Learning the Dreaded Enharmonics!

What are enharmonic notes? They are two notes that SOUND the same but are written differently. This seems odd and totally unnecessary but in order to understand, let's compare words in the English language to notes in the musical language.

For example, the words two, too, and to, all SOUND the same but are written different. You spell them according to how you use them. I have "two" cats. I went "to" the store. There are "too" many flies in the house! In the English language, you'd never say "I have 'to' cats." It's the wrong version of the word. However, all three versions of "to" SOUND the same. You only know the difference when put into context. Think of other words that sound the same but are spelled differently. Other examples include: their or there, son or sun, week or weak, break or brake, him or hymn, etc.

In music, notes that sound the same can also have two names, just like words. The reason for this is that note patterns are important to help read scales and musical patterns, just like word patterns help in reading sentences better.

Go online and find a picture of a piano keyboard that shows note names for both black and white keys. Type in "piano key images" into the search box and you'll find several to choose from. You should notice that all black keys have TWO note names.

The normal black key notes: 

• C-sharp = D-flat
• D-sharp = E-flat
• F-sharp = G-flat
• G-sharp = A-flat
• A-sharp = B-flat

The odd ducks (white keys with two note names): 

• E-sharp = F
• F-flat = E
• B-sharp = C
• C-flat = B

WHAT!? Why is it that white keys can have enharmonic names, too? As a reminder (or in case you didn't know), a sharp raises a note by one piano key (a half-step) and a flat lowers a note by one piano key (also a half-step). For example, look at an "E" (to the right of the group of two black keys). In order to go up a half-step (sharp the note), you must go to the next KEY. That key is called "F." So, "E-sharp" is the same note as "F." To do the reverse and flat "F," go down ONE piano key. This means that "F-flat" is the same as "E."

The same is true for "B" and "C" because there's no black key between those notes. "E" to "F" and "B" to "C" are considered natural half-steps because they are lacking a black key between them.

Remember earlier when I said that it's important to spell correctly in music like it is with words? In music, we learn to recognize everything based on patterns. Scales are patterns of notes that fit within different key signatures (a lesson for another day). When reading music, a performer learns to recognize the appropriate scale based on the notes in the musical passage. After awhile, a performer no longer has to look at every note because he/she begins to recognize the musical patterns within the music. To "spell" a scale correctly, it's important to use the correct version of the note. For example, an "F-sharp" and "G-flat" major scale are exactly the same scale. To the listener, they both sound the same. These scales are "enharmonic" with one another.

Why do you need to learn enharmonics? When reading a piece of music, it's much easier to know what note to play if you can remember that when you see "A-sharp" in one measure and then see it again as "B-flat" in the next measure (always this way in chromatic scales), they are the same fingering on your instrument.

Ways to practice learning enharmonics:

• Make flash cards of individual note names on the front. (E-flat, D-sharp, F-sharp, G-flat, etc). Each note gets it's own card. Write the fingering or enharmonic note name on the back. Go through the flashcards daily and put the notes you don't get right away back in the pile. Go through the flashcards until you can remember all of them quickly. Repeat until all enharmonics are solidly cemented in the brain.
• Practice filling in blank piano keyboards as a timed test. See how quickly you can label all of the notes.
• Practice chromatic scales (going both up and down) on your instrument. Notes are sharped on the way up and flatted on the way down. Read music while practicing this scale.
• Practice "F-Sharp" and "D-flat" Major scales. First, write out the note names only for each scale. Then, look at them on the staff.

As with all things in life, if you want to get better, practice. But, good practice will take patience and perseverance. There is no easy button for learning music.

Happy Practicing!

Band Olympics

Band Olympics

Has the potential of meeting ALL nine National Standards of Music Education (with additional mini-lessons as provided by teacher)

Grade level: Any and can be catered to specific needs of students or private studios

OBJECTIVE:     To teach basic fundamentals of music and playing a musical instrument (band, orchestra or private students). Fundamentals include note reading, rhythm, embouchure, fingerings, basic theory, sight reading, scales, and individual instrument information.

