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...Another One Begins

Writer's picture: Ryan ReedRyan Reed

So this is really part 2 of the last post, which you can find here. The synopsis of the last post was to reflect on the growth that has taken place over the last year. The follow up to that is using that growth to plan for the next year. Since we are getting ready to start the marching band season, I am going to focus on that specifically with the front ensemble.


Last year, we focused a ton on playing great 2 mallets and introducing basic 4 mallet skills. We did through an exercise I talked about in a previous post called "Blenders." Basically, you start with the center playing and then layer players in from there. The trick is they have to listen and make what they hear from the center. This gets the students to think on their own about what they hear and how to match it, and then I make small adjustments from there. I do this without a metronome so there is nothing else to listen to. The next layer to this is to add different sticking patters (4 mallets) to it. We started this about half way through the winter, so I definitely plan on continuing it.


Besides "Blenders," I use a hands together scale exercise (ex. - AD, Lockjaw, etc.) and a hands split scalar exercise. Green is probably the most well known exercise for this, but I lean towards an exercise called Chromatic-Up, Major-Down. There are fewer turn awkward turn arounds for younger students and it is easier to push the tempo on. I also use a couple of different 2 mallet hand speed exercises.


In terms of 4 mallets, we have really just used a block chord exercise. I use an exercise called 77558, because it forces students to focus since it is in 7/8 and 5/8. I also use a lot of breakdown exercises that I make up on the fly. They usually start with quarter-note block chord, and then work through a sticking in quarter notes, eighth notes and sixteenth notes.


My warm-up/exercise packets are not fancy (typically), and as the season goes on they get smaller focusing on specific things. This is also where I want to make the most additions. I have a 4 mallet isolation exercise I use to work on individual mallet strength that I plan to incorporate a lot more. I also plan on introducing the students to the idea of a true lateral stroke.


I also want to add a warm-up etude as well. Now, if you know me you know that I am NOT a fan of "lot tunes." I guess I should clarify, I am not a fan of "lot tunes" when you shouldn't be playing lot tunes. Now that I feel my students play with enough control, I think it is time to engage the musician side during "warm-ups" and use a "lot tune."


The last thing I am going to add are 4-2-1 Grids. Now, I already do these in class so the students are pretty familiar with these, but I plan to use them with 4 mallet sticking patterns. This will also reinforce the 4 mallet isolation work in a different way.


I have a laundry list of things to evaluate for next year that are not marching band related. I wanted to get on here and give you a peak at what I am thinking about for the next fall season. So what are you planning on adding, or changing, for the fall, winter, school day, etc.?


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