army piano and guitar - 1978 69 pgs

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C H A P T E R I

P a r t O n e

T H E P I A N O

H I S TO RY

Development of the piano began with the need for a keyboard instrumentcapable of dynamic contrasts. The first piano was designed and built by theItalian h arp sichord maker Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence about 1720. It w ascalled il gravicembalo col piano e forte, or the harpsichord with soft and loud. Inshape it was very similar to the harpsichord. Although invented in Italy, thepiano was developed in Germany where two different types of action wereproduced.

In the second half of the eighteenth century (c. 1760), several German pianomakers settled in London . Gradually, the square shap e of the grand piano theyhad brou ght w ith them w as aband oned . This was du e, in part, to the fact that theharpsichord, rather than the clavichord, was then the prevalent keyboardinstrument in England.

John Broad wood , a leading British piano m anu factu rer, influenced the chan gesfrom German and Italian mod els to the English gran d. It became h eavier; twopedals were added; and the keyboard, instead of being recessed between thewalls of the case, projected, exposing the performer’s hands.

While a more m odern ized piano w as being d eveloped in England , the Austrianswere creating a special type of piano: the Stein-Streicher, named for theman ufacturer. It was a charm ing, delicate instrum ent similar in ap pearance tothe harpsichord, with the musical sound and touch of the clavichord. Althoughexcellent in its clarity and rap id respon se, it could not w ithstand the p ower a ndpassion of the music of Beethoven and the later Romantics. For this reason, itwas eventually discontinued.

Along with Italy, Germany, and England, Paris was a piano-making centerfrom 1752 to 1831. Piano m akers Sebastien Erard in France and Broad wood inEngland were largely responsible for the creation of the modern piano. Theiralterations included heavier, thicker strings, a thicker soundboard, a greatlyincreased range, and a raised pitch. These developments made the resulting

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tension on the str ings (c. 20,000 kg.) too great for th e p iano’s w ood en fram e. Steelbars and metal braces had to be used. Finally, an all cast iron frame wasintrodu ced, taking all the w eight off the w ooden parts.

Concurrently (c. 1821), a more responsive and reliable action the doubleescapement, was created by Erard. The 1st step in the evolution of the grandpiano was the creation of the overstrung scale. This consisted of a newarrangement of the strings within the case. The treble strings diverged in theform of a fan, spreading across the largest part of the soundboard. The bassstrings crossed over them at a slightly higher level. This resulted in a m uch m orepow erful piano an d a fuller, more resonan t harm onic soun d , especially wh en thedam per p edal (the right ped al) was d epressed. This overstringing arran gementalso removed some of the tonal clarity and transparency characteristic of earlierpianos. Consequently, certain full chord s played in the m idd le to lower registersbecame undesirable because of the harmonic ambiguity or muddiness,especially when the damper pedal was used.

CURRENT USES

The piano has a variety of functions today in th e areas of legitimate or classicalas well as popular music. It is used as a solo instrument and as part of anensemble.

L e g i t i m a t e

Ensemble. As part of a large ensemble, the piano is used in symphonyorchestra and w ind ensemble. It also plays an imp ortant role in chambermusic or smaller instrumental ensembles.

Accompanying. An important function of the piano is to accompanyvocalists, choral groups, or other instrumentalists.

Solo. As a solo instrument the piano is widely used for recitals andprogram settings. It is also used to perform concertos, arrangements, ortranscriptions with symphony orchestras and wind ensembles.

P o p u l a r

Ensemble. In popu lar mu sic the p iano, especially the electric, is used as astand ard par t of a combo and as part of the rhythm section of the stage ordan ce band . It m ay also be used as p art of the band or orchestra for stageplays and mu sical comed ies.

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Solo. As a solo instrument the piano can be used to play cocktail or easylistening music, jazz, blues, or ragtime.

TYPES OF PIANOS

Basically, there are two different types of pianos in use today: the traditional oracoustic piano and the electric piano.

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A c o u s t i c

The acoustic piano is of two typ es: the gran d piano, wh ich ran ges in size from 5feet 7 inches to 8 feet and more, weights from 600 pou nd s; and the u pright piano

which technically is from 40 inches to 60 inches high. Depending on themanufacturer, uprights may also be referred to as consoles. Consoles range insize from 37 inches to 44 inches. A sm aller form of up right is the spinet w hichranges from 30 inches to 36 inches in height, has shorter strings, and a shorterkeyboard.

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Electr ic

The electric piano differs from the acoustic piano primarily in its method of toneproduction. Instead of using hammers, strings, and soundboard, the tone ispr oduced electronically by means of a tone generator (Yamah a, RMI) and thenamplified electronically. In others the hammer strikes a mechanism (Wurlitzer -A Sand vik Swed ish element. Fend er-Rhod es - a tone bar or tu ning fork and tine)which vibrates, producing the tone. The tone is then amplified electronically.

Most electric pianos are designed for ease in transporting, assembling, anddisassembling. They weigh anywhere from 75 to 125 pounds and range fromabout 25 to 33 inches in height.

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CONSTRUCTION

Acoust ic

Frame. The frame helps support the tons of tension exerted by thestretched steel piano strings; it also acts to hold the unit together. It isusually made of oak boards or a combination of boards and iron bars.

Soundboard. The sound board is a large wooden d iaphragm , usu ally mad eof spruce, which is vibrated by the strings. The top (or front) is fitted withbridges connected to the strings. Wooden ribs are glued to the back,adding strength to the soundboard and helping to maintain its propershape.

Pinblock. The pinblock is mounted above the soundboard in a verticalpiano and in front of it in a grand . It is made of laminated h ardw ood an dmust support the tuning pins without cracking.

Plate. The plate covers the pinblock and the soundboard. It is usuallymad e of cast-iron with h oles to allow the tun ing pins to p rotrud e.

Tuning Pins. Tuning pins are anchored in the block. The strings areattached at one end to a tuning pin.

Strings. The bass strings are weighted and wrapped with copper or ironw ire w oun d aroun d the core wire. These strings are so thick that one stringis loud enough for each note. The higher bass strings are thinner,requiring two strings per note. In the treble, each note has three strings,

all tun ed in u nison. They vibrate together to prod uce the required volu me.

Action. The action is the mechan ism of the p iano. It consists of a series of levers, starting with the key and end ing with the hammer (the felt-coveredpiece of wood that strikes the string and pr odu ces the tone). It allows thepianist to play as loud ly or softly and as quickly or slowly as d esired.

For each key and hammer (except in the high treble) there is a damper which, when the key is up, rests on the strings and prevents them fromvibrating. When the key is depressed, the damper lifts from the strings

and allows them to vibrate. When the key is released, the damper returnsto the string. In th e high treble, the tone dies so quickly that no d amp ersare needed .

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All piano actions also hav e some typ es of escapement mechanism, wh ichallows the hammer to be released from the key just before hitting thestring. After the h amm er is released, it continu es un d er its own inertia,hits the string, and then r ebound s. When the k ey is released , the actionreturns to its original position and resets itself for another cycle.

Pedals. Most pianos have tw o ped als; some have three. The p edal on theright is the dam per, wh ich lifts all the dam pers at on ce, allowing soun d ednotes to continu e sound ing after the keys are released.

The pedal on the left acts to mute or soften the tone and is sometimesreferred to as the una corda pedal. In most grands this pedal shifts theentire action sid eways, causing th e ham mers to strike only two strings of each triple un ison an d one of each d ouble.

The third p edal, usu ally includ ed on m ost grands an d som e better qualityuprights, is called the sostenuto pedal. It sustains only those notes heldd own at the time the ped al is dep ressed . It can be used in conjun ction w ith

the d amp er ped al since it does not sustain any n otes which are struck after depressing it. On many pianos, the middle pedal affects only the bassregister. In this case, the pedal is called the bass sustaining pedal.

In uprights there is a middle pedal called a practice pedal. This pedallowers a th ick p iece of felt betw een the h amm ers and the strings, mufflingthe tone.

Elect r ic

Because of the different designs and types of electric pianos, a detailedd iscussion of their constru ction is imp ractical here. The p iano d iscussed here isthe type most commonly found in Army bands.

Action. The action includes keys (same dimensions as on the acousticpiano), ham mers, dam pers, and escapem ent; in m any r espects it is similarto the action of the acoustic piano.

Tone Generator Assembly. This consists of the following:

Tone Bar. A twisted steel bar.

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Ensure that controls move smoothly and quietly.

Never attempt to clean the inside of the electric piano.

Refer susp ected internal p roblems to a rep airman.

Exercise care when moving the electric piano. Ensure that the following actionsare performed .

Attach all covers firmly.

Remove electrical plugs carefully to ensure that wires remain intact.