MATERIALS:    Fourteen “Hurdles” posted throughout the classroom and “Far Side” (by Gary Larson) characters (or other cartoon characters of class’ choosing).

·         Hurdles consist of pieces of paper taped (in order) around the classroom. On each piece of paper, the specific requirements for that level are written.

·         Each “character” should be no less than 9 inches tall but should be under 12 or 13 inches.

·         Photocopy characters to be at the right size. Have a coloring day in class so kids can personalize the characters.

·         Use contact paper to protect the finished character. Number each one and keep track of which student is what number. Students may help with this.

·         Poster board with all numbers listed in column “A” and levels listed across the top. The numbers represent each student. As a student finishes a level, he/she can put a sticker next to his/her number (under each hurdle) to show the level has been passed.

·         “Sticky Tack” or non-abrasive or gummy type substance that will allow characters to stick to the wall but not harm the wall.

·         Certificates for awards at the end of the year.

OBJECTIVE:     To teach students the basics of playing a musical instrument and to get the characters from hurdle #1 all the way through hurdle #14.

·         As students reach level 8 (or earlier if you choose), prizes are awarded (candy, pencils, reeds, valve oil, etc). Consider asking music stores (or parents/administrators) to donate to the fund to pay for prizes.

·         Some levels are done as a class and others must be done individually.

·         Students MAY NOT skip levels. They must do them in order.

·         In the event a class hurdle is passed (for example, a note name quiz), students may skip to that level ONLY when the previous levels have been accomplished.

·         The goal is to finish all levels by the end of the school year. The further along a student gets, the better the prize.

·         Award certificates for every student who completes Band Olympics at the final concert of the year.

·         Playing tests can be given as a class but again, students can’t go directly to that level unless they are already there. Students may put a sticker in the appropriate space (on the poster) but must leave character at the correct hurdle on the wall.

PROCEDURE:   Have packet prepared for each student that explains each level. Suggested levels for beginning students are as follows:

1.      Level ONE: Random five-note scale quiz. Long tones on five-note scale with good embouchure

2.      Level TWO: Demonstration of proper articulation (tongue contest or other game)

3.      Level THREE: Note name quiz! Group written test to be given as often as need-be. Students must be able to do one note per second to pass.

4.      Level FOUR: Clapping of rhythms (have a rhythm practice sheet of half notes, quarter notes, quarter rests, pairs of 8^th notes, and four 16^th notes)

5.      Level FIVE: Playing test time! Choose a piece of music that students must play with good tone, correct rhythm, and correct notes. They may NOT write in note names under notes.

6.      Level SIX: Enharmonics. Group written test to be given as often as need-be.

7.      Level SEVEN: Individual instrument warm-ups. Examples: low note exercises on clarinet and saxophone, playing in proper register for flute and brass (proper harmonics that match fingering), etc. Student must demonstrate good playing technique (embouchure, articulation, tone) to pass this level.

8.      Level EIGHT: Group written test on order of sharps and flats. Have class come up with their own slogans.

9.      Level NINE: Playing test time! Choose a piece of music (concert music?) Students must be graded on tone, right notes, tonguing, rhythm, and all other basics of playing their instrument correctly.

10.  Level TEN: Chromatic scales (one-octave slurred) with chromatic fingerings

11.  Level ELEVEN: More warm-ups for each instrument but on more advanced level. Example: lip slurs for flute/brass, going over the break for clarinet, etc.

12.  Level TWELVE: Playing test time! Choose another piece of music that specifically works on chromatic notes, more difficult rhythms, bigger instrument range, etc. This should be a final test and could easily be a specific solo for each instrument.

