08 high brass pack

8/18/2019 08 High Brass Pack

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BRASS section

audition

packet

2008

high brass edition

Updated 10-13-07


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CAROLINA CROWN BRASS PROGRAM

-Table of Contents-

Musical Audition Information 1

Audition Recommendations 2

Equipment 3

Important Materials for Rehearsals 4

Get in Shape 5

Physical Fitness 5

Brass Technique Program 6

Posture 6

Moving & Playing Together 6

Step-outs 6

Air / Breathing Techniques 6

Embouchure Development 9

Singing 10

Long Tones 10

Lip Slurs / Flexibility Exercises 11

Style / Articulation 11

Volume 12

Pitch / Intonation 12

Balance and Blend 13

Bopping 14

Pedal Tones 14

Finger Technique 14

Music & Audition Comment Sheets


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227–A Main St. • Fort Mill, SC 29715 • [email protected] • www.carolinacrown.org (803).547.2270

”“Developing lifelong excellence in young people through a superior and challenging performing arts education experience”

Dear Brass Ensemble Candidate:

“Success is piece of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing youdid your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

- ohn Wooden –

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the Carolina Crown. This packet is full of important

information about the Carolina Crown Brass Technique Program and includes all of the necessary ensemble

exercises and audition materials. Read this information carefully and prepare the material to the best of your

ability before coming to camp.

We take great pride in our brass section. We look at the membership in Carolina Crown as a privilege and an

HONOR. There are many expectations and responsibilities that accompany this honor. The greatest

contribution one can make to the Crown brass ensemble is the willingness to sacrifice self-interest for the

benefit of the group. A “team” is only as strong as the loyalty of its members. The successful Crown member

internalizes and is accountable for some basic expectations:

1. A respect for the people that surround you

2. A trust in both the staff and members

3. A dedicated effort towards everything you do4. A desire to work hard

5. A commitment to excellence

These expectations, when rehearsed daily, can become part of a successful formula that leads towards your

membership in Carolina Crown and can be applicable to the rest of your day-to-day life.

As you look at both yourself and this upcoming drum corps season, make and keep promises and goals to both

yourself and others. Ask yourself, “What do I want to get out of this experience?” At the end of every

rehearsal, ask yourself, “What more could I have done to move better, play better, and make a bigger

difference? Am I doing whatever it takes to become the best that I can be?”

Goals should be high and attainable. Carolina Crown has a tradition of excellence, where standards grow each

year. Based on this tradition, you must take pride in who you are, and commit yourself to being a part of a

world class organization.

Once again, welcome – you have no idea of the pleasure we have in teaching you every day.

Sincerely,

The Carolina Crown Brass Staff


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1

audition information

Here is a statement that has been heard many times:

“There is no way I could be chosen for any drum corps, I am just not good enough.”

Our number one rule in this brass section is to not be afraid. Many talented individuals fail to audition

every year because they don’t believe themselves to be enough. Every position in every section is open

every year; past members will re-audition. The following are the requirements for becoming a member of

the Carolina Crown Brass Section:

TALENT: Your abilities on your instrument and your marching ability are very important in theselection process. It is equally important to see your development and improvement from camp to camp.

This criterion is set and judged by our instructional staff. You will first be asked to play one or two

exercises from this packet, so be sure to familiarize yourself with all exercises in this packet. NOTE: We

would like for you to mark time as you play these exercises. Your specific audition music is included in

this packet.

ATTENDANCE: All brass members MUST bring their personal calendar to all camps. Staffmembers will go over your calendars at each camp and help sort out any conflicts or give advice to all

students during the busy times in their schedules. Attendance is required at all rehearsals and

performances. Occasionally, school and family conflicts may arise. In order for an absence to be

“excused” it must be communicated at least one week in advance to Matt Harloff at mhharloff@avon-

schools.org and Ray Linkous at [email protected].

*All “NO CALL – NO SHOW” members will be removed from the brass ensemble roster.

ATTITUDE: As with any team sport, chemistry is very important towards success: the same is true forthe Carolina Crown Brass Section. Our brass section will be full of students who will do whatever it

takes to make the brass section great. It will be incredibly fun to be a part of this brass section as long as

100% of the members work as hard as they possibly can, are extremely positive, and support both thestaff, and more importantly, each other.

HEALTH: Being healthy is very important in drum corps. You must be physically capable ofwithstanding the requirements of rehearsals, performances and travel. If you have any questions about

the physical requirements of the program, please call our office.