Correcting Malfunctions

Simple measures can solve some common mechanical malfunctions.

If keys are sticking and the atm osph eric moistu re is not excessive, check for liquids or solid objects dropped into the action or keys. If the cause orcure is not obvious, refer the malfunction to a technician.

If a key d oes not d epr ess, d o not u se force. Check for foreign objects in th eaction, und er the key, or between the key and th e wipp en.

If a key d epresses but no sou nd comes forth, check for a broken action par tor foreign objects in the action.

If a pedal squeaks, apply graphite to the moving connections. If the

squeak p ersists, report th e

If the piano is out of tune,Ensure that the piano isoptimum is having the piano tuned for each performance in which it isused.

malfunction to supply for correction.

report the condition to supply for correction.tuned at least once every six months. T h e

Electric Pianos

Each week, clean the outside of the electric piano as you would the acoustic.

Additionally, you should:Inspect for dents and scratches.

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Remove legs and pack them secur ely.

Secure all latches.

Ensure that the keys are pro tected. Any object striking the keys can break the tone-produ cing tines.

Ensure that the piano is not dropped or heavily jarred.

Keep heavy objects off the piano.

Correcting Malfunctions

electric and acoustic pianos can malfunction in similar ways.

Sticking keys are repaired in the same manner as those on the acousticpiano.

A key that does not depress is repaired in the same manner as one on theacoustic piano.

A key that does not produ ce a sound w hen d epressed can result from anelectrical malfunction as well as a mechanical problem. Check for foreignobjects in the action and test for electrical continuity.

If a ped al squeaks, app ly graph ite to the mov ing connections but keep th egraphite off the electrical connections. Graphite can short electricalcircuits.

If the piano is out of tune, report the problem to supply for correction.

Servicing and maintenance is best done by following the manufacturer’sguidelines. Follow the User’s M anual, not the Technician’s Guide and schematicdiagrams.

Selection and Maintenance of Pianos, published by United States Army Element, School of Music, contains much useful information on transportation,care, and selection of pianos. Consult this publication for further guidance.

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P a r t Tw o

T H E G U I T A R

HISTORY

The gu itar originated in The N ear East. Nom ad ic Arabs carried its pred ecessorsacross Northern Africa into the Iberian peninsula, resulting in its traditionalpop ularity in Spain and Portugal. Thirteenth century paintings d epict variousforms of the guitar. It w as not u ntil the 16th century, thou gh, that gu itar beganto appear in Spanish classical music.

The guitar became highly popular in the 17th century. This was partly becausethe art of the lute w as reaching ar tistic perfection at this time a nd the gu itar wassomew hat easier to p lay. Boccherini, Schubert, and other p rominen t comp oserswr ote chamber m usic for the guitar. How ever, its use in classical music began todiminish until the turn of the 20th century when Francisco Tarrega and AndresSegovia initiated the revival of the classical guitar.

The use of the guitar in folk and popular music has never waned and it remainsone of the most w idely played instrum ents.

T Y P E S

The types of guitars in common use can be generally classified as acoustic,amplified, bass, or miscellaneous.

Acoust ic

Flattop Spanish. This type includ es most flattop rou nd -hole guitars using gut ornylon strings.

Classic. The basic model. It is used by classical guitarists for solo andensemble playing. The currently popular models are somewhat largerthan those of several hundred years ago. Almost all have metal tuningmachines. The better models are constructed largely of Brazilianrosewood, ebony, and spruce.

Flamenco. Very similar to the classic model except that most modelshave a clear plastic tap plate beneath the sound hole. The tap plateaccommodates the percussive effects that flamenco artists use when

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accompanying dancers. The trend is toward using machine heads butman y flamen co guitars still have solid ebony or rosewood tun ing pegs likea violin. The string height may be lower than that of the classic. The sidesand back are often mad e of Span ish cypress instead of rosewood.

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Steel String. Country, folk, and blues artists generally play steel string guitars,w hether flattop or archtop.

Flattop. Looks much like a classic guitar but has substantial structuraldifferences. The tuning machines are generally single, instead of inthrees, and are stronger. The peghead h as a simp ler shap e and m any oldermodels use slotted pegheads. The narrower neck allows the player to usehis thu mb to finger th e frets.

Twelve-String Flattop. Used primarily for folk music. It has a widerneck than the six-string w ith six add itional tun ing machines and bridgepins. The larger models are the most popular and the most useful. Thetop tw o sets of strings (E and B) are tun ed in u nison and the bottom foursets are tuned in octaves.

Archtop (plectrum). Now seldom used without amplification. Origi-nally it w as used solely as a rh ythm instrum ent, but m ost jazz artists use ittoday as a solo instrum ent, in its am plified version. The strong arch of the

top and back, along with F holes, tends to make the instrument moreclosely resemble a violin. Additionally, it has a tailpiece to relieve thestrain of the highly-tensioned strings.

A m p l i f i e d

This is the class of guitar p rimarily u sed by Army band smen. The major typ esare the hollow bod y and the solid body.

Hollow-Body. Usually of the archtop variety. Magnetic pickups are

normally mounted in the top bu t pickup s moun ted on the p ickguard allowa m ore acoustic guitar sound . Many hollow bod y gu itars are thin, actuallymaking them semi-acoustic.

Solid-Body. H as little inherent resonance and is depend ent on its pickup s.The lack of resonance gives the solid bod y a clean, pu re soun d preferred bysome rock and combo guitarists. The solid wood construction facilitatesthe addition of various accessories.

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Bass

The third class of gu itar includ es the acoustic bass, the electric bass guitar, andthe electric bass.

Acoustic Bass. Rarely used except in certain Latin bands. It is a hugeguitar having six strings and a range an octave lower than the norm al six-string guitar.

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Electric Bass Guitar. Generally a solid body instrument. It is the bestinstrum ent for guitarists learning bass because the n eck is about th e samesize as a gu itar neck. It uses the bottom four strings of the gu itar, soun dingan octave lower.

Electric Bass. Somewhat different from the bass guitar in that the neck islonger and narrow er, requiring a d ifferent playing techniqu e.

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Miscellaneous

The fourth class includ es instru ments related to the gu itar but seldom u sed byArmy band smen.

Ukelele. Portuguese in origin. It resembles a miniature classical guitarw ith four strings. Althoug h it is still popu lar in H aw aiian folk mu sic, itsuse is very limited.

Steel Guitar. Used p rimarily in country band s. It is a box-like app aratushaving no acoustical amplification. It is capable of long sustained tonesand a characteristic glissando.

Banjo. Once very popular but now generally restricted to Dixieland,bluegrass, or nostalgia group s. The thum b is used in stru mm ing, as w ellas the fingers, and the highest string (high G) is placed next to the lowest(low G) for th is reason. The instru men t has little sustain ing capacity andrequires a comp letely d ifferent p laying techn ique from th at of the gu itar.

Lute. Still used somewhat in classical literature. Its descendant, themandolin, is often used in Mediterranean-style music. Its technique ischaracterized by rap id single-note strum ming.

ACCESSORIES

A variety of accessories and special effects are available to th e gu itarist. Whileonly a few of them are discussed here, investigate all the effects you encounter.Some are w orth the p rice but m any are n ot. Do not p ur chase any accessory untilyou know wh at you want.

Wah- Wah Pedal. Creates the effect described by its name. Rapid use of theped al results in a short WAH - WAH- WAH sou nd that can be effective on rock numbers if not overused. Applying the pedal slowly produces an ooo-uh-ah-ah-uh-ooo effect heard mainly on some soul rock tunes.

Phase Shifter. Creates what can best be described as a swirling sound. Thespeed can be ad justed but n ot as easily as the Wah-Wah p edal.

Fuzz Box. Creates a fuzzy, distorted sound, characteristic of acid rock.

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CONSTRUCTION

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Bridge Saddle and Grooves. The strings are ru n over brid ge sadd le grooves inthe bridge saddle to guide the strings along the neck in proper position. Thebridge saddle can be used to adjust string height and harmonics.

Height Adjustment Screws. Used to adjust string height.

Harmonic Tuning Screws. Ad just th e bridge sad d le to bring th e 12th fret

octave in tun e.

Bridge Saddle Tension Spring. Keeps constant forward tension on thebridge saddle.

Base Plate. The mounting apparatus for the bridge saddle, heightadjustment, and harmonic adjustment screws.

String Holes. Strings are attached to the instrument by threading themthrough these holes.

Output Jack. A receptacle for a quarter-inch phone jack.

Tone Blender. Controls the balance and mix of the bass and treble pickups.

Pickup Volume Controls. Control the front and rear pickup gain.

Pickups. There are generally two p ickups: one for bass and one for treble. Theyhave height adjustment screws to regulate intensity.

