Band
What 3 families of instruments do we have in band?
Brass, Woodwinds, Percussion
How many beats does a sixteenth note get?
1/4
Explain a repeat sign
a marking that has two dots and a line and indicates to repeat a section more than once.
Name two components of good posture
Feet flat on the floor, back straight, no two body parts touching, shoulders back, etc.
What hopeless phrase is used when the director gives up on tuning the middle school band after 20 minutes of chaos?
"Close enough..."
The bassoon belongs to which family of instruments?
Woodwinds
How many beats does a quarter note get?
1 beat
Explain dynamic markings
markings that indicate louds/softs (ex. p, mf, f)
What is the iconic device that ticks at a specific BPM and is a band director's favorite tool for proving that the percussion section is, in fact, rushing?
Metronome
When a trumpet player misses a high note, they blame their lip; when a woodwind player misses a high note, what innocent object do they aggressively blame?
What is the beginning of a note called?
Articulation / Attack
How many beats does an eighth note get?
1/2
Explain a crescendo
Gradually get louder in volume
Finish the phrase. Breathe together, _______.
Play together.
What is the specific, highly precise scientific measurement of how long a percussionist can look at a marimba part before giving up and trying to convince the band director to let them play the bass drum part?
3 seconds
To maintain brass instruments, you should do what each week?
Oil Valves/Slide
How many beats does a dotted half note get?
3 beats
Explain a sharp, flat, and natural sign
Sharp - looks like a hashtag and raises the note by a half step
Flat - looks like a lower-case "b" and lowers the note by a half step
Natural - looks like two "L's" making a square and cancels out any sharps or flats for that note
What are the different articulations? Describe how they look, their name, and how you play them.
Staccato - dot above or below the note - short and separated
Legato (tenuto) - Line above or below the note - long and attached
Accent - > above or below the note - emphasize front of the note with decay at the end
Slur/tie - curved line connecting different/the same note - no articulation
If a director tells the brass section they sound like a "flock of dying geese," what musical element are they are giving a highly descriptive critique of?
Tone quality (or intonation/pitch)
What does "FF" mean and what is it telling you to do?
Fortissimo, play super loud (80-90% of your sound)
How many beats does a dotted quarter note get?
1.5 beats
Explain 4/4 time signature
There are 4 beats in a measure and the quarter note gets the beat/pulse
What is an accidental and how long does it last?
A sharp, flat, or natural added to a note (not in the key signature). It lasts the entire measure unless it is canceled out or is tied to the next measure.
If a director physically steps off the podium, walks into the band office and shuts the door, what specific stage of musical grief have they reached?
Total surrender (giving up)