FEES / TUITION: You account status will have a direct impact on your membership in the corps.Without fees and tuition, we would not be able to operate as a drum corps. In reality, fees make up just a

small portion of the total funds needed to run an organization of this size.

- It is ESSENTIAL that you keep your finances up to date if you expect to march! -

Always be mindful of your account, and never be afraid to call the Crown office if you have questions.Always get problems out in the open early rather than deal with them later. To do so will allow you more

time to assess the situation and figure out a solution.


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audition recommendations

BE PREPAREDPreparation is the key to all success. The more you prepare yourself, the better you will play at

your audition.

Find a practice routine that works for you and stick to it. If this habit continues throughout the

winter camps, you will be amazed with your growth as a musician.

Play for as many people as possible. Private instructors, Band Directors, and peers are all great

people to play for. Their suggestions and criticism can also be incredibly beneficial.

Your biggest and best critic will always be YOU. Record yourself and make notes; the recorder

never lies!!

Your audition music does not need to be memorized, however we will always encourage you to

go above and beyond what is asked of you.

DEALING WITH NERVOUSNESS

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience,but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -Martin Luther King-

The first thing you must understand is that being nervous is normal. Once you understand that, it becomes easier to deal with your nervousness. “Fighting” nervousness can bring about negative

physical effects; instead, strive to “embrace” nervous feelings and focus that energy in a positive

way.

Breath. Let go of your emotions and begin with deep breaths.

Whenever possible, “practice” dealing with your nervous feelings by placing yourself in high-

pressure situations. Play in front of as many people as possible and record yourself frequently:

give yourself only one chance to perform for the recorder and see what kind of results you

produce.

Always “visualize” yourself playing at your very best ability.

It is likely that you will play something in your audition that will not go quite the way you would

have liked. The manner in which you deal with those mistakes can be just as impressive as if

you had played your piece perfectly. ALWAYS keep going, DO NOT apologize for youraudition, and NEVER give excuses.

THE AUDITION ROOMBefore you enter the audition room, be certain that: 1) your instrument is in good working

condition and 2) you have all paperwork, including your personal calendar with you

Once you enter, hand your music and papers to one of the staff members and stand where

instructed.

Face your bell off to the side of the people listening to you.

Always ask questions if you do not understand something.

Play at your highest ability.

Once you are finished playing, there will be a short conversation between you and various

members of the brass staff. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask at this time.Before you leave the room you will be given a rating: I = Outstanding audition – your chances of

being in the brass section are very good; II = Very good audition – your chances of being in the

brass section are fair; III = You will have to make significant improvements before you will be

considered as a candidate for the brass ensemble.

Finally, the brass staff would like to stress that the audition process does NOT end after the audition

camp. Final decisions for the Crown Brass Section will start being made at the February Camp.

Preparation, improvement, attitude, attendance, section ranking, marching ability, and physical condition

will be the determining factors for awarding a spot in the group.


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equipment

The number of spots available in the brass section may change slightly from year to year, however, we

must be clear that every spot is open again each year. Returning members must demonstrate

improvement and continued effort to be considered for membership.

All students are required to possess a BERP and an AirMax Breather. Crown will make these items

available for purchase at a discounted price when you check-in at the camp.

•BERP $15

•AirMax Breather $8

TRUMPETS: Please bring your own trumpet to at least the first 2-3 camps. Corps trumpets will never be available for check out during the winter. You are responsible to bring your own mouthpiece to all

camps and to summer move-in.

MELLOPHONES: Whenever possible, bring an F Mellophone to at least the first 2-3 camps. Corpsinstruments will be available to you to check out after you have attended 3 camps and ONLY IF your

financial account is current. You are welcome to audition on a concert horn (you will need to bring you

own instrument), however you will be asked to perform on a marching mellophone at some point duringthe audition process. You are responsible to bring your own mouthpiece to all camps and to summer

move-in.

BARITONE / EUPHONIUM: If possible, bring an marching baritone to at least the first 2-3camps Corps instruments will be available to you to check out after you have attended 3 camps and

ONLY IF your financial account is current. You are welcome to audition on a concert euphonium or

trombone (you will need to bring you own instrument), however you will be asked to perform on a

marching baritone or euphonium at some point during the audition process. You are responsible to bring

your own mouthpiece to all camps and to summer move-in.

TUBAS: If possible, bring a marching tuba or sousaphone to the first to at least the first 2-3 camps.

Corps tubas will never be available for check out during the winter. You are welcome to audition on aconcert tuba - you will need to bring you own instrument. However, you will be asked to perform on a

marching tuba at some point during the audition process. You are responsible to bring your own

mouthpiece to all camps and to summer move-in.

mouthpiecesIn order to achieve the most uniform section sounds, we have selected the following mouthpieces for the

Carolina Crown Brass Section. You are not required to purchase these mouthpieces for the audition.