13.  Level THIRTEEN: F-sharp Major scale (slurred) with correct fingerings

14.  Level FOURTEEN: D-flat major scale (slurred) with correct fingerings

ASSESSMENT:  Assessment for Band Olympics is when each student can pass the proper hurdle. This is demonstrated through written test or performance.

CLOSURE:        Closure for this activity would be the awarding of certificates/grades for completing the various levels.

·         1^st place awards go to anyone who finishes ALL levels. 2^nd place awards go to any student finishing up to level THIRTEEN. 3^rd place awards go to any student who finishes up to level TWELVE.

·         In addition, grades for the end of the year can be partially based off of what level a student finishes. For example, to get an “A,” students must complete level THIRTEEN or FOURTEEN. For the grade of a “B,” a student must complete up through levels TEN to TWELVE. A grade of a “C,” a student must complete up through levels EIGHT to NINE.

Articulation on a Wind Instrument

Articulation is a fancy word for “tonguing” on a wind instrument. Because the tongue is a muscle, it needs to be worked and trained like any muscle. It often doesn’t behave in the manner that’s desired because the performer isn’t consistent enough in “practicing” tonguing exercises.

In the spirit of weight training, let’s look at the tongue like a body builder does with strengthening arm muscles. He/she will do several “reps” of a certain exercise and then take a break. Doing the same thing over and over only tires the muscles. As a wind instrumentalist, you’ll need to do exercises in the proper order.

Now… you’re ready for the steps:

• Tongue position DOES change in various registers so choose a note in the middle register. The tongue is in the easiest position for articulation to be successful. Keep jaw from moving and watch in the mirror to make sure that the embouchure stays as steady as a rock! Do this until it feels comfortable on a single note. Then, try it on other notes.
• Contest time! See how many times you can tongue a note in one breath. For every four tongues, put a mark on paper. (Have a parent help with this.) Add them up and multiply by four. This will give the total. Try to keep the speed steady and consistent. 
• Once you can do this on one note, add several more notes to the game.
• Practice ascending slow five-note scales (with a metronome set at about 60 or less) by tonguing four times on each note of the scale. Too many notes will tire the tongue out so DON’T do full scales yet!
• Continue tonguing four times per note on a five-note scale with increased speed. When you can get up to 112 per quarter note, you’re now ready to add more notes.
• Add one-octave scales and keep at same speed as you did with five-note scales.
• Begin again in the MIDDLE register of the instrument with a five-note scale and add simple rhythms. Set metronome at 60 per quarter and gradually speed up as tongue muscle gets more consistent.

a.      Rhythm #1 -- Two measures of 4/4 time on ONE note: quarter – eighth, eighth – quarter – eighth, eighth.

b.      Rhythm #2 – One measure of 4/4 time on ONE note: four eighths – half.

c.       Rhythm #3 – One measure of 4/4 time on ONE note: eighth, eighth – quarter – eighth, eighth – quarter.

•         Switch to cut-time and add full scales when tempo reaches quarter = 120. The above three rhythms then become regular articulation practice. Choose at least four one-octave scales per day.
•             In addition, each instrument has method books with various exercises that work the tongue. However, the key is to keep the exercises short. For example, if there is an entire page of tonguing, consider playing one line at a time with a measure of rest between each line. This will act as a “rep” in the same manner that a body builder will do so many sets of the same exercise with a break between.

A POINT TO REMEMBER: The tongue is a muscle. If you do the same thing over and over without giving it a rest, eventually it will rebel against you! This is why various repeated rhythmic patterns help build strength in the tongue muscle. Think of the various exercises as repetitions like a weight lifter does with “sets” of exercises.

"Fishy Things" (Scales) Brought to Life!

Scales are a necessary part of playing any musical instrument well. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but lack of playing scales and arpeggios results in poor technique. Like a body builder lifting weights, scales are “weights” for musicians. 


