This technique worked really well when I taught marching band. Like many great ideas, I stole this one from my colleague Keith B. You divide the technique into learning and rehearsing.
Learning
- March and count one set (1)
- Do the counting out loud
- Without instruments
- March and sing one set (2)
- Sing out loud like you would play
- Without instruments
- Side note – the music should already be well-rehearsed so their parts are ingrained into their brains
- March and count one set (3)
- Do the counting out loud
- This time holding instruments
- March and play one set (4)
- Play a Concert F quarter notes
- 4 quarter notes in 4/4 time, 3 in 3/4, etc.
- You’re reinforcing the beat/pulse and focusing on the marching
- March and play one set (5)
- Play Concert F notes
- This time play the rhythm you have in the music on a concert F
- March and play
- Play in place through the whole set once (6)
- Then march and count that same set (not playing) (7)
- Then play in place at the end of that set (8)
- Play AND march through the set (9)
You will find that if you do this, you’ve gone through each set 9 times! It sounds like a long amount of time, but by that point, it’s going to be in their muscle memory. You’re going to see some great success.
Thank you to my colleague Keith. That tip that has been so effective in my own marching band.
James is the author of Almost Everything I’ve Learned About Teaching Band. He has served private, suburban, and Title 1 schools and now teaches at a charter school. Find out more about James at www.jamesdivine.net Subscribe to his podcast Almost Everything I’ve Learned About Teaching Band.