Episode 290 - How Much Time Should You Spend On Fundamentals
Almost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
Release Date: 04/09/2025
Almost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
In this episode, I interview expert repairman Brian Stevenson, owner of Rocky Mountain Music Repair. He shares tips to help you perform some minor repairs on your own. He also shares when it's time to call in the experts, what you can do to help prevent many costly repairs, and how to properly give your brass instrument a "bath." Check out his store at . - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately...
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
In this episode I share some rehearsal room hacks that have made my life easier. - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an immediate pdf download of the book. Have a question for the podcast? Need...
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
I spent nearly the first 20 years of my teaching career comparing myself to others. “Why can’t I be like them? Why don’t I have their facilities or budget or staff or admin?” I had to learn to Stop Comparing. Every situation and every person is unique. You and I have something different to offer than anyone else. - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More...
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
If you insist on high standards, you WILL receive pushback. Don’t let that stop you. In this episode I share tips on Instilling High Standards Despite Pushback. - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an...
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
Tips For Helping Brass Players Change Partials. - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an immediate pdf download of the book. Have a question for the podcast? Need a presenter for professional...
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
- Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an immediate pdf download of the book. Have a question for the podcast? Need a presenter for professional development? Contact me here: or 719-238-4193....
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
- Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an immediate pdf download of the book. Have a question for the podcast? Need a presenter for professional development? Contact me here: or 719-238-4193....
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
Classroom Structure and Management (not Discipline). You can PREVENT 95% of discipline problems before they happen by having the right procedures and structures in place. - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy +...
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
- Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an immediate pdf download of the book. Have a question for the podcast? Need a presenter for professional development? Contact me here: or 719-238-4193....
info_outlineAlmost Everything I've Learned About Teaching Band
- Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes Get the book , a handbook for band directors that includes 75+ lessons, tips and truths. Most can be read in less than 10 minutes. Many can be immediately implemented in your classroom. More tips and lessons will be added (I'm still in the classroom half time and hope to remain there for many more years). You will receive a signed hard copy + an immediate pdf download of the book. Have a question for the podcast? Need a presenter for professional development? Contact me here: or 719-238-4193....
info_outlineEpisode 290 - How Much Time Should You Spend On Fundamentals
When I first started teaching, I thought I didn’t have time for fundamentals. Maybe I spent ten minutes of a 45 minute rehearsal on technique, scales, tone, tuning, arpeggios and long tones. Believe it or not, now I spend more than half our rehearsal time on those. I explain to the students that learning scales and other fundamentals makes more difficult and more interesting music attainable for us. They get it! When you explain the why, the implementation becomes easier. Put the responsibility for sounding great on the students. They need to take responsibility. We're so used to taking charge as directors. Use questions to get students to think. Instead of “trumpets were overblowing here” say “What did you notice about the sound at letter A? What could we improve?”
Resources…
Jazz From The Start - Jazz and improvisation curriculum you can use as soon as students know 5 notes
Get the book Almost Everything I’ve Learned About Teaching Band
Have a question for the podcast? Need a presenter for professional development? Contact me here: jamesthedivine@gmail.com or 719-238-4193. List of Speaking Topics.
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