Top 4 Band Technique Books (3/29/2023)

Top 4 Band Technique Books:

A Comparison

Ed Dumas

Many years ago when I was a student in secondary school, the band technique book that was most commonly used was called Exercises for Ensemble Drill by Raymond C. Fussell (Warner Bros. Publications, 1934). It was so common back then that it was often called the “standard” of band technique books. More likely the real issue was that there were few other books available, and “The Fussell Book” as it was known to us, was pretty much the only book in use.

Today the Fussell Book is Permanently Out of Print, but there are a few schools still using them from old library stock. Before examining some of the newer books available to take its place, it helps to illuminate some of the serious shortcomings of the Fussell Book to give a better illustration of what teachers should look for in a band technique book.

Most significantly, The Fussell Book was written so that it could be used with all musicians in a concert band program regardless of transposition issues. To make this possible, a very complex system was created to determine which line students were supposed to play on their instrument. This also meant that when the group was learning a specific study, such as scales in thirds, all the scales in thirds were provided in all key signatures, and it was up to students to determine which line of that study they were to follow.

For the Fussell book, this meant creating a confusing system of numbers to explain this transposition. Even more unfortunately, it seems the system used was changed depending on the type of exercise being presented which made it even more complicated to follow. For some exercises, all parts were provided like a conductor score. For others, all keys were provided and directions were given to find “your” line. But by the end of the book, some exercises were written without a key signature, and students were to find their correct line as well as apply the correct key signature for their instrument. This had the effect of making the exercise nearly unplayable as it would simply take too much time to teach the unique transposition system created just for this book.

When looking at a replacement today for the Fussell book, here are a few other suggestions as to what teachers could look for:

• Is the book written for all musicians, or is there one book for each different instrument? If it is written for all musicians, how have the composers dealt with the transposition issues that are created? Is the book overly large because of this decision?
• Does the book include exercises for individual instruments, such as going over the break on clarinet, octave shifts for saxes, lip slurs for brass and harmonics for flutes? What are the other players doing during these individual-type exercises?
• Are minor scales presented moving to tonic minor or relative minor? Moving to the relative minor might be easier to understand intellectually, but harder to understand aurally.
• Are all forms of minor scales presented, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor?
• Is the book organized by exercise type or key centre? Organization by exercise type means more page turns for students, and therefore more lost teaching time.
• Are the same exercises provided in all keys, or are some key centres missing?
• What other resources and exercises are provided in the books for students to use?

So, with these thoughts in mind, here are 4 of the most common technique books in use today, and some pros and cons are provided for each.

Quincy C. Hilliard, Superior Bands in Sixteen Weeks, FJH Music Company, 2003.

This book is another attempt to create a “one size fits all” band book which can be used with any instrument within the concert band. As a result, this book will be larger than is necessary due to including material that is not needed for every player.

At the beginning of the book a Lesson Plan is included which lays out which exercises students should complete in all sections of the book so that the book is covered in 16 weeks. While this section is valuable, I suspect that most students will not take the time to follow this plan but leave it up to the teacher to direct them.

Pros:

