Tips for Musicians: Enhancing Your Practice and Performance

By CHAT RMG

Playing in a community concert band is a rewarding experience, but every musician can benefit from refining their skills. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, here are some valuable tips to enhance your practice and performance.

1. Develop a Consistent Practice Routine
   Consistency is key to improvement. Set aside regular time for practice, even if it's just 20–30 minutes a day. Establishing a routine helps reinforce muscle memory and build confidence.
2. Warm Up Properly
   Warming up before playing is essential. Start with long tones, scales, and simple exercises to get your fingers and embouchure (for wind players) ready. A good warm-up improves tone quality and reduces tension.
3. Focus on Technique
   Work on technical exercises such as scales, arpeggios, and articulation drills. These build fluency and dexterity, making it easier to tackle challenging passages in your music.
4. Practice with a Metronome
   A metronome helps develop a steady sense of rhythm and timing. Start slowly and gradually increase speed while maintaining accuracy.
5. Listen to Professional Performances
   Listening to professional musicians can provide inspiration and insight into phrasing, tone, and musical expression. Try to emulate their style and dynamics in your own playing.
6. Mark Your Music
   Use a pencil to make notes on your sheet music. Markings for dynamics, fingerings, and tricky passages can help you stay on track during rehearsals and performances.
7. Play with Others
   Playing with a group improves ensemble skills, such as listening, blending, and following a conductor. Attend rehearsals regularly and engage with fellow musicians.
8. Record Yourself
   Recording your practice sessions allows you to identify areas for improvement. Listen critically to your tone, rhythm, and phrasing, and make adjustments accordingly.
9. Stay Relaxed and Have Fun
   Music should be enjoyable! Stay relaxed while playing to avoid tension and fatigue. Enjoy the process, and don't be too hard on yourself.
10. Take Care of Your Instrument
    Regular maintenance ensures your instrument stays in top condition. Clean it properly, check for necessary repairs, and use high-quality reeds, strings, or mouthpieces as needed.

By incorporating these tips into your musical journey, you’ll continue to grow as a musician and contribute positively to your community concert band. Happy practicing!

Basic Music Theory

by Ron Goldenberg

For those of you interested in music theory I would recommend that you try the website

www.Musictheory.net

It’s not only written in an easy-to-follow format, but it is also extremely well done with examples and pictures. Topics range from notes, rests, time signatures and key signatures to intervals, chords/triads all the way to chord progressions and more complex topics. There is something for everyone at any level of experience.

And best of all …….. it is FREE!!

The Goldenblog - 2021, July 24th

Standard of Excellence Book 1 and 2
Get the backing accompaniment

by Ron Goldenberg

We use the Standard of Excellence books as part of our rehearsal repertoire from time to time.

The books come with CDs that play the band part for each practice piece as a background for your instrument’s part. When you are practicing on your own it is much more beneficial and enjoyable to play along with the accompaniment.
This music is available for free online.

For Standard of Excellence Book 1 go to:
https://kjos.com/standard-of-excellence-book-1-cd-part-1-2.html

For Standard of Excellence Book 2 go to:
https://kjos.com/standard-of-excellence-book-2-cd-part-1-2.html

You must click on the AUDIO tab to access the music.

Happy practising!!!
Ron

The Goldenblog - December12th

Playing Along with a Backing Track

by Ron Goldenberg

The most pleasurable moments that I have when playing alone in the depths of my basement are when I play along with a backing track. There are several kinds of backing tracks available but the ones that I purchase usually have several instruments playing a song in which the melody is left out. I fill it in with my saxophone. For instance, I purchased the backing track for the jazz standard Misty from jazzbacks.com (approx. C$11). The download came with PDF sheet music for the lead/melody instrument for three types of instruments: a C instrument (like a flute) a Bb instrument (like a Clarinet, Tenor sax, Trumpet …) and an Eb instrument (like an Alto or Bari sax…). It also came with a backing track with piano, drums and a bass.

You get your sheet music ready put on the track and away you go. You are the lead in a quartet! Sounds awesome and is a real rush.

I would like to share this great experience with you so I have put sheet music and a backing track on a Google drive which you can access at the link below. I have included the songs Misty and the Shadow of Your Smile for your playing enjoyment.

The sheet music for Misty is missing the first 4 bars and the 4/4 time signature. The first 4 bars are a rest and you come in on beat 4 of bar 5. I included a little audio segment for those of you who need assistance with the count in. The Shadow of Your Smile also has sheet music for bass instruments in C.

Please enjoy yourself thoroughly. I would love to hear from you to know what you think and how you are enjoying it. Please email me, rongold@videotron.ca.

Here is the link.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13dZMeU2r8eS6IvrvhPMTRXmo-POKNv7p?usp=sharing

Happy holidays to you and your families!