus 6 additional months of time for renovating the old existing structure, could have been a disaster. It worked out well because the administrators of Winder-Barrow High School and the school board’s office employees cooperated to benefit the students. Students who graduated that year contemplated wearing hard hats for graduation instead of mortarboards, but tradition won out on that decision.
    Adding levity helped when situations became stressful. I remember grinning when fellow band directors would call and ask me to please have the tuba players remove themselves from the automotive de­partment or report that the clarinets were having a sectional in the toy section of the former store – what great places to rehearse!
    Because of our unusual re­hearsal space, school administrators and staff at the Development Center had a first-hand experience hearing band students work on good sound and intonation as they polished difficult passages of music. My hope is that these people  now have a better understanding of the work that goes into a productive music program, the teachers who direct it, and the students who thrive on music study.  

The post The Unusual Tale of Loading Dock Rehearsals appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

     •Keep the competition on a small scale, with between 4 to 15 students.
     •For groups larger than 15, ask everyone to replay the excerpt to­gether after every 8-10 students audition, just to keep the playing fresh.
     •After hearing each group, ask those who received a “I+” to hold up their hands and assign them chairs. The highest is first, the next highest second, and so on.
     •Do the same for “I” students, the second highest chair ranking and finally for students who re­ceived a “II+.”
     •You can also write ratings on the board or on a grade sheet.

     The Daily Six is an excellent way to  assess pro­gress every day and develop a written record tracking each student’s playing. Once you complete the audition, then assign chairs. Let students know they have to remember their chairs for the next class. We suggest assigning a penalty for those who can’t remember, such as playing in last chair.
      You can use these ratings to highlight problem areas that need improvement and encourage students to do better. For example, if good posture is questionable, add a penalty for poor posture for a week and posture will improve quickly. The same idea works for instrument position, embouchure, foot tapping, bringing the required materials to class, and for any of the details necessary for good instrument performance.

The Satisfaction of Doing Well
      The six-second tryout should be a  friendly experience, giving each student the chance of sitting in every chair throughout the year and feeling the satisfaction of doing well. Students who receive last chair after every audition soon become discouraged and drop the class. This can be avoided if teachers find creative ways to help everyone succeed as well as change the audition material frequently.
     While you should base most tryouts on performance music, there is merit to holding auditions on counting, naming notes, listening for who has the best slur or can hold a note the longest, or a variety of other areas important to instrumental performance.
     A good example is the elementary band program at McKinley Elemen­tary School, which had 15 students, in­cluding Suzy Jones who played flute. A gifted student who was highly intelligent, Suzy had studied piano since the age of five, and day after day, week after week, continued to win first chair. This was particularly frustrating to Adam Brown, a student who struggled to play clarinet and read rhythms correctly. He was often assigned last chair.
     When the tryout focused on who could hold a note the longest, Adam soaked his clarinet reed, took a big breath, and played a soft clarinet note that lasted forever, placing him in first chair. Suzy, like most beginning flutists, couldn’t compete, but it was encouraging to Adam. The result was  motivating to both students and kept them practicing.
                                   
     Using a stopwatch, ask students to name the notes of a passage as fast as they can, but not necessarily in rhythm; be sure to time the result. Here are the notes students will name for the tune “Mary Had a Little Lamb” when played in the key of C:

      EDCDEEEDDDEGG
      EDCDEEEDDEDC

     The first student obviously has the greatest challenge, whereas the one who is 15th gets to mentally practice the note names in advance. This gives an advantage to those seated lower in the sections who never have a chance to move up. If students in high chairs complain, a good answer is that “we’ll have an­other tryout tomorrow.”
     A good teacher will promote the six-second tryout as a game. Be creative, start easily, and give lots of scores that end in a tie. You want to give every child the chance for a first chair. Add little penalties or rewards for posture, position, foot pat, em­bouchure, articulation, tone, or whatever needs attention.
     Occasionally, offer a “plus” for something done extremely well, and above all, conduct the audition quickly and efficiently to keep the class motivated.
     If done well, the two or three minutes required for a six-second tryout will become the most interesting, exciting, and highly anticipated part of the class.

    Russ Teweleit is the associate director of bands at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas where his duties include conducting the concert band and directing the Buffalo Marching Band. He also teaches graduate courses and is coordinator of music education for the university. He received bachelors and masters degrees from West Texas A&M University and a doctorate degree from the University of Oklahoma.

    A 46-year veteran of music education, Harry Haines is professor emeritus of West Texas A&M University in Can­yon, where he was chairman of the music department and coordinator of music education for 22 years. In 2002 he was selected for the Texas Band­masters Association’s Lifetime Music Ad­min­istrator Award. He received music education degrees from Okla­homa City University and the Uni­versity of Oklahoma.

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A question from a trumpet player.
    Players talk about fast air and resonant sound in almost everything brass-playing related. I still have no idea how to change my playing to make my air faster and more resonant. All of my teachers have tried to explain it and I still don’t get it. They tell me when I produce a more resonant sound and point out when I don’t, but I am clueless as to how to change things on command. Maybe I’m just thick-headed and stubborn. Anything you could pass along would be very helpful.
    I have had very few instances of players talking about fast air. Maybe I just haven’t been around those people. You don’t want to have the same speed of air all the time, although generally fast air is better than slow. How about this for an idea? When I play loud I try to use the whole cup of the mouthpiece. When I play soft, I try to aim my air right into the throat and bypass the cup. When I do that my air will speed up because I narrowed the aperture and it sped up on its own.
    To get fast air, as an example, take the first note of the opening of Mahler 5, concert C#. Play a bunch of extremely short, but fat, low C#s until they speak instantly. You will have to cut them off with your tongue to make them really short. When you can do this with a good sound, and they speak instantly, play a long C# with exactly the same start to the long note as the short one. That will get the air moving quickly. You will have trouble at first because the long note always starts with a slower air stream than the short one, but it shouldn’t.     Then practice playing four or more short ones, and then a long one with the same start. Maybe start with middle C, because low C# is a hard note to start on. I was just using C# to demonstrate fast air problems. I have my students also practice playing a short low C# forte and then a piano one with the same start and tone quality to the soft one as the loud one, an extremely difficult task. You’ll find you have to think about fast air more in the piano note than the forte note.
    Fast air means a note starts instantly, and at full volume and resonance on the downbeat. Then 80-90% of the work is done. When a note starts with a slow, soggy air stream, you will have to push more air in the middle of the note, and this ruins the sound and the style. When you get to the point that it feels like notes are jumping out of the horn, you will have fast air.

