THE BATTALION - Air Academy Band

[ TRUMPET ]

THE BATTALION2017

Thank you for your interest in The Battalion, Utah’s Drum Corps! We look forward to seeing you at one of our BEX Clinics. Whether your goal is to audition for membership in The Battalion for the 2017 Drum Corps International season, preparing for college auditions, or bettering your skills to take back to your band program, there’s something for you at this clinic. Our staff is excited to work with you, and we hope you will enjoy working with them.

Enclosed you will find warm-ups, technique exercises, and music that will be useful to you in preparing for the clinic. Throughout the clinic you will be asked to digest this information as quickly as possible and apply it to the best of your ability.

Here are a few things for you to consider:

WHAT WE LOOK FOR IN THE AUDITION PROCESS

The Battalion WayProfessionalism at ALL TIMES! This includes moving equipment, equipment care, conduct (in and out of rehearsal) and performance. Others should look to us as a role model of the activity as we perform at the highest level of competition.

A Battalion member has a positive attitudeThis is the key to our success! In order for the ensemble to perform at the highest level, we need people who are willing to give of themselves in order for the good of the team.

A Battalion member has an elevated learning curveThe drum corps season moves very quickly and its imperative for you to learn concepts and develop your playing skills quickly. Adaptability is also a key trait of a Battalion member.

A Battalion member performs with great technique and sound qualityWe will LOOK and SOUND like the world-class ensemble that we are. More specifics on this will be provided through instruction and exercises.

A Battalion member performs with a high level of musicality and emotional connectionWe are a world-class ensemble and will explore the highest levels of musical nuance and expression. We will connect with our audience and fans through emotions transferred through your performance.

WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED

If you have any questions or concerns throughout the audition process, feel free to contact us at any time. Again, we look forward to seeing you at one of our BEX Clinics!

Sincerely,

Mark Hartman, John A. Matthews II,Program Director & Brass Caption Head Associate Brass Caption [email protected] [email protected]

THE BATTALION EXPERIENCE: BRASS

CAMP & CLINIC CHECKLIST

Please bring the following materials to each BEX clinic, audition, or rehearsal camp:

Instrument & Mouthpiece: The corps will have a limited number of instruments available, but please bring a marching horn with you if you are able. If you are going to play on one of our baritones or euphoniums, please bring a large-shank mouthpiece. All members of The Battalion will be expected to purchase a specific mouthpiece after being contracted, but you may use whatever you feel comfortable with for the audition process.

Three-ring Binder (with clear sheet protectors): All music handouts (technique manual, show music, and non-show music) must be kept in your three-ring binder. Any document you would need as a quick reference should be kept in your three-ring binder.

Pencil: It is extremely important that every brass ensemble member have a pencil at all times. Notes should be taken at every rehearsal, especially when rehearsing with the arrangers. Write EVERYTHING down! The more details you document, the more details you will remember.

Music Stand: Please bring your own folding music stand (with your name clearly labeled) to all brass rehearsals.

Gloves: Gloves must be worn when handling a Battalion brass instrument. Cotton, sure-grip gloves are preferred (contras will use leather batting gloves), but you may use any gloves as long as they are clean during the audition process.

Black Towel: The black towel is used to protect your instrument when placed on hard surfaces – inside and outside.

Athletic Shoes: You will be moving at all rehearsals. Thus, athletic shoes with good arch support are required at all times. Sandals, shower shoes, flip-flops, bare feet, etc. are never acceptable in a rehearsal setting.

Clothing: You must wear clothing that will allow you to perform excessive movement such as sweats, shorts, t-shirts, etc. (NO JEANS!!!). Again, you will be moving at all rehearsals.

Tuner & Metronome: We recommend that you bring a tuner & a metronome with you. Smart devices are acceptable.

Baseball cap and Sunglasses: These are primarily for outdoor rehearsals (hats optional indoors).

Backpack: This will help you efficiently move your rehearsal materials from place to place.

Water Jug: Contracted members will be expected to have a red Coleman water jug (1 gallon). Until you are contracted, feel free to use whatever you wish.

Unless otherwise specified, BEX events are not overnight; no housing will be provided by the corps. Auditionees and members are responsible for their own accommodations.


BRASS: THE BATTALION WAY

BRASS - THE BATTALION WAY

BREATHE DAH

Our approach to brass musicianship is based upon the “Breathe Dah” system that rose to popularity with the great DCI Hall of Fame member Donnie Van Doren, who brought it to drum corps like the Troopers, The Cadets, Star of Indiana, and the Broadway show Blast! The system later passed on to other groups either from Mr. Van Doren or his former students, including at one time or another Blue Knights, Blue Stars, Colts, and Madison Scouts. Most recently the system has been perfected at Carolina Crown.

