The Art of Playing Together

I call playing together an art, because it doesn’t just happen. In order to truly make music and play together, musicians must develop awareness beyond themselves. Precise playing doesn’t just happen because the musicians have a tempo marking and are given a count-off. Believe it or not, a gifted conductor isn’t necessarily the answer to playing together (but it doesn’t hurt).

So how do we get our ensemble to play together with precision? When I say precision, I mean tight, I mean with one cohesive sound. What do I really mean? Musical uniformity. I was pondering this question after a recent trip to a local high school marching band contest. I was surprised by the number of groups I witnessed having trouble playing precisely together.

From time to time, I’m called upon to clinic high school marching bands. The email or phone call will usually go something like this, “Could you come to our rehearsal on X (day of the week)? We are having visual execution issues (because I’m a “visual guy”).” When I show up at the appointed time, I’ll begin working with the ensemble and to my surprise 95% of the time,the visual issues are being caused by a lack of playing precisely together. This leads to addressing the musical performance before even mentioning the visual challenges. A basic tenet of mine is that visual precision cannot and will not happen without musical precision. A group of performers will never reach a form together if they have different understandings of where the pulse is. The ensemble may understand they reach the form on count 8, but where the group thinks count 8 happens in the time continuum of planet earth may differ from performer to performer, thus making the form less clean in appearance. Voila! Imprecision!

Let’s look at 4 basic areas.

Internalized Pulse - The performer has a strong sense of pulse in their mind and is demonstrated through their physical movements or musical performance.

Here are a few activities that can effectively build good pulse keeping. I recommend the instructor use these as a starting point while adding their own. Numbers 2-6 can be found in Strategies, Tips, and Activities for the Effective Band Director by Robin Linaberry.

1.     Alternating durations of sound and silence - The performers play a particular unison sound (usually sustained long tone) for a predetermined number of counts and then wait in silence for a predetermined number of counts before the next sustained sound. The durations of sound and silence can either be even or odd in the number of counts as well as equal or of differing durations. Ex: Play a sound for 4 counts, rest in silence for 4 counts (repeat) -OR- Play a sound for 3 counts, rest in silence for 5 counts (repeat). The durations can also be lengthened requiring better pulse keeping and longer periods of concentration on the part of the performers. This exercise is done without a conductor or any visual/audible representation of the pulse. The instructor could use a metronome to begin and then mute during the exercise while still being able to see indicator lights as to have a sense of how well the performers are in sync with the reference. The sounds could be part of a scale or a chord progression. This activity can be found in Edward S. Lisk’s The Creative Director: Alternative Rehearsal Techniques.

2.     Call and response - The instructor plays a rhythm, and the ensemble plays the same rhythm back in time. Specifically identified performers can also take turns playing the call while the rest of the ensemble responds. It is important that both the call and the response are always in time. It may be necessary to use a metronome as a reference.

3.     The “Cosmic Whole Note” is an adaptation from the Dalcroze eurhythmics method. A slow steady pulse is provided (10 bpm or slower). The goal is for performers to hear the sounds while internalizing subdivision. After hearing 2 occurrences of the pulse, performers attempt to predict when the third occurrence will happen by clapping in time with that third occurrence.

4.     Emphasizing the importance of subdivision – The instructor counts a steady pulse while performers are silent, eyes closed, without movement. The only sound is that of the instructor’s counting. The performers are instructed to clap when they internally hear the instructor’s voice say “twenty”. The instructor begins counting 1….2….3….4….5….6….7….8….9 (silence). The entrance on “twenty” will likely be very ragged. For the second attempt, the instructor adds subdivision by counting the 9 counts with a rhythm of their choice. The rhythm should be comprised of subdivisions of 2 (eighth notes) or 4 (sixteenth notes) while highlighting (accenting) the offbeats. The rhythm again spans a total of 9 counts followed by silence and the performers are instructed to continue the subdivision internally while attempting to clap on “twenty”. The entrance on “twenty” should be much cleaner and in time using subdivision. Understanding and using subdivision is paramount for managing pulse.

5.     Locating and aligning with subdivisions – The instructor counts aloud and the performers “fill in” the subdivisions. Instructor in steady pulse: 1-2-3-4 (or any meter). The performers accompany with 1 “AND” 2 “AND” 3 “AND” 4 “AND”. In fact, the performers could be asked to accompany with any number of subdivisions (3 [triplets], 4 [sixteenths], etc.). The instructor should begin with a predictable steady pulse, but then to continue to build the performers’ skills, use faster and slower pulses within the activity.

Expand this activity to include visual pulse by utilizing a conductor and instructing performers to vocalize or clap the subdivisions. Again, use a variety of tempi and move between these tempi to build skill.

Finally, divide the ensemble in half assigning the numbers to one half while the other is responsible for subdivisions. Have a conductor show a variety of fluctuating tempi and the ensemble follow with precise subdivision. Transfer to instruments using scale patterns or chord progressions.

Responsibility for Pulse - Musicians’ tendency is to believe the conductor is the source of all things pulse when (in reality) all members of any ensemble are responsible. However, this sense of responsibility for pulse is indeed nuanced. As a member of an ensemble, I may be the individual who has the primary responsibility for pulse during a musical phrase while other members are placing their sound into my “pulse pocket”. My role in this scenario is that of the highest responsibility for pulse while all other members of the ensemble have the secondary responsibility of reacting and complimenting with their own contributions. The same could be said of a section or group of performers being the primary source of pulse while other sections are secondary or even having a tertiary responsibility.

Awareness of Primary Pulse Location - Performers should almost ALWAYS listen for timing coming from behind them. The primary pulse will move from location to location during most any production. It is the responsibility of the instructor and staff to communicate and provide reminders of these locations and key points during the production to the performers. This enables the performers to know whether they are “driving the bus” as the primary pulse or needing to react and compliment.

Use of an Amplified Metronome - Use an amplified metronome to establish the tempi in the production as to institute consistency. This consistency starts with the conductor(s). The conductor(s) must be consistent with their own tempi being applied to their conducting of the ensemble. When using the amplified metronome, the speaker(s) must be placed behind the ensemble to reinforce listening back for time.

Here are a few activities that can effectively build good pulse keeping. As I’ve said throughout this book, these aren’t the only possibilities. I recommend the instructor use these as a starting point while adding their own. Numbers 2-6 can be found in Strategies, Tips, and Activities for the Effective Band Director by Robin Linaberry.

Metronome Guidelines

1.     Always have the speaker of the amplified metronome behind the deepest segment of the ensemble most responsible for timekeeping (this may or may not be the battery percussion). This may mean the speaker is mobile as to follow the movements of that segment or switch to another location because the responsibility has shifted to another group of musicians. Having the speaker at the rear and center of the rehearsal space is only effective if the performers and pulse pocket remain centrally located.

2.     Always have the speaker pointed through the deepest segment most responsible for timekeeping and toward the conductor. If the pulse pocket is situated in a space that is not central, the speaker should be angled as to direct its sound at the conductor.

3.     The metronome is a tool and not a feature of the ensemble’s performance. The metronome’s intended purpose is to expose fluctuations in tempo and to build awareness. The ensemble must be given opportunities for weening off an outside source of pulse.

4.     Encourage performers to utilize a metronome in their individual practice.

Portions of this entry are taken from my upcoming book, Stratagem: A Comprehensive Guide to Marching Arts Rehearsal. I love hearing from readers, please let me know what you think about this topic and if this entry has spoken to you, please share it with your friends/colleagues.—DB