• Section 1 Tone includes studies in Band Balance, Chromatic Warm-Ups, and Lip Flexibility.
• Section 2 Technique contains studies in Scales, Thirds, Additional Major Scales, Arpeggios, Breath Control, Chromatic Scales, and Rhythm Reinforcement.
• There are an additional 7 major scales included in the Additional Major Scales section. These scales plus the initial major scales mean that all twelve major scales by sound are included, and some are duplicated in their enharmonic equivalents for a total of 15 by sight.
• The arpeggios section includes major arpeggios as well as relative minor arpeggios.
• The Breath Control exercises are a series of eighth-note drills on major scales which helps students develop long phrases while developing technique on their instrument. These exercises are to be played using various articulations provided.
• There are four chromatic scales provided ascending and descending one octave. Students practice reading chromatic scales in sharps and flats depending on whether they are ascending or descending.
• Drums lines are provided for all the scale and arpeggio studies so that they have time to develop drumming rudiments.
• The Rhythmic Reinforcement section provides some unpitched rhythm for all players to develop their counting skills. This is a useful section and is divided well into 16 different exercises of increasing demands.
• Section Three contains warm-up and tuning chorales in several keys.
• Section Four contains Intonation and Tuning studies, Intonation Tests, Pitch Tendencies of Wind Instruments, and Percussion Rudiments.
• The Pitch Tendencies and Adjustments section is very useful for all students to know how their instrument can blow some notes slightly off-pitch, either sharp or flat. This is an excellent source of material that is often difficult to find elsewhere.
• The listing of Frequently Used Percussion Rudiments is another source of material that is highly effective for all drums students. This material is also often not easily provided to percussionists.
• The Rhythmic Counting in Section 5 is also a valuable tool to help students master some counting skills. These unpitched exercises are similar to Fussell’s counting exercises but with less extremely complex measures than Fussell, and what seems to be a better organization of the measures from 1 through 80.

  Cons:

• Directions for use of the Band Balance section are complex and wordy. Band Balance studies are not provided in all keys.
• During the Lip Flexibility studies (Lip Slurs) for brass students, the woodwind students are often doing simple whole notes which are less useful to them than something more dedicated to their instrument.
• Only 8 of the major scales are included in the initial scale studies section leaving a learning gap for the remaining scales.
• The minor scales used are the relative minor in only the harmonic form. This means there is a less direct comparison in sound between the major and minor forms. The natural minor form and melodic minor form are not included, also leaving a learning gap.
• The relative harmonic minor scales of the 7 additional scales are not included which leaves another learning gap.
• The shift to the relative minor arpeggios means that there is a less direct aural comparison of major to minor once again when arpeggios are an excellent way to hear the difference in a direct comparison. Not all keys are covered in this section as well.
• The Breath Control exercises are only written in two different keys both of which are major.
• The Bass drum part listed for all of the scale and arpeggio studies are too simplistic to help students develop any skill in percussion. This part could be omitted and the percussionists would not suffer. It is likely provided for the benefit of the band, not the percussionists.
• The warm-up and tuning chorales are written in whole note form only, making counting not necessary for students here. Only major keys are used in this section, and not all keys are covered.
• The Intonation Tests seem complex and may take some time for teachers to explain to students how these would work.
• The Pitch Tendencies for all instruments are provided to all students regardless of the instrument they play because of the nature of a “one size fits all book.” This creates a lot of extra bulk in the book. This material may be better suited to a Supplemental book which is copyable for each instrument.
• The Frequently Used Percussion Rudiments are only a listing of the rudiments with few studies in helping students to develop these rudiments.

  Total score for this series: 3 out of 5.

   

  James Ployhar, I Recommend, Alfred Music, 1972.

  The I Recommend book has a different book for each instrument within the band plus the conductor. As a result, the books are thinner than the previous book with less bulk for students to carry about. The downside of that though, is that the teacher may need to stock some extra books in case students suddenly switch instruments throughout the year.

  Unit 1 of I Recommend contains some very useful information for all students on their instrument. These bits of information, such as intonation tendencies or specific drills for their instrument, do not include information for all instruments but rather just the one instrument the book is intended to be used for.  As a result, these pages tend to be very accurate and useful. Many students, though, may ignore this section since the band as a whole will not begin until Unit 2.