The approach can be simplified by the phrase, “Breathe together, play together.” If every member of the hornline takes the same quality of breath at the same time, each attack will be incredibly precise and present a “Wall of Sound” that resonates and reverberates throughout every venue in which we perform. Another phrase you will often hear is “One Motion Air.” This means that the air is constantly moving, in or out, with no stopping or capping the air.

HAND POSITION

Each member of the hornline should look uniform while maintaining the best brass playing position. Your arms, including your elbows, wrists, and hands need to be in proper position for this to happen. Keep the following in mind as you hold your instrument:

• Your frame (the shape your upper body and your arms form when the instrument is in your hands) should be open. • The weight of the instrument should be supported by the left hand. • The right hand is available to move the valves up and down, and is also used to keep the instrument balanced. • The angle of the leadpipe should be flat to the ground. • The palms should be curved and away from the valve casings; not collapsed against the valve casings (keep your wrists as straight and relaxed as possible). • The valve casings should be perpendicular to the ground (straight up and down). • The fingers of the right hand should be positioned over the valve caps with a natural curve and should not lie flat on the valve caps. In your field of vision, this will make your right hand look like a reversed letter “C.” • The thumb of the right hand should curve slightly beneath the lead pipe while resting with its tip between the first and second valve casings. • The little finger should rest gently on top of the pinky ring.

Press the valves down with authority, while keeping a relaxed feel in the wrists and fingers. Don’t lose control of the valve on the way back up. The fingers should be rounded and the tips should press the valve straight up and down. If you push the valves on an angle they will stick, making technical passages unplayable.


CHECKPOINTS OF BRASS EFFICIENCY

A brass performer must develop the most efficient buzz possible in order to free the body and create a maximum amount of sound with as little effort as possible. Throughout your time at The Battalion, we will use the following steps to achieve maximum efficiency in brass performance:

• Vowel Shape: Promotes free air flow, proper position of the tongue for clear initiation of sound, and the maximum amount of an oral cavity (speaker-box) to project the resonance that is created. Use a combination of syllables “Ah” in the throat to promote airflow and “Oh” in the mouth to promote projection and resonance. • Air: Constant motion, smooth transition from in to out, suction without friction, diaphragm pushes the air through the vowel shape. Let the air flow, do not force. • Magic Buzz Point: The point where you create the most natural efficient buzz. This is found by blowing through the lips with air and then bringing the lips around the air to create a buzz using the least amount of pressure possible. • Follow Through: Air direction - from the lips through the bell. This insures that every part of your musical phrase has direction, resonance, command and control. • Internal Pulse: The notion that you are able to match a metronome internally and reproduce that timing externally through the feet. • Feet Timing: You must be able to play music to the beat of your feet. A mastery of internal pulse permits the feet to replicate a metronome, and leads to the highest level of brass proficiency in the drum corps genre of brass performance. Students should practice mark time with more intensity than their drill movement on the field. We want the body to relax while in motion. This starts with marking time and step-outs.

Marking TimeMarking time with a consistent internal pulse will help you identify where you have trouble lining your feet with the music. Remember the rule: If you can’t mark time while playing your music, it doesn’t count! When practicing your exercises, it is important to use an audible metronome. Practice several tempos from 60-200 beats per minute while working to minimize any swaying or bouncing in your mark time. Our specific mark time technique will be further defined at camps, so use what is comfortable for you in the meantime.

Step-OutsNearly all timing & technique problems related to the music or drill occur within the first two counts of a phrase or drill move, so step-outs were created to tackle this issue. Take 2 steps in any direction at the beginning of a musical phrase or during what would have been a drill move. You will take one step with the left foot, and then bring your right foot to the left on the second count. On the next two counts, you will go back to your original placement. You should vary the direction and step size taken so that you may work on various areas of your marching technique while you play.


SIGNATURE SOUND

TONE PRODUCTION

The tone produced from every individual in the brass section must be a focused, centered, full, and resonant sound that can project from the farthest backfield position to the most distant audience member. Here is a basic check list:

• Be sure the connection of the lips to the mouthpiece is set up properly and the embouchure is flexed to direct airflow through the center of the mouthpiece • Make sure your lips meet through the center of the mouthpiece • Make sure there is even pressure from your top to bottom lip • Your teeth should be open enough to allow a full airstream to flow freely • Your corners should be firm and hold position the whole time you are playing • Your corners provide stability for your embouchure and help direct the airstream • There should only be enough mouthpiece pressure to hold an air seal • Not enough mouthpiece pressure can cause air leaks • If you are pressing on your teeth through your lips, you are pressing too hard

DEFINING THE SIGNATURE SOUND

Think of each note that you play as being shaped like a rectangle. We refer to this approach as laying “bricks” of sound. To use musical terms, the beginning of the note is the attack, the middle of the note is the sustain, and the end of the note is the release. By attacking each note with the same articulation (Dah) - breathing together - we begin to define our signature sound.