However, you MUST purchase the specified mouthpiece if you are selected to be a member of the 2007

brass line. Please check with the CrownStore (www.thecrownstore.com / 803-547-2270) to make your

purchase. *subject to availability

Trumpets: Bach 3C

Mellophones: Curry 1TF

Baritones: Dennis Wick 5BL

Euphoniums: Dennis Wick 4 ! AL

Tubas: Perantucci PT-50


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IMPORTANT REHEARSAL MATERIALS

Brass Ensemble members are responsible for having the following materials at ALLrehearsals:

THREE RING BINDER : This contains all music handouts in organized clear sheet

protectors. Any information you could possibly need should be in this binder.

PENCIL: Every brass ensemble member must have a pencil at all times. Notes should

be taken at every rehearsal, especially when rehearsing with the arrangers. WriteEVERYTHING down!

GLOVES: These must be worn when handling a Carolina Crown owned instrument.

You will go through many pairs of gloves during the season. It is important that yourgloves remain in good condition and are replaced as necessary. Gloves that are dirty or

contain holes are never acceptable.

BLACK TOWEL: Your Carolina Crown instrument is in one of three places at alltimes: in your hand, placed in the line on the ground, or in its case. The black towel isused to protect your instrument when placed on hard surfaces, especially when rehearsingoutdoors.

BASEBALL CAP: This will be worn when rehearsing outdoors. Hats are requiredto shade your face, your eyes, and your chops when rehearsing indoors, hats are optional.

TENNIS SHOES / TRAINERS: Movement will occur at all rehearsals and

therefore tennis shoes are required at all times. Sandals, shower shoes, flip-flops, etc. arenever acceptable.

CLOTHING: You must wear clothing that will allow you to perform excessive

movement such as sweats, shorts, t-shirts, etc. NO JEANS!!! Again, movement willoccur at all rehearsals.

TAPE RECORDERS: Recording is encouraged at all Crown rehearsals because itwill aid in your individual progress. In addition, tapes are REQUIRED for those brassensemble members who miss rehearsals.

WATER BOTTLES: Each brass ensemble member is required to have a water jug(no smaller than 1 gallon) beginning at move-in in June. These jugs must be present atall rehearsals.

BERP: BERPS can be purchased at camps (discounted price) for $15.

AIRMAX BREATHER : A tool used with breathing exercises, this item can be purchased at camps (discounted price) for $8.


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GET IN SHAPE

PHYSICAL FITNESS

Carolina Crown considers all members to be professional athletes. It has been proven that drum corps

members actually perform with a physical effort equal to a professional sports athlete. Every successful

professional athlete has a very strict off-season fitness plan; you must think of yourself in the same way.

It is imperative that all of our brass members be in excellent physical health. If you have, or have had,

heart problems, asthma difficulties, knee surgery or medical issues with your knee(s); or back problems,

this activity may not be for you. All members of the Carolina Crown Brass Section must be capable of

sustaining a high level of cardiovascular activity for extended periods of time. It is recommended that

you seek out a physical trainer to assist you with creating a physical fitness plan for yourself in an effort

to be in the best physical shape possible.


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Brass technique program

POSTURETo be the most efficient when playing and marching, the body should be in the most natural and upright

position. Improper posture can cause injury and negatively affect your brass playing. While playing your

brass instrument, your weight should be evenly distributed on both feet; your upper body weight should be lifted up from your waist (NOT leaning on the lower part of your back); your shoulders should be

relaxed; and your instrument bell angle is 10 degrees above parallel. The basic rules that apply to all hand

positions is that the hands are relaxed, finger tips are on the valves, valve casings are perpendicular to the

ground (except for the tubas), and your wrists are straight.

MOVING & PLAYING TOGETHERMarking-time will be used in all music rehearsals where we do not march drill. In the future the marching

technicians will go into further detail regarding the proper way to mark time. Some basic rules for

marking-time are as follows:

The initiation of the mark-time will be “one“ count or the “and” count (this depends on the tempo

of the exercise).The heels of your foot will hit the ground on all “down” beats.

Your heal will come up to your anklebone.

Your upper body must not bounce or sway while you mark time; it should look as if you are

standing still.

The success of the brass ensemble will be determined by how well you play and move at the same

time. The sooner you start adding movement to your playing, the better you and the section will

become.

