World of Pageantry

Any tips? I know they're in January (at least for High School), but I want to start working on everything now so I can be sufficiently prepared. So if anyone could give me any advice, it would be greatly appreciated

thatonehornguy wrote:Any tips? I know they're in January (at least for High School), but I want to start working on everything now so I can be sufficiently prepared. So if anyone could give me any advice, it would be greatly appreciated

Take a little time to work on sight reading---probably the single most thing that you don't really work on. For a change of pace, instead of sight reading material for your instrument, consider reading material for other instruments. For example: flute or violin music for trumpet players; cello music for trombone players, etc. Your private teacher [if you have one] or band director will probably have some recommendations for you as well. Last thing: try not to psych yourself out or over stress---pace yourself for these next couple of months and try to have a daily practice schedule with proper warm-ups and cool-downs. And always practice with a metronome [cheap ones are about $2]; developing your internal clock is invaluable and helps with sight reading.

Where do you get $2 metronomes? That would be fantastic!

Chapagne wrote:Where do you get $2 metronomes? That would be fantastic!

Don't get too excited, they're digital metronomes that are about the size of a small pocket watch and use tiny watch batteries---I got mine at Hollywood Sheet Music. It's my emergency metronome that lives in my gig bag along with my trusty Korg tuner which is less than the size of a cassette.

The old fashioned manual ones start at about $10 for a mini one and $20 on up for bigger ones.

Every year, I have a conflict with either the audition or the performance weekend, so I can never try out....I will, of course, be sending in a tape for the all-state band.

or if you really can't afford one....there are plenty mets online, but you would have to practice next to your computer the entire time.