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Featured Articles

• Attitude Development: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
  by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser

  What life means to us is determined not so much by what life brings to us as by the attitude we bring to life; not so much by what happens to us as by our reaction to what happens. - Lewis Dunning

  The word "attitude" often has a negative connotation. When we say a student "has an attitude" it is generally interpreted as a description of a less-than-favorable disposition displayed by the individual-in-question. In truth, everyone has an "attitude," perhaps the key is to identify it with a descriptive adjective; a healthy attitude, a positive attitude, an agreeable attitude, etc.

• The Saxophone: The Easiest Instrument to Play... Badly
  by Dr. Carolyn J. Bryan

  By design, the saxophone is a forgiving instrument. Compared to other wind instruments, it is easy to produce an acceptable initial tone. Unlike the flute or trumpet, the embouchure accommodates a wide array of oral structures. Keys cover the tone holes, so hand position is seemingly not as exacting as that required on the clarinet. Consequently, we become accepting of many of the undesirable sounds (and habits) that students of the instrument are capable of producing. Careful attention to the following points will help beginning students develop a beautiful sound and good technique.

• What Should a Student Teacher Learn?
  by Mindy Scheierman

  The student teaching experience in music is a culmination of the entire undergraduate educational process. It is the time when the evolving teacher turns the conceptual into the practical.

• Warmup and Intonation
  by Thomas A. Labadorf

  A warmup routine has long been professed as the most important part of a daily practice because it prepares our muscle groups for the challenges we encounter during performance. But besides being prepared for the physical demands of clarinet performance, it is also important to ready our minds so we can control these muscle groups to produce a fine musical performance. My own warmup routine, which combines aspects of both of these areas, is drawn from various sources and experiences to form a single and efficient warmup procedure.

• Outstanding Web Sources for Trumpet Players Around the World
  by Michael Anderson

  In preparation for my presentation at the 2002 International Trumpet Guild Conference, I compiled a list of top trumpet web resources and published it on the ITG Web Site. I gave a similar presentation at the 2005 ITG Conference in Bangkok so I have updated my list of the top 25 trumpet web resources for the October 2005 Journal "Web Site Reviews" column.

• Improving Rehearsals
  by Dr. Stewart Ross

  A rehearsal is no place for long-winded lectures. Keep comments concise. If you can "say it" in a non-verbal way, do it. Compliments and complaints can be made with the twist of the eyebrow or the wink of the eye without having to stop the rehearsal.

• Helpful Marching Percussion Techniques - Bass Drums
  by Richie Viano

  One of the most important sections of the marching band is without a doubt the bass drums. With a musical approach, solid technique and thoughtful and creative arranging, this section has the ability to improve the overall quality of a percussion section as well as the entire marching ensemble. Here are several key items you can check and reinforce to help your bass drummers.

• Integrating Music Technology in Your Classroom:
  A Journey From Purist to Tech Evangelist
  by Dr. Glenn Pohland, DMA

  Technology in my school's band room? For years, I was a musical purist–insisting that my ears alone would do the assessments, tuning, and artistic shaping. I had studied instrumental conducting with giants like Dick Strange, who taught me what gets the best results from students. I held a doctorate in instrumental music education from Arizona State. I didn't need technology in my music room, or in my way.