STEP-OUTS In drum corps or marching band, you will find that nearly all timing & technique problems related to the

music or drill occur within the first two counts of a phrase or drill move. As an effort to tackle this

problem, step-outs were created. You simply take 2 steps in any direction (left foot, then right foot) at the

beginning of a musical phrase or during what would have been a drill move. You will take one step with

the left foot, and then bring your right foot to the left on the second count. On the next two counts, you

will go back to your original placement. You should vary the direction and step size taken so that you

may work on various areas of your marching technique while you play.

AIR & BREATHING TECHNIQUES A state of relaxation is a very important aspect of great ensemble brass playing. Students enter a

rehearsal in various states-of-mind. It is imperative that we formulate a common physical and emotional

point of reference when we begin a rehearsal. Physical stretches are very important in the process of

relaxing the body. One method is to roll the head forward, left, back, right, and then in reverse. This will

help assure that the neck muscles are loose and will not impede the flow of the air in the breathing process. A variation of this exercise would be to roll the shoulders forward and back, and then pull them

straight up (as if trying to touch the ears). Hold them in that position for approximately 3 seconds and

allow them to drop. Arm circles and upper body stretches are also excellent exercises to relax the body

before playing. After several repetitions the player should feel more relaxed and can then begin the

breathing process.


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Great breath control is an important key toward playing a wind instrument well. There are many

components involved with taking a proper breath, and many books and articles have been written on this

particular subject. To achieve clarity through simplicity, we prefer to keep the following concepts in

mind while playing:

To achieve maximum breath control, breathe deeply into the lungs. As the diaphragm (a strongdoughnut shaped muscle under the ribs) pulls downward, room is created for the expansion of the

lower back, abdomen, and ribs. Lastly, the chest should expand after the capacity of the lower

torso is reached. One should inhale to the point where the body feels relaxed and full of air.

Never try to take in to much air and go towards a state where the body is at an uncomfortable.

To maintain a state of relaxation, the shoulders and the upper back must not be tense so that the

breathing passage is never constricted while inhaling or exhaling. Keep the throat open so there

is no resistance or audible friction. The only sound accompanying the inhale should be a very

soft “hoe.”

Air NEVER stops while playing. Air is either going in or out. Be careful not to “cap” the breath.

Capping occurs when the air is stopped after inhalation. Visualize the lungs as a giant bellows

that is constantly expanding and contracting.

During exhalation there should be a feeling of total release in the upper body. The air shouldhave a warm, engulfing sound and texture. An exhalation should never be forced. As the air is

released through the horn, it should reflect the timbre of that particular instrument. Exhale to the

point where your body reaches a state that is similar to when you are resting. Never try to

squeeze out the last bit of air in the lungs. Simply take a fresh full inhale when you feel you are

about halfway towards being out of air. Maintaining a constant in & out sensation will result in

stronger air-support that will produce a beautiful tone and stable pitch.

Releases should be approached through the initiation of a short inhalation. Using the tongue or a

contraction of the throat and jaw should never be used to release a note. Simply breathing inward

on a predetermined count will create a defined release. A uniform timing of the breath will

ensure uniform timing of the release throughout the entire ensemble.

To create a seamless sound, we utilize a technique called stagger breathing. By staggering the

points of breathing throughout the ensemble we can create an impenetrable wall of air or tone.The basic rules of stagger breathing are:

• Never breathe on a bar line

• Never breathe between phrases

• When you take a breath, take a full breath

• When you breathe, leave notes out rather than playing a partial note value (except long

tones)

• Do not breathe when the person next to you takes a breath

• Sneak in and sneak out (to sneak out, get softer before you breathe and when coming

back in, start softer and crescendo back to the ensemble’s defined volume)

The timing of the breath is of the utmost importance. The breath will occur one count before the attack ofthe note. The “one count breath before the attack” rule does bend when the tempo changes (sometimes 2

counts when fast). Failure to utilize this technique will result in significant timing problems.

All air exercises, technique exercises, and show music are performed with the instrument in the correct

playing position while using the correct playing embouchure. As the air is blown through the instrument,

the player should use different valve combinations. To force the performer to use more air in their

playing, many times we will have the player press the valves half way down to create more resistance. In

regards to airspeed, there SHOULD BE a difference in the air based on the range that is being played:


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faster air for the higher notes, and slower air for the lower notes. There is also a difference when the

player changes volumes: more air for the lower notes and less air for the softer notes. Air exercises

should have different volume levels as well as different ranges. A key point is to always have consistent,

MOVING air.

Breathe and play. THE TIMING STARTS WITH THE BREATH! In other words, if we are to play

together on beat one, we all need to take a full breath on beat four.