Now for some trombone queries.
    I agree with what you state about there being too much written about moving the slide as quickly as possible. I wonder if this has stemmed from beginning students who tend to have very slow slides. Do you have any thoughts on how to teach an amateur student to move the slide without going too far either direction?
    I also have found very little written about two other points I find imperative to the discussion. One is when to tongue on tongued slurs. Do you believe the tongue should bump the air from the beginning of the slide motion or when the next note is played?
    The other thing is changing partials when the slide moves in the same direction as the pitches. Do you consider this a natural slur in all cases no matter how far the slide must move from position to position?
    I have answers that few ever talk about, and I don’t know why, because it’s obvious with a little thought. The reason why people are taught to move the slide as fast as possible is when a teacher tells a student he is not using enough air, which is all the time, the student, young or old, jerks the slide quickly in order to activate the air. The teacher says, “good,” and doesn’t notice that the slur got hard and mechanical sounding, only that the student used more air.
    The answer to your question is that trombonists should not move the slide slower or faster but instead move it smoothly so that the air and slide arrive at a position at exactly the same time. The whole reason for loss of sound is when the slide gets to the position before the air, there is a blank in the flow of sound. If you have a fast air stream, move the slide with that air stream. If you have a slower air stream, move it with that air stream. The slide must move with the air stream, not by itself. When things are working well it should feel like the air is either blowing the slide from place to place, or the slide is dragging the air from place to place. Both of those mental images work well.
    To your next question, the tongue should bump, as you put it (I prefer “making a dent in the air stream”), right in the middle of the slur so there is an equal amount of legato on either side of the change of note. This means using the legato tongue a lot earlier than most people do it. This also means moving the slide at different speeds according to the length of a shift. If a slur requires a shift of 4 or 5 positions, the slide will move faster than a shift of one or two positions, because the object is to make every slur contain the same amount of legato, and to do this you must do different things. The way to accomplish this is to have a mental image of the slur you want and then tell your brain and ear to search through trial and error until you find the perfect slur. My rule is to produce as much sound between notes as possible without a smear.
    As for the last question, I consider a long shift of the slide as a chance to produce an even smoother slur than a shift of one position. If a change of partial is needed, then it is a natural slur, even in the same direction as the pitch. The secret is to go across the partial early in the shift. If I am slurring from a middle B Flat to an E flat above the staff, I will start going across that partial as soon as I begin to move the slide. It is as though I am going to play an E a half step above the E flat with my embouchure, but because I don’t stop the slide in 2nd position, the E is not heard. What this does is make a smooth, secure natural slur, with the partial change right in the middle of the two positions, and with a continuos flow of sound between notes. If you perfect this, I guarantee you will never get a blank again.

    Are there times when you tongue natural slurs or do you always let nature take care of the shift? Do you use more than one syllable for legato tonguing in different musical settings or tessituras?
    I’ll give you a perfect example of using tongue on a natural slur. In an audition or performance of the solo from Saint-Saëns 3, when you come to the last note, the A flat to D flat slur, and you are dying to hang on, I tell my students to softly tongue that slur to make sure the note speaks. There are other spots like this in the repertoire, but generally I advocate to trust your air and rely on it to carry you through.

    How can we best describe how firm the corners of the trombone embouchure should be? For example, in describing the embouchure to a beginner, some teachers ask them to flap their lips like making a horse sound, but this doesn’t produce firm corners at all.
    I have also read articles in which teachers describe a developed embouchure as having very firm corners. Should the corners be very firm for beginners or are the corners very loose at the beginning and develop more noticeable firmness over time?
    I would rather have firm corners than tension somewhere else. I think beginners probably make this mistake. If the corners aren’t firm enough, the torso will provide the needed firmness and this will ruin the sound. The corners should be firm enough to direct the air as straight ahead as possible. This depends on mouth structure. Having beginners buzz the mouthpiece to get a resonant sound is the best way to start. This should get the right amount of firmness in the corners. The corners should have the same amount  of firmness as if the student was spitting a spitball a moderate distance without using the diaphragm. 

Jay Friedman has been a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s trombone section since 1962 and was appointed principal in 1965. He is also trombone professor, head of brass, and principal guest conductor at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Friedman is music director of the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest. In 2000 he was chosen as Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras.