  Pros:

• Unit 2 contains very specific Lip Slur studies for brass players. These exercises are essential for brass players to develop range on their instruments.
• Unit 3 Chorales are excellent studies written out in true choral format  (in time) which includes rhythm and phrases for the musicians. These chorales are presented in four major and one minor key.
• Unit 4 Major Scales are grouped according to key. Each key contains 4 major scale studies using various rhythms and articulations. All twelve major keys (by sound) are covered in this section.
• Unit 5 contains all the minor keys in both Harmonic and Melodic forms. They are loosely presented based upon the relative minor rather than the tonic minor (ie the first major key presented is Bb, while the first minor is G Minor and so on).
• Unit 6 contains chromatic scales in all 12 keys, both ascending and descending. Alternative articulations are also provided.
• Unit 7 contains arpeggios in all 12 keys using a similar progression of arpeggios through chords I-IV-V-I in each exercise. Alternative articulations are also provided.
• Unit 8 contains interval studies on thirds, fourths, fifths and octaves in all major keys. Alternative articulations are also provided.
• Unit 9 Articulation and Dynamic studies are a series of excellent 8 studies that progress through differing articulations and dynamics.
• Unit 10 Rhythm Studies uses similar unpitched rhythm drills as in other books but has interspersed these with some Etudes which help students develop a better understanding of the rhythms just studied. This is an excellent way to practice the new rhythm measures which students have just learned. The end of the rhythm studies section concludes with some excellent work on Mixed Meters and is one of the few books that include this.
• Unit 11 is an assignment/test on rudiments that students can complete with teacher direction.

  Cons:

• The Lip Slurs section contains mostly whole-note accompaniment for the woodwinds, which are studies that are less useful to those players.
• Unit 3 could include chorales in more of the major and minor keys to provide more skill and variety.
• Unit 4 contains only major keys and exercises. Minors are left for another section.
• Unit 5 does not contain the natural form of minor scales.
• Students will need to flip more pages when progressing from major scales to minor, chromatic, arpeggios and intervals.
• Unit 7 arpeggios are not provided in minor keys (major only).
• Unit 8 Interval studies are not provided in minor keys (major only).
• Unit 9 Articulation and Dynamic studies use a few different keys, very little of which is minor.
• Unit 11 Rudiments Assignments might be better included in a conductor book or supplemental book such that the page could be copied to be used as a test or assignment.

  This is an excellent book that has been available for decades. More could be made of the use of the various keys especially the minors but is valuable for containing some things such as mixed meters that others do not employ.

  Total score for this series: 3.5 out of 5.

  Frank Erickson, The Artistry of Fundamentals for Band, Alfred Publishing, 1992.

  The Artistry of Fundamentals book also has a separate book for each instrument plus the conductor. The book contains 8 units plus an appendix at the back of the book. Each unit contains studies in scales, arpeggios, intervals, rhythms, rounds, articulations, and speed drills. Each unit is centred in a different key for a total of 8 key centres.

  Pros:

• The book is organized by tonal centre (key) rather than by exercise. This means less page flipping for students as they can see the next exercise in each key immediately on the same page.
• The variety of exercises for each tonal centre is very good, including a choral in each key.
• Minor keys are included in each tonal centre.
• More advanced scales also progress into more advanced tonguing, articulation and counting exercises.
• Larger size musical font on the page for younger players.
• Many more complex concepts are covered such as triple meters, mixed meters, syncopation, cut time, dotted eighth notes, and so on.
• The appendix at the end contains the remaining major scales as well as lip slurs for brass and rhythm studies with rests.

  Cons:

• 4 major & minor tonal centres are not covered except for a brief showing of the scale in the appendix.
• The book moves to the relative minor instead of tonic minor meaning less aural comparison of major to minor.
• Some tonal centre exercises use the harmonic minor form. Others use the melodic minor form or the natural minor form. The is no chance to directly compare the three forms of minor scale in both sight and sound.
• There are no opportunities for the class to work on individual concepts for each instrument, such as lip slurs for brass, register changes for clarinets, or harmonics for flutes. This quite often means that individual players will not approach these topics on their own if the teacher does not lead them into it.

  Overall, this seems to be an excellent book with plenty of variety of materials for each key centre provided. This book would work as an excellent introduction to technical studies for mid-level band students.

  Total score for this series: 4 out of 5.

