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Most of your time should be spent doing warm-up type exercises and technique work.
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BRASS & WOODWIND PLAYERS
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REMINDERS:
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Always practice with proper posture (feet flat, back straight, in a chair, with a music stand).
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Breathe through your mouth, NOT your nose.
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Always take a DEEP breath and push out with your stomach muscles. Wimpy breaths produce wimpy sounds.
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Remember that each note begins with at “T” and finishes with an “ah”: Tah each note! To stop the sound (i.e. for rests), simply stop the air... but don’t stop the air between notes or you’ll be suffering from ‘grade 7 syndrome’.
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A MINIMUM of 2 minutes each should be spent on the following:
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1. Tone production – play a scale of your choice using whole notes. Concentrate on keeping the note from wavering (going sharp and/or flat).
2. Dynamics – play a scale of your choice using whole notes played at a VERY slow tempo. Slowly crescendo on beats 1&2, then slowly decrescendo on beats 3&4.
3. Range expansion – Play a scale using a 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, etc. pattern. Work up to a 2-octave scale. Be patient; this takes time. Build your scale one note at a time, adding a new note perhaps every week or two.
4. Articulation (slurs, staccatos, accents, etc.) – Method book exercises or as assigned by the teacher.
5. Sight Reading - rhythms and melodies from your method book or other sources.
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PERCUSSIONISTS
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REMINDERS:
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Always practice with proper posture (standing or sitting at the appropriate distance from your instrument, with your instrument at the correct height for you, with a music stand).
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Breathe in time with your playing, especially the 'upbeat breath'
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Pull the sound out of the drum, rather than banging the sound into it; follow-through is as important as initial impact, if not more
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A MINIMUM of 2 minutes each should be spent on the following:
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1. Stick Handling – play alternating 8th notes (with a metronome)., followed by doubles (LLRR), triples (LLLRRR), paradidddles (RLRR LRLL) and, if you want to get fancy, double and triple paradiddles; the goal is for every hit to sound the same
2. Dynamics – practice increasing your dynamic range, using alternating 8th notes, rolls and other exercises; always play in the center of the drum, except for extreme pianissimo
3. Articulation (slurs, staccatos, accents, etc.) – Method book exercises or as assigned by the teacher.
4. Sight Reading - rhythms and melodies from your method book or other sources.
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PIANISTS & GUITARISTS
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REMINDERS:
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Always practice with proper posture (feet flat, back straight, in a chair, with a music stand)
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Breathe in time with your playing, especially the 'upbeat breath'
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Pull the sound out of the instrument, rather than hammering the sound into it; follow-through is as important as initial attack, if not more
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A MINIMUM of 2 minutes each should be spent on the following:
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1. Stretching Exercises - Stretch the spans between your fingers (without hurting yourself!) by playing two notes farther and farther apart (i.e. C-E, C-F, C-G, etc.)
2. Dynamics – play a scale of your choice using eighth notes at a slow tempo. Slowly crescendo on beats 1&2, then slowly decrescendo on beats 3&4. Pianists: this is also a good opportunity to practice your 321321 fingerings!
3. Chord Progressions & Scales - Choose a chord pattern or scale and figure it out in a given key; play it until it's comfortable in your fingers (challenge yourself with different positions and inversions!)
4. Articulation (slurs, staccatos, accents, etc.) – Method book exercises or as assigned by the teacher.
5. Sight Reading - rhythms and melodies from your method book or other sources.
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IMPORTANT!
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When working on actual music, you will be sorely tempted to play the parts you really like (and thus can play really well). Start by practicing the parts that give you the most trouble. Focus on very specific trouble spots. Practice them slowly, making sure to get everything right (rhythm, notes, dynamics, and articulation). Once you can play it properly, start to increase the tempo. Then you can spend some time on the stuff you already know how to play.
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