First Year Band Director Survival Guide (Great for Student Teachers Also!)

If you’re a first (or second or third) year band director, this is for you! Organized by subject, this gives you a quick start to researching any topic you’ll need during your school year. If you’d like a printable version for yourself or to share with colleagues or student teachers, you can download a PDF version with clickable links HERE.

Welcome!

• What I wish I knew before becoming a band director
• Dear future music educators
• 30 things I learned during student teaching

Conducting and score study

• Is it time for a conducting tune up?
• Conducting: The three fundamental test
• Score study and rehearsal design

Rehearsal techniques

• How to teach rhythmic precision
• How to teach FOCUSED listening
• Best advice for teaching phrasing and style
• Teaching intonation
• Ending phrases tip

Troubleshooting

• Why don’t they sound good?
• What to do when they’re not getting it
• Podium deafness

Flute

• Flute embouchure
• Troubleshooting flute tone
• Mastering the art of flute articulation
• Expanding flute dynamics
• Solutions for common flute problems

Clarinet

• F# on mouthpiece and barrel quick tip
• Clarinet embouchure
• Why are my clarinets playing flat?
• Crossing the break smoothly
• 4 rules to choosing the best clarinet fingering
• “Rolling to A” isn’t enough

Saxophone

• Saxophone Bb
• Saxophone F# and C

Double Reeds

• Getting the most out of your double reeds in concert band
• De-mystifying double reeds

Trumpet

• Beginning trumpet tips
• When and how to use the 3rd and 1st valve slides on trumpet
• 3 common problems and suggested solutions on trumpet
• Tone centering

Horn

• 10 tips for improving accuracy on the horn
• Solving the mystery of stopped horn
• Understanding and developing range
• 3 places to oil horn valves

Low Brass

• Diagnosing brass tension 
• Glissandi exercises for trombones giving pitch to air flow
• 4 tips to help beginner tuba players

Percussion

• Keyboard percussion: a long-distance relationship
• Crash cymbals 101
• Common match grip problems
• 4 ways tape can help your beginning percussionists 

Classroom Management

• Creative classroom strategies
• It all comes down to communication
• Posture chant
• Teaching with poverty in mind

Jazz Band

• The basics of jazz
• Common swing pitfalls in young jazz bands

 

Bits & Pieces

• Instrumental reference recordings
• Hearing protection for band directors

Inspiration

• Why band matters
• I love being a band director because
• Standing on the shoulders of giants
• The band puzzle
• The crayon analogy
• Being a band director is totally incredible
• Lessons from almost a half century of teaching (3 part series)

Related Reading:
10 Mistakes of Young Band Directors
How to Not Drive Yourself Crazy as a Young Teacher

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