I have a few questions.

[Snappey]

Hey Everyone! I'm Andrew, I am an upcoming senior and am coming up on my 3rd year as being Drum Major for my school's marching band. I love drum corp, like the rest of you, and have actually been following the forum for a long while now but I never really decided to make an account or even post anything until recently. The only experience I have with drum corps was making Spirit's horn line at the most recent audition camp but due to my parents disapproval I couldn't march (un-freakin'-fortunantly because they are doing well thus far!). I do go to shows every year and keep up with it all. I also thoroughly enjoy studying and observing the rehearsal and teaching techniques of different corps and ensembles so I can apply them to my own band to make us better. Which also leads me to a few questions I have for you guys, because I think you would be the best to ask!

As a background, our band has roughly 110 people with rough 60-70 horn line and 10-12 battery, rest are auxiliary. We are a good group, especially being in Alabama. But I have been working on changing how we rehearse, because we have gotten used to the same old thing every year, everyday and not really setting the bar higher. Our woodwinds are excellent so I mostly try to work with the brass who are...good. So most of these questions will apply mostly to brass sectionals but sometimes the full ensemble also!

So here we go,

1. What difference does tuning to 440 hz and 442 hz matter?

I know of ensembles that tune to both, but I never really understood why! I've hypothesized that maybe because of extreme weather conditions it might make it easier to tune to one as opposed to the other? Or maybe it changes the sound?

2. I've noticed that some corps, such as Crown, sometimes warm-up in a circle and mixing up the sections so you aren't next to your same instrument. How does this help? Does it improve balance and tuning?

Example:

3. Would it be a bad idea to mix up what part everyone is on?

Generally, the best players are on 1st part, next best 2nd, next 3rd, etc. Specifically in our trumpet section, we have trouble bringing out the lower parts and creating balance since all the older vets with experience and more skill outplay all the younger kids and all you really hear is 1st and sometimes 2nd part. With a high school group (consisting 8th-12th graders I might add) would it be bad to spread everyone out? Such as putting 1st chair on first part, 2nd chair on second part, 3rd on 3rd part, and continuing to alternate as you go down the row so you have maybe some younger guys on 1st and 2nd part? I've considered trying to make this happen to create more balance and also to set the bar for the younger kids too.

4. What are good exercises and techniques to help the group sound better on the field with their intonation, separation, tuning, etc.?

I would really love any and all input that I can. I just what to do what I can to raise the bar for my band. Thank you! And I look forward to future activity on here!

[Barifonium]

Mods can we move this to the brass forum? I think it would be more appropriate there.

So here we go,

1. What difference does tuning to 440 hz and 442 hz matter?

I know of ensembles that tune to both, but I never really understood why! I've hypothesized that maybe because of extreme weather conditions it might make it easier to tune to one as opposed to the other? Or maybe it changes the sound?

You are correct when it comes to the weather. Generally ensembles tune sharp (442 hz) if the weather is hot so the expansion of the metal in the horn causes the horn to go flat. 440 hz is generally for when the weather is favorable (I think because pit instruments are tuned to 440 by default)- I'm pulling this number out of my butt but if the weather is greater than 85-90 degrees I'd try to tune at 442. Sound shouldn't change.

2. I've noticed that some corps, such as Crown, sometimes warm-up in a circle and mixing up the sections so you aren't next to your same instrument. How does this help? Does it improve balance and tuning?

Example: [url="

Yes. It allows for each individual to tune to the people to the right and to the left of themselves- known as listening to your "trio." It's a way to equalize everyone so they can more effectively work together to play in tune, in time, and with the same articulation as those around them (which should be the "correct" articulation if everyone is doing exactly as the instructor in the middle says)

3. Would it be a bad idea to mix up what part everyone is on?

Generally, the best players are on 1st part, next best 2nd, next 3rd, etc. Specifically in our trumpet section, we have trouble bringing out the lower parts and creating balance since all the older vets with experience and more skill outplay all the younger kids and all you really hear is 1st and sometimes 2nd part. With a high school group (consisting 8th-12th graders I might add) would it be bad to spread everyone out? Such as putting 1st chair on first part, 2nd chair on second part, 3rd on 3rd part, and continuing to alternate as you go down the row so you have maybe some younger guys on 1st and 2nd part? I've considered trying to make this happen to create more balance and also to set the bar for the younger kids too.

Not a bad idea at all! Do it, but make sure you have at least 1 strong player on each part so they know how to adjust so that the more inexperienced kids have someone to look up to. Your top 3 should be the "example" people in the section of all 3 parts.

4. What are good exercises and techniques to help the group sound better on the field with their intonation, separation, tuning, etc.?

There are TONS. Look up the breathing gym (you guys probably did that at Spirit if Freddy Martin was there as I saw in video) for volume and fullness of sound.

There are many schools of thought on articulation but where I was taught, we defined a syllable- "Doh" as the default for everything to keep the oral cavity open but they emphasized that articulation is more a function of how much air you use at the very beginning of the note. For example, a regular or "standard" articulation, be it an eighth note, quarter, etc would be 5% of your air, and the sustain was whatever they defined it as at that particular moment (ergo, getting rid of your air in 8 counts, which was defined as a forte).

It was extremely nuanced, and the percentages changed in accordance to what the caption heads wanted as far as articulation went.

Separation is a function of how long you sustain the note relative to the next note/rest/action in whatever musical phrase you're playing however, my mind is blank as to the specifics and application of that statement. I can do it but I can't quite explain it.

[Snappey]

Thank you tons! Sometimes it's difficult to know whether you have a good idea or not and whether the change will be worth it! I really appreciate it!

[Barifonium]

*correction. When it's hot, the instrument goes flat. Higher frequency (442) = tuning the instrument sharp to compensate for the heat but this begs the question: what about the front ensemble? Oh no now I'M confused!