Practice Assignments
When practicing at home, it is VERY IMPORTANT to make sure you are practicing good habits! Each day you should make sure that your hands, embouchure, and posture are correct. Once these are correct, make sure you are using plenty of air to make a great tone. Remember, practice DOES NOT make perfect. PERFECT PRACTICE makes perfect. Here are a few things to work on.
6th Grade
Woodwinds
- Put your instrument together correctly
- Practice making a sound on the head joint (flutes), mouthpiece and barrel (clarinets), and neck (saxophones)
- Make a strong, supported sound for 8 beats at a time using the notes learned in class
- Practice all examples covered in class
- Look over musical terminology and parts of the instrument
- Use a metronome for all practice
- Make a clear, strong buzz on the mouthpiece for 8 beats at a time
- Hold the tone steady on the buzz
- Make a clear, strong sound on the instrument for 8 beats at a time using the notes learned in class
- Use lots of fast air!
- Study all musical terminology and instrument parts
- Use a metronome for all practice
- Practice an “open” steady beat while following a metronome. Remember, open is where the stick hits the pad ONE TIME, not multiple times
- Practice the exercises on mallets and snare/pad covered in class
- Review the notes of the keyboard
7th Grade
Brass
- Work on Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, Db, C and G Scales
- Rhythm Sheet 1 and 2 – Write in counts and play entirely
- Long Tone 1A and 3A
- Winterfest
- Reindeer Rag
- Russian Carol Variations
- A Rockin' Christmas
- Bb Scale – Clarinets! Go over the break cleanly!
- Flutes! Connect your air!
- Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, Db, C and G Scales
- Long Tone 1A and 3A
- Rhythm Sheet 1 and 2 – Write in counts and play entirely
- Winterfest
- Reindeer Rag
- Russian Carol Variations
- A Rockin' Christmas
- Rhythm Sheet 1 and 2 – Write in counts and play entirely
- Check patterns
- Scales on keyboard percussion
8th Grade
Brass
- Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, Db, C and G Scales
- Rhythm Sheet 1, 2 and 3 – Write in counts and play entirely
- Long Tone 1A and 3A
- Winterfest
- Reindeer Rag
- Russian Carol Variations
- A Rockin' Christmas
- Bb Scale – Clarinets! Go over the break cleanly!
- Flutes! Connect your air!
- Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, Db, C and G Scales
- Long Tone 1A and 3A
- Rhythm Sheet 1, 2 and 3 – Write in counts and play entirely
- Winterfest
- Reindeer Rag
- Russian Carol Variations
- A Rockin' Christmas
- Rhythm Sheet 1, 2 and 3 – Write in counts and play entirely
- Check patterns
- Scales on keyboard percussion
- Winterfest
- Reindeer Rag
- Russian Carol Variations
- A Rockin' Christmas