To practice scales, here are a few tips:

• Scales make up a good chunk of most music. If you practice scales “musically” minded, they will sound better when you actually play them in real music.
• Part of the goal in practicing scales is to try and make every note sound the same. Each note should have good tone quality. Listen carefully to “how” each note sounds.
• Always start slow. It’s better to practice slow and accurate than fast and sloppy.
• Slur! The reason for this is that finger “blips” will not show up when tonguing. This is the same for arpeggios.
• One octave scales are best for tone practice. Keep them slow so you can concentrate on tone quality.
• Play two-octave scales to build technique. Steady and accurate is the key here.
• ALWAYS play scales and arpeggios with a metronome. It doesn’t lie about tempos. Keep tempo slow until you’ve learned all scales. (The same with arpeggios.) 
• How do you choose the correct metronome speed? Take your slowest scale that you can play accurately. THAT is the tempo you should use for all your scales. Gradually add in other scales as you learn them.
• When practicing new scales, “work” them separately from already learned scales. Once the new scales are at the same speed as the other scales, add them into the scale warm-up routine.
• The goal is to eventually play all twelve major scales (and ultimately minors) at the SAME steady speed.
• Keep hands relaxed and fingers close to the instrument. The general rule of thumb is to not increase the metronome speed until fingers can stay relaxed through all scales.
• For other warm-ups and etudes, have a specific warm-up routine that involves areas that YOU need to work on.
• The basic warm-up routine should consist of long tones, tone studies, scales, arpeggios, articulation exercises, and possibly etudes (or other technical exercises)
• Consider adding sight reading into the warm-up. This will help with rhythm and learning music quicker.

Happy Practicing!

The Art of Practicing Correctly

Practicing a musical instrument is no different than working out in a gym or doing aerobics. Trainers tell a person that the key to building and toning muscles is consistency. Missing several days of lifting often means losing muscle mass.

What makes your hands move? The answer is muscles and tendons. They need to be “trained” just like a body builder needs to isolate and work specific muscles. It takes time and patience to get “six-pack abs” just like it takes time and patience to build good technique on a musical instrument. If practicing is not something that’s easy for you to do, consider the following tips.

Practice Tip #1: Most everyone watches television daily. Consider every time a commercial comes on, practicing a different warm-up for the entire set of commercials. For example - - commercial #1 = long tones. Commercial # 2 = scales, Commercial #3 = technical passages with a metronome, etc.

Practice Tip #2: Your metronome IS your friend! 

• Many smart phones have an app called “mobile metronome.” It’s free!
• When practicing a passage, set the metronome a click or two slower than you can play the passage comfortably. The key here is to have relaxed hands!
• Make sure to always practice technical passages with a metronome. Failure to do so will result in inaccuracy of rhythm.
• “Slow and accurate” is always better than “fast and sloppy.” Slow, consistent practice will eventually solidify a passage so fewer mistakes are made in performances.

Practice Tip #3: Consider people who lift weights. They start with small weights and do repetitions of ten to twenty (for several days). The same is true for training the fingers and hands. Take a musical passage, set the metronome at a slower pace where fingers will work, and then play the passage (correctly) for a certain amount of repetitions to “cement” the pattern into the fingers. Like a weight lifter, do this same pattern of repetition for a few days. Then, increase the speed slightly. This kind of practicing is boring (to most people) so consider this as one of the activities you do while watching a commercial.

Practice Tip #4: Practicing is not always fun! Many things in life require grueling work. The good things always come from hard work. If you think that you can get by with minimal practice, your lack of preparation could show up in performances. There’s a reason concert pianists practice eight-hours a day. They understand how consistency in the practice room makes for a better performance.

Practice Tip #5: The “art” of practicing takes patience and perseverance. Be patient with yourself and don’t try to go too fast, too soon. It’s more important HOW you practice than how LONG you practice. If practicing incorrectly, wrong notes and bad habits can be learned instead. It will then take extra time to undo what was incorrectly cemented into the hands. Good practicing will involve tone studies, scales, technical exercises, followed by pieces of music. Even rock and pop musicians can follow a set practice routine.  

