Concert Band Basics

A concert band, also called WIND ensemble, symphonic band, WIND symphony, WIND orchestra, WIND band, symphonic WINDS, symphony band, or symphonic WIND ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion families of instruments, along with the double bass or electric bass guitar.

A stringed orchestra is a large instrumental ensemble, often used in classical music, that contains sections of bowed strings (violin, viola, cello and double bass), brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Other instruments such as the piano and celesta may sometimes be grouped into a fifth section such as a keyboard section or may stand alone, as may the concert harp and, for 20th and 21st century compositions, electric and electronic instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ὀρχήστρα (orchestra), the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus.[1] The orchestra grew by accretion throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, but the strings, woodwinds, and brass sections changed very little in composition during the course of the 20th century.[clarification needed]

http://academy.jazz.org/what-are-long-tones/

Ask any woodwind or brass player what one of the most important practice techniques is, and they’ll almost certainly point you to long tones. What are they, and why are they so important?

Long tones are exactly what they sound like: you play a note into your horn and hold it at a steady volume and pitch for as long as your breath will allow. Then you go up or down and half step and repeat, ultimately going through the full range of your instrument. Doing so can be a bit tedious, but the results are amazing: your tone improves dramatically, your breath control increases, and your playable range on your instrument will go up. It is one of the most important practice techniques you can employ.

http://bandnotes.info/tidbits/scales/transposition.htm

Did you know that not all instruments sound like a C on the piano when you play a C on the instrument?? With instruments in so many different keys (meaning what note does it sound like if you play the instrument's C), it is helpful to have one place from which to start. So, we use the piano's notes as "concert pitch".

Flutes, oboes, bassoons, trombones, tubas, baritones reading bass clef and all string instruments are concert pitch instruments: when they play a C it sounds like a C on the piano. They don't have to transpose. (All instruments that mostly read bass clef are in C, but some - like bass guitar and string bass - are written an octave higher to keep the music in the staff).

Clarinets, bass clarinets, trumpets, tenor saxes and baritones playing treble clef are Bb instruments: when they play a C it sounds like a Bb on the piano. So, if they want to play a concert Bb scale, they start on a C (they have to think up a whole step). Concert C is their D, Concert Ab is their Bb.

Alto and baritone saxes, alto clarinet and most alto horns are Eb instruments: when they play a C it sounds like a Eb on the piano. So, if they want to play a concert Bb scale, they start on a G (they have to think up a six steps in the scale - or down a minor third). Concert C is their A, Concert Ab is their F.

French horns and some alto horns and the English horn (that's the one related to the oboe) are F instruments: when they play a C it sounds like a F on the piano. So, if they want to play a concert Bb scale, they start on a F (they have to think up five scale steps). Concert C is their G, Concert Ab is their Eb.

By the time you are an eighth grader, you should know your scales (right off, no hesitation and without looking up key signatures or asking what note you start on or anything!) for the following concert pitches :

Concert C
Concert F
Concert Bb
Concert Eb
Concert Ab
Concert G

And... you should be able to find your scale for any other concert pitch that a conductor may request. You might want to print out some of this info for reference.

Notespeller Book II - Lessons 1 - 6

Each tonality (Key of G Major, Key of C Major, etc) has a corresponding key signature. Key signatures help determine which notes are sharp or flat throughout an entire piece of music.