  Richard Williams & Jeff King, Foundations for Superior Performance: Warm-Ups & Technique for Band, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, 1998.

  This is the most recent band technique book of those that are reviewed here. This book contains 4 large sections which are Warm-Ups, Technique, Chorales and Tuning Exercises, and an Appendix. Each book is written for a specific instrument, as well as a large conductor book and a supplemental book for conductors.

  Pros:

• “F Around The Band” is used as a tuning place in the warmup section. Concert F is a better pitch to tune with along with concert A.
• Long Tones in the warm-ups section also provide some variability to students to develop their own warm-up patterns.
• Warm-Up Sets contain very useful studies for each instrument to maximize student time. For example, while the brass are playing lip slurs, flutes are developing the upper range with harmonics, clarinets are developing skill over the break, and saxes are improving their octave control, all at the same time.
• All woodwinds are also offered an option to practice chromatic scales while the brass players develop their lips slurs.
• Technical exercises are organized by key centres instead of exercise types. These include major scales, all three minor scale forms, scale patterns, thirds, intervals, triads, and chord studies.
• Minor scales use the tonic minor instead of the relative minor for better comparison between the major scale and all forms of the minor scale.
• Percussionists are expected to play only snare or mallets during their time in this book. Sticking markings for snare and mallets are carefully included when the skill being learned depends on this.
• The Chorales and Tuning Exercises section contains chorales in various keys to help students develop a sense of pitch in multiple keys.
• The tuning exercises help students develop personal intonation of major thirds, perfect fourths, and perfect fifths in multiple keys.
• The appendix at the end includes a key circle, a listing of all major scales, chromatic scales, and arpeggios.

  Cons:

• The appearance of This book can be quite daunting in the beginning. It does take some time for teachers to develop a comfort level with the book and how it develops into more complex skills over time.
• Some major keys contain fewer technical exercises, especially the harder keys.
• Some Chorales and Tuning Exercises keys are also less developed, especially for chorales in the minor keys. It would have been valuable to have presented a major and minor choral for each of the tonal centres, even though some of the scales are harder to master. Senior-level students would benefit from more studies in ALL major and minor keys.
• Some exercises, such as the Tuning exercises in the back of the book, are more difficult for students to understand in the beginning. Maybe this could have been presented differently for better understanding.

While this book can appear to be more complex, the value of learning is immense. It is not a book that students would “complete this year.” Rather it is better presented as a book to last multiple years until graduation or beyond. The conductor’s book is very large with plenty of auxiliary explanations and material which can be brought into the class. I encourage you to examine this book with a conductor score and several student books in hand to discover how this series can help your students.

Total score for this series: 4.5 out of 5.

Conclusion:

Teachers are encouraged to do a comparison of multiple band technique books to find the one that suits their program the best. Obtain copies of several different series in both conductor score and student books to make visual comparisons with the material in hand. Make comparisons for clarinet players and learning the register shifts, flute players for high range development, brass players and learning lips slurs, and percussionists learning drums and mallet technique.

Teachers are encouraged to examine what is missing from each band technique book. The assumptions made in the book’s creation will always have an impact on the structure of the book, and therefore the ability of students to learn from the material. For example, when composers assume that one book will be created for all instruments, how does this change the material presented to the students? When composers choose to organize a book by exercise type or by tonal centre, what is lost or not included?

A close look at all of the major band technique books available today can help you find your new “standard” in band technique books. Hopefully, these four books examined here will help you begin to ask the necessary questions for your own student’s success. Please feel free to contact a Tapestry Rep if you would like help in examining the various technique books available for your students.

Ed Dumas is a retired band director who taught his entire career in the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows School District. Ed is now living with his lifelong partner Laurie, and their little dog Sprocket in Parksville, BC.  Ed & Laurie also work as Mid-Island reps for Tapestry Music while enjoying making music in retirement.

You can find Ed’s other writings for the MusicED Blog at: https://www.tapestrymusic.com/news.aspx

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