In closing, if you want to get better on your instrument, you will need to practice consistently by using lots of patience and perseverance. And don’t forget that the metronome is your friend.

Breathing and Air Support Techniques

As with tone production, breathing requires use of the correct muscles. In order to use the proper muscles, a student will need to “practice” using them. This comes through playing long tones, scales, and long passages that help develop abdominal muscles. In addition, students will get a better sense of “how” to use the proper muscles by playing louder than what they are used to. This forces the muscles to work and not be lazy. Wimpy muscles produce wimpy tone.

In actuality, it takes more air pressure to play soft than it does loud. However, wind players struggle with learning how to play well softly. On the other hand, it’s easier to start by playing loud FIRST and learn to gradually get softer (via long tones).

P.S.I. stands for “pounds per square inch.” The muscles that are used to support the airstream require a high enough “P.S.I.” to keep the air spinning fast enough which in turn, supports the tone. Think of a garden hose that’s hooked up to a power washer. That stream of water could hurt someone! But, its intensity is often enough to clean a brick wall. Imagine how a higher P.S.I. of air could support tone quality? The higher the P.S.I. of air, the better supported the tone is. This then creates better tone.

Here are some pointers to practice learning how to use good air:

• The muscles that are used for supporting the air include ALL of the abdominal muscles (front, side, and back). Think of “abs of steel” like they use for workout sessions. These are the same muscles used in playing a wind instrument.
• Play slow, slurred scales LOUD! Make the abdominal muscles work!
• Practice lying down on your back and singing. Feel what muscles are working. These are the same muscles used with proper breathing and tone production on a wind instrument.
• Another fun practice technique is to hiss with pressure for as long as possible (but don’t pass out!). Create resistance and when you think the air is gone, push a little more. Do this as a breathing warm-up to remind your body what muscles need to be worked out.
• Do you run? If so, practice breathing in for four counts, then breathe out for four counts, while running. The footsteps can act as a metronome. If four counts are too quick, change to either 5 or 6 counts. This can also be done with walking.
• When working out in a gym, concentrate on exercises that specifically work the abdominal muscles.
• While playing your instrument, see how long you can play without taking a breath. When you feel the air is almost gone, push a little more. Then, breathe in from the bottom (gut) area and practice keeping the shoulders down.

Hints on Tone Production

When an audience listens to a musician, the first thing heard is the tone quality. Therefore, it’s important to practice GOOD tone quality. On a wind instrument, it’s all about breathing and embouchure.

NOTE: My belief is that in order to build a supportive air stream, it’s important to play with a fuller tone (generally louder) to build proper muscles. Here are some tips to help build good tone quality.

·         Start with LONG TONES. (5 minutes a day if possible) The process listed is from easiest to most difficult:

o   Begin playing a note in a comfortable register of your instrument. Play it as loud as possible (with a good tone) for as long as possible, trying to keep the sound steady (like a computer tone). Play at least six or seven notes and rest when the embouchure gets tired. BLOW!!!

o   Once you can play a steady tone with no waivers, begin adding dynamics to the long tone process. Start loud and gradually get as soft as you possibly can (until note fades away to nothing). The key here is to allow the sound to simply fade away.

o   The version that starts from soft to loud, then back to soft, is the most difficult and should be done last. Sneak in, crescendo to fortissimo, then decrescendo back to absolutely nothing!

·         Next, pick one-octave SLURRED scales (so you can hear finger blips). The idea is to focus on tone production and keeping the fingers relaxed. Try to play at least five slow-slurred-scales each practice session. (They key here is SLOW.)

o   Pick a register of your instrument that’s comfortable to play.

o   Play the scale as loud as possible (with a good tone).

o   Keep hands close to the instrument and relaxed!

o   Make sure the tone quality of each note is clear and not “honky” sounding.

