[Bbbell]

Well, I'm planning on trying our for an All-state band this year, so I was wondering if anyone had any tips for what to practice to help improve tone, technique, and sight-reading. Also, if you knew anything else that would help please post it.

Thanks.

 

[sinkdraiN]

Those are excellent questions to ask. And the person to ask is your private instructor who will know exactly what you need to focus on based on what he hears weekly.

If you do not have a teacher yet..."Now's the Time"

 

[Bbbell]

Hmmm...I guess I'll see about getting a private instructor, that would help a lot.

 

[Jonathan C.]

Help a lot? Help a lot? If you want to make the first cut to the all state band, a private lesson teacher is required. Pratice, Pratice, Pratice helps too. I really have no idea what grade your going into next year. But if your going to be a Freshman, then the expierence of trying out just for reigon will be completly new for you. Also if you haven't made an reigon band before. I would recomend concentrating on the one closest to you. So say you have to try out for reigon, concentrate on getting past that, and so on.

 

[DeltaBlues]

To me, sight-reading is the key.

Scales.......everybody should be well versed on those.

Prepared Piece.....everybody should be prepared on something that they picked out.

Sight-reading.....there are many different levels to this.

Play everything you can.

When I took lessons, my instructor went through scales. Check. I played my prepared piece. He said there was nothing he could do to improve on it. Therefore, all of my lessons involved my instructor putting music in front of me and playing it the best I could.

A few years later, I had to try out for band in college. The director put a book in front of me to sight-read. I asked him how much to play. He said play till you can't go any further. He stopped me after 6 pages and said that there was no need to go any further.

 

[sjz75]

Hmmm...I guess I'll see about getting a private instructor, that would help a lot.

Ahhh... the answer is yes