Whenever an attack is early, it can usually be traced back to improper or poorly timed breathing. Late

attacks typically result from “capped breaths” (stopped air between in and out) or poor timing. The

performer must ALWAYS breathe and play with his or her feet to stay in time with the ensemble.

DO NOT:

Close the jaw upon the release

Choke the air with your glottis (closing your throat)

Use your tongue to stop a note (this can be detected 100 yards away!)

A clean release will ring for a moment even after the air has been released. Strive to make the note ring!

BREATHING EXERCIZES

While performing the following exercises, the player should be concerned with filling up his or her lungs

completely while maintaining relaxation. In normal everyday situations, humans use about 20-25% of

their lung capacity. In playing a wind instrument, we strive to push that towards 90%.

Proper use of the diaphragm should allow an outward expansion of the midsection of the body. This is

easiest to see in the stomach area, but the expansion should also be felt in the sides as well as the back.

Once the lung capacity is full, the focus should switch toward releasing all of the air out. It is important

to completely empty the lungs because the lungs will start to store carbon dioxide. If the air is not

released to it’s natural point, this carbon dioxide will build up and begin to decrease the player’s lung

capacity, causing unnecessary stress, tension, dizziness, and exhaustion.

When you begin these exercises, take in as much air as possible, and then release ALL of the air through

the horn (again, this is essential). You should concentrate on taking ALL of the counts to perform each

portion of the exercise. If four counts are given to take in air, the player should take all four counts to do

so, then turn the air around, moving it out. This will take away any dead time that is similar to holding

your breath. There should be no hitch in the breathing process. This will give the player the greatest

efficiency with regards to the use of air when playing.

These exercises should be done with and without the instrument. In both cases, relaxation is a key factor

towards producing a proper air-stream; the avoidance of tension will allow for a more effective use of the

air-stream. It is important with all of these exercises that you try to imitate the way you play in a

performance situation as closely as possible. Simply playing through the exercises without a thought ofapplication is not effective and will form bad habits.

There are many different kinds of breathing exercises and devices that we will utilize throughout

the winter and summer such as: sizzling, AirMax Breathers, and various applications with and without the

mouthpiece. All exercises will develop and improve your air support.


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EMBOUCHURE DEVELOPMENT

Most professional brass musicians practice with the mouthpiece on a regular basis. The benefits of

mouthpiece buzzing include: being able to isolate embouchure and tone production problems; improved

aural skills; and less lip fatigue (the exercises are easier to produce without the brass instrument’s

resistance).

The first notes we will play every day will usually be on the mouthpiece. There will be much attention placed on how you produce that sound and its overall quality. The mouthpiece, embouchure, and air

support combine to create the true instrument; the tubing of the brass instrument merely resonates your

buzz. The quality of the sound on the mouthpiece directly correlates to the player’s tone quality when the

mouthpiece is added to the instrument. Therefore, developing a dark and resonant sound on the

mouthpiece should be a priority for all brass players.

There are numerous articles written about embouchure development for each of the instruments. We

strongly recommend that you find and research these articles so that you may apply the information to

your specific instrument. You should also continue to reinforce the embouchure work that you may have

done with your private lesson instructor.

There are some basic embouchure rules that can be applied to all brass players:

The corners of the mouth need to be firm and strong with a comfortably set.

The mouthpiece should be placed as close to perpendicular on the lips as possible - not too

upstream or downstream.

Both lips should have enough flesh on the mouthpiece to allow for a full, robust buzz.

Always bring the mouthpiece to the same place on your lips.

The jaw should always be open - especially in the lower register.

The teeth are apart.

The mouthpiece should be held with your non-dominant hand, palm facing out, with the shank of the

mouthpiece in between your middle and ring finger. This method of holding your mouthpiece will force

you to use very little pressure against your embouchure. If the lips are buzzing freely, a full mouthpiece-sound will result. Again, be certain that the corners are locked and there is always excellent breath

support. When buzzing, there should always be a dark, open “Oh” sound. If the sound is bright and

tinny, open your jaw more, and firm up the corners. Be sure to check that the mouthpiece is not forced

against your lips.

In addition to warm-up exercises, mouthpiece playing will help improve accuracy discrepancies in the

show music. Every player in the ensemble should be able to play any part of the show music on his or her

mouthpiece.

TO SLIDE OR NOT TO SLIDE ON THE MOUTHPIECE

When playing flexibility exercises on the mouthpiece, target the exact pitch. Sliding will cause intonation

problems as everyone “jockeys” for position on the correct pitch. Sliding also causes serious timing problems because players arrive at the pitch at different times.