Our signature sound quality is defined also by the resonance that happens after the releases. The sound of a perfect release resonating through a stadium is something that all great groups strive for. You should play with energy in the sound and “embellish,” pushing all the way to the release. In other words, do not taper the sound into the release like so many ensembles do. Simply reverse the air stream at the right time to end the note with the most resonant sound.

The release technique is also simple, but like any part of our technique program, it requires a lot of practice to perfect. Take a small breath at the end of any and all sustains to reverse the direction of the airflow through the instrument and release the sound properly… and NOTHING ELSE! Keep the rest of your body motionless while releasing. If your throat closes or your tongue rises before the release point, you will probably distort your tone quality, dynamic, and pitch, ending the sound too abruptly and interrupting the natural resonance of the instrument. If your corners disengage before the release you will lose the vibrant quality of your sound and you will probably go flat. A proper release will actually allow the horn to resonate for a split second after you have stopped playing it.


BalanceBalance refers to the dynamic sensitivity between players. To achieve the desired balance for our signature sound, think of the ensemble as a sound pyramid. The idea behind the pyramid is to illustrate that the most prominent sound should be the bass voice and as you move up the pyramid, each voice group above that should be heard a little less. This may also be referred to as “building from the bottom”. We will use this as the basis of our approach to balancing the brass ensemble.

BlendBlend refers to the characteristic colors and voices of each group of instruments and how they relate to each other. Blend issues will become apparent once the entire section is both “on tone” as well as “in tune” and properly balanced. When examining the concept of blending, we will look at the pyramid as if it were a concentric circle in which each player strives to fill up the circle of the lowest sounding voice. You will often hear this referred to as “fitting your sound inside the tuba sound.”

The brass section achieves a superior blend by listening in a few different ways. Organize what you hear into these four levels of listening:

• Level One: Yourself • Level Two: You and the person on either side of you (your trio) • Level Three: Your section • Level Four: The entire ensemble

The Wall“The Wall” refers to a Wall of Sound. Much of what we do relies heavily on the effect of everyone playing all the time. Because our arena is outdoors and we don’t have the acoustics of a concert hall, our sound dissipates extremely quickly.

In order to create such a seamless sound, we must effectively utilize the concept of stagger breathing. The basic rules of stagger breathing are:

• Do NOT break phrase connections. • When you do breathe, take a full, rhythmic breath. • When you breathe, it is okay to leave a note out. • After you breathe, play every note. • Sneak in and sneak out. No one should know you took a breath.

By doing this, we will always have a solid “Wall” in which no parts or colors are missing.


BREATHING

Air is the “engine” of our sound. It provides the motor force for the lips to vibrate, creating the characteristic sound of the instrument. Keep the following points in mind when practicing breathing:

• When breathing to play your instrument, breathe through your mouth. Keep the shape of the mouth natural and open (think “Ah...” the same vowel you should use to play the horn). The shape of your mouth should not change during breathing exercises. • Breathe evenly over all of the counts. • Keep your air constantly moving (do not “cap the breath”). • Strive for a smooth change of direction from the inhale to the exhale (this will help perfect your attacks) and from the exhale to the inhale (for releases). Time your breath so that it can become part of the musical rhythm. If the attack is on beat 1, breathe on beat 4. If the tempo is fast, breathe through beats 3 and 4 in order to play on count 1. • Stay relaxed and breathe with a sense of ease no matter how fast or slow your inhale is • Breathe from the bottom - up. You should feel your lower abdominal muscles expand first and then progress to your chest.

Diminishing BreathInhale for 4 counts and exhale for 8 counts. Repeat five times. Then breathe in for 3 counts and out for 8 counts. Continue to subtract counts from the inhale until you are breathing in for 1 and out for 8.

Eee to OhhAnother great exercise for achieving the proper mouth shape is to start with a bad oral shape and progress to a good one. Breathe in and out, as if you are panting with your mouth shaped as if you were saying the word “eee.” Slowly progress your oral shape from the “eee” to the word “ohh.” Start quickly and decelerate into the “ohh” shape. This should feel like tension progressing to release or relaxation. Sometimes understanding what bad oral shape is will help you identify the proper form.

