Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2012
24
individual player’s responsibility, although we must
first teach the concepts and continue to reinforce them
every day. These, when achieved, create the basic
“palette” of section sounds. The fourth and fifth rules
are more our responsibility. How we “mix” the colors
of the sections establishes our own
unique ensemble sound.
•
Rule one: make one note
sound the same from beginning to
end with a mature tone.
This sounds elemental but if you
think about the things that must hap-
pen just to get a clear note start on each
of the instruments you soon realize
it’s no easy task! Then you must figure
out how to describe it in the simplest
way so your students can achieve it.
This is a lifelong quest in itself!
•
Rule two: make two or more
notes sound the same to produce a
mature individual sound.
Now we’re deep into it. I like to
think what Judy Garland would have
sounded like singing the octave leap
at the beginning of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
if she had the vocal technique of Roseanne Barr. As
directors, we must first learn for ourselves what needs
to happen to make higher and lower notes sound the
same on each of the instruments and then effectively
communicate this to our students. What vowel sound/
shape needs to be created in the mouth when you
change from one note to another note? What changes
happen in air speed/shape from high to low? It’s not
as simple as pressing down the octave key! This is
another lifelong quest!
•
Rule three: match tone, pitch and energy
with others in your section to produce a mature
section sound.
I must admit that as a player I didn’t really start to
understand this until my senior year in college and
then only with the other person playing the same horn
part as me. I’m sure I was made aware of this by my
teachers but until then it didn’t click. We must keep
reminding our students to be aware
of the people in their section and
to actively listen side-to-side at all
times. This one concept, if properly
understood and achieved clears
up “noisy” sounding bands almost
immediately.
•
Rule four: match section
to section to produce a mature
ensemble sound.
Again, a simple sounding concept
but what does it sound like when
trumpets are really in balance with
trombones? Oboes with saxophones?
Lower octaves with upper octaves?
How we as directors respond to
these balance questions determines
our band’s ensemble sound. Some
directors like a darker, more unified
sound while others may prefer to hear each individual
section equally. This can and should change depending
on the pieces being played. Finding the right mix for
each piece can be yet another quest that can last a
lifetime!
• Rule five: Balance to the most important part.
Other than Rule Three, this is the most neglected
one of all. Who has the melody and can you hear it?
When you hear a band that is “noisy” or sounds like
a free-for-all is going on onstage, it’s probably because
the players have no understanding of their listening
and balance responsibilities. Once they are made
aware of their role in the music the ensemble sound
calms down and becomes clearer to the listener.
I encourage you to
l isten to as many
di fferent bands as
you can, especial ly
bands of the same
level as yours, and
especial ly i f you are
a young director.
F ind the groups that
get “that sound”
for you and ask the
directors i f you
can come watch a
rehearsal to see the
process they use to
teach their students.
Gett ing “That Sound”