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Some Preliminary Observations
     In my experience most high school students have no idea how to tune or understand why they should do it. Directors should explain that tuning refers to each player comparing his pitch to that of a reference pitch, then adjusting the length of his instrument so his pitch correctly matches the reference pitch; the result makes it easier to play with good intonation. A musician doesn’t tune to one note; he tunes every note he plays by comparing each pitch to those of all the musicians around him as they play. Tuning is a continuous process.
     I cannot tell you how often I have seen high school saxophone sections playing with little or no cork showing on any of their lead pipes; equally problematic are the many times I’ve seen trombone, tuba, and trumpet players with their slides pushed all the way in during rehearsals. All brass instruments are designed to play sharp with the slides pushed all the way in. The musician pulls the slides to get a brass instrument down to pitch. Reed instruments are designed exactly opposite: when a musician positions the mouthpiece barely on the end of the instrument, it will play flat; he has to push in the mouthpiece or reed to get the sound up to pitch.
     Most bands play with poor intonation because the brass pitch is so high (with slides not extended far enough) that the woodwind players cannot push the mouthpiece far enough in to match the very sharp brass pitch.
     Electronic tuners should be used only for generating a reference note for students to adjust the pitch of their instrument. Tuners are useful for producing a reference note because most young oboists, who traditionally provide the tuning note, cannot sustain a consistent pitch for the two minutes it takes to complete my tuning routine.
     Electronic tuners are useful in studio teaching to help students learn the natural acoustical tendencies of the different notes throughout their different registers, but in large ensembles, musicians and directors have to depend on their ears and not a machine. Music teachers who can’t tell if students are playing sharp or flat should find a different line of work. My attitude is old school, but I sincerely believe it to be true.
     When a band is tuning, no percussion should play. The wind players have trouble hearing themselves when covered up by the sounds of drums. The snare drummer and timpanist should warm up on practice pads as the rest of the percussionists quietly set up for the first piece.
     Conductors love to make everyone do the same thing at the same time, but having everyone play the same tuning note simultaneously is a poor idea. Orchestral musicians would refuse to do this and for good reason. Musicians should be allowed to enter at their own discretion, so they can hear themselves play. It is impossible to play in tune if you can’t hear yourself.
     I frequently see students seated too close together, which is often the result of cramped rehearsal rooms and small stages. If you have the space, spread players out so they can hear themselves play. You will be amazed at how much better the sound will be. Sitting close together makes the band look better in the annual school photograph, but it does nothing for overall tone or intonation.
     This is the most important thing to consider: for the band to play with excellent intonation, each musician has to play with good, characteristic sound. These factors are inseparable. Better individual tones will improve the overall sound. Students need frequent reminders never to play with a rehearsal sound. They should always strive to play with their best sound at all times.

Practical Tuning for Bands
     The tuning routine I use is only two minutes long. Once students learn it, use hand signals, your eyes, and nods of the head as cues, avoiding the temptation to talk during tuning. Students quickly learn they will become completely lost if they don’t pay attention. After using this silent system over time, you will be amazed at how your players’ concentration improves.
     After the players warm up, cut off the band. Have the tuner set to B flat (A# on some tuners) at A=440. The only sound on the stage or in the band room should be the Bb sounding from the tuner. If there is still noise from the players, just stand until they quiet down.

Begin with Humming
     Point to your ear and have the students hum the B flat. Then allow each player to enter individually, at his own discretion, comparing the reference pitch to the pitch of his instrument at that moment. Allow ten seconds to adjust the instruments, and then cut off the playing with a gesture from your hand.
     Woodwinds. Next change the tuner to generate an A4 for the woodwinds. Just change the pitch; don’t say a thing. Have the students listen, hum, then tune. Use the same procedure with each player entering individually. Be sure each person has time to adjust, and then come back in to compare his A to the tuner’s. This should take 10-15 seconds.
     Change the tuner to an F4 so the clarinets can tune (their open G). They should adjust only their barrels to comply with this reference pitch. Next sound a low D3 for the clarinets, which is their low E3. This is the note for adjusting the bell. Do not fool with the middle joint; the best clarinetists say that tuning with the middle joint opens up a Pandora’s box of acoustical problems on the instrument.
     After all the clarinetists are playing a satisfactory low E3, use your left thumb to indicate that they should press down their register key. The instruments will immediately sound B4, the middle concert A on the instrument. This B and the low E3 are the only two notes where the sound vibrations go all the way through the instrument.
     Tubas. Turn to the tubas next. Without speaking, sound a B flat on the generator and have them play low B flat 1. If the pitch is awful, gesture for the players to stop and tune them individually so they can hear themselves. Be sure to do this with hand signals.
     Low Woodwinds. When you are satisfied with the pitch in the tubas, add the low woodwinds – bass clarinet, contralto or contrabass clarinet, baritone saxophone, and bassoon. When teaching this system, explain that be­cause the tubas establish the fundamental pitch in a band, the low woodwinds have to tune to the tubas. Have all the tubas and low woodwinds continue to play the low B flat, and add euphoniums and tenor saxophone on Bb3. Everyone continues to play.
     Trombones. Add trombones on F, which is a stable note for the instrument. I use F instead of the customary B flat because it provides an excellent reference pitch for the horns, who enter next. Everyone continues to play.
     Horns. Bring in the horns on C4, which is the same F the trombones are playing. With your left thumb, indicate that they should tune both sides of their double horns to this note, comparing the F on the F side to the F on the Bb side. Have them adjust both tuning slides until these two notes match up. Everyone continues to play.
     Trumpets. Next, bring in the trumpets on G4, sounding F an octave higher than the horns. As they play insist they listen to the horns and the trombones, who are an open 5th above the tubas, euphoniums, and low woodwinds, instruments that are continuing to play their tuning note.
     The trumpets follow, slowly playing G, A, B, C (transposed pitches); indicate the fingerings for the notes with your right hand: O, 1-2, 2, and O. Don’t talk; make the students watch and do it together. This takes them to concert Bb, three octaves above the tubas, which helps them learn to match their note with the tubas. Everyone continues to play.
     Woodwinds. Finally look around at the clarinets, oboes, and alto saxophones. Motion them to repeat the concert F, G, A, and B flat that the trumpets just played. Next the flutes and piccolo slowly play F, G, A, B flat an octave higher.
     By this point the entire band should be playing. As each instrument enters, they should play Bb or F as assigned, so that the sound and balance builds from the bottom up.

