Friday 25 October 2013

Playing the Blues

Thank you to all those families who returned their band t-shirt forms!    If you did not hand it in yet, please turn it in this week.   Thank you!

For those students who are interested in playing in the Grey Cup Parade - remember the deadline is Nov.1.   Information about this is found on the side bar.

In Grade 6 Band 

This week in Grade 6 Band we learned a 12 bar blues.   After students figured out the pattern, we then challenged them to figure out a Db for the C instruments, Eb for the Bb instruments, Bb for the the Eb instruments, and Ab for the F instruments.   Once they had this note we had some AMAZING solos that students were playing accompanied by our blues.   Our percussionists learned how to play a swing style  and we spent quite a bit of time exploring some different sounds on our instruments.   As we figured out these solos, students were reminded that our goals are still to play with good sound.   This is achieved by proper posture, embouchure or grip, and lots of air.    

Once we learned this as we called it "a funny note"   we learned how to listen for the interval of a minor third.   Students are now writing in their composition books the intervals they hear.   So far, we have studied major seconds, major thirds and now minor thirds.   It has become habit to try to figure out  the notes of one song just for fun.   This week most of the students figured out the notes for Green is the Colour.    Once again we have circled in each book what to practice.   Most students are nearing the end of the first chapter.   Soon, we will be getting sheet music.

In Grade 7 Band

In Grade 7 Band this week we did experiments in controlling our sound.   Students demonstrated some amazing soft playing.   We worked on playing long tones soft, and then eventually doing them so we start soft and end loud.   The Grade 7's demonstrated some wonderful sounds as they did this.   As we discovered this is hard to do.     We will continue to work at it.

We have been nagging the grade 7's about rehearsal discipline.   One of these things being that we always have a pencil so that we can mark our music with reminders.    This is starting to pay off as both Grade 7 rehearsals had huge improvements from last week.   Students have circled the practice areas for next week.  We are now working on watching the baton so that we can speed up and slow down our music together.   This is much harder than it sounds!

Grade 7's have begun testing on their Concert Bb and their Concert Eb scales.   Students who did not play these scales this week will need to play it this coming up week.  

In Grade 8 Band

The Grade 8's have done some impressive work with the Circle of Fourths.    They are now playing the Circle of Fourths in harmony.   (This is easier said than done!)     They have added "Amen" as one of their pieces to be working on.

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