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Tone Quality

The most important element of music performance is tone quality. Nothing is more important for the student musician than the development a characteristic sound. As educators the development of sound is our greatest challenge. So often we fail to achieve the performance we want because we spend all our time chasing notes and rhythms. If all our educational efforts are devoted to the pursuit of technique, then we will fail to achieve the musicianship level we desire. If you want to improve the performance level of your band, then make the quality of sound your top priority. Spend some portion of every rehearsal dedicated to tone quality. When a student musician becomes a critical listener of his own sound production, defining and sculpting at every moment, then real musicianship can develop. If a student becomes a discriminate listener, then the quest for notes, rhythms, and pitch will take care of themselves. The process should be:

1. Learn to Recognize the Standard: Listen to the finest players in live or recorded performances. It is essential that the student be able to recognize a characteristic sound.

2. Experiment with the Production of Sound: The student should begin to experiment with various techniques that alter the tone production of the instrument (learning to produce good and bad sounds is a part of the development process).

3. Develop Listening Skills: The student must become a critical listener, able to produce and continually evaluate the tone quality of the instrument.

4. Refine the Tone: The student understands the finest aspects of the tone including the use of vibrato and pitch matching.

Tone Quality And The All-State Audition

Tone Quality is the most important part of the All-State Audition. It receives 15 points in a separate caption on the score sheet, but it is also the most essential element of adjudication in the etude and sight-reading. There is no question that the finest players are able to produce a characteristic tone. It is the most consistent factor in this or any audition.

Developing Tone Quality In The Classroom

· Find a good Warm Up Exercise for your band and use it every day.

· Constantly reinforce the importance of tone quality.

· Find time during class instruction to have students play alone (Play a single note or a simple melodic line).

· Use every opportunity to demonstrate good tone quality to your students through either live or recorded performances.

· Audition your sections using a simple melodic line and use tone quality as the major adjudication criteria.

· Encourage your students to perform solos and in small ensembles.

Glenn C. Price