Band Concert Band - Grade
2
SKU: CF.YPS105
Warm-Ups and
Fundamentals.
Composed by Larry Clark.
Collate - FS SWS - spine:
3/4 or .75. Young
Performance Series. Set
of Score and Parts. With
Standard notation.
16+4+8+8+4+10+4+4+8+8+8+1
2+4+6+2+2+4+2+20 pages.
Duration 2 minutes, 53
seconds. Carl Fischer
Music #YPS105. Published
by Carl Fischer Music
(CF.YPS105).
ISBN
9780825884870. UPC:
798408084875. 9 x 12
inches. Key: Bb
major.
Based on our
popular New Bennett Band
Book series, we have
compiled march-style
warm-ups in a separate
publication so they may
be used by all bands
wishing to learn from
them. These innovative
warm-ups and fundamental
drills are the ultimate
method of teaching and
reinforcing the March
style.
How To Use the
March Warm-upsPlaying in
a march style can present
difficulties for young
students. The most
prevalent problem is that
students have a tendency
to play every note too
short. Conversely,
accented notes are
usually played
incorrectly with too much
tongue. Do marches
contain short notes?
Absolutely, but these
shortest of notes should
be reserved for notes
that precede an accent or
notes that are
specifically marked with
a staccato. Think of
unmarked notes as being
separated, but not short
and certainly not clipped
or stopped with the
tongue. Accented notes
should be played with
more weight using air and
more length, and not just
a harder tongue. Accents
are given to show
emphasis to a note and
should be thought of in
this manner.The warm-up
exercises provided in
this collection should
give you many
opportunities to stress
the above-mentioned
comments on march
performance style. The
following gives an
explanation on the
purpose and use of each
of these exercises.No. 1
– Basic Chords and
ModulationsOne of the
challenges of playing
marches with young
students is successfully
performing the key change
at the Trio. This
exercise presents the
three basic chords
(tonic, subdominant and
dominant) in each of the
three keys in this
collection of marches.
You can also use this
exercise to teach and
reinforce the style of
accented notes. You may
want to have your band
play major scales in
succession by fourths to
reinforce the concept of
modulation to the
subdominant that occurs
at the Trio (i.e. the
B≤-major scale,
then the E≤-major
scale, then the
A≤-major scale). I
might suggest getting the
students to try
continuing the pattern
all the way around the
circle of fourths.No. 2
– March Style in
B≤ MajorThis
exercise contains many
opportunities to teach
and reinforce the
difference between
staccato and accented
notes. The melody voices
move up and down the
B≤-major scale,
while other instruments
play chords commonly
found in the marches in
this collection. These
include diminished
chords, secondary
dominant chords (i.e. the
V of the V) and other
common chromatic chords
that Fillmore often
used.No. 3 –
Cakewalk Rhythm in
B≤ MajorThe simple
syncopated rhythm in this
exercise is common to
many marches. This drill
gives you the opportunity
to teach/ reinforce the
standard ar-ticulation
and natural accent of
this rhythmic pattern.
Again, this exercise uses
an ascending and
descending major-scale
pattern as the melodic
basis, accompanied by
chords commonly found in
American- style
marches.No. 4 –
The March Scale in
B≤ MajorI call this
exercise “The March
Scale,†because
often in marches (and
especially in these
marches) the descending
half-step is part of the
melodic material. These
chromatic figures give
the melodies of many
marches their charm and
flow. Thus, I devised
this exercise and others
like it in E≤ major
and A≤ major to
familiarize students with
these patterns. I would
suggest playing the
pattern in a variety of
ways different from what
is written. Here are some
other
possibilities:•
Tongue one, slur
three• Slur two,
tongue two• Tongue
two, slur two•
Tongue one, slur two,
tongue oneGradually
increase the tempo to the
march tempo and the
articulation style will
fall right into
place.Another important
consideration is the
performance of the bass
line and the bass-drum
part. Too often, the bass
drum and bass instruments
play their parts with
equal emphasis on both
beats in the measure.
This is incorrect, and
frequently makes the
marchNo. 5 – March
Style in E≤
MajorThis is a similar to
exercise No. 2, but with
a different rhythmic
pattern. Emphasize the
difference between
accented and unaccented
notes. Also, play the
exercise with line
direction moving the
musical line forward.
Experiment and play the
exercise with different
dynamic choices and with
hairpins up and down in
different ways.No. 6
– More March Style
in E≤ MajorExercise
No. 6 comprises more
rhythmic patterns and
harmonic materials in
E≤ major to teach
and reinforce the march
style. This exercise
em-phasizes the
sixteenth-note rhythm, as
notated in the third
measure of the exercise.
Young stu- dents have a
tendency to
“crush†the
sixteenths; consequently,
they lack clarity. It
would be a good idea to
work this rhythmic figure
on a scale pattern with
all of the instruments in
the band as an additional
warm-up exercise.No. 7
– The March Scale
in E≤ MajorSee the
information for No. 4 and
apply it to this
exercise. Use all of the
various articulations
described above as
well.No. 8 – March
Style in A≤
MajorSee the information
for No. 2 and apply it to
this exercise.No. 9
– Cakewalk Rhythm
in A≤ MajorSee the
information for No. 3 and
apply it to this
exercise.No. 10 –
The March Scale in
A≤ MajorSee the
information for No. 4 and
apply it to this
exercise.Other Ideas for
March PerformanceA
rehearsal practice that
has worked very well for
me is to start out by
having the band play the
march very slowly at
about Å’ = 60 in a
chorale/legato style. The
slow tempo is a fine
opportunity to work on
clarity of harmonic move-
ment and to work on the
balance and blend of the
tutti band sound. This
will pay great dividends
toward improving the
sound of your band.
Gradually increase the
tempo to the march tempo
and the articulation
style will fall right
into place.Another
important consideration
is the performance of the
bass line and the
bass-drum part. Too
often, the bass drum and
bass instruments play
their parts with equal
emphasis on both beats in
the measure. This is
incorrect, and frequently
makes the march.