Monthly Archives: October 2016

Does the Tongue Start the Note?

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Micah Everett

Articulation on brass instruments is a relatively simple affair, or at least it ought to be. I frequently admonish the young teachers in my methods classes to teach tonguing to beginning students not by using anatomical explanations of tongue placement, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alto Trombone, Articulation, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, Music, Music Education, Pedagogy, Playing Fundamentals, Teaching Low Brass, Tenor Trombone, Trombone, Tuba | Comments Off on Does the Tongue Start the Note?

Want to Understand Brass Instruments? Understand the Overtone Series!

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Micah Everett

The overtone series is an acoustic principle that is sometimes cursorily discussed in music theory and other music courses, but is often poorly understood even by musicians. The “short, short version” is that the pitch sounding when, say, an open … Continue reading →

Posted in Doubling, Music, Music Theory, Overtone Series, Pedagogy, Performing, Teaching Low Brass, The Low Brass Player's Guide to Doubling | Comments Off on Want to Understand Brass Instruments? Understand the Overtone Series!

The Utility of Clef Studies for Future Band Directors

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Micah Everett

The necessity of learning to read proficiently in tenor and alto clefs is a bane to many trombone players at the college and university level. In most countries the sheet music used for initial trombone instruction and performance is written … Continue reading →

Posted in Alto Trombone, Bass Trombone, Clef Studies, Euphonium, Higher Education, Low Brass Resources, Music, Music Education, Music Theory, Pedagogy, Performing, Score Reading, Sheet Music, Teaching Low Brass, Tenor Trombone, Trombone, Tuba | Comments Off on The Utility of Clef Studies for Future Band Directors