The First Ten Minutes Yamaha Chord Tracker

• I think this is extremely important. It sets the tone of the rehearsal and prioritizes music over everything else.
• If you can, wait to deliver announcements until the end of class.

• Develop Pitch Awareness.
  • Ask them to listen and adjust to the group. You'll be surprised at what they're capable of.
  • Many days, I did not have to stop everything and "tune." Some students will need a little extra guidance, but only step in when they absolutely need you to.

• Develop Balance/Texture Understanding: Help them understand their "role" in the ensemble.
  • Ask them to "find the group" with their volume -- to mix their sound evenly with what they hear around them. Now find the "distractions" in the sound. Some students may think they're blending their sounds within the texture of the group, but need your help to understand that.
  • Help them understand when it is appropriate to "lean out" of the group with their volume, and when they need to find the group again. Give specific examples from the music you're preparing.
  • Help individuals and/or sections understand when they need to "find a place to hide." I commonly asked my 1st clarinets to "hide behind the flutes" during stratospheric parts, or the alto saxophones to "hide behind the horns" on unison parts.

• I used Ray Cramer's "Lip Benders" on a daily basis. It contains a variety of 11 simple exercises that can easily be manipulated to fit your rehearsal goals for the day.
• I did not want my students to read anything new during this time so they could focus on the concept(s) of the day (note length, articulation, release points, vertical alignment, etc.)

• This time is for their ears, not their fingers.
• Help them understand what section(s)/color/melody you want them to listen to at every given moment.

• Start on time! This sends a clear message to everyone... one way or the other.

• Develop your conducting technique until it is invisible -- that it becomes a part of your musical "you." Your baton is your primary instrument for this group. You cannot be a novice on your instrument as the leader of the group. Invisible technique is a commonality between great Actors and great Conductors.

Have you ever tried to figure out what the chords are to your favorite songs? Yamaha's new Chord Tracker app does the hard work for you, and much more! The free Yamaha Chord Tracker app for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad helps you practice and perform songs by analyzing the audio song stored in your iOS device and then displays the chord symbols for you. Click HERE for more information.