Rehearsal Notes

Be sure to check out the staging for At the Hop if you weren't at the Oct 21 rehearsal.
 

Christmas Tunes

Here's the list of tunes from the 2002 Holiday Parade. No rehearsal notes here, but there are some pointers to places where you can listen to the arrangements online (and rehearse with them!)

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen   (Listen to this arrangement)
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch  (Listen to this arrangement)

At the Hop

Beginning

• Drums play pickups on upbeat of three to kick off the tune.
• All notes here are bell tones; sting it and get off the note since someone else enters every two beats.
• Everyone has to count since the drums are only doing "clicks" through here.  Watch the director!
• Saxes, trombones, tuba need to be solid in bars 9-10.
• See special "staging" notes below.

• Trumpets use smooth tonguing.  Final note in each phrase is short.
• Trombones and saxes must balance the trumpet volume when they echo in bars 13-14, etc.
• Everyone:  Hit bar 22 together, crescendo into bar 23.

• Saxes/trombones/tubas watch out for the rhythm in bar 24 -- it's different from all the other "echoes".
• Everyone:  Be precise on the hatted note in bar 34 on the update of beat 2.
• Trumpets:  You guys drive the repeat, so be ready for the pickups in bar 34 and then you're back at bar 11.

• Everyone:  Bar 36 has to come in strong and build in volume to bar 37 to drive this transition.
• Clarinets/saxes/trumpets:  Be tight on the echo parts in bar 38, 40, etc.
• Trumpets/clarinets/flutes, bar 46:  Fall for two beats, then "squeeze" it back up to pop the first note of 47.

• Bell tones again as at the beginning.
• Trombones/tubas bring out the descending notes in bars 57-58.
• Drums:  Triplets in bars 57-58 drive the transition for the band.
• Everyone:  Listen for the drums in 57-58 to get the feel for the triplets at the end of 58.  No ritard, finish right in time.
• IMPORTANT:  Last note is just a stinger, NOT a fall!

Staging for "At the Hop"

• NOTE: We're actually doing this differently now, but I haven't had time to change the page. Cheerfully ignore this for now!
• We're doing horn swings on the bell-tone patterns each time they occur (basically at the beginning and at the end).  When it's your turn to move, turn sharply in the appropriate direction.  A different part of the band moves every two beats.  Note that the flutes don't do this move since they don't play here; instead, they're doing a little "groove" move (ask another flute to show you).  Here's how it works:
• Bar 1, beat 1:  Tenor sax, trombone, bari sax, tuba swing left.
• Bar 1, beat 3:  Trumpet 2 & 3, F Horn swing left.
• Bar 2, beat 1:  Alto sax swing left.
• Bar 2, beat 3:  Clarinet, trumpet 1 swing left.
• Bar 3, beat 1:  Tenor sax, trombone, bari sax, tuba swing right.
• Bar 3, beat 3:  Trumpet 2 & 3, F Horn swing right.
• Bar 4, beat 1:  Alto sax swing right.
• Bar 4, beat 3:  Clarinet, trumpet 1 swing right.
• Bar 5, beat 1:  Tenor sax, trombone, bari sax, tuba swing right.
• Bar 5, beat 3:  Trumpet 2 & 3, F Horn swing left.
• Bar 6, beat 1:  Alto sax swing left.
• Bar 6, beat 3:  Clarinet, trumpet 1 swing left.
• Bar 7, beat 1:  Tenor sax, trombone, bari sax, tuba return to center.
• Bar 7, beat 3:  Trumpet 2 & 3, F Horn return to center.
• Bar 8, beat 1:  Alto sax return to center.
• Bar 8, beat 3:  Clarinet, trumpet 1 return to center.
• Bar 9, beat 1:  Everyone pops instruments up.
• The same thing happens at the end starting in bar 49, except you have to wait a little longer for the instruments "up" on the last beat.

No changes from the way we rehearsed it throughout parade season.  Here are a few things to watch for:

• Do a good forte-piano in bar 3.
• Read the articulations.  It's important to keep the staccato's short and emphasize the upbeats as marked so that we maintain a cheerful "bouncy" feel.
• There's lots of interplay between the sections.  Listen for it, bring your part out when you've got the lead, get out of the way when you don't.
• Trumpets keep it light, bouncy, and mezzo-forte at 22.
• Good forte-pianos all through the section beginning at bar 30.
• Big build-up in 36, then let it relax a little in 37.  It feels like this is going to be the climax, but it's not -- so save something for later on.  This should just feel kinda "groovin'."
• Nice and tight in bar 39 to kick us back into the verse.
• Good forte-piano in 54.  HUGE in 55 -- we be rockin'!
• Trumpets/flutes bring out the quarter notes in bar 59.
• Play the final section three times, getting softer each time.  Don't get too soft the second time -- make sure there's still somewhere to go.
• Last bar finishes double forte!

Another tune where we need to play tight and bouncy all the way through.  Watch the articulations.

Beginning

• Bell tones on the quarter notes at the beginning.
• Finish bar 3 cleanly together.  NOBODY plays so the downbeat of bar 4, so don't step in the hole!
• Low brass & woodwinds, tubas need to be solid and tight in bar 4 to get us going.

• Trumpets/flutes/clarinets be sure to cut off cleanly on the long notes.  For instance:  the note in bar 7 must cut off together on the downbeat of bar 8.
• Trombones/saxes/tubas be sure to bring out the "echo" parts (e.g., bars 7 and 8).

• Crescendo in bar 16 coming into this section.
• Nice bell-tone chords on the first three beats of bar 17.
• Saxes/bones carry the echo in bars 19-20, etc.

• Trombones/tubas/tenors:  Read this rhythm carefully, we've been getting it wrong.  In bar 25, give the quarter note on beat 2 its full value (there's been a tendency to play it like an eighth note).  Go grab your old Beach Boys record and listen!
• Trumpets and high woodwinds:  Keep the pickup quarters notes short.  Cut the whole notes off cleanly on downbeat of the next measure.  Stay out of the way of the low brass -- they have the lead here.
• Trumpets and high woodwinds:  Watch the articulations and rhythm in bars 31-32.
• Everyone:  crescendo in bar 32, then relax a little at 33.

• Same things to watch as in the initial verse.

• Nice bell-tone chords; listen for balance.  Again, bring out the echo parts.
• Everyone:  Last two beats of 52 must be together.  Put a little separation between the notes and punch them.  Good forte-piano here with a looooooong swell.  HUGE and absolutely together on last four notes.

We're playing this exactly like we've always done it, which is the same way we've done it with OMTAAMB.  For those who haven't played it before, this means:

• Take ALL second endings.
• DO NOT PLAY the four bars before rehearsal letter B.
• DO NOT PLAY the four bars before rehearsal letter C.
• DO NOT PLAY the four bars before rehearsal letter D.

• Don't play too loud too early.  This tune rocks along so well that it's tempting to turn everything loose in the first chorus.  Save something for the really big finish!
• Try not to overwhelm the cool part in the saxes at letter C.
• Don't rush.

Last updated:  18 January 2003
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