viernes, 10 de septiembre de 2010

Band Grade 7

This year in Band, we have gotten some new music: "Animaniacs", "The Saxophone Rag", "Clarinet Blues", "Cantina Band", "Dixieland Salute", and more.

Animaniacs: In this song I had some trouble in the middle of the song, but what I did in class was that I went through it slowly at first, the every time increasing the tempo, until I was able to do it at the normal tempo.

The Saxophone Rag: The song was pretty hard all the way but practicing over and over again, I could do it. In the beginning, the rapid change of notes makes me bail at it, but the same thing as the Animaniacs, I practiced slowly at first, but increasing the speed. That actually works pretty well.

Clarinet Blues: Since this song, was one of the songs we played last year, it wasn't so hard to play. I didn't have much difficulty in this song.

Cantina Band: This was one of the hardest songs. I had to practice it over, and over, and over again to make a good sound on it. very fast song indeed.

American Exultant: This was like, the hardest song ever, mixing scales, fast notes, high notes, and articulation. I had to practice part by part to get a hang on it. I have to say I'm not this that good on that song but I can always improve.

Remington Exercise: This a very simple exercise but a few tricks. In order to do it correctly, you have to take into matter the articulation, the tone quality, the fingerings, and the pitch.

Concert Warmups and Chorales: this is not technically a single exercise. There are 8 different exercises and songs in this page. After I got this page last year, it's not that hard for me now, because I have practiced it over and over again.

Exercises 15-26:
Glow Worm: This exercise was a tiny bit hard because of the new note the G-Sharp, so I practiced a little bit, slowly at first, so I was able to understand it.

Loch Lomond: This was a bit easier than the last one because I knew the new note better, because I have seen it before.

A Change of key: This one was hard at first because I thought I could do it faster, but I had to slow down my tempo for it to work, and also because the key changed so suddenly I got lost, nut I could do it at the end.

Contrasts in B-Flat: This was a very simple kind of scale exercise, that had all the notes that I knew already, so it was a breeze.

Essential Elemnts Quiz: The song was pretty simple because of the notes. Again I already knew all of those notes so it wasn't all that hard.

A Cut Above: It was a little hard mostly because of the high notes but I know those notes so I did it like always, increasing the tempo.

Two-Four Doodle: This was easy because the notes were pretty repetitive.

Cut-Time Doodle: This exercise was basically the same as the last one so, it was easy.

Marianne: This exercise was easy because I knew all the notes already and the speed was alright too.

The Victors March: The song was pretty simple because of the notes. I already knew these notes before.

Good King Wenceslas: This song was a bit harder that the rest so I practiced over and over to get it.

Pirates of the Caribbean: In this song I have a solo in measure 11, "Fog Bound" solo. I found it hardest to do in measure 16, where there are nine eighth notes, in which I practiced, slowly at first, but faster as I got better and better. In measure 124I have a small solo, but I was able to complete it in time.

Music of the Beatles: I found it difficult in the beginning of the song, from measure 1 to 11. I found it easy from measure 12 to 50, when that scale went in the way. I practiced it for a few times slow, and then faster.