Sentiments To Share With Your Band More Often (Collaborative)

In a recent Facebook Post, we asked our Band Directors Talk Shop readers to share sentiments and rehearsal quotes that they’ve found helpful with their bands. We received so many great responses and organized them into these categorized lists. Thanks so much to all of our BDTS Facebook Members who took the time to share! Keep and eye out for more collaborative posts in the future!

Motivation/Encouragement

Be good people first and good band members second.
No one fails; it’s just new and you’re learning.
Be yourself.
Good bands are made of good people.
You’re in band to make yourself a better human through music.
I will be there for you no matter what.
I want you to succeed.
We’re not looking for perfection. But we do want to hear improvement.
My door is always open to you.
“Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do.” -Zig Ziglar
I appreciate every single one of you for sharing my passion.
Be better than you were yesterday.
I love you.
I’m proud of you.
You have to earn the title of band geek.
I am glad you are here.
The rating doesn’t define you. It’s one performance for people that don’t know your musical story.
JUST KEEP GROWING!!!!!
Band should be spelled F-U-N.
This is your band, I just flap my arms. How good do you want to be?

Rehearsal Cues/Quotes:

Faster is not better. TOGETHER is better!
If you are not counting, you are guessing. If you are guessing, you are wrong!
Good bands mark things.
Trumpet must be played like you have the biggest ego in the room, even if you don’t. Play fearlessly!
A note followed by a rest must be played longer than a note followed by a note.
Don’t be bored, be picky
Be a first time band.
How good would the band be if it were only as good as me?
If each of you fix one thing, you will have fixed XX things.
If you enter early, you’re not breathing long enough.
What actually “plays” your instrument?? Your AIR! So use it!
Your first note will not sound good if your instrument isn’t in playing position on time. The extra beats are for your eyes and brain, not getting your embouchure set!
Perform the silence!
The right note at the wrong time, is a wrong note.
Listen twice as loudly as you play.
Correction is not criticism. You should only be worried once I stop correcting you.
No, you didn’t make that mistake on purpose, but you didn’t play it correctly on purpose either.
What’s harder, resting or playing? RESTING!
Tension is the enemy of good sound
Band means together!
Every note has a face.
The key to ensemble playing is listening!
Instruments up, embouchure set!
In 3/4, the function of best three is to lead to best one. This helps with continuity of the phrase and direction.
Louder does not equal faster.
Good bands can play fast quietly.
Good bands can play slowly with great dynamic contrast.
Take all the air you want. It’s free.
Listen louder than you play.
Softer does not equal slower.
If you can’t play in time and in tone, then playing in tune is a pipe dream.
Musical instruments are designed to be played by humans – they’re ergonomic! Playing posture is about what gets the best sound while not causing your body harm.
Horns/sticks stay up until my arms go down for that “Magic Moment” after the cut off when the sound decays in the room. We teach the audience when to applaud, too.
Percussionists get *promoted* to timpani, mallets, and aux percussion because they’ve proven that they can be trusted beyond “drum go boom.”

Practice Tips

Go slow to go fast. Practice with a metronome.
Practice recovering from mistakes
Practice carefully…otherwise you’ll get REALLY GOOD at playing it WRONG!
Practice makes better
The concept of practice versus rehearsal AND practice/warm-up versus noise pollution.
Hard work beats talent.. when talent doesn’t work hard
Going slow is the fastest way to get there.
Accuracy before speed.
Sacrifice will happen one way or the other. Sacrifice your time and practice or the quality of your performance will be sacrificed!!
1-In most states, band is an academic course. 2-Studies show most students spend 30-45 minutes per academic subject per day studying or doing homework. 3-Most issues in the band are because students aren’t recognizing #1 & 2. 4-Read #3 again. 5-Go practice.