Taken from
"A Concept of Excellence, The Garfield Cadet's Guide to Success"
written by the Garfield Cadets' Instructional Staff, 1985
Marching and Playing:
The key to quality sound on the field is control and a thorough understanding (and mastery) of the proper technique for marching. In essence, the corps or band that plays well must march well. It is of utmost importance that the players have a solid foundation in marching skills in order to maintain the proper embouchure set and keep the breathing mechanism functional. All above the waist shock (caused by placement of the feet) must be absorbed by foot placement that is best described as a smooth, cushioned, rolling motion from heel to toe.
When learning drill, we have found that we can accomplish much more if players are already familiar with the corresponding music. They should sing their parts while marching through the drill sets in order to learn the musical cues that indicate stops, starts, and changes of direction in the drill. In addition, their singing should be just that; singing. Performers should sing the correct pitches, dynamics, articulations, phrases, etc. If all of this is done properly, the players will already know where to move, when to move, and when to stop.
At no time should one step be left out before proceeding to the next. The players must be comfortable with their drill and their feet in order to perform well. If they are distracted by a concern that they may run into a fellow player (or vice-versa) they will not concentrate on proper playing technique.
Playing Outdoors:
It always comes as a shock that the brass sound, when heard outdoors is not the same as it was all winter when heard within the confines of a gymnasium, auditorium, etc. There is not need for panic when this occurs. There is, however, a great need to make the players aware of the fact that dynamics and phrasing must be somewhat exaggerated when playing outdoors. The trick here is to make the fortissimo louder without sacrificing tone quality and intonation. To accomplish this, simply follow the technique rules governing production of the air stream and follow them religiously.
Our activity is sometimes given a "bad rap" by groups who, for whatever reason, simply refuse to maintain good tone quality and balance at all dynamic levels. We do not advocate this type of playing at any time. There is a difference between playing with confident aggressiveness and playing loud for loud's sake without regard for musicality. In order to ensure that marching music remains as visible an activity as possible, we must strive for the same musical excellence outdoors as we would in a concert hall.
What is meant by "confidently aggressive?" In simple terms, it means that everyone knows his or her parts and how they are to be played. They know when to "play out," when to come down, how to shape a phrase, how and when to end a phrase, etc. Many of these facets require individual practice on the part of players so that they can maintain a productive rehearsal atmosphere.
Another consideration of outdoor playing is the fact that the sound must project into the audience. Many times the corps is seen playing with the bells of the horns at a 45 degree angle. This is not a showmanship trick by any means. It is done with the idea of projecting the sound to the audience and making the "hits" that much more effective.
The horn angle should always be toward the front and center except in situations when the desired musical effect might be better achieved with angles facing backfield or toward the end zones. For example, this may be desirable in situations where the music calls for a mellow sound or a "far away: sound. In a large, cavernous stadium the sound of the line playing backfield can be extraordinary. In these situations one must utilize good judgment and experience with regard to bell facing.
Tightness and Tempo Maintenance:
We have found that the best rehearsal technique for maintaining tempo and cohesiveness of the ensemble is one which involves rehearsing the horn line alone, on the field, while they execute the drill and play their parts. With no pulse from the drum line, they are forced to watch the drum major for tempo. Since many players are told not to listen to the drum line due to the great distances involved because of drill considerations, this technique has become an invaluable tool in producing the tightness of sound we have been able to achieve in recent years.
It is a difficult concept to master at first, but once the line is able to play together at distances of 60, 70, and even 80 yards without the benefit of an audible pulse, the line will become much more cohesive when the percussion is added. By doing this, we are also able to isolate individual deficiencies in tone quality, phrasing, and general musicianship.
Musical Considerations as they Relate to the Drill:
There are instances in the show when we must consider phrasing in individual instruments due to drill considerations. As a general rule, the further away from front and center you move, the more the dynamics and phrasing should be amplified. Fro example, if the high brass is in back of the front hash mark and carrying a melody line, while the low brass is front and center providing the harmony, the low brass must come down in dynamics in direct relation to the volume of the high brass.
Common Problem and Their Solutions:
Miscellaneous Hints:
1. Be certain that everyone knows the music and is familiar with the original intent of each selection. Everyone must play his or her part in order to achieve the best possible sound.
2. Stress the importance of control and concentration during rehearsals. Players must practice concentration in the same manner that they practice music and drill. You cannot just "turn it on" at will. Consistency must be the priority.
3. Above all!!! Keep an open mind to new concepts, new techniques, and new ideas. The marching musical organization is a unique form of art, and it thrives upon change. The fact that we are now striving for musical excellence on a football field in addition to the concert hall is an indication that the old adage, "outside equals loud, obnoxious playing: is rapidly becoming passe. To be "in" nowadays means to accept nothing less than plating at the highest quality. People must realize that "there is no substitute for quality."
