BRICKELL ACADEMY SCHOOL BAND

PRACTICE RECORDS: Students will be required to keep a personal home practice record. Forms will be provided to the students in their band class or can be downloaded off the web site. Parents/guardians will be required to sign the practice form each week, verifying its accuracy. This form will be treated as homework documentation. The band director will check it periodically. Home practice time will account for 200 points of your nine weeks grade. (See #4 under PRACTICE TIME GUIDELINES)

PRACTICE FORM GRADE REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED BAND MEMBERS

A = Minimum of 3 hours practice per week

B = Minimum of 2 hours practice per week

C = Minimum of 1 hour practice per week

D = Minimum of ½ hour practice per week

PRACTICE FORM GRADE REQUIREMENTS FOR BEGINNING BAND MEMBERS

A = Minimum of 2 hours practice per week

B = Minimum of 1½ hours practice per week

C = Minimum of 1 hour practice per week

D = Less than of 1 hour practice per week

PRACTICE TIME GUIDELINES: a Brickell Academy School Band Member has a personal duty to practice for themselves as well as for their fellow band members. Remember, a band is only as good as its weakest player.

HOW SHOULD YOU PRACTICE? HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS:

  1. PRACTICE SLOWLY ON DIFFICULT PASSAGES. Work on small sections that are difficult for you first. Then slowly add the sections together as you learn the piece of music.
  1. WORK ON TECHNIQUE DAILY. Work on scales, arpeggios, and rudiments for drummers, etc. from a good method book. Yes, they can be boring but you can make them interesting by trying to improve each time you play through them.
  1. IF POSSIBLE FIND A GOOD PRIVATE LESSON TEACHER. A private teach can help you with your individual problems much quicker and easier than the band director can in large band classes. Many of our up and coming players study privately. Contact Mr. Poe for private teacher references.
  1. PRACTICE AT LEAST 30 TO 45 MINUTES, 5 DAYS A WEEK, FOR A MINIMUM TOTAL OF 3 HOURS. (BEGINNING BAND STUDENTS, CONSULT YOUR BEGINNING BAND GUIDELINES FOR BEGINNER PRACTICE SUGGESTION.) Practice should take place every day. A student cannot develop the proper embouchure and playing techniques if they try to do all of their practicing in one or two longer sessions each week. In addition to your techniques study and band music, you should also practice a piece of music you really enjoy playing. Concentrate on making the absolute best sound possible. Ask yourself: Would I pay money to hear the sounds I just made? If the answer is yes, you are on the way to a good performance.
  1. LISTEN TO RECORDINGS OF PROFESSIONALS PLAYING YOUR CHOSEN INSTRUMENT. Listening to characteristic music literature and professional tone quality and technique for your instrument will give you a goal to aim for.

6.KEEP YOUR INSTRUMENT IN GOOD SHAPE AT ALL TIMES. Your instrument should be treated as the expensive piece of equipment that it is. Be very careful when you put together or take apart your instrument. More instruments are damaged from bent keys than any other type of misfortune.