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Rehearse Intelligently - Stick to the rehearsal plan!

You have taken the time to plan the rehearsal, now you need to stick to that plan. If you are planning on working on tune transitions, don't play the whole lead in song, and the whole next song, pick a point toward the end of the first song and finish as s[.....]


Rehearse Intelligently - Preparing for a rehearsal (Part 3): Determine the structure or agenda of the rehearsal

When you know the purpose, you can then develop a structure or agenda to the rehearsal. What will be the material you will work on? What aspects of the material do you want to focus on? How long do you want to spend on each item? What are the consequences[.....]


Rehearse Intelligently - Preparing for a rehearsal (Part 2): Determining the purpose of a rehearsal

Ask yourself the following questions, and come up with a one sentence answer. What do you need to do? Get familiar with the tunes? Do we get the set order determined? Do we need to work on transitions, see what works next to one another? Do we need to work[.....]


Rehearse Intelligently - Preparing for a rehearsal (Part 1)

I am assuming that you have the basics down -- a place and a time to rehearse. I am also assuming that your group has a leader or someone who drives the artistic side of the group. If not, that is everyone in the band is a equal participant, my recommendat[.....]


Rehearse Intelligently

Rehearsing intelligently is the key to a successful performance, and a happy band. Planning a rehearsal is possibly the most important task any band or band leader can do. It shows respect to the people you called -- by showing you are considerate of their[.....]


Why don't horn players want to rehearse?

I have been asked literally and rhetorically time and again, Why don't horn players want to rehearse? Saxes, trumpets, trombones, etc. Lets get one thing straight. We want to rehearse. But we want to actually rehearse productively. Nothing is worse (and fr[.....]


My new saxophone

I recently acquired a new Tenor Saxophone - A P. Mauriat PMXT-66R. First off, it has a much fuller and darker tone than the horn I have been playing on, much more like the old Selmer's. This particular saxophone is somewhere between a classic Mark VI and a[.....]