4-to-1Inhale for 4 counts and exhale for 4 counts. Repeat five times. Then breathe in for 3 counts and out for 3 counts. Continue to subtract counts from both the inhale and the exhale until you are breathing in for 1 and out for 1.

5-6-7-8-9-10With perfect oral shape, take in air while raising your arms above your head from the sides of your body. Raise your arms while breathing in for 5 counts and lower your arms while breathing out for 5 counts, then repeat for 6, then 7, etc. Use all the counts to get completely full and completely empty, being sure to connect the inhalation all the way to the exhalation and vice versa. Stay relaxed and monitor the halfway point as well as the full and empty points.


Flow StudiesWith your left hand a few inches in front of the mouth, take in a good breath on count 4 of a measure then blow into the palm of your hand for 12 counts. Try for 12 full counts of even air with consistent pressure on your hand. On the subsequent count 13, you should be completely empty of air. At this point evaluate whether your air faded or you had to increase the flow to be empty of your air. Think of creating a solid “brick” of air with no change of air pressure. When you can master this exercise 5 times in a row, you know that you are starting to master that particular flow level. For outdoor playing, a solid flow of air at 12 counts will produce the mezzo forte volume level. The following chartwill show the flow patterns and their associated volume level:

Duration of Air Dynamic Level24 counts pp20 counts p16 counts mp12 counts mf8 counts f6 counts ff4 counts fff

Start slowly with 12 counts of air (mezzo forte) and work louder and softer methodically until you have created a physical memory of what it feels like to flow these particular patterns of air.

Important: This exercise is not about teaching you how many counts you should go between breathing at specific volumes or what dynamic a long tone of a certain number of counts should be. It should give you a clear physical/kinesthetic sensation of airspeed associated with dynamics that you can then apply to various performance situations.

Our process is designed to get air moving. Having an abundance of oxygen in the bloodstream will cause light headedness, then seeing bright spots, then dark spots. It is important that you self-monitor your condition, and stop participating in an exercise that causes you to see black spots. You can pass out from overdoing the breathing exercises, so be mindful of your situation and stay safe.


SINGING

In the marching arts, we practice singing to develop ensemble pitch and resonance. Singers must “hear” the pitch so strongly in their minds that their vocal chords respond instantly with the correct pitch. As a brass player, you must also create the pitch in your mind so that your embouchure can vibrate the correct pitch. “Sing” the notes in your mind as you play. We believe that if you can’t sing it, you can’t play it. In your practice sessions, you should sing everything that your play (i.e. musical exercises, etudes, solos, and ensemble music).

• Practice singing all musical exercises, etudes, solos, and ensemble music. • Sing on the syllable, “Dah.” • Strive for a consistent, resonant sound on every note. • Use a piano or tuner for accuracy of pitch. • Think of the name of the notes and the quality of the intervals while singing. • Finger the notes on the instrument while singing.

We will sing many different exercises during rehearsal, but one exercise that you should become familiar with is known as “Cascade.” You should learn all four parts of the exercise as we will vary the parts from time to time.


BUZZING

Mouthpiece buzzing helps develop an accurate sense of pitch. In addition, buzzing exercises will help promote a rich, beautiful, and resonant tone. When practicing buzzing, perform each exercise with a glissando between the notes. This will help fill in any holes in your buzzing range and will increase your ability to correct intonation.

Buzzing is an intense exercise. Care needs to be taken not to overdo the amount of time spent buzzing on your mouthpiece. For every 30 seconds of mouthpiece buzzing, rest for at least 1 minute.

Consider the following as you practice buzzing:

• The tongue should remain low in the mouth • The throat should remain soft and open • Do not press the mouthpiece against the face (only enough pressure to create an air seal) • Keep the lips soft inside the mouthpiece • Start exactly in the middle of the note • Eliminate any explosions, bumps, or scooping at the beginning of notes • Use a tuner or a piano to check pitch accuracy

Here are some exercises you can use to warm up and get better at buzzing. Remember that improving the sound of your mouthpiece buzz will improve the sound you can produce on your instrument.

Long TonesWhile listening to a reference pitch, play the same pitch in a comfortable register for the duration of a comfortable exhale through your mouthpiece. This sustain should last roughly 5-10 seconds depending on the size of your mouthpiece, the pitch and the volume you are playing. Your goal on each long tone should be simply to sound and feel great. Continue to work for a more relaxed approach to the instrument (mouthpiece) and always for a more resonant sound on any pitch or dynamic. Work for consistent placement of the mouthpiece on your lips and a full relaxed breath just prior to every sustain.