Tuning Notes
     While teaching this warm-up procedure, the players should be assigned the following notes for a tuning chord:

     Tubas, low B flat
     Double basses, low B flat

     Bass clarinet, C4
     Contralto clarinet, G3
     Contrabass clarinet, C4
     Bari sax, G3
     Bassoon, low Bb  and middle B flat

     Euphonium B flat  3
     Tenor sax, C4
     Trombone 3, low B flat
     Trombone 2, F3
     Trombone 1, D4

     1st, 3rd horns, C5
     2nd, 4th horns, C4

     Trumpet 3, C4
     Trumpet 2, G4
     Trumpet 1, C5

     Alto sax 2, G4
     Alto sax 1, B4

     Clarinets 3, C5
     Clarinets 2, E5
     Clarinets 1, G5

     Oboe 2, B flat 4
     Oboe 1, D5

     Flutes 3, B flat 4
     Flutes 2, F5
     Flutes 1, B flat 5
     Piccolo B flat 5

     This will sound a B flat  major chord with every brass instrument on an open note, plus a fully registered woodwind sound with each student playing an excellent tuning note.

More Hand Signals
     After you bring every section in playing B flat and F, hold out your hand with the palm horizontal to the ground. Teach students to understand that this is the signal for their memorized B flat major chord. Once this chord sounds balanced and in tune, revolve your wrist so that your thumb motions down. This indicates that everyone should play their note down a half step, producing in an A major chord to help the woodwinds.
     Next shift your hand back up to the horizontal position to return to the Bb chord. Once the ensemble solidifies a B flat chord, turn your thumb up, indicating students play their assigned pitch up a half step, resulting in a B major chord. This is a difficult chord to tune, but students who do this every day start listening and adjusting, which is my point in the first place.

Knowing The Routine
     Believe it or not, this procedure takes little time to teach. I use it with two-day honor bands all the time, and they invariably pick it up quickly. Once they know the whole routine and understand your hand motions and facial expressions, it only takes about two minutes each rehearsal to complete the entire sequence.
     I see several benefits from this approach:

     1. Improved concentration – it keeps students focused on the task at hand and gets them into the habit of really listening to what is going on from the very beginning of the rehearsal.

     2. It tunes the band from the bottom up, not the top down, which is far too frequent a practice.

     3. It gives players time to adjust their instrument so they have a better chance of playing in tune.

     4. Students are tricked into playing long tones for two to three minutes every day. (Normally, you could never get them to do this.)

     5. The more time ensembles spend on individual tone, the better the overall sound.

     If you daily include this procedure with your students over a semester, your band will play with better intonation and a more resonant sound. Two or three minutes each day is a small investment for improved intonation and sonority.  

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Acute Trauma/Injury
     By far, the most common cause of acute hand or upper extremity injury was playing sports; about 62% of my young patients described this as the cause. Of the problems produced by acute trauma, fractures accounted for more than half of the injuries; broken finger bones were the most common, followed by fractures of the forearm bones just above the wrist joint. Sports seemed to be the primary cause of finger bone fractures, while falls onto an outstretched arm accounted for the majority of wrist fractures.
     Sprains of ligaments around the joints accounted for about 20% of the diagnoses; most of these occurred in the fingers, especially the middle joint. Other diagnoses were dislocations of joints, lacerations (some involving tendons and nerves), contusions, and muscle strains. A few musicians had problems related to prior traumas; these could be considered complications or untreated conditions, and many of the instrumentalists so afflicted had a less-than-satisfactory outcome to treatment.
     Acute injuries are hard to avoid, but students should take a few precautions when playing sports.
    1. A preseason warmup for the hands is important when resuming any sport that uses a ball. I’ve found that most injuries sustained while playing these sports were caused by catching the ball with the hands in the wrong position, and the majority of these occurred early in the season, before athletes had fully regained sports-specific skills.
     2. Wear protective equipment, correctly sized and appropriate to each sport, for all practices and games. Although it seems inconceivable to think that symphony musicians would play a pickup game of softball barehanded during summer festival rehearsals, it has happened more than once.
     3. Recognize that pain is a warning signal that something is wrong; heed it by stopping the painful activities and resting the injured area.
     4. Seek early, expert care for any problem. Don’t try to play through the pain and hope it will go away. What you do in the first few hours or days after an injury usually determines how well you recover later.

Overuse
     Physical problems related to musical or other forms of overuse are the second most common cause of young musicians’ painful difficulties. Although many people list overuse as a diagnosis, it really describes a spectrum of causes. This is my definition (and that of the Standards Committee of the Performing Arts Medicine Association):

     Overuse is a practice or activity in which anatomically normal structures have been used in a so-called normal manner, but to a degree that has exceeded their biological limits. This produces certain physical changes, which often are accompanied by corresponding symptoms or complaints. The degree of excessive activity needed to produce these results varies from person to person and seems to be related to one’s anatomy and physiology. Some of the factors involved include genetic makeup, age, level of physical conditioning, degree and duration of music training, and variety of life stresses.

