24 Guided Practice Lesson 2.5

Objectives

Students will be able to:

• match pitches by ear from a sung pitch to a pitch played on the mouthpiece.
• utilize proper articulation technique, with a focus on consistency from one note to the next without altering tone quality on the attack.
• maintain clear tone quality on a sustained note, both with and without dynamic contrasts.

Materials

• Instrument
• Metronome
• Tuner

Activities

1. Mouthpiece Motives. Sing a short musical pattern on the first three notes of the diatonic scale (do, re, mi). Then, play the motive back on the mouthpiece, with a focus on matching the pitch sung on the mouthpiece.
2. Long tones. Play sustained tones on the first 5 notes of the Bb Major scale over 8 counts at a mezzo piano dynamic. Pay close attention to keeping the tone quality consistent and full throughout all 8 counts. On the descending scale, add a 4 count crescendo and a 4 count decrescendo, again keeping a focus on keeping tone quality consistent and controlled through all 8 counts.
3. Lip Slurs 3. By altering the oral cavity to speed up air when ascending, and allowing the corners of the mouth to relax when descending lower, maintain the same tone quality across the three partials on each fingering combination.
4. Dexterity Exercise #1. Play each exercise with a different articulation, focusing on keeping the tone quality consistent between notes on each articulation. Play Bb Concert with staccato, C Concert with slur, Eb Concert with accent, and F Concert with legato.
5. Dexterity Exercise #2. Focus on smooth fingering transitions and consistency of tone across the entire exercise.