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In 1981, Frank McArthur, former president of ABAand I, serving as Instrumental Music Specialist with the Alabama State Department of Education, suggested a project that would make recordings of the All-State tryout material available to the students of Alabama. The concept was turned into reality when I asked several of our teachers at colleges and universities to record the teaching and play- ing of the scales, audition exercises, and comments on sightreading. These dedicated teachers agreed to perform this service at no cost but were encouraged to submit their address in case students wished to write for more explana- tion.
The reason for this project that Frank and I suggested is stated by the President of the Rho Chapter at the beginning of each recording. “The Fraternity believes that these recordings offer an excellent example of correct tone qual- ity, mastery of technique, and comments on preparation and interpretation.”
It is important to state the basic areas that Frank and I hoped would be covered by the teachers. The first is a concept of the correct tone quality of the instrument. Having been taught by George Printz, Yale Ellis, and Colonel Butler, we learned that the correct tone was referred to as a concert tone.
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Phi Beta Mu All-State Recordings D.D. Black
In the early years, we found that many students had no idea of the proper concert sound of their instrument. Today, there are so many examples of questionable tone quality being heard, that it is no wonder that the concept of proper tone quality has been somewhat lost. There is also the matter of fingering systems and alternate finger- ings for specific passages.
In my teaching career, I observed many young saxophone players that would play the C scale and, upon reaching B, would “swap holes” instead of using the correct side key.
One saxophone student at the University of Alabama Summer Band Camp was asked what the side keys were used for on the instrument. He said that “they just came with the instrument.” Many of our teachers cover this area very well. On trombone, for example, Dan Drill frequent- ly teaches short slide positions and the reason for using them. Rick Good explains in detail short grace notes and long grace notes. Ray Smith also does an excellent job of explaining fingering, breathing and plays verious exam- ples.
There are 14 Senior High School instruments and in 1994, the 14 Junior High School instruments were added. The teachers began recording on reel tape, went to cassettes, and then to digital tapes, or DAT. Each year, all of the mas- ter recordings are checked for accuracy and edited for the best quality by volume adjustment, equal- ization, and added reverb.
At their yearly meeting, the Music Selection Committee reviews the ABA requirements and the recordings to make sure that all of the instructions and record- ings are correct.
THE ORDER BLANKS are always placed in the center of the ABAHandbook which is mailed to each director throughout the state.
For several years, each teacher would record the scales and teach the exercises with comments on a new tape and I would assemble these, check the page numbers, starting and ending places and other instructions from the ABA Handbook. President Brannan suggested that when one of our outstanding teachers left the
20 August 2006
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