     More than 80% of overuse problems in my young musician patients were caused by making music. String and keyboard players formed the vast majority (75%). The highest percentage of these problems occurred in collegiate and conservatory music majors – not surprising considering their long hours of practice and performance.
     There are many types of overuse and many associated risk factors. Whether from music, sports, or work, the syndromes are similar. Three basic factors – time times intensity, technique, and genetics – contribute to overuse in musicians, and all are influenced by the amount of time a person practices and performs on an instrument.
     Rapid increases in either or both intensity and duration of playing can combine to create an overuse situation. Some examples include changing to a new school; working with a new instructor, employer, instrument, or repertoire; adding additional instruments; and rapidly increasing practice time or associated activities, such as reedmaking. If the excessive activity continues, it places the body at risk for developing problems. Away from music, the demands of daily routine, as well as intense athletic activity, also may lead to overuse.
     Technical factors include such items as improper playing techniques; some would call this misuse. Some examples include using abnormal body postures while playing; excessive pressure or force on keys, strings, mallets, or sticks; or a physical mismatch between a player and an instrument, such as small students playing excessively large violas or tubas.
     Genetic factors are conditions over which neither musician or physician has any control. Hypermobility (lax ligaments or double-jointedness) is the most common one, affecting 5-8% of the population, and is more common in females and the young. Hypermobility is associated with an abnormally large range of joint movement, which may affect hand and finger placement on keys or strings, leading to technical difficulties and excessive compensatory muscle use.
     Gender is another risk factor; many studies have shown that females are more likely to develop overuse-related problems than males because of their smaller average hand size and muscle strength. Any player of a large instrument is more likely to develop difficulties because of instrument size, complexity of keywork, and greater force needed to make music; consider the differences between trumpet and tuba, violin and double bass, and alto and baritone saxophones. The larger instruments demand a greater reach and wider stretches of the hands and fingers, requiring extra muscle tension and activity. This explains why smaller students may not be physically able to play tubas, baritone saxes, or standard bassoons.

Problematic Instruments
     Overuse problems often are related to the type of instrument played. Pianists are more likely to develop problems in the right hand, while upper string players and guitarists usually complain of left-hand symptoms. Musicians playing lower string instruments will complain of problems in the left hand and spine. Woodwind players develop thumb difficulties from supporting their instruments; the right hand is more commonly involved with clarinet and oboe players, while it’s the left hand for flutists. Brass musicians have a low prevalence of overuse problems, and no one anatomic area predominates. Percussionists are at increased risk for wrist and shoulder problems.
    

    First and foremost, music teachers should watch for poor posture in students when playing. Students who do not play with a relaxed posture (as in the bottom picture) may develop injuries over time.

     Overuse primarily affects the musculoskeletal system; the most common condition it produces is muscle or tendon strain (akin to a sprain of ligaments, but occurring in muscles). Rapid and repetitive movements of muscles and tendons can result in inflammation of the tendons where they rub across a joint, a condition known medically as tendinitis or tenosynovitis. Strains and inflammation account for three fourths of overuse-related conditions. Uncom-monly, nerves may be compressed or irritated by repetitive use, principally in the hand or fingers.
     Music teachers can help recognize these problems by watching students practice and perform in a variety of situations and identifying potentially troublesome practices or conditions. Modifying a practice and performance can fix such a situation.
     Teachers can also prevent problems by monitoring correct playing techniques, watching for tell-tale signs of problems. Seeing a student drop an arm and shake it indicates discomfort; so does abnormal stretching or rubbing of the neck. Some students fidget out of boredom, but often it is a response to discomfort. The student who peers at the music, head held close to the stand in typical bad posture, may actually be squinting to see the page because of poor vision. Correcting nearsightedness or astigmatism can help with proper posture and comfortable playing.

Return to Playing
     Both music teachers and students should know how and when to permit a student to return to playing. Ideally, this would occur when pain is absent and flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, and coordination – some or all of which may have been lost or decreased during the time of treatment – have been regained. Often, practice routines or techniques may need modification, most commonly by a gradual resumption of practice time, intensity, and difficulty.
     After an injury, it is important to avoid too rapid a return, which might result in a recurrence of the same problem or a new and different problem. A written program can be useful, but it should be tailored to the student, instrument, and type of problem. In some cases it may be wise to increase practice sessions by only 5-10 minutes at a time and maintain the same intensity for several days or weeks.
     Early therapy may help to restore functions lost during the treatment process; this might include mouthpiece buzzing or one-handed playing (with the uninjured hand). It’s also possible to combine medical and musical rehabilitation in consultation with the student’s medical professionals. Exercises at the instrument can be designed to achieve specific rehabilitation goals, such as increasing hand span or finger coordination.

Prevention
     Practice habits are an important part of prevention and are easily modified. Work with students to determine playing times and intensity carefully. Preparation for auditions, recitals, and juries should be planned as far in advance as possible, and daily practice should be increased in small increments rather than all at once.
     The 25-5 rule should become a lifetime habit: play or practice 25 minutes, followed by five minutes of rest. Do this every half-hour and get away from the instrument during breaks; mental rest is as important as physical rest. Vary both practice patterns and material; recognize the potentially damaging effects of different types of repertoire. Practice times should minimize stressful repetition of passages, especially when little musical progress seems to be made. Finally, help students build up playing endurance in all necessary muscles, including the embouchure.
     The instrument is another component. In misuse, normal body tissues are used in an abnormal way, producing a variety of problems. First and foremost, music teachers should watch for poor posture in their students when playing. I’ve found it useful to ask students to stand or sit in correct posture without the instrument, then move to the instrument (keyboards, percussion) or bring it to the body. In this way they can maintain correct posture, adapting the instrument to themselves, which is the basis of proper ergonomics and effective music-making.
     Correct posture also includes proper hand and finger position on keys or strings, or while holding bows, sticks, or mallets. Indeed, the entire arm, from shoulder to fingertips, should be considered. During playing, watch for abnormally strong or vigorous hand movement, inappropriate to the type and dynamics of the music being played. This is a component of misuse and needs correction.
     Finally, observe how each student sits: chairs or benches should be at the proper height for playing, and in ensembles, seats should be correctly separated and facing in the proper direction. How often have we seen a semicircle of flutists, far too many for the size of the row, with their torsos twisted to the right and their right elbows held way behind the back of the chair? To see both the music and director, they must turn their necks to the left, sometimes excessively so. These conditions do not encourage efficient playing, from both a respiratory and a muscular standpoint, and they are not confined to flutists.
     Modifying the instrument in some way may help students who have physical problems in playing. This is especially true for small students who have difficulty holding or playing a large instrument. Correct instrument support can minimize muscle force and physical stress, increasing playing efficiency. Here are a few useful modifications:

     • The flute can be padded with commercially available adhesive pads that permit the hands to maintain a more normal attitude, minimizing force on fingers and hands.
     • A neckstrap will take most of the instrument weight off the right hand of clarinetists and English hornists; oboists won’t benefit as much from neck straps, because they hold the instrument farther away from the body. Instead, consider a chair support; they can help oboists more, but they do limit some body movement while playing.
     • Seated bassoonists should rely on seat straps or, alternatively, floor pegs for support; to minimize neck discomfort and reactive muscle contractions, avoid neck straps, even while standing. From personal experience, I know that shoulder straps are more comfortable.
     • Floor pegs are extremely helpful to support bass and contra clarinets; with them, a neck strap may be necessary only for minor control of position.
     • Body harnesses distribute the weight of all saxophones, bassoons, and tubas; even playing an orchestral tuba is less stressful to players who wear a harness.
     • Upper string players should find a comfortable combination of chin and shoulder rests; the player’s head should not be excessively tilted or rotated to the left, and there should be minimal force on the left side of the lower jaw. Trial and error is the best way to determine the most comfortable combination, and the position should be evaluated regularly as students grow. Changing to a larger instrument may necessitate a new setup.

Relaxed Playing
     Avoiding overuse during practice and playing with proper technical considerations can help instrumentalists to achieve what I call “playing relaxed.” Obviously, not all the muscles will be relaxed when making music, but ideally the unnecessary muscles will be. Using only the muscles needed to produce beautiful sounds is clearly the most physically efficient option and can minimize or avoid overuse-related difficulties.
     When the hand and arm are at rest, all its muscle groups are relaxed, quiet, and in balance. You can experience this by hanging an arm down at your side, totally relaxed, for ten seconds. Now, look down at the hand without moving it or tightening any muscles; what you see is the hand at rest. Starting from this position, all movements will be efficient and take the least muscle effort regardless of direction. Next, bring this hand to the instrument. The goal is to keep the hand as close as possible to the rest position.
     A second aspect of playing relaxed is to avoid using opposing groups of muscles in a single task. For example, when both the flexor and extensor muscle groups in the forearm are used simultaneously, a condition known medically as cocontraction occurs; the arm tightens up, making movements sluggish and slow because the two muscle groups are fighting each other – hardly an ideal situation for playing rapid notes. Consciously using only the needed muscles to do the job doesn’t usually come naturally to most people; it takes practice to isolate these groups to do just what you want them to do. The result, however, is ideal for comfortable, continuous playing of any musical repertoire – fast or slow.
     Minimizing mental distractions or stress can also decrease muscle tension and make cocontractions less likely. It often takes conscious effort to tune out unwanted thoughts. A final factor is being comfortable with the instrument, which relates to efficient playing posture and instrument support.
     Environmental controls go somewhat beyond the topic of overuse but are as critically important to all musicians as practice and technique controls. Adequate separation between chairs is essential, especially in the case of cellos, double basses, saxophones, bassoons, and tubas. Enlarging the radius of chairs from the podium is an effective way to achieve this without altering seating arrangements.
     Sufficient light is important, and not a problem in most rehearsal halls and classrooms. However, light levels on stage or in an orchestra pit may be another matter. Stand lights, if used, should be of high enough wattage and give a spread of light that illuminates the entire printed page. Newer LED stand lights may have promise over incandescent bulbs.

Too Much Sound
     Another serious, widespread problem for instrumentalists is prolonged exposure to excessive sound levels, which has long been known to damage hearing. Short-term exposure to loud sounds may cause a temporary diminution of hearing, often accompanied by a ringing sensation in the ears, called tinnitus.
     However, prolonged or repetitive exposure produces a condition known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), a permanent type of nerve deafness that cannot be treated satisfactorily. NIHL also may have associated tinnitus, and it is a cumulative problem that gets progressively worse with increasing levels and duration of exposure. It affects all ages and skill levels of musicians and can be caused by all genres of music. Studies have shown that orchestral instruments can produce sound levels approaching those of jackhammers or jet planes.

     The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that cumulative daily sound exposure not exceed an average of 85dBA (decibels). If sound levels increase, exposure times must decrease proportionately. NIOSH recommends that for every 3dBA increase in sound level the exposure time be cut in half. While school band and orchestra directors are at greatest risk for NIHL, considering the number of hours each day they devote to ensemble rehearsals, students are at risk too, especially if they play in marching or jazz ensembles.

Hearing Protection
     Prevention is the only way to control NIHL. Excessive sound levels must be decreased, and there are many ways to do this. For example, a director may have the ensemble practice more softly or minimize repetition of very loud passages. Placement of musicians on risers also can affect sound levels, a useful consideration for jazz or groups. Some symphony orchestras have placed clear plastic sound baffles between rows of musicians, especially in front of loud instruments such as trumpets, piccolos, and percussion. Newly constructed music rehearsal rooms should have high ceilings, nonparallel walls, and liberal use of sound-absorbent surfaces on walls and ceilings.
     Individual hearing protection is another form of prevention. Stage musicians now have the option of using in-ear monitors, which are more effective than the old-style speakers placed at the front of the stage. Wearing attenuators (sound-limiting earplugs) can lower sound levels as much as 25 dBA – a significant drop. Several varieties are available, some for as little as $10 a pair. These inexpensive ones can be bought in bulk by band and orchestra directors for their students.
     Using attenuators will make each musician more aware of his sound and the adjustments in dynamics necessary to maintain correct balance. Getting used to a different perception of sound balance – and accepting it as the new normal – can be difficult, but it is by no means impossible.
     In the past 25 years, an increasing number of health professionals have become aware of musicians’ difficulties, and more are now experienced in caring for this extensive population. The Performing Arts Medicine Association, an international society of health care and artistic specialists, has a referral service for musician patients through their website. Additionally, there are many books and articles written by experienced, reputable arts medicine specialists for performers of all ages and their teachers. For directors with further concerns, questions, or interest, information and help is as close as the internet or telephone.    

