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Counting in Rehearsals

Steven Riley and Ernest Jennings | August 2017


    Numerical systems are an important tool for a variety of ensemble performance concepts. Think about how often you count during rehearsals. Counting can be used as a pacing tool for breathing exercises, for measuring long-tone durations, as a system for building interval awareness across the ensemble, or as a numerical system to invite students to perform different scale degrees or chord functions. Directors also count to reinforce rhythmic accuracy or categorize like-sounding instruments. Counting is a methodical approach to quickly and efficiently relate a variety of ensemble performance concepts to students. While there are endless rehearsal strategies that utilize numerical systems, we have found the following examples are quick to deliver and are effective when working with our ensembles.
 
Ensemble Balance
    Counting can help develop students’ understanding of a balanced ensemble sound. W. Francis McBeth implemented a counting method to achieve ensemble balance via his double-pyramid balance system, illustrated in his book, Effective Performance of Band Music. He suggests counting to categorize instruments by voices and define volume levels for the instruments within the ensemble. The chart below illustrates his concept.

Voices
Group 1: soprano instruments
Group 2: alto instruments
Group 3: tenor instruments
Group 4: bass instruments
 
Volume
Group 1: softest
Group 2: soft
Group 3: loud
Group 4: loudest (not loudly)

    Once the instruments are categorized by voice and volume, have group 4 voices play a pitch at a piano dynamic and invite each of the other voices to enter with their respective volumes in relation to group 4. In our experiences, starting softly in group 4 quickly produces a decently balanced sound, especially when working with unisons and octaves. From here, designate one hand to identify voice group and the other to indicate volume. By changing the group number and the volume, we can affect the presence of sound of each voice. It is important that students hear both good and poor balance and visually and aurally experience the changes the conductor is making.

Interval and Intonation Awareness

    Set a drone pitch and have every student sing to match the tone. Once established, use one finger to identify the drone as tonic. Have the students sing the word one multiple times. Continue the exercise by changing the pitches of the drone to the second, third, fourth, and fifth scale degrees of the major scale while directing students to sing two, three, four, and five respectively. As each pitch changes, change the number you show in your hands to reflect the scale degrees being sung. Do this both ascending and descending while reinforcing ensemble intonation; this is especially important when descending.
    Set the drone pitch back to tonic and have the students sing scales up and down to the different scale degrees indicated by your fingers while bringing attention to the intonation of the interval they are creating against the drone. Bring the ensemble back to the tonic and have them continue the exercise using their instruments. This is a great foundational exercise that can be adapted to more advanced interval and intonation concepts, such as playing scales in thirds with accurate intonation as well as introducing harmonic functions of music.
 
Dynamics
    Numerical systems work well for teaching terraced dynamics levels as well. Giving dynamic levels a numerical value (pp = 1, p = 2, mp = 3, mf = 4, f = 5, ff = 6) will help students understand the differences and distances between them. This can be reinforced in warmup routines while playing long tones at a dynamic level determined by the instructor or by isolating a section of music in which terraced dynamics occur. Additional teaching strategies to reinforce terraced dynamics require students to identify the dynamic level, using correct musical terminology, and determine which number should be assigned. Students can reinforce this in the music by writing the corresponding numeral assigned to the dynamic level printed on the page when encountered in the music.
 
Crescendos and Decrescendos
    A numerical system can also be used to help students pace crescendos and decrescendos. Use the numerical system described above to establish the starting dynamic and identify the arrival dynamic. If a crescendo begins at p (or 2) and arrives at ff (or 6) five counts later, the students will need to increase their volume incrementally over five counts of music. Visualizing this concept through standing up and sitting down works effectively and is a great opportunity for students to get cues from each other. If someone stands up or sits down too quickly to demonstrate a dynamic change over a number of beats, students can look around and help each other control their pacing. A few laughs and smiles along the way are to be expected, especially the first few times. Try varying the exercise with different dynamic ranges and tempi. It is key to practice this with good balance based on the instrument voice designations from the balance exercise; dynamics and dynamic contrasts are contextual.

There are innumerable variations on these rehearsal strategies. However they might be used, implementing numerical systems is an efficient way to introduce, reinforce, and refine ensemble awareness and execution across many fundamental performance concepts.


Ernest Jennings and Steven Riley