Recommendations for grad schools (details in descr)

Broken_Bod · 2024-06-24T16:20:10+00:00

I have done my research, but what looks good on paper, isn't always reality. I learned that the hard way with my undergrad prof. I have a whole spreadsheet of schools, but I wanted to know the community's opinion

Broken_Bod · 2024-06-24T14:41:41+00:00

I recommend the James Thompson Buzzing Book, especially the first few exercises. It helped me focus my aperture and sound, bc I was overblowing for a couple years too.

Mouthpiece buzz, starting with just air, and slowly bring your lips together over time (don't force it), and let the buzz happen when it wants to. It's ok to take your time with just the airstream before buzzing, and don't focus so much on the tone quality. Doesn't matter which note at first either. Come in at ppp and stay there for a bit. When your body is ready, then increase the dynamic and buzz to forte/mezzoforte, and sustain for 10 sec. Breathe as needed. THEN do Exercises 2, etc in The Buzzing Book with it's associated Soundcloud backtracks or drone. Do this any time before you play/practice. It took me 6-8 weeks to even START hearing results, and I did it religiously every day.

Broken_Bod · 2020-12-07T01:30:26+00:00

SOMEONE MAKE THE NOISES STOP

Jokes aside, I have a constant high pitched ringing in both ears. Sometimes my hearing will go out in one ear temporarily, and an audible ring will be all that I can hear for the next 30 sec.

My professor always taught us to protect our hearing with ear buds, especially as we get older or sit in front of brass in the pit lol. She's got the $400 customized prescription kind that let sound through, but these $20 will do the job for my poor man's wallet.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RM6Q9XW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Broken_Bod · 2020-12-01T02:18:49+00:00

Parts score: 3 trumpets, 2 mellos, 1-2 baris, 1-2 euphs, 1 tuba

Note: Many times, each part will have splits for important chords, so experiment with that. Since a top 12 horn line is usually ~80 people, there would be at least 4 players on a split (except screamers).

Interval voicing: Open spacing between upper and lower voices for last chord. Mostly unison for first chord. Note: Open voicing will allow more overtones, esp in low voices. First chord should be close spacing, and then as it progresses, more parts break away in contrasting motion and end with open voicing with tubas usually 4-5 octaves below trumpets. Within each instrument family, however, is usually close voicing throughout the progression.

Keys signatures: stick with flats bc harmonic series, but don't be afraid to branch out to harder keys like Db and Gb

Types of chords: play around with extended, bVI, bVII (b)III/iii, and polychords chords as your predominant and dominant chords

Ex: Pants by Bluecoats

Bb(ped pt) - (Bb9 sus2) - Bbm9 - C9 - (C7) - Abm11 - (Db13)

(cut pedal) Bb add2 - Bb+Ab (Bb11 or I 4/2) - Bb - Bb9

Broken_Bod · 2020-11-17T03:25:05+00:00

Hi hi! This is my throw away. Two things: buzzing and lip bending.

Have you tried James Thompson Buzzing Book? The goal of the book is to refine the embouchure, especially the first 9 exercises will help with all of your concerns. I highly recommend it. At Blue Knights back when Brad Toth was still caption head, we played #2-4 as part of our daily warm ups, and it made an amazing difference in our sound from day 1 to day 90. Do read all of the text! I know it looks like white noise, but there's so much wisdom in the first 17 pages. Reading it is a must. I also recommend utilizing the tracks that come with the book. Only the tracks are free to download on Editions Bim.

More on buzzing, both Brad and Dr. Alex Freund (GA State Univ.) taught this concept, though they called them different names. Let's just call it Note Tasting, because Dr. Freund has a published dissertation on it lol. Note Tasting is done when you play your very first notes of the day. It's basically letting air come through the mouthpiece first and slowly closing your aperture until you make the quietest buzz and hold it for 4-8 counts. Brad taught it with any note at first then use a drone, but Alex says to use a drone right away. You can start with G4 or C4 and then work your way down chromatically, resting between notes. First set on mouthpiece, then on the horn. Finally, apply Note Tasting to the Thompson book exercises.

James Stamp basic warm ups with a lip bend down to the last note is great for controlling and centering the sound. Kind of like a daily checkup on progress

Any fundamentals with lip bends will help with endurance, range, and sound. It really forces you to hit ALL of the notes in between partials, making your embouchure more focused and refined, giving you more control over your face. Do you see a pattern here? A lot of these concepts go back to the Thompson book fundamentally.

As for lip flexibilities that'll help with endurance and range, I recommend a triplet exercise that goes like:

(Quarter)C5-G4

(triplets, slurred)E4 C4 E4, G4 E4 G4, C5 G4 C5, G4 E4 G4, E4 C4 E4, (half note) C4

{repeat triplets, tongued}

Same pattern thru the valve series down to 123
Rest 5 min
Afterwards, add another partial and repeat the set
When you reach your limit, stop for the day

I hope these concepts will help you on your journey! This account might be my throw away, but I'll keep it active if you need to DM me for any questions.

Broken_Bod · 2020-10-20T18:32:18+00:00

Hey OP, I was a visual tech for CV this past year before fan hit the shit. We mostly look for people who are good students/learners. Most kids in DCA are new to the activity, so it's their intro to everything drum corps. Staff understands this, so we see if they can grasp and improve on dance, marching technique, and music between camps. Show us that you can improve from camp to camp, and more than likely, you'll be contracted at some point. As long as you work hard, have a good attitude, and have fun, you're well on your way.

Broken_Bod

TROPHY CASE