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What are the principles to consider when producing a show?
    You have to tie your whole show concept together. Producing a show means being in control of the show. You should lead your audience from one engaging moment to another, through thoughtful pacing of musical and v­isual events. Typically, either an audience member or a judge will get an impression from your show (I liked that moment.), analyze that moment (What did I like about it?), and then evaluate or compare it (This band is better than the last band.). The goal is to have a show that is so interesting and well produced that both the audience and the judges are led from one great impression to the next without time to analyze or evaluate, just being entertained. This does not mean louder, faster music or faster, more athletic drill. In fact, some of the best moments in any type of artistic performance are the most delicate ones.
    I believe it is possible to win a lot of championships with 40 pages of drill and a good story line. Engaging the audience in a meaningful way is always going to have more audience appeal and more competitive success than just putting a bunch of stuff on the field. It is important to choose a show that the audience can relate to. You don’t want them asking a lot of questions about it. That might be stimulating, but if they are wondering what the show is about they’re not necessarily engaged or intrigued by what they’re watching. They are not analyzing what they see. If the acts in the show are believeable and the pacing is good, then you have captured the audience, and they are yours.
    You want to choose a show that is appealing, avoiding ideas like ants in the 1800s and their plight of going over a river. I’ve seen shows sometimes reach that level of strangeness. The point is to make a show about something the audience can relate to. Then the crowd is engaged and intrigued by what they see without analyzing it. If people come to a show to have a good time and be entertained, they really don’t want to know why the girl on the field is being chased around by people in masks. If the story isn’t good, people spend their time trying to figure out what the show is about.
    One of my heroes is world-renown Broadway director Harold Prince, who said, “Don’t let the notes get in the way of emotion.” I think that for many band directors, that is often the case. They are so busy doing the math, that is, analyzing the rhythmic figures or sharps and flats, that they forget to think about music in terms of the rise and fall of the phrase. Band directors miss out on the big picture by obsessing over the individual notes that should work together to create the big picture. Great stage directors work from this principle all the time. They routinely shorten the dialogue or alter the scenes in a play to advance the plot. Great movies do this as well. Don’t get lost in the process of getting to the product.
    One of my mentors was Donald Angelica. He marched in drum corps with the Holy Name Cadets (the precursor to the modern Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps) but also had a graduate conducting degree from the Eastman School of Music. He worked as a music supervisor in New Jersey for many years. He also developed the judging system still in use by drum corps. Angelica took a number of young DCI instructors under his wing, including George Hopkins of the Cadets and Wayne Downey of the Blue Devils. He took us to Broadway musicals, stage plays, the ballet, the opera, and to orchestral concerts, and helped us to identify the common threads between all these disciplines. At dinner after these events, we would have to tell Angelica what we liked, what our favorite parts of the performance were, and why. He was the one that got us all to start thinking in terms of production, the idea that the flow and pacing of the events in the performance should be carefully planned out in terms of time in minutes and seconds.

What are the most important elements of designing a show?
    Before I create a single page of drill, I start by listening carefully to the music without a score, focusing strictly on the ebb and flow of the sound. Then, I graph the action on paper using lines and squiggles to identify the peaks and valleys of a piece of music. I call this graph a sound poem, and it literally represents the direction of a piece of music, from moments of high energy and volume to moments of rest and quiet. I will then create a story board or a segment sheet that describes in words the musical events that take place and their duration as well as their possible implications for visual performance and design. At this point, I may throw out the tune for use in the show, because it may not have enough contrast. Some very fine music can actually be monochromatic; while it may be good music, it is a poor choice for the field.
    I do not begin writing the drill until I find a piece of music that has sufficient contrast. My goal is to make the music visual and bring it to life. Creating drill is a lot like architecture, in that forms flow from strong to weak. Your starting point for a visual idea determines the number of possible transitions out of that idea, so a good beginning is ex-tremely important. Vis-ually strong or complete forms suggest opportunities for the drill to flow out of these forms. Forms can be changed or evolved through manipulation and a sense of linear development. Incomplete forms create opportunities to resolve into strong forms, which should always coincide with points of musical resolution. Writing drill is like shooting pool. It is just as important to set up the next shot as to sink the current shot. Doing so requires a great deal of planning.