·         Gravitate to two-octave scales that are played slightly faster. Scales are a part of every piece of music so begin practicing them like in a “musical” manner. However, it’s better to practice “slow and accurate” over “fast and sloppy.” The more you practice mistakes, the more you’ll have to play them correctly to undo those mistakes.

·         Choose pieces of music that are slow and don’t require technical practice.

o   The fewer leaps, the better (especially for younger students).

o   Many instruments have specific books designed for tone production. Ask your private teacher for suggestions.

o   While practicing slow and legato passages, make the main focus the quality of tone. Does the music match the quality of practice done with the long tones? What about the slow-slurred-scales?

o   The whole point is to begin with simple exercises and graduate to more difficult “warm-up” music so both embouchure and tone are the main focus.

·         Tone production exercises should be a part of every practice session! Scales are the easiest form of tone practice (if done with that in mind) because it’s easy to hear when the quality of tone changes from note to note.

My Favorite Practice Game!

A Practice Game: 5-Coin Trick

The “art” of practicing is truly an art. How many teachers simply tell a student to “go home and play a difficult passage twenty times!”? But, HOW are we supposed to practice?

Here’s a game that I use for students (all sizes and ages) where the mind is taken off the number of times a passage is played. What I usually tell a student is to choose a passage that needs “solidifying.” Pick a metronome speed (yes, your metronome IS your friend) that’s comfortable. Then begin the game.

• Pick anywhere from 5 to 10 objects (coins, pieces of candy that don’t roll around, rocks, etc). With this game, I tell young students to get the money or candy from a parent so when the practice session is done, they get to keep (or eat) their reward!
• Place at least 5 of the objects in the “neutral zone.” The neutral zone is in the middle (table, chair, the top of an instrument case, music stand, on the piano, etc.)
• There are three zones: 
• “I messed up!” zone (to the left),
•  “Neutral” zone (in the middle) and,
• “I played it right” zone (to the right).
• OBJECT OF THE GAME is to get ALL the objects to the “I played it right” zone.
• NOTE: if the passage needs lots of work, use more than five objects!
• RULES of the game: 
• You CANNOT have items in BOTH the “I played it right” and “I played it wrong” zones.
• Objects can only be in TWO zones at a time. The “neutral” zone is one of them.
• Play through the passage a few times to determine the best metronome speed with the least amount of mistakes.
• Start with ALL the objects in the neutral zone.
• Play the passage. 
• If the passage is played correctly, move an object to the right (“I played it right” zone).
• If the passage is played incorrectly, an object is moved to the left (“I played it wrong” zone).
• Remember that objects can only be in two zones: “Neutral” and “I played it right” or “neutral” and “I played it wrong” zones. 
• If a passage is played CORRECTLY and there are objects in the “I played it wrong” zone, move an object from the left to the “neutral” zone. 
• If a passage is played INCORRECTLY and there are objects in the “I played it right” zone, move an object from the right back to the “neutral” zone. 
• If a passage is played CORRECTLY and there are objects in the “neutral” and “I played it right” zones, another object is moved to the right. 
• If a passage is played INCORRECTLY and there are objects in the “neutral” and “I played it wrong” zones, another object is moved to the left.
• Play the game until ALL the objects are in the “I played it right” zone. 
• After they are all to the right, play the passage ONE MORE TIME. If a mistake is made on the final turn, an item has to be moved back to the “neutral” zone. It will take two more correct performances to get all the objects back in the “I played it right” zone.
• Upon completion of this mini-game, either move the metronome up ONE notch and start all over or move onto another passage. To keep from being frustrated, make sure the metronome speed is set at a speed to assure success. The key with this game is to “cement” the fingerings (and/or rhythms) into the hands and mind. This cannot be done without repetitive practice!

Don't cheat! Why a metronome? Because it doesn't lie and you need it to help you keep a steady beat. Failure to do so will set off the radar detector and the "note police" will start handing out speeding tickets.

Now, go practice! :) 

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