Frets. Divisions of the fingerboard for note calibration. They may be made of wood or chrome nickel.

Tuning Machines. Adjust the intonation of the strings.

Neck. The fingerboard and frets are mounted on the neck. Its length determinesthe scale and calibration of the frets in conjunction with the bridge saddle.

Truss Rod. Reinforces the neck.

MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES

Few guitar repairs can be accomplished by the average player withoutconsiderable risk to the instrument. Every guitar player should, however, beable to describe the function of each part on the guitar and electric bass anddiagnose most malfunctions.

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Players can correct these problems:

Worn strings may be indicated by pitting and corrosion. Replace thestrings.

False strings produce out of tune harmonics. Replace the strings.

Mismatched strings produce different tone qualities and may be of

different material and color. Replace unwanted strings with matched ones.

A d ull, lusterless finish; rusted m etal parts; or obvious d ust an d d irt meanyou should clean the instrument.

Faulty pickup and pole-piece screw adjustment on electric guitars can bechecked by pressing the first and sixth strings at the highest fret. Eachstring should be about 1/16 inch above the pickup. Set pole-piece screwslower for thick, wound strings and higher for thin, unwound strings.

If switches or knobs are noisy when the volume is up, contacts areprobably dirty or corroded. Apply contact cleaner.

Loose screws on tuning machines, pickups, bridge, pick plate, output jack,cover, and neck plates may all be tightened with a screwdriver.

These problems require a competent guitar repairman for their correction:

Warp ed necks can be diagnosed by sighting dow n the neck from th e nut tothe body. Both neck and strings should be squ are and even with the bod y.

The neck can become u nglued from th e body. Look for a gap between theneck and body.

The neck may bow up. Check the side view of the guitar from the nut to thebody.

A bridge starting to pull loose will create a space along one side of thebridge.

Worn frets have grooves caused by string friction.

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A nut is badly worn if the grooves are deeper than half the string diameter.

A broken nut has cracks on or around it.

The bridge saddle may be worn or maladjusted if the instrument is indecent condition but the string height on the fingerboard is not close to 1/ 8inch.

Any problem not described here should be referred to a repairman. Electricalmalfun ctions sh ou ld also be referred because of the dan ger of electrical shock.

CLEANING

To clean guitars and electric basses, observe the following procedures:

Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe strings, neck, body, and pickups of theinstrument.

App ly a furn itur e or guitar p olish to the back of the neck and the entirebody. Do not get polish on the fingerboard, strings, or electronic parts.

Wipe all grime from the tuning machines, then apply a lightweight oilsparingly. Use the same procedure for the bridge adjustment gears. Theseparts, if clean, may need lubrication only semiannually.

To replace strings, observe the following procedures:

Change one string at a time, beginning with the largest.

Attach the ball end of the string to the tailpiece or bridge.

Insert the other end through the tuning post.

Allow enough excess to wind the string around the post at least threetimes to bring it u p to pitch.

Snip off the surp lus w ith w ire cutters.

Bring strings up to pitch very slowly to give them a chance to stretch.

To store the gu itar or bass, loosen th e strings about a major third or perfect fourth. Pack the guitar securely, avoiding extremes of heat and humidity.

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C H A P T E R I I

T R A I N I N G A N D L E A D I N G Y O U R S E C T I O N

LEADING COMBOS

Although most combos use one or more wind instruments, it is the rhythminstrumentalists who specialize in this idiom. Combo rehearsal technique issomewhat different from ensemble rehearsal technique. If you anticipate theopp ortunity to form and lead a concert ensemble in a performance, see ChapterIII for helpful hints.

P R E - R E H E A R S A L

Assuming the instrumentation and personnel for your group has been selected,let us examine what you should do before the rehearsal.

Get A Good Rehearsal Site. The main rehearsal hall may be adequate butit is subject to heavy traffic. Many people p refer closed rehearsals sinceopen rehearsals inhibit corrections and can even invite unwantedcomments. Try to stay away from office spaces. Check for electricaloutlets.

Write Lead Sheet Sketches for the tunes you plan to rehearse. This can be

delegated to the man best qualified to do it. If your combo is experiencedand the people have good ears, the sketches may not be necessary. Youmay be able to talk them through the head charts.

Post Or Announce The Rehearsal. List the equipment needed and insistthat equipm ent be set up prior to the rehearsal time.

Set Up Your Rehearsal. Put th e bass to the left of the piano so he can wa tchthe pianist’s left han d. Pu t the d rum mer to th e right of the piano so thepianist can w atch the hi-hat. Horns an d guitars can work to either side or

in front for the performance but may face the others for convenienceduring rehearsal.

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The grou p should stand like they w ill for the p erforman ce d uring the last fewrehearsals so every player gets a clear idea of the sound.

Take Care Of Any Business Right Away. This includes roll call, announce-ments, instructions for the next job, etc.

R E H E A R S A L

When the pre-rehearsal business is completed, begin some concentratedrehearsing.

Announce your rehearsal objectives so the group knows what must bedone.

If you know any tunes jointly, play through one to warm up and relax.

Talk through new tunes before playing. Make solo and ensembleassignments.

Don’t be so specific as to inhibit flexibility and spontaneity.

Play the number all the way through to establish the form. Remember roughspots for work later. Make sure everyone gets the right feel for the tune. Discussthe beat with the rhythm players to make sure they agree. Discuss the roughspots. Work them out as w ell as possible.

Play the tun e again as you listen to each p layer. Players should sup port eachother rather th an comp ete. They shou ld begin to kick together and split chordsfor background. Don’t let them step on each other’s fills. Listen to rhythmpatterns to m ake certain they comp lement th e melody.

Work out cuing schemes. Eye contact is best, but cues from th e dr um s or h andsignals from the frontline might also work.

Work on an easily solved pr oblem first. This w ill instill confidence and loosenup the group.

Work on high p riority problems early wh ile the group is fresh and there is plentyof time.

On tunes that require plenty of technique, slow the tempo down. Check the hornsand any other instrum ents having a m elody to m ake sure they are articulating

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together. If there are rh ythmic problems, subdivide the beat, clap the rh ythms,and then play them slowly.

For balance problems it is best to have another section leader or yourgroup leader come in to listen. He can give you a better idea on your soun d th ansomeone in the middle of the group. Keep track of the relative volume settingswh en you get good balance.

There are two times wh en you sh ould limit rehearsal time on a n um ber.

The first is when th e group is doing w ell except for one man. If one manholds you up , instru ct him to p ractice pr ivately on the problem sections.

The second is when you reach the point of diminishing returns. If the pieceisn’t giving you mu ch trouble and there are other tun es that need morework, move on to something else. It is commendable and desirable topolish a n um ber and get it tight, but you cannot play one tune for a four-hour commitment. Additionally, over-rehearsal may make a tune stale

and rigid.

Keep a relaxed atmosph ere but maintain d iscipline. Try to imagine that you arepaying your group out of your pocket. Get your money’s worth.

Keep n otes on areas you w ill wan t to w ork-on in you r next rehearsal. Finish therehearsal with a comp lete tune to show you r group w hat they’ve accomp lished.

When you have a good program of music prepared, work on showmanship. Youcan sell a nu mber m uch m ore effectively w hen th e group app ears to be enjoying

the performance, so smile. If this is a rock group , don’t be afraid to incorporate afew simple dan ce steps.

Army bands have no vocalists assigned. However, most bands have one or twopeople with some experience in pop singing. Rock or pop combos are usuallymore p opu lar if they have a vocalist. Try to recruit one for your group .

THE PERFORMANCE

Relax. If your r ehearsals were effective and you h ave a good repertory, the hardwork has been done. Little is left to worry about.

Watch your audience carefully an d constantly. It’s their party, so bend withthem . If they seem to be enjoying conversat ion, stick to quiet stand ard tun es. Trysome easy rock every three or four numbers to see if anyone wishes to dance.

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The rule for concerts is to vary your style constantly.

The rule for dances is to play what the audience is responding to.

The rule for cocktail background music is to support the scene andremain unobtrusive.

Have you r people be cordial in p ublic. You w ill sell your ban d much easier if theaudience likes you.

MOVING EQUIPMENT

Anytime your band moves equipment, be careful. Avoid injuries, lost equipment,or broken equipm ent. Establish sensible systems dividing responsibilities andspecifying safe handling practices. Write checklists, if necessary.

S TA G E B A N D T E C H N I Q U E S

CHORD SYMBOLS

Much stage band music for piano and guitar requires reading chord symbols.This practice is nothing new, as figured bass lines were used for keyboardcontinuo accompaniments as early as the 17th century. Now, as then, it is up tohe player to interpret and play these symbols creatively an d correctly.