What are some of the common mistakes you see in the design of high school marching band shows?
    Lack of a focal point and poor transitions are the most common mistakes I see in shows of all kinds. A show designer should know where the focal point is at any given moment, and that focal point should shift around, both through staging on the field and through the music. These things do not happen by accident. They are always the result of careful planning.
    Many times band directors cannot identify the focal points of their own show. If they do not know what part of the show they would like me to focus on, how am I supposed to know what to reward? As a judge, I want to reward achievement. If I can’t tell what to watch due to competing visual priorities, then it is hard to give a reward. Many times, bands will upstage themselves. For example, a soloist may be performing quietly at the front of the field, and he should probably be the focal point. However, in back of the field the color guard is running to pick up new flags. Because of their velocity, the eyes of the audience and the judge are drawn to the guard, instead of to the soloist, which blurs the focal point.
    When you talk about focus you have to start talking about the principles of design, which are the guidelines for everything in art: line form, balance, dimension, space, color, texture, mass, dynamics and movement, development and direction. You are the center of attention if you move faster than everyone, have more color than everyone else, move in the opposite direction from everyone else, or have more mass and density. These things make you more visually interesting. An example would be a symmetrical form with a tuba player who is lost and moving at a 45-degree angle trying to find his spot. Everyone is watching the tuba player.
    When writing drill, I use what I call the 1-2-3 Principle. Basically, this refers to creating three layers of visual interest on the field. Watch any ballet or dance production, and you will quickly see that the dancers in the front, the prima ballerinas, are performing the most demanding choreography. Those in the middle of the stage are performing work that is less difficult but still complements the dancers in the front. Dancers in the back are performing even simpler work.
    One type of action that might work on the field is to have the performers in the front third of the field do something on every count. Performers in the middle of the field might move on every other count, while performers in the back of the field might move every fourth count. This creates three layers of visual interest, which creates a depth of design that is extremely appealing.
    Another way to use this idea is with spacing. The marchers in front, instead of being four steps apart, are five steps apart. The next group is seven steps apart, and the back group is nine steps apart. When you look at it from the stands, it all appears to be equidistant. If you’re in the first position, you can make small movements, but the farther back you go, the more those movements have to be defined, to the point that movements in the back have to be somewhat exaggerated, because what you’re trying to do is give definition to the form. This is similar to what everybody learns about circles in college. A circle is a circle in the first quadrant, it becomes a little bit oval in the second, and it’s quite oval in the back.

What is the most overlooked aspect of drill design?
    Both designers and performers seem to forget that the transitions between drill sets are the most critical part. Getting into and out of your drill sets is the art form; the integrity of the form only makes up 20% of a show, leaving 80% for how you get there. Drill design is all about transitions, not the points of resolution when the form finally stops.
    When people are in a formation it’s good that they hit it, but how did they engage us getting there or surprise us or entertain us during a transitory part of the music? How did we control the focus or intrigue or entertain people while we were doing it? That’s why I say transitions are more important. A moment of musical and visual arrival can be destroyed by poor transitions.

What are the most important things to cover in a visual basics program?
    Teaching visual basics takes three phases. Phase one: People first need to know how to hold themselves and move their bodies as individuals. Phase two is moving to a block band, teaching lines, intervals, and distances – the things we still have left from military block bands. The final aspect of visual basics is the most important: spatial awareness drill by location and speed – taking the actual forms and using these as a syllabus for rehearsal.
    It is easy to become lazy and use the path of least resistance in certain areas. At band camp, drill is taught dot-to-dot, which was invented in drum corps and is based on being able to teach a certain step size for every demand in the show for every person. Most people did not figure out that doing this would take hours of training to develop individual judgment. Consequently, teaching a 32-count transition in band camp may have been a breeze, but cleaning it will be a disaster. If during counts 16-18 the form and integrity of a formation is a disaster, this is a bad transition.
    The integrity of the form between resolution points is important, but people don’t realize how much it matters when they are conditioned to go dot-to-dot and simply think about the beginning and the end. Students need to be trained in what size of step it takes to make this work compared to the person next to them.

What is the most difficult part of judging?
    Judging takes both flexibility and consistency. You have to be able to put aside the night before, the day’s events, not getting any food, getting lost on the way there, your plane getting canceled when you walk into the stands. Then you have to be fair and accurate, focusing only on what you’re evaluating without letting your mind get cluttered with everything that happened before I got there or the previous group’s performance.

What advice would you offer to inexperienced marching band directors?
    What I learned the hard way was how to manage my time in rehearsal. When I was a young instructor and designer, my mentor, Rick Maass, proved to me that I was spending 80% of my time on the first production of the show.
    This was because I saw errors and let them control me; I had to fix everything I found. I would have students keep going back to the starting formation and repeating it. Because of this, the back half of the show was a disaster. It was eye-opening to realize that even though the sets in the back half of the show were horrible, I never got to them. I eventually learned to pace a rehearsal for the good of the whole show rather than nitpick from the beginning.
    It is ideal to get into the habit of teaching and cleaning in two- or three-step progressions rather than doing one move at a time. Most of the time you can draw a line every three segments, such as a 32-, a 16-, and a 32-count move. Think of those three as one act, design them that way, teach them that way, produce them that way, and clean them that way. This helps string the show together in students’ minds.
    When designing drill, there is always room for a company front. When you’re producing, a company front could be 100 red flags or things that are proven to work. Young designers sometimes want to avoid those things because they want to be original, but the creativity of what you can do on a basic football field is somewhat limited by the stage and what the elements are.
    Show designers should use both forms and shapes. A form looks soft like a pillow, whereas a shape has power points around it, like if someone stuck a stick into the pillow and there is now a point. Power points are definition and provide clarity of shape. A lot of times when I go in to clean up a group, all I do is make the shapes more defined, and they look cleaner.
     Finally, giving students as much detail about production as possible helps them evaluate themselves and each other. If a student is playing too loud, another member of the section can remind that student that this section was supposed to be soft. If students know what they are supposed to do, they will usually do it.   
    Gary’s wife, Marie, is a co-founder of Winter Guard International and a member of the Bands of America Hall of Fame. Gary says, “Marie is an integral part of my company and my life. Every night we talk for several hours about our various creative projects, judging situations we have encountered, or what our friends and former students are doing. We wait to eat dinner until we have caught up on our personal and professional lives in this way. I respect her, and she respects me.  It makes for a good marriage.”

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