Basic Considerations:
Consistency, control, and uniformity; these are the foundations upon which a good brass program is built. That seems simple enough, and in a sense, it is. When we speak of control, however, we mean total control of every breath, every attack, and every release. We mean uniformity of tone quality, phrasing, and articulation. The idea is to mold approximately 66 brass players into an ensemble which is capable of breathing together, attacking together, and perhaps most importantly, thinking together.
Since our activity is ensemble-oriented as opposed to individual-oriented, we must think of everything in terms of what is best-suited to achieving an ensemble sound. There can be no deviation by any individual at any time. Every player must listen to himself and must be certain that he is listening to the ensemble in order to achieve proper balance and blend. The individual must also have the confidence to make his contribution without hesitation. That is, he must know exactly when to breathe and subsequently when to play. Too often, people think of the horn line's power in terms of sheer volume. This is a misconception. A much greater impact can be achieved by timing of an attack than by the volume of that attack.
To get all 66 players to play with this sort of confidence is no easy task, but it is not impossible. You have to start somewhere: we begin each brass rehearsal with a very systematic warm-up, stressing consistency, uniformity, and control throughout. If we deviate from our norm, it is only to isolate a problem area, such as tone quality, taking a proper breath, timing problems, or things of that nature.
Relaxation:
Before we ever take a breath or play a note we go through a process which enables the players to relax. One cannot play properly if any part of the body is tense.
First, we do a series of calisthenics to make certain that the body is ready to function properly. We keep it simple by doing things such as "toe touchers," "windmills," and "jumping jacks." The primary concern is to make sure that the blood is flowing to all parts of the body and that the muscles are loose. Fifteen minutes is usually sufficient.
Having finished that, the players stand with their feet shoulder-width apart and roll their heads forward, to the left, to the back, and to the right, then reverse the exercise. This will assure that the neck muscles are loose so as not to impede the flow of air in the breathing process. A similar exercise is done by rolling the shoulders forward and back, forward and back, the pulling them straight up as if trying to touch the ears. Hold them in that position for approximately 3 seconds and allow them to drop. After repeating these exercises a few times or until the players seem relaxed, we begin our breathing exercises.
Breathing:
We truly believe that it is the flow of air, and the technique of inhaling and exhaling which contributes to the tone quality of any brass player. A shallow breath will result in a very thin sound, whereas a nice, deep breath will result in a rich, full sound.
The breath should be taken while keeping the shoulders down and the throat open. If the throat is open, the player should feel a cold spot at the back of the throat. Remember: no cold spot...throat closed; cold spot...throat open. The breath should be a deep one, taken with the idea of filling the lungs from the bottom-up, using the diaphragm at all times.
The timing of the breath is of utmost importance. Uniform timing of the breath will insure uniform timing of the attack. As a rule, we breathe one full count before the attack of the note, breathing for the entire count, and attacking the tone on the subsequent count. I cannot stress the importance of this concept enough. Failure to utilize this technique in the timing of the attack will result in timing problems which mat become insurmountable. Before attempting any of the following exercises, we must stress the importance of breath timing of the attack, and timing of the release. We release the note the same way we began it: by taking a breath.
The following exercises are done with the horn in playing position (mouthpiece on the embouchure). The air is blown through the horn and players are to press the valves down just as though they were playing the normal eight-part sequence used for the lip-slur exercises and increase air speed and air volume where situations indicate. By this, we mean that air velocity increases as range increases. Air volume increases as pitch descends. In other words, faster air for higher notes, more air for lower notes.
By performing these exercises with air (only) through the horn, the players are able to hear the differences in the airstream as they occur. The exercises in addition, may be extended from 8 counts to 12, 16, 20 and 24 counts to help players learn to control the airstream. They must learn to control the speed with which the air is released. Obviously, since the same quantity of time is allotted to inhale for a 24-count tone duration as for 8-count phrase, the air must be released more slowly.
A good 10 to 15 minutes is spent on breathing every day.
Articulation and Enunciation of the Attack:
One of the keys to the success of the Garfield Cadets horn line is it's ability to achieve uniform enunciation of the attack. The idea is not to "attack" each note, but to "enunciate" the tone. Ideally, the tone should begin and end with no other sound but that of the pitch beginning and he sound ceasing to exist. I compare the sound of the horn to that of a string instrument. The air column is the bow and the buzz (created by embouchure) is analogous to the vibration of the string as the bow is drawn across it. There is no percussive sound as the tone begins and none when it ends.
We begin by playing the long tone exercises with nothing but an air attack. The idea here is to get the player to make the horn respond immediately without hearing an onrush of air before hearing the sound of the tone. When done correctly, this is the closest anyone can come to achieving a "violin sound." This is a great tool for teaching the importance of airstream control, and we use it a lot in the beginning of the year to make certain each player understands that it is the air that plays the horn. To take this technique onto the field, however, and utilize it to the exclusion of any sort of tongued articulation would be impossible.
We have found that, for our purposes, the "da" attack suits us best.
The "DA" Attack:
To put it simply the "da" attack is just that. To attack the note you enunciate the syllable "da." It sounds easy enough but, for some reason, many players have a great deal of difficulty grasping this concept at first. Let me break it down into physical terms.
