Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • April 2014
11
Creating “Instant” Memorized
Warm-Up Chords In Band or
Wind Ensemble Rehearsals
Gary St i th
An increasing number of
instrumental conductors believe
that the implementation of warm-
up exercises in rehearsal that do
not require the use of printed sheet
music prove especially beneficial.
The printed page, though usually
an obvious necessity, can prove to
be somewhat of a visual distraction
when the conductor is attempting
to get young musicians to truly use
their ears.
Listening for blend or balance
while playing scales in round
or canon form is a good way to
achieve this, though students can
often play these scales somewhat
mindlessly. Once his well-known
sequence is memorized, the use
of Ed Lisk’s
Circle of Fourths
is
significantly more effective and very
highly recommended. However, in
those August or early September
rehearsals when the
Circle
may not
yet be sufficiently entrenched in the
minds of the students, or during
festival weekend when a guest
conductor first takes the podium in
front of a newly assembled honor
band, the use of simple dictated
chord progressions can prove to
be an immediate and productive
alternative.
A strategy that I like to use in
the above situations is to dictate
a simple chord progression
utilizing
scale degrees
. In a very
short amount of time, the students
can be playing a rather simple
chord progression without any
sheet music, affording them the
opportunity to focus exclusively on
blend, balance, intonation or some
other critical element of music
making. Although a proponent of
the ultimate incorporation of solfeg
syllables in rehearsals, I have found
the introduction of
scale degrees
to
be more quickly understood and
immediately applicable.
It works like this:
During your pre-rehearsal
planning, create a simple Major
chord progression using 5, 6, or 7
chords. A simple one that I often
employ is the following:
I - ii6 - I 6/4 - V7 - I
Break the chords into four parts
or voices (i.e. soprano, alto, tenor,
bass) so that different instruments
can be assigned to each line
appropriately. For this particular
series of chords, those
progressive scale
degrees might
be as shown
to the right:
At the beginning of an early
September rehearsal (perhaps the
FIRST rehearsal of the year or of the
festival weekend), have the students
begin by playing a familiar major
scale. Bb or F Major are probably
the most common and effortless.
The suggested script might go
something like this:
“Let’s begin by playing a
unison F Major scale ascending
and descending in whole notes.
If you play a C or concert pitch
instrument such as flute, oboe,
bassoon, trombone, euphonium or
tuba, what scale will you play? (The
students answer ‘F’.) If you play
a Bb instrument such as clarinet,
bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, or
trumpet, what scale will you play?
(The students should respond with
‘G’.) If you play an Eb instrument
such as alto or baritone saxophone,
what scale will you play? (D) If you
play an F instrument, such as horn,
what scale do you get to play? (C).”
Lead the students through the
scale making sure to indicate
whether or not you wish them to
Soprano line 1 – 2 – 1 –(low)7– 1
Alto line 3 – 4 – 3 – 4 – 5
Tenor line 5 – 6 – 1 – 2 – 3
Bass line 1 – 4 – 5 – 5 – 1