A uniform system for notating symbols is not universal, but with somexperience and comm on sense, most symbols are easily interpreted.

Consult the following books for clarification of chord symbols you may notunderstand.

Composing For The Jazz Orchestra. William Russo

M odern Arranging Techniques. Gordon Delamont

The Professional Arranger Composer. Russell Garcia

PIANO VOICING OF CHORDS

Guidelines are as follows:

Do not use the root on the bottom . This will avoid conflicts with the bass.

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Stay in the upper and middle registers of the keyboard. This will give acleaner soun d.

Use open voicings when possible. Intervals of a fourth or greater soundbest.

Do not use chromatic alterations of a chord unless they are indicated bythe arrangement. Your alterations may conflict with notes written for thewinds.

The following are sample voicings in the key of C major. Consider these assuggestions. Do not be afraid to use imagination and creativity in devising yourown.

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GUITAR VOICING OF CHORDS

Guitar voicing can be complex since there can be as many as six notes in thechord and the voicing you choose should lead smoothly to the next chord . Thechoice of voicing, of course, will be somewhat limited if you are playing chord-melody style. Chord System for the Modern Orchestral Guitar by Mel Bay has atable of chord voicings and inversions you will find useful.

H ere are some basic gu idelines for chord extensions to fit pa rticu lar styles. Donot, however, add extensions or alterations to chord symbols on dance bandarrangemen ts or you may conflict w ith notes written for the wind s.

Traditional Blues gets its characteristic sound from the following chordsand p rogression:

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Early Rock and Roll, du ring the 50’s, add ed a minor seventh to more of thechords and occasionally used a substitution:

Later, sevenths w ere add ed to m ore chord s.

Funky Blues came abou t with the ad d ition of sharp ninths in addition tothe sevenths:

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Contemporary Blues (jazz) added more extensions, and used moresubstitute chord s to vary th e progression:

Swing Style Voicings can be created by ad ding a sixth to both m ajor andminor chords, a minor seventh to augmented chords, and a diminishedseventh to diminished chords. The ninth can be add ed to seventh chordsfor a more modern sound .

Other Modern Voicings for combo or solo technique, involve morecomplex alterations and extensions.

Add the seventh to all minor chords along with the ninth oreleventh.

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Dominan t chords m ay be m odified with a flat fifth, a sharp or flatninth , and m ay be mod ified with a flat fifth, a sharp or flat ninth , anaugmented eleventh, or a thirteenth.

Augm ented seventh chord s can be given a modern soun d by add inga lowered ninth and placing a lowered fifth in the bass.

BASS LINES

Whether you are a p ianist or gu itarist, it is to your ad vantage to know somethingof bass line construction. It helps you to relate to the bass player in building atight rhythm section. Most important to the guitarist is that, in as much as thereis no bass MOS, he may find himself in a band with no bass and be tasked to fillin. How ever, if there is a bass, both th e pianist and gu itarist should stay out of his way.

The first and most obvious method is to play a written part if one exists.

Guitarists should learn to read bass clef. In many dance band arrangements thebass part is written ou t. They m ay not b e the most creative lines bu t most areusable. Guitarists should play th e part on th e lower strings wh en p ossible. Thethicker strings w ill prov ide a more characteristic sound .

The second method is to play a two-beat pattern. This is especially useful whenplaying bass/ chord p atterns in p olkas, marches, w altzes, etc. Play roots andfifths on the strong beats. Listen to th e part a tu ba p lays and try to imitate it.

The best bass line for a four-beat pattern is the walking bass. Because it isfairly complex, complete instruction cannot be presented here. Begin byplaying roots and fifths on the strong beats. Then try to fill weak beatsw ith passing tones. There are man y ru les for choosing th e passing tonesfor diminished, augmented, extended, and substituted chords. Find a good

jazz bass instruction book to stu d y th e system.

RHYTHMS

Rhythm practice for piano an d guitar are sometimes identical and sometimesd ifferent bu t they shou ld alw ays comp lement each oth er. These examp les arecomm on p atterns, but variations are often possible.

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Piano

Ensemble figures and kicks should be played w ith the horns.

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Fills in the manner of a country guitar are very effective withthis beat.

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A ph ase shifter or wah -wah p edal on an am plified instrument iseffective with this beat.

Play an intense four or tw o-beat drive, but n ot too fast. Both th ewah-wah an d phase shifter work well in this style. The phaseshifter is especially effective on sixteenth note patternsbetween han ds.

Jazz Rock

There is no common beat for jazz rock. The best procedure is toplay on the dru mm ers strong beats. Od d m eters and syncopa-tion are often featured.

G u i t a r

Shuffle Rock

Use alternating up and down strokes

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Disco Rock

Play with a strong two feel

Commercial Rock

Funky Rock and Jazz Rock

There are no common patterns for these beats. The bestprocedu re is to begin by p laying on the d rum mer’s strong beats,evolving a pattern that complements the tune.

C h a - C h a

Use all dow n strokes

R h u m b a

S a m b a

Deadened stroke. Down stroke. Up stroke.

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Bossa Nova

Swing Rhythms

On straight-ahead swing, the guitar generally plays a four-beatpattern with the volume down. Some older big bands useacoustical guitars for this purpose. Both the piano and theguitar will encounter kicks and ensemble sections that shouldbe played rhythm ically as w ritten. It will help you r read ing if you m aster some of the more common figures.

La t in Rhythms

There are many other Latin rhythms not shown here. If youencoun ter one, listen to the dru mm er for the p attern.

T H E P I A N O / G U I TA R P L AY E R A N D T H E P E R C U S S I O N S E C T I O N

The piano/ guitar section spend s mu ch of its time as an ad jun ct of the percussionsection. Both members must be able to play bass drum, cymbals, or glockenspielon the field. In concert band, the pianist usually specializes in keyboardpercussion parts and the guitarist specializes in miscellancous percussion.

The relationship between the p iano/ guitar section leader an d percussion sectionleader must be one of cooperation and mutual understanding. Both can andmust learn a great deal from each other.

Study the instrumental sections of TC 12-02M, The Percussion Section Leader’s Handbook. It contains detailed descriptions of percussion techniques that canhelp you become valued members of the percussion section. Practice yourmarching band instruments and study all cadences and marches your banduses. Learn to play glockenspiel; this will add a valuable melodic voice to theband.

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I N S T R U C T I O N A L T E X T S A N D M E T H O D S

The following texts and method s are examples of good material to help you inyour study. This list is by no means complete and you should examine anypu blication for your instrum ent you may encoun ter. Also, it is to your ad vantageto stud y p ublications for both instrum ents. The greater your know ledge of bothinstrum ents the better section lead er you w ill be.

Composing for The Jazz Orchestra, R u s s oUniversity of Chicago Press11030 S. Langley Ave.Chicago, IL 60628

Modern Arranging Technique, DelamontKendor Mu sic, Inc.Main and Grove Sts.Delevan , N Y 14042

The Professional Arranger, Composer, GarciaBarrington House PublishersCriterion Mu sic Corp .6124 Selma Ave.Hollywood, CA 90028

GUITAR TEXTBOOKS

Complete Guitar Repair, KamimotoOak Publicationc/ o Music Sales Corp.33 West 60th St.New York, NY 10023

GUITAR METHODS AND ETUDES

Modern Method for Guitar, William LeavittBerklee Press1140 Boylston St.Boston, MA 02215

(Recommended for guided study in all areas.)

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Jazz Guitar, Book 2, Mickey BakerLewis Music Pub.39 W. 60th St.New York, NY 10023

(Recommended for chord melody and block chord study.)

Guitar Manual/Chord Melody, Howard RobertsPlayback Pub. Co.P.O. B OX 4278N. Hollywood, CA 91607

(Recommended for chord melody, voicings, counterpoint, and block chordstudy.)

Chord System for the Modern Orchestral Guitar, Mel BayMel Bay Pub. Co.Pacific, MO 63069

(Recommended for its comprehensive table of chord fingerings and inver-sions.)

Aids to Technique for Guitar, SmithCharles Colin1225 Sixth Ave.N ew York, NY 10019

(Recomm end ed for techn ical stud y.)

The Guitar Book, Howard RobertsPlayback Pub. Co.P.O. B OX 4278

N. Hollywood, CA 91607(Recommen ded for basics, idom atic devices, imp rovisation, and picking. Yourattention is invited to th e d iscussion of war m-up s.)

Single String Studies for Guitar, SalvadorBelwin-Mills Pub. Corp.25 Deshon DriveMelville, NY 11746

(Recommended for reading and melodic line study.)

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PIANO TEXTBOOKS

Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding, Arthur ReblitzVestal PressBox 97Vestal, NY 13850

(Recommended for study in the mechanics of the piano.)