The tip of the tongue is placed behind the point at which the upper teeth meet the gums. This acts as a release valve for the air (which is behind the tongue and in the lungs). To enunciate the attack, the tongue moves in a downward motion and releases the air. The tongue should not be drawn back, because any backward motion of the tongue creates an interruption of the desired airstream flow.
If players are experiencing difficulty in mastering this technique, I have them practice the eight-note exercise using the syllable "la," then gradually changing it to "da." It takes constant reminding on the art of instructors to ensure that every single player is utilizing the "da" attack. We have found that players have more trouble maintaining a good "da" when plating staccato passages than when playing legato. This problem can be dealt with by having players "lighten up" their tongues. That is, us less tongue. They should use only the tip of the tongue whenever possible.
So far, you have seen that each step in the Garfield brass program has progressed logically from the preceding one, that is, Relaxation-Breathing-Producing the Tone-Enunciating attack. Each part must progress very deliberately to the next. Nothing may be omitted. By leaving out any part of this technique program you will guarantee it's failure. These exercises may seem simple and mundane, but they are very important.
With this in mind, we will look at the final step in developing the technique program. This is the area of Balance and Blend; without a doubt, the most difficult concept of all. Each player must know how to listen and where to listen. He must exactly how loudly and how softly he is to play given a passage. This process begins in the semi-circle used for warm-ups.
The players count off in "threes" left to right, and each number is assigned a note. (For instance "One's" on "C", two's on "E", Three's on "G", and the contra-bass bugles on "C"). The "C's" play first, followed by "G's", always listening for intonation. Once the C/G combination is in tune, the "E" is added to complete the triad. No single note should be louder than the rest. No individuals should "stick out." All that should be heard is a warm, rich, full sound. Once that is achieved, we proceed to the exercises.
Rehearsal Techniques: In the Semi-Circle:
Assuming that every concept discussed thus far is achieved with a reasonable amount of proficiency, the next step is to "fine tune" the hornline. By "fine tuning" we mean making certain that every person understands his or her responsibility when it comes to performing the chosen music.
We overlook nothing! Every breath for every player for the entire show is carefully planned. If stagger breathing is desired, it must be done the same way every time. As I said before, we are looking for consistency. To that end, instructors and players alike must maintain total concentration at rehearsal. Sometimes, however, it is difficult to hear each player play every passage in the context of the show.
To deal with this problem, we frequently ask player to step out of the ranks and play a particular passage alone while facing the hornline. This accomplishes two things. First, it lets us know whether or not the player knows all of his parts, including the dynamics, timing of breaths, and articulations. Second, it helps the player to get used to performing under pressure. There is no greater pressure than that of your peers staring you in the face, waiting for a mistake. The hornline will react with extreme criticism or extreme poise. We tell them, "It's your hornline, make it sound the way you want," so when they hear something which they consider detrimental to the overall sound of "their hornline," they react accordingly. This may seem harsh, but believe me, it works!
Rehearsal Techniques: On the Playing Field:
Here is where we separate the pretenders from the contenders. The best brass ensemble in the world standing still isn't worth a penny in the drum corps activity unless they can achieve the same sound on a football field, outside, and spread at distances of 50, 60, and 80 yards. At Garfield, we have a number of techniques used to deal with this problem. Here are a few of the more important ones.
Once on the field, players can no longer rely on their ears to maintain timing. They must watch the drum major! If this is not possible due to drill move, they may be able to watch the feet of someone who can see the major, preferably those of the drum line.
If great distances are involved, make players aware of the time lag in the flow of sound. It may be that they have to sound "wrong" in order to "be right."
Always strive to get as much time as possible alone on the field with the hornline. By doing their drill and playing without the drumline, timing and phrasing can be greatly improved. This technique is possibly the greatest tool we have found for producing the best hornline possible.
The attitude of the players is also very important. We try to keep rehearsals as upbeat and enjoyable as possible. To that end the players must be able to switch their concentration on and off in the blink of an eye. If the rehearsal seems to stagnate, sometimes we will just stand there and scream and have the players scream, too. Or we will have them jump around like crazy people just to get the adrenaline flowing. Perhaps we will play their favorite part of the show, that is, something really loud or exciting. As unorthodox as this may seem, it really does work.
Summary:
Relaxation:
Breathing:
Enunciation of the Tone:
Balance, Blend, and Timing:
Outside:
One final thought: It is the "player's hornline." At Garfield, this is the "11th commandment." They do what they do because they want to. The best technique program in the world, and the best teachers in the world, mean absolutely nothing unless the drive to achieve greatness comes from within the players themselves. They gain confidence through rehearsals; playing and marching until what they do becomes second nature. When the time for a performance arrives, however, they must take the field with authority and with nothing less than total concentration. Here again, no one can make them do this. They have to want to concentrate. They have to want to do everything they've been told. They have to want to make "their hornline" be the best it can possibly be.