When practicing on your own, or even during a warm down, we DO recommend sliding as a technique to

regain true flexibility and to allow the corners of the mouth to relax. When we have 60+ players trying to

play together, we need to “nail” every pitch with no sliding.

Many of you may be asking yourself, “How do I play large interval leaps without sliding?” The answer is

easy: AIR VELOCITY and tongue elevation while buzzing in the mouthpiece.


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In other words, if a player’s air moves at 50 mph for a middle “C”, it should move at 100 mph for a high

“C.” Every pitch should have a specific air velocity that will help you find the pitch-center rapidly and

efficiently. On the other side of this concept, do not slow down the air too much in the lower range, as

the pitch will go flat and the tone will be thin.

FOGHORN – AN EXTENSION OF THE MOUTHPIECE

“Foghorn” is an exercise that involves removing the tuning-slide of a brass instrument and inserting onlyone end of the slide back in. The difference between the foghorn and the mouthpiece is that with foghorn,

there is more resistance and there are breaks between ranges. For example, going from a lower pitch to a

middle pitch, you go through a break (similar to a slur). The following rules apply to foghorn:

Breath attacks are used

Define the pitch you will play – every instrument will be different

Try to match that pitch every time you come back to it

Work to minimize any “shaking” in the sound

Work to minimize any “air-in-the-sound” with regards to your tone quality

Use as much air as possible – you should play at a solid forte level at all times

No pressure should be placed on the embouchure

BERP

The Buzz Extension and Resistance Piece (BERP) is another tool used in development of tone and

embouchure. The BERP allows the brass performer to work with a high level of resistance during the

movement rehearsals.

SINGING

Singing is a wonderful tool for developing great ensemble tone quality and intonation. The brass section

will sing frequently, and we will have a very serious approach to the technique of singing. The resonance

and breath support necessary for singing are quite similar to proper brass playing. When singing, we use

the “radio announcer” voice, the voice that seems to project a great distance. The following are

guidelines for all singing exercises:

The throat should be open

The same approach to breathing, air support, and direction of air will be enforced in singing as in

our instrument playing

Everyone should always be listening to match the pitch

We will use different vowel sounds, including humming

We will always be checking the pitch before and after we have sung

We will work on and be able to sing everything in the technique book, chorales, and show music

LONG TONES

There are several benefits from playing long tones everyday. Along with mouthpiece work, this allows

the muscles in your face to loosen up and helps you to become comfortable with the instrument.

Primarily, this is an opportunity for the player to concentrate solely on tone quality, breath support, andintonation. Without the distraction of rhythms and notes, the player can focus on playing in tone with

his/her section and throughout the ensemble. Long tones are essential toward establishing a solid center

of pitch for the warm-up. Balance and blend are key factors to this portion of the warm-up. Players

should be listening for intonation, blend of tone, intensity, as well as quality of sound. Our long tone

exercises consist of 9, 7, or 13 count tones going down in half steps and/or Remington studies.


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LIP SLURS / FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES

Lip slurs play a huge part in the development of any brass player’s flexibility. The ability to move fluidly

from partial to partial while maintaining accurate pitch is essential. Providing a consistent air stream

throughout the musical line will allow the player to attain this fluidity. The exercise should not be

thought of merely as an exercise, rather as a musical phrase. Each musical line should have purpose,

movement, and arrive at a destination.

STYLE & ARTICULATION

Articulation should be executed with no explosion in the attack. Every note should be started with the

sound “dAAh” in mind (notice the lowercase d and uppercase A). Each player should strive for less

tongue in the sound and focus on providing more tone. Close to 90% of an attack is the air and only 10%

is the tongue. THE AIR STREAM SETS THE BUZZ INTO ACTION, NOT THE TONGUE!

LEGATO TONGUING

When tonguing in a legato style, the air is virtually unbroken as the tongue plays each note like a soft

paintbrush. Be mindful to keep the tongue moving fast; do not “chew” the notes.

STACCATO TONGUING

Remember, staccato does not always mean short!!! It means separated or detached. To produce a goodstaccato, keep the air stream supported and create perfect blocks of sound: each block identically

matching the one that preceded it.

Make sure that the tongue starts every note, but does not finish it. Otherwise, a “DIT” articulation will

result. Remember to keep every articulation an open-ended, even staccato.

MARCATO TONGUING

This style lies between the staccato and legato articulations. It can best be explained as a sustained

staccato with only a small bit of separation between notes.

