Band Fu - Teacher

12 Major Scales, 2 Octaves

Instructor Guide for the “Band Fu” Scales by Tim Ostrow
The 12 Major Scales for concert band winds and percussion were designed to be used in a secondary band program.
These scales have the following characteristics that make them unique:

1) The fingerings and slide positions were peer-reviewed by professionals that play the specific instruments.
a. Generally speaking, if two or more fingerings are presented under a note, it is recommended to use the top fingering for long tones,
fermatas, or other exposed sections in an ensemble setting as the standard fingerings for that instrument.
b. Individuals might also circle or highlight a fingerings they prefer for a lyrical or technical passages.
c. For a more advanced ensemble, it is recommended that the scales be used to chart an individual’s INTONATION TENDENCIES. For
example, next to the fingering for a fourth line D on alto saxophone, that after tuning to a primary note, a student might write “↓25” to
show adjustments need to be made as the note is sharp. See 5c under the “Suggested Methods of Practice” for an example.
i. This should help guide a student in selecting which fingering and embouchure adjustment to use in a lyrical exposed musical
phrase or a technical musical phrase.

2) The first octave is not necessarily a lower octave, but the most accommodating scale in that particular key for a young player. This allows for
proper scaffolding when teaching scales to a large ensemble with full instrumentation.
a. Please note, the boxes and rectangles that are mostly found in the “Octave 2” scales around the lower and higher notes are considered in
most orchestration books to be in the intermediate or advanced range. Octave 2 is typically reserved for high school students.
b. The scales are in the circle of fourth’s order. Please note, IT IS THE DIRECTORS DISCRETION to choose which scales will meet the needs of
their players.
i. A beginning band director might hand out only octave one scales and teach three or four over the course of the school year.
ii. An advanced middle school or high school band might be ready for octave two scales.
iii. OR, a director might be selective and attentive to individual student’s ranges and find a happy medium.
1. You can use the boxed notes to begin to identify how difficult a particular scale might be for that instrument.

3) Key signatures, note names, and enharmonic equivalents for Db(C#) and Gb(F#) scales are provided for each instrument.
a. Some might disagree with note names being provided; however, THIS IS A REFERENCE TOOL that is used to increase performance.
i. It is recommended that note reading and music theory be addressed with other lessons and materials.
4) Ideas that are “key” to specific instruments:
a. Flute, Amanda Lyon (Peer Reviewer)
i. Thumb Bb is indicated as the primary Bb except when performing Bb to B.
ii. Alternate fingers are provided to help lower a particularly sharp note. This reads as “lowers pitch”.
b. Oboe, Dr. Ann Adams (Peer Reviewer)
i. The proper use of regular F and forked F are clearly indicated.
c. Clarinet, Les Kraus (Peer Reviewer)
i. Correct fingerings for playing stepwise are clearly indicated with pinky keys filled in as well as “L, R, and LR” symbols for “Left, Right, and both Left and
Right” pinkies. Hopefully, this should make it obvious to the player to alternate their pinkies and to avoid sliding from right to right or left to left.
When moving from the first to the second octave, the fingerings provided make the most sense.
d. Saxophones, John Rosbottom (Peer Reviewer)
i. Both Eb and Bb saxophones are addressed in separate scale sheets. Please note the low A specific to the baritone sax in the concert C Major Scale.
ii. The bis key is presented as the primary Bb with a “use bis key hand position” marking. This means that the player should change the angle of his or her
left index finger to cover both the B key and the bis key at the same time while playing that particular scale.
iii. Side Bb is also presented when Bb to B occurs to avoid sliding the index finger.
iv. Side F# is specified when performing chromatically between F and F#.
e. Bassoon, Kevin Fuller (Peer Reviewer)
i. All fingerings clearly indicate when a half hole or quarter hole fingering should be used on the left hand index finger.
ii. The correct fingering patterns are displayed for complex motions to illustrate the use of alternating the right hand thumb and pinky. For example, Gb
to Ab to Bb is shown using a thumb, pinky, thumb fingering pattern.
f. Trumpet, Dr. Bill Dederer (Peer Reviewer)
i. When playing a D just below the staff, players are reminded to push their “3rd slide out.”
g. French Horn, Susan Betz (Peer Reviewer)
i. All of the scales are presented in treble clef as the majority of horn literature, including very low range notes, tend to be written in treble clef.
ii. When playing low F or below, the recommendation is to use the non-trigger fingering first as the trigger fingerings tend to be very sharp.
1. After referencing a tuner, a player could simply circle the fingerings that they prefer.
h. Trombone, Kevin Devitt (Peer Reviewer)
i. Regular slide positions are indicated as well as trigger positions.
ii. A flat (b) or a sharp (#) are indicated on some of the trigger slide positions as a recommendation to play slightly in or out of the standard position.
i. Euphonium and Tuba, Kevin Devitt and Ryan Sorenson (Peer Reviewers)
i. Non compensating 4 valve fingerings are provided below standard 3 valve fingerings. If you are fortunate to have 4 valve euphoniums and tubas, it is
recommended to use them to help with intonation.
j. Percussion, Dennis Mikell and Doug Moser (Peer Reviewers)
i. On the Keyboard Percussion sheets, the scales are displayed as color-coded tetrachords. This should facilitate an easy way for a player to correlate the
similarities from scale to scale and how they are interconnected by intervals. The colors are displayed on the instrument graphic and the staff.
1. Octaves are displayed as a divisi as the notes are the same on a keyboard instrument, just up or down an octave.
ii. There are six supplementary “grooves” including stick control, strength and speed, and four basic (foundational) rudiment pages for snare drum with
bass drum accompaniment.
1. The groove pages can be played in a loop as the wind players perform. See 2b under the “Suggested Methods of Practice” for an example.
2. For more advanced players, the grooves can be performed in cut time.
 Band Fu - Student
12 Major Scales, 2 Octaves
Suggested Methods of Practice
1) Playing Steps and Skips at Varying Tempos with Halves, Quarters, and Eighth Note Beat Pattern:

a. Up the Mountain: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

b. Down the Mountain: 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
c. Arpeggio: 1-3-5-8-5-3-1
d. Steps: 121, 232, 343, 454, 565, 676,787, 878, 767, 656, 545, 434,323, 212, 121
e. Skips: 121, 131, 141, 151, 161, 171, 181, 878, 868, 858, 848, 838, 828, 818
f. Thirds: 13, 24, 35, 46, 57, 68, 79, 86, 75, 64, 53, 42, 31, 27, 1
g. Create your own patterns!
2) Blending Exercises:
a. Work on blending while your director asks the following groups to play together. The remaining ensemble members finger or “air-band” along or
might even sing their note names.
i. Group 1 includes tuba, baritone sax, bass clarinet, and bassoon.
ii. Group 2 includes trombone, euphonium, french horn, and tenor sax.
iii. Group 3 includes Bb soprano clarinet and alto sax (sometimes french horn)
iv. Group 4 includes flute, oboe, and trumpet.
b. The director should ask the ensemble to play any of the steps and skips patterns above and call different groups to perform during the rests.
While resting, the ensemble is fingering or singing note names along with the performing group and honing their listening skills. It is also
recommended that some percussionists play mallets and some softly perform grooves on unpitched or other rhythmic patterns (fills) while the
wind instruments work on blending. Your director can provide guidance.
“Group 2” “Group 4”
3) Other Blending Exercises or “Games” Include:
a. Percussionists are the referees. They always play to keep the band together! This allows the director to walk around the ensemble!
i. Ask section leaders to perform alone (“Section leaders only”).
ii. Ask sections to perform alone or their “trios” (“Flutes” or “Flute Trio” and point at a student).
iii. Ask individuals to perform alone (“Going down the line”).
iv. Ask woodwinds to perform alone (“Just woodwinds”).
1. Your director might ask brass players to buzz on the mouthpiece during this.
v. Ask brass to perform alone (“Just brass”).
b. Mix any of the above and call different individuals or sections to perform at a moment’s notice.
4) Articulation Exercises:
a. Play your scales with the following patterns and slowly speed up the tempo:
i. Slur two, tongue two