Selection and Maintenance of Pianos, Richard ZollerCommandantUS Army Element, School of MusicATTN: DTDNorfolk, VA 23521

(Recommended for maintenance and selection guide.)

The Piano Owner’s Guide, Carl D. SchmeckelCharles Scribner Co.579 Fifth Ave.New York, NY 10017

(Recomm end ed for piano maintenance.)

PIANO METHODS AND ETUDES

Daily Essentials in Pianoforte Practice, P. W. OremTheodore Presser Co.Presser PlaceBryn Mawr, PA 19010

(Recommended for technique preservation and warm-ups.)

Czerny School of Velocity, CzernyG. Shirmer and Sons866 Third Ave.New York, NY 10022

Jazz Improvisation, Vol I-IV, John MehaganAm sco Music Pub. Co.1600 BroadwayNew York, N Y 10019

(Recommended to develop improvisational technique.)

Preludes for Piano, George GershwinWarner Bros. Pub. Co.75 Rockefeller PlazaNew York, N Y 10019

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INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE TECHNIQUE

‘Should certain exercises prove more difficult than others, work on theseuntil they are thoroughly mastered. Do not waste time on those that areeasy. Remember that to improve, one must master difficulties each day.’

H erbert L. Clarke

The above quote from Mr. Clarke is especially important to us as workingband smen . Practice is something w e all need , but for w hich there is seldom time.Therefore, w e shall discuss a few app roaches to individua l practice (IP) and howto m ake the best u se of limited time.

For working bandsmen, there are generally three basic types of IP. All of us useone of them, depend ing on ou r p resent situation. These general types are -

Maintenance

Utility

Developmental

MAINTENANCE

Maintenance practice is for the trained player who has little time for IP but can'tafford to lose proficiency. Since an Army bandsman may be performing orrehearsing from 10 to 20 hours a week (actual playing), the normal routine willgo a long w ay tow ards maintaining proficiency.

The problem is usually one of the facets of playing. The brass player may findhis endurance slipping during concert season but has no trouble with theexpressive playing. The percussionist may find his mallet technique fadingduring marching season, but easily maintains rudimental snare drum tech-nique.

Analyze your playing. Where have you begun to slip? Concentrate your p racticein that area. Find , or w rite, some p ractice routines that d well on th is area. Usesome of them in your wa rm-up . Develop some brief routines and stick to themreligiously. 10-15 minutes daily w ill be of more ben efit in this typ e of practicethan will one or two very long sessions.

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Repeat the analysis process often. Every time your daily playing routinechanges, your situation chan ges. Keep a file of mu sic in variou s styles that youhave p layed w ell. Get it ou t and play th rough it occasionally. If the top notesdon’t come as well as they once did, if the runs aren’t as clean, if the attacksaren’t as precise, or you become fatigued more quickly, something is slippingand you had better get to work.

U T I L I T Y

Utility practice is that which you must do to prepare for rehearsals andcommitmen ts. This kind of practice is not aimed at a sp ecific area of playing asmuch as it is at mastering a troublesome piece or passage. This, of course, is thetype of IP most commonly used by bandsmen.

To be efficient in this typ e of IP, you must know your objectives. Know whatspecific measures, run s, leaps, etc., are giving you tr oub le. If you are assigning

IP to someone in you r section, show him exactly and specifically what you wantcorrected. Don’t spend 20 minu tes on the quar ter notes and tw o minu tes on 16thnotes.

Sometimes an entire piece will give you enough trouble that you must try adifferent ap proach. Begin by sorting ou t the m ost comp lex rhythms.

Subdivide them

Clap them

Sing them

Play them on one note

Play them very slowly and grad ually increase temp o until you can p laythem faster than the bandmaster expects.

If the key of the p iece is d ifficult, wor k on scales.

Work on the scale in the key of the

tonic

dominant subdominant

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Master them

Play them in several octaves

Play them beginning on a different note each time

Work on the arpeggios in the same fashion. Work on alternate fingerings. Thengo back and try the nu mber. There should be a great d eal of imp rovement.

DEVELOPMENTAL

Developmental practice is the kind of work you do when you’re genuinely seriousabout upgrading your proficiency. It entails engineering a systematic approachand plenty of hard work. Routine is very important to developmental p ractice, soresolve to m uster p lenty of self-discipline.

Several texts on the subject are available for m ost instrum ents, but don ’t look forbooks of randomly ordered exercises. Instead, try to find a book by a successfulteacher that discusses good approaches and presents guided study programs.

Use these to help your people.If funds are available, you may be able to get instruction from a qualifiedteacher. This is certainly the best route to take if you’re serious about improvingyour performance. Ask your enlisted bandleader to look into the possibility of government-fun ded private instruction.

Listen to professional artists who play your instrument. Work at matching theirsoun ds. Get your colleagues to listen to you occasionally to check your progress.Set goals for your practice sessions. Take your training and commitmentschedules into consideration when playing your sessions. Don’t skip practice onthe weekends, but don’t try to cram a week’s neglect into six hour sessions either.

Above all, practice intelligently. Results are more important than expendedtime.

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CALIBRATING THE TUNING STROBOSCOPE

INTERNAL CALIBRATION

Plug in the stroboscope.

Place the on-off switch in the on position.

Place the calibrate-operate switch in the calibrate position.Allow the stroboscope to w arm up for at least 10 minutes.

Locate the portion of the rotating disc marked by a 1 (one) on each side of the discwind ow. It will be the top nu mber on th e seven-sectioned d isc. The black squarein the top section of the disc will be drifting slowly to the right or left.

Locate the tu ning kn ob in the u pp er left of the front pan el. If the black square onthe d isc is moving to the right, rotate the tuning kn ob slowly clockwise un til theblack square is stationary. If the black square is moving to the left, rotate the

tuning knob slowly in that direction until the black square is stationary. It isbest to stop the black square in its lowest position, midway between the sides of the disc wind ow.

Grasp the tuning knob with one hand and hold the knob stationary. With theother hand , move the tuning pointer (located beneath the tu ning knob) to the 0(zero) indicator on the scale. With the pointer on 0 (zero) check to make sure theblack square is still stationary.

The strobe is now internally calibrated and should be rechecked every 15 or 20minu tes of continuous operation.

EXTERNAL CALIBRATION (to the tuning bar)

Place the operate-calibrate switch in the operate position.

Plug the m icrophone into the strobe.

Turn the gain control knob clockwise to an approximate two-thirdsposition. (The gain control governs the sound volume pu t into the strobe.)If the black square is not clearly defined when a pitch is sounded, the gaincontrol needs to be turned up . Adjust th is control as necessary.

Locate the pitch selector switch in the lower center of the front panel. Theindicator marked C is the indicator to be used for this test. Set the indicator to B-

flat (A-sharp) or A , and play the tuning bar. The black square in the 4th sectionof the disc should app ear to stop. Due to the temperature of the tuning bar and / or

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a variance in line voltage to the strobe, the black square may drift to the right orleft. If the black square drifts one way or the other, adjust the tuning knob untilthe square is stationary.

Once you have stopp ed th e black square, readjust the pointer on the tun ing knobto the 0 (zero) marking a s was don e prev iously in the internal calibration section.

THE CHROMATIC STROBOSCOPE

The chromatic strobe is a larger tuning instrument than the single disc strobeand consists of two u nits:

The scanning unit contains 12 discs, one for each pitch of the chromaticscale. These discs are read exactly as the disc on the single strobe is read.

The tuning unit contains a dial with a pointer and scale of 100 cents (asemitone), 50 cents on each side of 0 (zero), or the center of the pitch.

The chrom atic strobe requires a warm up period of 10 minu tes, but no internal

calibration. Because of the temp erature of the tu ning bar and / or a v ariance inthe line voltage to the strobe, the tuning dial may have to be offset from 0 (zero) tobe c alibrated with the tuning bar. Follow the procedures in External Calibra-tion.

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C H A P T E R I I I

T H E N O N - C O M M I S S I O N E D O F FI C ER I N T H EB A N D

THE ARMY BAND PROGRAM

TYPES OF BANDS

Separate Bands

The most comm on typ e of Army band is the separate band. Although th ey areattached to larger organizations for support and control, separate bands areindependent organizations and the bandmaster is usually the commander.

Separate bands are allocated to installations by Department of the Army on thebasis of local troop population, mission, and other factors. Historically, theirauthorized strengths have varied from 16 to 60 pieces. Currently their strength,as established by TOE, is 44 musicians plus 1 Warrant Officer Bandmaster.

Separate band s mu st provide m uch of their ow n ad ministrative and logisticalsupport. Supply and administrative specialists are rarely assigned to theseband s; hence, each ban d’s NCOs have m any ad ditional duties.

