Sing, Buzz, Play... Huh?

What does that mean?

Imagine trying to walk in a maze without being able to see. You might find your way to the end eventually. But not without hitting a lot of dead ends and stumbling quite a bit.

When it comes to playing music, what you have to hear the sounds before you play them the way you have to see where you're going to get out of the maze. Singing and buzzing help you brain to remember the sounds so that when you play, you have much higher success at playing the right notes. It's not magic. But it works. Try it with just a small bit of music at a time:

1. Sing. When you sing, sing the music the way you would articulate it (tHah - pronounced "tah" but with more energy). Make sure you sing the exact pitches from the music. If you don't know how the music sounds, play the notes slowly on a piano and sing with them. The piano linked has the letter names written on the keys if you don't already know how to play.
2. Buzz. When you buzz, make sure you buzz the exact pitches that are from the music.
3. Play. But go slow first. 

-Mr. B

Beginning Guide to Practice

Get the most out of your practice each day.

Becoming a better musician about what you practice each day. It is also about how you practice each day. Read the steps below to see a good basic way to practice.

1. Warm up your brain. Take 5 minutes to review note names and key signatures. You can do this at this music theory website.
2. Breathe. Take a moment to do breathing exercises. If you don't breathe well, you have no shot at playing well. If there are no exercises that you do in band classes, just try taking several deep breaths in and out. Be relaxed as you breathe in. Be relaxed as you breathe out. After a few times, breathe in and then blow the wind from your body.
3. Buzz. Get your mouthpiece and buzz a song you know for 2 minutes. It can be something you know from your iPod or phone or the radio or television. Just be sure you are buzzing with music that is playing at the same time. Your goal is to match the sounds from the music playing.
4. Play a couple scales. Scales aren't always fun. But the better you get at playing in different keys and with a clear articulation, the easier time you will have with learning new music. 
5. Improve music. Instead of playing your band music from the beginning to the end, go to the parts you have trouble with. Focus on making the parts better. Here is an effective way to practicing music you find challenging:
   • Always use a metronome.
   • Go slow enough that you can play the right rhythms and right notes.
   • If rhythm is a problem, try clapping or counting the rhythm out first. 
   • If notes are a problem, finger (or slide) through the music slowly a few times until you know you have the right fingers or slide position.
   • Be patient. Getting better is not an instant achievement. It takes time to build the skills to do something right a lot of times. Think of how many times you probably fell before you learned how to walk.

Hang in there! Don't give up. And ask questions in the comment section below or to your music teacher at school.

Be better today.

||: Sing. Buzz. Play. :||

-Mr. Byars

A Trick to Remembering Key Signatures with Flats

The key signature says there are three flats, but what do I call it?

So a key signature tells you what scale the piece of music is based on. When there are two flats, you are in the key of B flat. But what about the key signatures with six flats or four flats? Here's a trick:

Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father. This is the order of flats (Battle=B flat, Ends=E flat, A=A flat, etc.). You'll never see a B flat and a D flat by themselves in a key signature. The flats must come in the order of the B, E, A D, G, C, and F. 

To figure out what to call the key:

1. Look at the last flat in the key signature.
2. Now look at the flat that comes before it. This is the NAME  of the key you're in. Examples are below:

• If the flats were Battle Ends And. A flat is the last flat. The flat before A flat is E flat. You are playing in the key of E flat.
• If the flats were Battle Ends, E flat is the last flat. The flat before E flat is B flat. You are in the key of B flat.

The only exception is when there is only one flat Battle (B flat). There is no trick. You just have to memorize that B flat by itself means that you're in the Key of F. 

If the key signature has no flats or sharps, you are in the Key of C Major.

To work on key signature recognition, click here.

To read about key signatures with sharps click here.

||: Sing. Buzz. Play. :||

-Mr. B

A Trick to Remembering Key Signatures with Sharps

There are a bunch of sharps, what does that mean?

So a key signature tells you what scale the piece of music is based on. When there is one sharp, you are in the key of G Major. But what about the key signatures with six sharps or no sharps or the one with three sharps? Here's a trick:

Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle. This is the order of sharps (Father=F sharp, Charles=C Sharp, Goes=G Sharp etc.). You'll never see a F sharp and a D sharp by themselves in a key signature. The flats must come in the order of the F, C, G, D, A, E, and B.

To figure out what to call the key:

1. Look at the last sharp in the key signature.
2. If the sharp is on a line, look at the next closest space above. The name of that space is the name of the key. 
3. If the sharp is on a space, look at the closest line above. The name of that line is the name of the key.

• If the sharps were Father, Charles, C is the last sharp. C sharp is on a space. The next closest line above it is D. D is the name of your key. You are in D Major.
• If the sharps were Father, Charles, Goes, Down, D is the last sharp. D sharp is on a line. The next closest space above it is E. E is the name of your key. You are in E Major.

If the key signature has no sharps or flats, your are in the key of C Major.

To work on key signature recognition, click here.

To read about key signatures with flats click here.

||: Sing. Buzz. Play. :||

-Mr. B

Major Scales

Ugh, scales... but why?

Scales can be tough. They can be boring, confusing, difficult... But like your teacher probably tells you, they're good for you. And learning them really will make you a better musician. Here are some pointers for successfully learning your scales.

1. Scales are just a repeating alphabet. It doesn't matter what note you start on, the notes ALWAYS come in alphabetical order! You just have to figure out when the notes are flat, natural, or sharp.
2. It's okay to practice scales slowly. If you go too fast, you'll turn a lot of your mistakes into habits.
3. Separate scales into chunks. Play the first four notes. Then play the next four notes. Eventually you'll start to see a pattern, the more scales you learn.

||: Sing. Buzz. Play. :||

Mr. B