Wind players who become school band directors often struggle with their percussion section. They are not always sure how to deal with the technical aspects of percussion, such as double-stroke rolls or flares. They may also wonder how to get their drummers to stop talking and be ready to play. These questions reveal common concerns among…

A big-band horn section can play the correct rhythms, pitches, and dynamics with good tone and still be unintelligible. If the horns articulate together, however, the improvement will be dramatic. They will much more successfully convey the meaning of the music, and they will sound like a section rather than four or five individuals. In this…

A good accompanist is a choir director's dream come true! At one time, student pianists were quite plentiful, but they have become rarer today. While many student pianists may be capable of reading music, not all can be good accompanists. Accompanying is an art of its own that requires some unique capabilities. In this article, the author presents…

All the general music books the author has seen teach the pentatonic scale, and achieve success with it, by having students play only on the piano's black keys. The trick to preventing this exercise from sounding simplistic or uninteresting is to teach improvisation in the A-flat Dorian mode. Using A-flat as the tonal center puts that center right…

This study explored the skills students develop through participation in instrumental music and the effect it has on their academic achievement through student and parent/guardian surveys. Fifty-eight percent of cognitive skills were identified as being obtained by a majority of students, 70% of affective skills, and 71% of meta-cognitive skills…

The purpose of the present research study was to examine effects of the use of SmartMusic practice software on the intonation and rhythmic accuracy of brass players' musical performances. Twenty college brass players who served as participants in the four-week study were randomly assigned to one of two practice conditions. The WSM (With…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of experienced music teachers regarding their preparation for and experience of mentoring in a 2-year mentor project focusing on the support of teachers in Title I schools in Orlando, Florida. Data included the following: initial expectations of mentoring from Year 1 (note cards), biggest…

This study aims to explore and investigate the factors that contribute to effective instrumental teaching and to understand the interdependence and interactions between these factors. The study obtained data using qualitative research tools from a series of individual and group instrumental teaching observations and a semi-structured interview…

This article reports on a retrospective study of Finnish pre-service elementary teachers' assessments of their musical experiences in nursery school and elementary and secondary school and real-time study of their experiences in teacher training. The participants (N = 590) had received musical instruction in five age groups (4-6 years, 7-12 years,…

Author believed that individual musicians are responsible for constantly seeking high artistic ideals that will prevent the stage band from being trite and commonplace. (Author/RK)

Checking back into journals, diaries, and other source materials from the late eighteenth century, author has put together evidence of private "bands of musick", maintained by military men during the Revolutionary War and used for everything from political and ceremonial affairs to dinners and executions. (Editor/RK)

Article evaluated the current state of African music. (Editor/RK)

Discussed the ancient Buddhist music of Tibet and its variety of musical instruments. (RK)

However it may be exercised, a band director's control over the type of instrument to be played in the school band can cost parents unnecessary dollars and can prevent some children from participating in a school band program. (Author)

GRADES OR AGES: K-6. SUBJECT MATTER: General and instrumental music. ORGANIZATION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: The guide is divided into 16 short chapters and several appendixes. Each of these is straight text interspersed with illustrations. The guide is offset printed and staple bound with a paper cover. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES: A philosophy of…