Organizat ional Bands

Organizational bands are, as the name implies, part of a command. Forexample, division bands are organizational bands.

Organizational bands share the history and pride of their command. Somedivision bands can trace their roots to regimental bands of a century ago.

Within the past few decades, division bands have been organized as part of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Division Support Command, andmore recently as a part of a division. As such, their administration and supply isusually handled by the parent unit, with the commander of the company beingthe comm and er of the band and the band master serving as a m usical specialist

and leader of the band.

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Special Bands

These bands are characterized by larger size, higher organizational level, andstricter entrance requirements. They are commanded by CommissionedOfficers. Three Special Bands are currently active:

The United States Army Band, Ft. Meyer, VA

The United States Army Field Band, Ft. George G. Meade, MD

The United States Military Academy Band, West Point, NY

WARRANT OFFICER BANDMASTERS

Most Army bands are led by Warrant Officer Bandmasters and as previouslymentioned, the bandmaster is often commander of the band. Bandmasters mayalso serve as associate leaders of Special Bands and as staff officers at the USArmy Element, School of Music.

Warrant Officer Bandmasters are appointed from the ranks of qualifiedband smen. The principal p rerequisite for ap pointment is comp letion of a courseof instruction at the US Army Element, School of Music.

ARMY BAND OFFICERS

Arm y Band Officers are obtained by tw o method s:

Commissioned Officers with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree inmusic may be auditioned by a board composed of qualified officers,bandmasters, and senior enlisted bandsmen at the US Army Element,School of Music, and if selected by Department of the Army, are assignedas an Army Band Officer.

Warrant Officer Bandmasters meeting certain requirements in experi-ence and education may receive direct commissions as Army BandOfficers.

Army Band Officers may serve in several capacities:

Department of the Army Staff Bands Office. This office exercisestechnical staff supervision over the entire Army Band program for theAdjutant General. It is the coordination agency for Department of the

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Army in all matters related to band activities including force develop-ment, assignments, and administrative publications pertaining to bands.

Staff Bands Officers of Major Commands. There are currently three majorcommands with Staff Bands Officers: TRADOC, FORSCOM, andUSAREUR. These officers provide technical staff supervision andassistance to bands within their major command.

Staff Bands Officers of Continental US Armies. First, Fifth, and SixthArm ies all have Staff Band s Officers assigned to assist and ad vise band sof the Reserve Components. The relationship with National Guard ispurely advisory since those bands are controlled by the State AdjutantGeneral and the National Guard Bureau.

Bandmasters and Associate Bandmasters of Special Bands. The specialbands according to size and organizational structure have from 2 to 4commissioned officers assigned.

School of Music Staff. Army Band Officers may be assigned asCommandant of the US Army Element, School of Music, CompanyComm and er, or to other staff positions.

RESERVE COMPONENT (RC) BANDS

Both the US Army Reserve and the Army National Guard have band s allocatedin a fashion similar to the Active Army. They are organized under Tables of Organization and Equipment (TOE) comparable to their Active Armycounterparts. Major differences between RC bands and Active Army are:

Training time is considerably shorter. Reserve components meet for alimited number of drills each month. Those drills are often used forcommitments, further limiting rehearsal time.

Training modes are usually different. RC bandsmen normally do notattend AIT at the US Army Element, School of Music. NCOs in RC band shave some opportunity for career training, but this is often limited byfunding. Bandmasters usually receive direct appointment to WarrantOfficer based on civilian schooling and military and civilian experience.RC bands are normally called to active duty for two weeks of training

annually.

Career development is more limited. Bandsmen often spend their entirecareer at a single RC band. Experience in different type bands in different

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locales is the exception, rather than the ru le. Adm inistrative and sup plysup port is often hand led by the full time Adm in/ Sup ply Technician(AST) relieving the NCOs from many of the additional duty positionsfoun d in Active Army band s. H owever, most bands d o require add itionaladministrative and supply duties from their NCOs.

INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF ARMY BANDS

Although the following systems aren’t formal or standard ized, many ban ds u sesimilar organizations for day to day activities.

These structures often prove practical for such matters as accountability,morning formation, and housekeeping details. The use of this type of chain of command is established by the unit.

NOTE: Although the term first sergeant is commonly applied tothe enlisted bandleader, it is only because he acts in that capacity.Enlisted bandleaders are master sergeants, rather than firstsergeants.

The form al organization of the band , as prescribed by TOE 12-107H, is show nbelow. You, as the section leader, are a first line supervisor. You answer to yourgroup leader (normally a sergeant first class), then to the enlisted bandleaderand finally to the bandmaster.

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NOTE: The oboe and bassoon are considered one section, as are thepiano and guitar. Since the sections are quite small, only one NCOis authorized. The section leader of each may play either instru-ment.

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MUSICAL DUTIES

LEADING SMALL GROUPS

Taking your first commitment can be quite an experience. Good planning andgood rehearsal can give you confidence, so you have a better chance of remaining poised.

Many of the principles of leading a group are similar, no matter w hat the grou p.The techniques for leading a combo or perm anently established group , however,are a bit different from those discussed here. If you anticipate the opportunity tolead or p lay in a combo, see TC 12-02M, or TC 12-02NT.

Planning the job

Planning encomp asses a great d eal. To begin w ith, you m ust

Select your ensemble. Assuming the nature of the commitment is known,

consider what kind of presentation will best fill the bill. Most jobs thatwould be assigned to a section leader w ill call for an en semble of some sortor a small pep band, so let us then assume we are selecting people for anensemble. What is the

Instrumentation of your group. Most ensembles have a standardinstrumentation. Select one that will suit the job and that will include you(small ensembles are not conducted). Then consider

People qualified to play in your group. Think of who will have comparable

technique, so that the group progresses evenly. Think of who will havecompatible sounds. Select your primary candidates and a few alternates.Talk to your enlisted band leader or band master to clear schedu les and getconcurrence. Now get all the

Information about the job that you possibly can. See the OperationsSergeant for any additional information he may have.

Find the p oint of contact for the job and talk to him about the job, if necessary.Op erations w ill generally be able to arran ge for transp ortation, meals, etc., butyou should still check any information that will help you plan your concert. Getthe answers to the following:

What is the approximate average age of the audience?

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Are there any specific requests?

How long do they expect you to p lay?

Use all the information you have gained to plan your program. Don’t plan aheavy program for young audiences. Choose pieces contrasting in style, tempo,and volume. If your group has performed before, check your repertory fornu mbers that can be used again. Choose some extra num bers, in the event that

some of the pieces you wan t to use d on’t w ork ou t. See the enlisted ban d lead er toschedule rehearsals. Request at least three rehearsals per week; longer lapsesmay cause you to lose ground .

Leading the Rehearsals

Leading mixed small group rehearsals is much like leading a sectionalrehearsal. Review those techniques before you start. The biggest difference inthe two rehearsal approaches is probably the fact that you will have theresponsibility of interpreting and putting the complete pieces together.

Select the Music

Play through all of your choices and listen carefully. Estimate the rehearsal timeyou’ll need for each tu ne. Eliminate nu mbers you know cannot be p repared intime. Eliminate n um bers that d on’t help sell your program . Be certain that you rremaining p ieces are varied an d can be n icely arranged in pr ogram sequence.

When your group has worked together before and has a good repertory, you cantry a sp ecial nu mber th at will require plenty of hard work. This kind of challengecan be rewarding, but it can be risky if you don’t have a strong selection of standbys.

Form Objectives for your Rehearsals

The first one or tw o rehearsals are for mu sic selection and to get u sed to playingtogether. After that, you should establish a p lan for each rehearsal that w ill leadto the mastery of an objective. Establish objectives much the same way you dofor section rehearsals. Remember, though, that your bandmaster is not going tohave as much influence on your decisions this time. Your analysis of problemsand the consequent objectives must be m ore thorough .

Form Intermediate Object ive

Form intermediate objectives during rehearsals if necessary. Intermediateobjectives are the m ilestones or h urd les that you encoun ter on you r w ay to alarger objective. By concentrating on each intermediate objective as it occurs,

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you save the time you m ight otherwise spend playing material you’ve alreadymastered. The intermediate objective will, of course, often be minor, and a brief correction will be sufficient.

When you encounter a problem, analyze it carefully but quickly. Ask playersabout problems. If attacks are bad, perhaps they can’t see you well enough toanticipate the attack. If crescendos, decrescendos, note values, dynamics, etc.,are not together, maybe some of the players don’t know where the lead voice is in

that passage. The point is that there is a reason for every problem. Rehearsalanalysis is the art of finding the reason quickly.

Rehearse each number as intensely as practical. Budget your time carefully.Don’t polish one number at the expense of the others. Try to arrange rehearsalplans an d objectives so the n um bers progress evenly.

