FOUNDATIONS

About FOUNDATIONS:

 

 

     The group warm up is an important part of the developing band rehearsal. The exercises in this book promote all of the basic fundamentals young bands should strive for. These include:

 

• Sound Quality

• Intonation

• Flexibility/Technical proficiency

• Basic note reading

• Dynamics

• Articulation

• Sight Reading

• Balance/Blend

• Phrasing: Breath marks encourage the elimination of “choppy” playing. These breath marks are eventually replaced with more traditional phrase markings.

   

 

INSTRUMENT-SPECIFIC TARGETED EXERCISES

     

     The concepts in this book are presented sequentially from unison exercises to full sounding chorale-style melodies. There are also several exercises that target key concepts that are unique to the young, developing band. These include:

 

• Flute playing from D to E: Warm Up #63

• Flute E/Eb: Warm Up #64

• Flute Octaves: Warm Up #57

• Clarinet Low B/Bb: Warm Up #’s 34, 62, 109

• Clarinet C/C#: Warm Up #113

• Bass Clarinet F/F#: Warm Up #64

• Alto Sax F/F#: Warm Up #'s 34, 62, 109

• Alto Sax C/C#: Warm Up #'s 64, 112

• Bari Sax C/C#: Warm Up # 64

• Horn E/Eb: Warm up #'s 62, 109

• Horn F/F#: Warm Up #113

• Trumpet Low B/Bb: Warm Up #62

• Trumpet F/F#: Warm Up # 64

• Trombone/Baritone E/Eb: Warm Up # 64

• Trombone alternate F (6th position): Warm Up # 113, 119

• Tuba E/Eb: Warm Up #64

 

 

ENSEMBLE TARGETED EXERCISES

 

Other specific concepts presented in the book include:

 

• Thirds: #38, 40, 80

• Slurs: #67, 68, 69, 79, 80 (several exercises and chorales feature slurs)

• Beginner Lip Slurs: #77, 78

• Beginner Eighth Notes: #86-99

• Concert Bb Scale: #36, 37

• Concert Bb Arpeggio: # 39

• Chromatic Scale: #82-84

• 3⁄4 Time Signature: #18, 43, 55, 56, 76, 107

• Dynamics: #20, 46, 60, 101-103 (many exercises and chorales feature dynamic changes)

• Familiar Folk Melodies: #23, 24, 25, 28, 45, 50, 100, 111

• Minor Keys: #42, 44, 55, 61, 75, 79, 81, 99

• Staccato: #48

• Legato: #49

• Accents: #47, 48, 104, 118

• Interval Training: #53, 54, 57, 98, 110

• Dotted Quarter Notes: #115-118

• D.C. al Fine: #45

• Several Key Signatures are Featured (Major and Minor)

   

 

PERCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

     

     There are several suggested percussion parts featured at the back of the book. The importance of a balanced percussion section should not be overlooked. However, it is not imperative that the percussion section participate in all, or any of these warm ups. Other suggested ideas for the percussion section can include:

 

• Playing steady beats or rudiments on practice pads or snare drum rims.

• Playing the rhythms of the exercise (i.e. bass drum plays trombone rhythm, snare

  plays flute rhythm).

• Using this time to set up for the first full band piece of the rehearsal.