Pitch BendsThink of these as the same as long tones with your air. Always work for a consistent setup and breathe for every phrase. Bend slightly and slowly down and up within the context of the sustain. This is the first step towards working flexibility as it is the slightest melodic motion we can create.

SirensThe difference between pitch bends and sirens is the amount of melodic ground covered. Sirens sound like actual sirens because they go up and down smoothly over a large interval. You should still continue to train a consistent setup and breathe on every phrase. Minimize facial and head motion, work for long smooth-sounding sirens, and long smooth-feeling breath.


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Long TonesBDBC Brass Staff

©2016 The Battalion Drum & Bugle Corps

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FlexibilityBDBC Brass Staff


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2 Flexibility

ARTICULATION

The method of articulation (attack) we use is easy to learn, but requires a patient and persistent work ethic to master. Place the tip of your tongue lightly just behind your top teeth on the roof of your mouth and say “Dah.” The tongue motion and the tongue placement (where the tongue touches inside the mouth) should always remain consistent. Remember that the air creates the sound; the tongue simply adds definition to the beginning of the sound.

In the Breathe Dah system, different articulation markings are defined by the length the note and the emphasis (or lack of) on the attack. The following definitions and accompanying charts should give you a clear guide to how to interpret the markings you’ll see in your music.


LegatoWhen tonguing in legato style, the air is virtually unbroken as the tongue plays each note like a soft paintbrush. Be careful to keep the tongue moving quickly – a slow tongue can cause a lack of clarity – but attack the note smoothly.

StaccatoStaccato doesn’t always mean short – it means separated or detached. To produce a good staccato articulation, keep the air stream supported and create perfect blocks of sound, each block matching the one that came before it. Also, make sure the tongue starts the note but doesn’t end it. Stopping the air with your tongue will produce a “Dit” articulation, which might be appropriate in a different ensemble setting (like jazz band), but is not our approach here. Keep your sound round and open-ended.

MarcatoMarcato articulations are approach very similarly to staccato articulations. Both are roughly half the length of a normal note, but marcato notes get twice as much emphasis on the beginning of the note as normal while maintain the separation. It is very easy to confuse staccato and marcato articulations if proper attention isn’t paid to the beginning of the note.

AccentedLike marcato articulations, accented notes get twice as much emphasis at the beginning, but there is only a slight decay on the end of the note. If the decay is too much or the note is too short, the music can become very “choppy,” so pay careful attention to each articulation marking.

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ArticulationBDBC Brass Staff


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2 Articulation

VOLUME

Great dynamic control strengthens our chops and musical sensibility, and allows us to play expressively. Due to the nature of our activity, we also have the need to constantly train the quality and control of our extreme dynamic levels. This goes for fortissimo, pianissimo, and all dynamics in between. If our softer dynamics have a rich, resonant sound just like our full dynamics, they will have a better chance of being heard from far away. If our fullest dynamics are also our best quality of sound, balanced, blended, and in tune, we will create the illusion of sounding even louder than we are playing. This is what the best marching groups in the world do to create an immense presence at any dynamic.

Our dynamic scale has eight basic levels; pianissimo, piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, forte, fortissimo, and forte fortissimo (aka “triple forte”), and “Really Freaking Loud”. We translate these markings into numbers to ensure the highest level of clarity from performer to performer:

Dynamic Level Definitionpp 1 Softest you can play with a full, controlled soundp 2

mp 3mf 4 Loudest you can play without any edge in the soundf 5ff 6fff 7

RFL 8 Loudest you can play with a great sound; brilliant with slight edge.

We will explore dynamics in between these as well as outside of these, but for most situations, this set of dynamics will be more than adequate. In order to train quality at the extreme dynamic levels, you will need to work on all of your brass playing concepts at different dynamic levels.

When Playing at Extreme Volumes: • Take baby steps — work one dynamic at a time in an intuitive order • Work dynamic motion over time (crescendos and decrescendos) • Slur at different dynamics • Articulate at different dynamics • Work dynamics in all registers • Always work for ease, and your best quality of sound • Always make your best sound, but do not be afraid to push your personal envelope. • Maintain consistent pitch by listening and keeping the embouchure and related muscles firm but not tense. • Strive for consistent lip vibration; variations in aperture shape, size, and consistency will result in changes in sound. • Low harmonics travel farther with less degradation than high harmonics; if you want to be louder, strive for a “dark” sound.


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The Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps

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Documents

THE BATTALION - Air Academy Band