As always, know your own part before the rehearsal. You can’t concentrate onthe music and the other players if you are struggling with your own part.

Playing the Job

If rehearsals have been effective and your planning complete then the hardestwork is over, so Relax. It’s natu ral to be keyed u p for an impor tant job, and a littleapp rehension w ill keep you alert; how ever, your p eople will depend on you toshow confidence. Keep the following suggestions in mind and play the jobknow ing you’re going to d o w ell.

Check the appearance and equipm ent of your grou p. You are representingthe Army and your band. You m ust look good as w ell as sound good. If youtrust your people to have their instruments in top shape, fine. If not, check them. To have a performance ruined by a sticking valve or loose pad would

be more than unfortunate; it would be stupid.Check with your point of contact on last minute changes or instructions.You may need to shorten or m odify your concert.

Remind your group to be pleasant and polite to the public. Encouragethem to smile and act relaxed on stage.

Audience appreciation may improve if you announce the numbers andgive some brief backgroun d on them .

If your group is small, introduce the players. Your objective is for youraudience to enjoy the concert, so a little showmanship is never out of order.

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While playing, watch your audience. If they seem to be getting tired,restless, or bored, mod ify you r p rogram accordingly. You may need tointerject a lighter number or even shorten your program.

Follow Up

Thank your host.

Thank your group after th e job. A critique is always beneficial, especially if yourgroup may p lay again.

Prepare an after-action report for the operations file. Let your enlistedbandleader know h ow the job w ent.

DRUM MAJORING

Drum majoring is an imp ortant role of the Arm y Band NCO. While not everyN CO will have the opp ortun ity to assum e this imp ortant role, all senior N COsare required to know the signals and to be able to satisfactorily execute them. It

is to your ad vantage to begin studying now .

Learn The Signals

All authorized baton and mace signals are described in FM 12-50, The Military Band. Your band may use the baton or the mace exclusively, so you might not befamiliar with both. Study all the signals for both (it is advisable to learn theentire manu al of instru men ts, too).

Practice Drum Majoring

The best w ay to learn dru m m ajoring is in a sm all group with an experiencedteacher. Gather some of your interested colleagues together for a stu d y grou p.March in a rank while you take turns drum majoring the rank. Critique eachother as each completes his turn. Watch for crisp, precise moves. Watch forexecution in cadence. Have your band’s drum cadence help you as much aspossible. When you’ve made sufficient progress, ask your enlisted bandleader tolet you get some experience in front of the band du ring d rill.

CONDUCTING

Some conducting is required of groupleaders. They are required to be able to lead

a marching band in ceremonial music and m arches. You sh ould begin to stud ycond ucting as soon as possible to be p roficient w hen it is requ ired.

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Groupleader Conduct ing Requirement

The Soldier’s Man ua l for grouplead ers gives sp ecific requirem ents. Briefly, theyare:

Adjutants Call

Ruffles and Flourishes

Retreat

To The Color

Star Spangled Banner

Ad ditionally you should be able to condu ct any m arch effectively.

Study Conduct ing

Your band is probably too busy to have time for all of the aspiring conductors toexperiment in front of them for extended periods. This is to be expected, but thereare other things you can do.

Get a conducting method book and study the basic beat patterns. Stand infront of a mirror and work on d eveloping grace and p recision.

Practice with other conducting students. When you’ve learned the basicbeat patterns, form and practice with an ensemble. The ConductorsWorkshop by R. Gerry Long has three-part ensembles specially designedfor student conductors. You and three colleagues could easily help oneanother in this matter.

Ask your bandmaster to help you. He’s the best trained conductor in theband , and w hen h e’s suitably impr essed by your p rogress, he may inviteyou to condu ct the full band.

A D M I N I S T R AT I V E D U T I E S

The sup port and man agement of an Arm y band can be a comp lex procedu re. Therequirements vary gr eatly from band to band , but one thing is alw ays certain:The bandm aster/ commander cannot and should not do everything himself.N COs in the band have a resp onsibility to the u nit to do everything possible toaid the smooth running of the band.

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COMMON STAFF SECTIONS

As previously stated, adm in/ supp ort requirements will vary among band s, butthere are certain areas of support that are common to most bands.

Supply

The mission of the supply section is to requisition, store, maintain, account for,

and issue m aterial pr operty of the band . Although the scope of du ties will vary,most supply sections also coordinate building repairs, clothing repair andexchange, laundry, and miscellaneous other tasks.

The scope and mission of the supply shop depends a great deal on theorganization to which the band is assigned or attached. Division bands havelittle accoun tability for th eir p roperty. The paren t compan y h and les the bu lk of sup ply bu siness. The band w ill usually sign ou t all of the band equ ipm ent andstore it at the band site. An NCO in th e band then acts as liaison between th eband and the parent company supply.

In some separate bands, supp ly is operated u nd er the Consolidated Ad ministra-tion, Battalion Level (CABL) concept. The Supply Administration Center (SAC)handles the paperwork for all of the companies (including the band) in thebattalion or troop command.

Some bandmasters are the property book officers of their bands. The propertybook officer has accountability for the items (the band’s equipment) listed in thebook. The individual(s) who have signed for, and have possession of, theproperty listed in the book have direct responsibility for the property. Thecomm ander always has overall responsibility for all items in the p roperty book.The sup ply section of a band that has its own p roperty book and prop erty book officer has the greatest amou nt of work and responsibility.

If you w ish to learn more abou t sup ply, visit your sup ply section and study thefollowing references:

AR 700-84, Issue and Sale of Personal Clothing.

AR 735-5, General Principles and Policies and Basic Procedures.

AR 735-11, Accounting for Lost, Damaged, and Destroyed Property.

FM 10-14, Unit and Organizational Supply.

(M) TOE 12-107H, Army Band.

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CTA 50-906, Uniforms, Insignia, and Equipment for Personnel of Army Bands and Selected Honor Guards and Teams.

Your u nit SOP.

Band Operations

The generally accepted duty of the operations section of a band is to coordinatethe details of commitments. The mission and scope of responsibilities varygreatly among bands. Few standardized directives concerning band commit-ments exist, and none establishing or governing a band operations section. Thebandmaster establishes and defines the job of the section. You will find somebandmasters w ho p refer to coordinate all comm itments p ersonally. Others mayprefer to delegate to the section the coordination of all but the most sensitivecommitments. In any case, it is the responsibility of the section to operate w ithinthe boundaries established by the commander and to carry out his policies.

Procedu res for comm itment coordination shou ld be established by your band ’s

SOP. The SOP should be developed after thorough research of local commandpolicy, transportation services, annual commitment load and patterns, bandcapabilities, and any other factors affecting or likely to affect efficientcommitment operations.

Task number 875-455-4101 of the Groupleaders Soldier’s Manual outlinescustomary procedures for coordinating public appearances. Military ceremonieson p ost are generally routine and may not requ ire extensive procedu res.

Due to the sensitivity of the job, the operations section is usually headed by asenior N CO. Assistant op erations sergeants are sometimes app ointed, primar-ily to assist with comm itment reconn aissance. Large special bands have peop lewho specialize in this duty, but for most bands this is not necessary.

When an on -site check of a job is necessary, several actions shou ld p recede thetrip. Begin by checking with your point-of-contact (POC) on the following:

What are the best routes to the site? Ask for alternates in case of heavytraffic, detours, or other complications,

Ask for an appointment with your POC at the job site.

If it will be necessary for the band to eat enroute, ask your POC forsuggestions.

When you arrive at the job site, investigate the following points:

Where is the most convenient parking area?

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Plan Your Load

First, it is more convenient to pack equipm ent so that it can be un loaded in theorder need ed for set-up. This is not possible in every case, but is certainly worthyof consideration when loading.

Try to pack so that the load won’t shift. This includes packing bulky but

substant ial cases, such as tim pani cases, first. Smaller cases can then be packedtightly to the top of a closed truck or van .

Pack wood cases, vulcanized fiber cases, and soft cases separately. Thiswill help prevent crushing in the event the load shifts.

Long, heavy cases, such as chimes and contrabass clarinet, should go onthe floor and sides of the truck.

Stands and music cases should usually be packed last, both for safety andconvenience.

A tarpau lin should always be used on open trucks. It is also a good idea to use atarpau lin in a van or closed tru ck. Unexpected rainstorms and leaks can causedamage to equipment.

Organ ize your d etail in a good w ork-flow pattern. A great deal of this is comm onsense and some experience. Observe and do what w orks. It is probably best foryou to stand at the d oor and call for equipm ent as it is needed . When space iscramped , designate an in path for people to bring equipm ent to the truck and anout path for the people returning. Two people in the truck are plenty. Four toeight p eople carrying equipm ent to the tru ck will keep the truck men bu sy. Yourpercussion player should be responsible for insuring that all percussionequipment is properly packed, but he may need some assistance.