STYLE EXERCISES

By isolating a particular style, the player can maximize his or her practice time by supplementing themusic with style exercises. Rhythmic integrity is a primary focus with style exercises. The correct

interpretation of each style begins with rhythmic accuracy. From there, note duration and articulation

clarify the intent of the music.

ARTICULATION EXERCISES

Articulation exercises are an integral part of developing the relationship between the tongue and the air

stream. It is important to understand that the tongue cannot articulate properly if there is not enough air

support. These exercises are intended to develop a consistent and clear approach to the motion and speed

of the tongue and air. It is also important to know that the clarity of the articulation should not be affected

by tempo, technique, note length, volume, or range. The only time an articulation will change is when the

style being played changes.


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12

VOLUMEPower and quantity of sound are trademarks of great brass ensembles. This type of playing

requires a constant monitoring of the player’s quality and intonation. The key to playing loud isrelaxation. An ugly, “spread” tone is often the result of tension and forced breathing. You must

stay “open” to maximize the amount of air involved during the inhalation to produce a large andflowing “fff “exhale. The corners of the mouth must be kept firm to support the large volume of

air pouring through the aperture. Visualize the lips wrapping around the air stream when playingat fuller dynamic levels. Great care should be taken through the building of volume over a given

period of time. Playing loud with a round, beautiful sound is a goal that will require greatconcentration over a long period of time.

PITCH & INTONATION“It is not whether the instrument is built in tune, but if it can be played in tune.”

All brass instruments have various inherent intonation deficiencies. As a brass ensemble, we

need to be aware of what deficiencies exist, and how we can correct them with our playing. We

build our system of tuning through the matching of overtones, which are by definition, never outof tune. Overtones will ring when the pitches coming out of the horns are in tune. For example,when the baritone section “locks in” on and open “Bb”, usually the “F” above can be heard quite

clearly even though there are no performers playing it.

There are also many natural intonation deficiencies when dealing with the structure of chords.The following is a list of intervals (from the root of the chord) and the natural pitch tendencies

each interval has:

INTERVAL HOW TO ADJUST IN CENTS

Unison 0

Minor Second raise 11.73

Major Second

raise 3.91

Minor Third raise 15.64

Major Third lower 13.68

Perfect Fourth lower 1.95

Tritone raise 3

Perfect Fifth raise 1.95

Minor Sixth raise 13.68

Major Sixth lower 15.64

Minor Seventh Lower 3.91

Dominant Seventh lower 31.17

Major Seventh lower 11.73

Octave

0

As all of the voices become more in tune with each other, entire chords can be heard ringing

above the brass ensemble. In addition to working with a tuner every day, our singing,mouthpiece, long tone, and relative pitch exercises will help you develop your ears for tuning

chords and unison notes. We strongly recommend investing in a good tuner and practicing withit on a regularly.


16/28

13

CHORD PROGRESSIONS

Chord progressions are an integral part of every brass player’s daily routine. As we play throughthese progressions, be aware of all of the notes changing around you. For example:

If you play the same note in two different chords, you almost always have to do something

different to the note to keep it in tune:

Recognize what part of the chord you are playing. Is it the root? Or the third?Listen with “big ears.” Know all of the parts and how your part fits into the ensemble.

Crescendo the moving lines (especially the descending passages).

BALANCE & BLENDThe first criterion toward achieving great balance and blend is perfect intonation. If one note in achord is played out of tune, then balance cannot be achieved properly. The second criterion is

always know who has the moving line, and who has the melody. This is achieved by keepingyour ears aware of the parts being played around you. The third criterion is a combination of

balance, support, and playing in soloistically. Each part in an ensemble is unique in its own way.We as good brass players know when to support a given line, create balance within that line, or

project an important line with a full supported sound.

When trying to achieve good balance and blend:

Ask yourself, “am I in tune with the ensemble?” First listen to intonation in your section, then branch out to other sections, always keeping in mind that you should listen down to the bass

voice.If you are supporting a moving line, ask yourself, “am I playing louder than that line?

Finally, ask yourself, “am I playing within the other sounds, balancing my sound against it with arich, supported, full bodied tone?”

Balance and Blend requires the performer to listen very closely. There are 3 levels of listening

required if you are to become a greatly balanced brass section:

Level One Listening focuses on the sounds, volume, style, etc of his or herself. Self-awareness is an important key toward higher level playing.Level Two Listening focuses on the sounds, volume, style, etc of the other members in

each respective section.Level Three Listening focuses on the sounds, volume, style, etc of all instruments in the

ensemble.


17/28

14

BOPPINGBopping is a technique that is used to improve timing and perfect uniform articulation and tone

production. Bopping is executed by reducing every note down to a staccato eighth note.