ii. Tongue two, slur two

iii. Slur in the middle

b. Synthesize with “Rhythm Practices 1-8”:

i. For notes, play any of the skips and steps patterns.
ii. For rhythms, use a measures from “Rhythm Practices 1-8”. Not all measures work! Change notes half way through the chosen measure.
Add a long tone at the end and a rest to prepare for the next pattern. In this manner, you can chunk and focus on releases.
iii. Add articulations and sing or sizzle before you play to match.
1. “doo” = legato
2. “di” = staccato
3. “Da” = accent
4. “Dahh” = long accent
5. “Daht” = marcato
5) Learn Pitch Tendencies for Each Fingering!
a. Woodwind instruments tune to these notes, preferably with a drone:

i. Specific to Bb Soprano Clarinet

1. Use the second line G to adjust the barrel.
2. Use the G above the staff to adjust the middle joint.
3. Use the third space C to adjust the bell.
b. Brass instruments tune to these notes, preferably with a drone:

i. Specific to French Horn

1. Check the depth of your right hand position.
2. Play the G open (F side of horn)
3. Engage the trigger on the C (Bb side of horn)

c. Pair up with a partner that plays your instrument. Have one partner record using a tuner. In a quiet place, record the tendencies of each note
with a conventional embouchure and good mf air support.
i. The recorder must not allow the player to see the sheet or the tuner.
ii. As the performer plays, the partner records next to each fingering:
1. 25 cents sharp = ↓25
2. Nothing = within +/- 3 cents = Write Nothing
3. 5 cents flat = ↑5

d. Learn to adjust with a drone or a tuner.

i. Flute – Adjust your aperture, or roll the head joint in if sharp (blow air more downwards) or out if flat (air across hole).
ii. Single Reeds – If sharp, lip down. If flat, lip up.
iii. Oboe and Bassoon – If sharp, decrease pressure/amount of reed in mouth. If flat, increase pressure, amount of reed in mouth.
iv. Brass – If sharp, relax embouchure. If flat, firm up embouchure.
1. Horn – Can also adjust right hand in bell.
2. Trombone – Can also adjust the slide. Only lip up or down in first position!
6) Play Cadences Led by a Conductor with Number Patterns.
a. Perform any of the cadences below and learn to identify them in ensemble literature!
i. Perfect Authentic Cadences (V→I)
1. This sounds complete like a period or an exclamation point.
2. Special Conditions: A V chord must be used rather than viio, both chords must be in root position, the highest sounding note must
end on 1 or 8.
a. Group 4: 78 or 21
b. Group 3: 55 or 53
c. Group 2: 23 or 78
d. Group 1: 51 or 58
ii. Imperfect Authentic Cadences (V→I)
1. This sounds complete, but not the end.
2. Special Conditions: The last chord doesn’t always end on the tonic (8 or 1) in the soprano. The bass voicing is not always in root
(5-1). Also, (viio→I) can be used instead of (V→I).
a. Group 4: 55 or 23 or 21 or 78
b. Group 3: 23 or 55 or 23 or 23
c. Group 2: 78 or 51 or 55 or 45
d. Group 1: 51 or 78 or 78 or 21
iii. Plagal Cadences (IV→I)
1. This sounds like “ah-men”. It is complete, but not as strong as a Perfect Authentic Cadence.
a. Group 4: 88 or 65
b. Group 3: 65 or 43
c. Group 2: 43 or 11
d. Group 1: 41 or 68
iv. Half Cadences – (Anything→V)
1. This sounds incomplete and is often followed by musical phrase using an Authentic Cadence.
a. Group 4: 87 or 42
b. Group 3: 55 or 87
c. Group 2: 32 or 45
d. Group 1: 55 or 65
v. Deceptive Cadences (V→Anything Other Than I)
1. This sounds like the music is going somewhere unexpected. This often leads to a key change.
a. Group 4: 21
b. Group 3: 76
c. Group 2: 53
d. Group 1: 56