Page 9 - 2018-BMR-December
P. 9

Exploring the Process of Vertical Tuning










            internationally. While working with these groups, I spend  is bound to help the listening process overall. Of course,
            more time than ever trying to get students to do a bit  you should then switch roles so that the B players are on
            more vertical tuning, even with very little rehearsal time.  the melody and the A players are playing the Eb drone.
            (Which to say the least is always a bit of a challenge.)  Depending on the melody, you might also have the drone
            It can be done, but only with a bit of patience and a  be the 5th of the key or even sustain the root and the 5th.
            lot of persistence. My favorite comments from students  There are infinite combinations of drones that you might
            after honor band concerts usually have                            use to help students better listen for key
            something to do with the expectations of   Either way, the        centers and harmonies that effect their
            sound quality, blend and tuning during                            melodic material.
            rehearsals. Even though they often felt   bottom line is            The next step is to find a group
            overwhelmed by those expectations,      that the students         of students who are playing a melody
            they believed the work payed off when   playing the melody        or countermelody on top of a chord
            they experienced goosebumps during       are starting the         progression. For example, let’s say the
            the performance because of the sonority,   process of listening   saxes and horns are playing a glorious
            resonance  and  overtones  produced  by                           melody over the top of some wonderful
            the group.                              to the root of the        chords in the low brass/low woodwinds.
              One of the things I’m doing more and    key center on           Have the players listen to the chord
            more of these days is using an A and B   which their melody       progression and then actually hum
            format to separate the players in each   is based, which is       or sing the progression along with
            section. Let’s say, for example, that the   bound to help the     those who play it. At some point, the
            flutes are playing some melodic material                          melody folks should be able to hum the
            in the key of Eb Major. After dividing the   listening process    progression on their own and form the
            group into A and B players, I have the        overall.            chords themselves without the actual
            A folks play the actual written melody                            low brass/woodwinds playing. Have the
            while the B folks are sustaining an Eb Concert drone at  B players hum or sing the chord progression while the A
            the same time. (Note that you could also use an electronic  players are singing the melody. Switch roles like above so
            drone to help aid the B players.) While doing this, ask the  that everyone gets the same opportunities to develop their
            A players to relate what they’re playing in the melody to the  ears. Even if they can’t sing it perfectly, the resulting ear
            Eb Concert drone. Is the melody more Eb scalar or are their  training  will  go a long way towards getting  your  group
            outlines of chords in Eb major? You’ll be amazed at the  to the level of tuning, resonance and sonority that you’re
            difference in pitch awareness by the A players (and you’ll  looking for. Again, electronic drones during the singing
            probably hear them bring the pitch down). Of course, it’s  process will significantly aid the listening process.
            important that the B players holding out the Eb drone are   Now here’s the really good news! Since we don’t have
            keeping their pitch in tune to provide a solid foundation  lots of time in our rehearsals to do these kinds of things,
            for the A players, but at the same time, the B players  we need only pick a few places in each piece we’re playing
            should be listening to how the role of the Eb Concert might  to work these concepts. In other words, use only as needed
            change a bit as the melody goes in and out of Eb Major.  to get your group to the appropriate level of performance.
            Either  way,  the  bottom  line  is  that  the  students  playing  However, do not skip steps if your group needs to spend
            the melody are starting the process of listening to the root  more time developing listening skills. Probably the best
            of the key center on which their melody is based, which  thing we could do is use chorales to teach these listening


            Bandmasters Review • December 2018                7                            Texas Bandmasters Association
   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14