Additional rules to bopping are as follows:

Everything is performed at the dynamic of p (piano).Slurred passages are played full duration to the end of the slur.

Tied notes are not to be played.

Make sure the throat is open and relaxed. No “Dit” articulation should be heard. Only “dAAh.”Keep all notes open-ended.

PEDAL TONESPedal tones are an important part of our brass program and should be a part of every brass

player’s daily ritual. When playing pedals, listen carefully to the pitch, especially to F, E, Eb, D,

and Db. These notes do not actually exist and you need to “push” them down as you play them.Once you hit pedal C and downward to F#, they will be flat. This occurs because these notes arein the overtone series of your instrument. Make sure that your corners stay somewhat firm in the

pedal register.

The effective use of pedals in your warm-down and practice routine will:

Soothe your embouchureProvide greater command of your instrument

Aid your attack confidenceDevelop better lip vibration

Create a bigger sound in all registersDevelop endurance

FINGER TECHNIQUEWhen playing fast passages, we recommend pressing the valves down with authority, while

keeping a relaxed feel in the wrists and fingers. Do not lose control of the valve on the way backup. The fingers should be rounded and the tips should press the valve straight up and down. If a

player pushes the valves on an angle, the valves will stick and make technical passagesunplayable.


18/28

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Carolina Crown Brass Program

AIR9 Count

7 Count

Important Rules in Ensemble Breathing

Deep Full Breaths No Shallow Breaths Air is going In or Out - One Motion

Support to the release

13 Count

Use a full count to breathe Release by taking a short breath in

Always move your feet

12 Count

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Expand outwards, NOT upwards STAY RELAXED


19/28

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Carolina Crown Flexibility Exercises

High Brass

G Low C G C Low C

2 Note Lip Slur

Zorro 1

3 Note Lip Slur

4 Note Lip Slur

Zorro 2

Quarter Notes Low Quarter Notes High

Eighth Notes Low

Eighth Notes High

NOTES

Every double bar is a step out

All exercises go down 3 half steps and b


20/28

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21/28

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Stagger Breathing Exercises

Unison Exercise

Ensemble ExercisesMembers will be numbered 1, 2 or 3. You will take a breath with

the proper stagger breathing technique on or near the count shown

16 count tone

24 count tone

32 count tone

air attack

1 2 3 1 2

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1


22/28


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24/28

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Carolina Crown



Stagger Breathing Exercises

Unison Exercise

Ensemble ExercisesMembers will be numbered 1, 2 or 3. You will take a breath with

the proper stagger breathing technique on or near the count shown

16 count tone

24 count tone

32 count tone

air attack

1 2 3 1 2

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1


25/28


26/28

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27/28

Name: ________________________ Email: ____________________________________

Age: _________________________ School: ___________________________________

(PLEASE CIRCLE YOUR INSTRUMENT)

TRUMPET MELLOPHONE BARITONE EUPHONIUM TUBA

Excellent Average Poor

Posture: 1 2 3 4 5

Embouchure: 1 2 3 4 5

Breathing: 1 2 3 4 5

Tone Quality: 1 2 3 4 5

Range: 1 2 3 4 5

Articulation & Style: 1 2 3 4 5

Flexibility: 1 2 3 4 5

Musicality: 1 2 3 4 5

Feet: 1 2 3 4 5

Overall Comments:

Member Rating: I II III

Receiving a I or a II does not guarantee a spot in the Crown Brass Section, but serves as an invitation to attend

the camps in December and January. Final decisions will start to be made at the conclusion of the FebruaryCamp.

We appreciate your interest in the Carolina Crown.


28/28

Name: ________________________ Email: ____________________________________

Age: _________________________ School: ___________________________________

(PLEASE CIRCLE YOUR INSTRUMENT)

TRUMPET MELLOPHONE BARITONE EUPHONIUM TUBA

Excellent Average Poor

Posture: 1 2 3 4 5

Embouchure: 1 2 3 4 5

Breathing: 1 2 3 4 5

Tone Quality: 1 2 3 4 5

Range: 1 2 3 4 5

Articulation & Style: 1 2 3 4 5

Flexibility: 1 2 3 4 5

Musicality: 1 2 3 4 5

Feet: 1 2 3 4 5

Overall Comments:

Member Rating: I II III

Receiving a I or a II does not guarantee a spot in the Crown Brass Section, but serves as an invitation to attend

the camps in December and January. Final decisions will start to be made at the conclusion of the FebruaryCamp.

08 high brass pack

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