Drive Safely

Take Corners and Stops Easily

Unload Systematically at the Job Site

Find the best access before you start.

Find doors that accommodate the timpani and other wide equipment.

Find an unloading site that requires the least lifting.

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commanders find it convenient, however, to maintain some sort of informalrecord within the u nit. You m ay be asked to keep a p ersonal training file on theband smen. Add itionally, some m and atory subjects mu st be posted to individu alDA Form 20s.

The first sergeant or command er may wish you to help w ith the w eekly trainingschedu le. In most instances they w ill need only coordination, lesson p lans, andfacilities for general military training from you and will prepare the schedulethemselves.

Performan ce-oriented training is an area in w hich training N COs mu st becomeexperts. Study FM 21-6 intensively. It provides guidance in military trainingtechniques. Learn to construct a good lesson p lan. Write and file lesson p lans forall key areas of general military training.

L ib ra ry

The library is a shop found in every band. N o matter w hat the statu s of the band

(CABL, division, or separate), a smooth running library is the responsibility of the band. Its mission is the procurement, storage, accountability, and issuanceof music and instructional materials.

The library is usually managed by an NCO assisted by one or more soldiers. Thenumber of people assigned should depend on the amount of music routinelyissued . All should be trained in filing and accoun tability procedur es.

Chap ter eight of FM 12-50 discusses library p rocedu res. You sh ould use it as you rprincipal reference. It is a good idea to develop a library SOP that adapts thoseprocedu res to your particular needs.

Admin i s t ra t ion

The admin section handles correspondence, publications maintenance, andreports. It acts as a liaison to the organization/ installation personnelauthorities. The enlisted bandleader, acting as first sergeant, may elect tosupervise this section himself. In most cases, though, the shop is headed by asenior NCO with one or more clerks and assistants.

The ad min section’s workload d epend s somewh at on the strength of the band ,the volum e of correspond ence, the volume of reports required, and , to a large

degree, the competence of the staff. A good typist will get typed copy correct onthe first try, but a mediocre typist may require several tries.

Admin shops in division and CABL bands have a relatively light load.Generally, the shop assembles information for reports and communicates it

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informally to the parent company or battallon. The parent organization mayalso type correspondence and handle filing for the band. The actual workingrelationship between the parent organization and the band will be somewhatdifferent with every organization and comm and er.

Highlights of the duties of the admin shop are:

Correspondence

Reports

Publications

Filing

Personnel Liaison

Most Correspondence of the band is bymilitary letter. The Disposition Form

Disposition Form, DA Form 2496, or by(DF) is used for most correspondence

within the installation. It can be overprinted with routine formats for highvolume correspondence to speed prep aration. The m ilitary letter is used for m oreformal correspond ence and to add ress another comm and . Uses and formats of both typ es are d iscussed in AR 340-15.

The amou nt of routine Reports dep ends a great deal on the comm and . The onemost commonly found is actually a series of reports involved with the SIDPERS(Stand ard Installation/ Division Personn el System). SIDPERS is a complexsystem of reporting personnel actions. The information your unit provides toSIDPERS is fed into a computer system. This information is then extracted byvarious agencies such as Force Development, Finance, and Personnel as needed.This diminishes the nu mber of month-end rep orts that were p reviously required.

Publications needed by the band come by the ‘pinpoint’ system. Blank formsand publications are ordered on the DA Form 12 series directly from theBaltimore or St. Louis Publication Centers. Changes and revisions are mailedautomatically to units with pinpoint accounts. See DA Pam 310-10 forinformation on posting publications.

Filing is an easy task for the ad min sh op if the un it files are prop erly setup andthe files are kep t current. Since band s are TOE un its, they use AR 340-2 as theirauthority for filing. Task 875-030-3204 in your Soldier’s Manual discusses filing.See your enlisted band leader or the ad min N CO for help.

Personnel Liaison must be established and maintained since personnel recordsare not m aintained at the band . The p rimary concerns of the band adm in section

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are to provide the personnel section of the organization or installation theinformation needed and to coordinate p ersonnel actions.

ASSUMING AND PERFORMING ADDITIONAL DUTIES

NCO's in hands often find themselves with new additional duties. It is veryimportan t to the efficiency of the unit that th ese du ties be learned as qu ickly aspossible.

Learning by Apprenticeship

It is easiest to learn a new job when the man you’re replacing is still on the job. Tomake the transition as speedy and efficient as possible, you should try to getinformation from your colleague systematically. Here are some tips:

Find out what the mission of the job is.

Find out how this shop relates to other sections and determine the keyelements of the job.

Read the SOP. A well written SOP will give you the concept of the jobimediately. You may not absorb everything initially so take notes whileyou read. Memorize main su bjects and wh ere to find certain information.Ask your colleague any questions you may have about the SOP.

Ask your colleague to introduce you to company, battalion, andinstallation staff officials that involve your shop.

Observe the daily routine of the office. Ask questions. Take notes. Getphone numbers.

Don't be too concerned with changes you may w ish to m ake. There w ill beplenty of time for that after you assume responsibility for the shop.

Acquaint yourself with all publications directing the job.

Learning On Your Own

This may be necessary when the former job holder is gone. In other instances, itmay be a new requirement for w hich th ere is very little precedent. In any case,you will need to d o p lenty of research an d use initiative. Taking over a n ew shopisn‘t easy, but the challenge should be exciting. The first thing you must do isfind the purpose of your job. Assuming there is no SOP, you must start fromscratch.

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Ask the comm and er (or enlisted band leader) why you w ere appointed,what directive prompted the appointment, and if there are any publica-tions prescribed.

Use DA Pam 310 series to research an y publications pertaining to the job.Task 875-030-3201 in you r Soldier’s Manual will help you learn to do th is;also, see your admin NCO for assistance.

Consult your AG library for publications not maintained by your orderlyroom. If this mission is to be perm anen t in natu re, you may w ish to orderthe publications.

Check the installation staff directory. The monograph of the commandorganization can usually guide you to some office or agency that can help.If you d on’t un derstand the functions of the agencies from th eir names,ask your enlisted bandleader to help you.

Comm on installation and organization staff section areas are show n below. Thescope of their activities may vary from p lace to place and from time to time, but

this is a good starting point.

S-1. Personnel matters.

S-2/3. Operations, training, intelligence, and security. These sectionsare often combined but might be sp lit if their workload warr ants.

S-4. Logistics (supply). This may also include transportation.

S-5. Civil affairs. This section is not always present, depending on thecommand and the situation.

D P T S E C . Directorate of Plans, Training, and Security. This staff element of an installation command is often the committing authority forthe band .

G-1 thru 5. Same as the S series, but on the staff of a general officer.

DIO. Directorate of Industrial Operations. This element usually includesmost supply business involving the band.

DPCA. Directorate of Personnel and Community Affairs. This director-

ate is similar to S1 an d G 1 and also may be designated as the committingauthority of the band .

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Being able to use a tactical radio. Even if you are u ntrained in basic smallun it maneuvers, you should be able to comm un icate with those who aretrained. Tactical radios are often used in perimeter defense, and ascommander of the relief or sergeant of the guard, you should be able to usethem. If your band’s parent company or battalion is authorized tacticalradios, ask for instructions in their use.

Being familiar with basic perimeter and command post defense. Learn

how to p lace and construct d efensive positions. It is not d ifficult to learnand you may find it interesting. The knowledge could save your life, undercombat conditions. Study FM 12-4 and TCs 7-1, 7-3-1.

Being familiar in basic NBC protective procedures. Rear areas are assusceptible to nu clear, biological, and chemical attacks as forward areas.Also, NBC protective measures apply more to the individual soldier thanthey d o to squad or p latoon-oriented measures. All sold iers should havesome know ledge in this area. See FMs 21-40 and 21-41 for gu idan ce.

Being familiar with field sanitation procedures. In addition to combatreadiness considerations, many bands participate in field trainingexercises. Such participation requires a thorough knowledge of fieldsanitation. Consu lt AR 40-5, FM 21-20, and TC 8-3 for inform ation on thesubject.

*U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1995 - 388-421/02469

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TC 12-02N/T

14 JUNE 1978

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

BERNARD W. ROGERS

General, United States ArmyChief of Staff

Official:J. C. PENNINGTON

Brigadier General United States Army

The Adjutant General

DISTRIBUTION:

Active Arm y, USA f?, and ARNG: Special.

Additional copies can be requisitioned (DA Form 17) from the US Army Adjutant General Publtions Center, 2800 Eastern Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21220.

army piano and guitar - 1978 69 pgs

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