nhsb saxes

2010-12-11T02:44:00.003+08:00

HEY PPL.

GREAT CONCERT SAXES!!

Decided to post a random post on this blog since two ppl's been critisizing my way of leading the section for the past year. HAHA.
Oh and I realised i'm not under the alumni section in the links part yet. What a failure :)
Concer day was a great day, so were the previous three. I just wanted to post on this blog to kinda share my thoughts on this band camp.

So I shall start my story where it all begins. A few weeks ago, I was still contemplating whether should i attend the camp and perform for alumni band.. my remaining few weeks in nhsb sucked so i didn't quite like the idea of band.. but i guess that was until the great invention facebook came and I was pretty convinced by some ppl to just go and don't think about it so much.

And I'm totally sure that that was perhaps the wisest decision i made because I enjoyed myself thoroughly during this band camp and I'm kinda sad it's all over now.. ):

Band camp was a total success; the water bomb, the late night movies (not for main band HAHA), guys in the girls' toilet and girls in the guys' toilet, learning how to play bridge 4 times in 2 days (and still not getting it), and of course, playing the saxophone for the first time in 7 or 8 months, etc etc..

I'll never forget this band camp!!

Alright, anyway who's job is it to maintain this blog ahh.. If you guys havent realised i'm not the SL anymore.. :

Good luck for SYF next year and Japan trip and wadever fun things you guys are gonna do without me!
-Joy!

2009-11-25T21:23:00.002+08:00

Hey guys, I know the morale's kinda low recently thanks to Mr Tan's missing in action and of course... WHERE. IN. THE. WORLD. IS. OUR. WHOLE. SECTION.

Everyone's missing!!

Guys, take a break and look carefully at this post.
WE. CAN. DO. IT. (what's with the caps and fullstops..)

Band camp's coming in a few days' time, and even though we can't stay over (sighh) and have fun fun fun as a section, be reminded that JOY will be around to help you during the concert (I try lah)
and that this concert WILL BE A SUCCESS NO MATTER WHAT. If VS can do twin oaks, we can do it too.

Practise practise practise your running notes, it's just repetitions (according to someone) and if we can get those dang running notes right, the whole song will be a piece of cake.

Actually, if you take a look at it, the other songs shouldn't be a problem. If we tongue precisely, take note of those details such as dynamics, staccatos, accents, more importantly the TONGUEING, everything should be okay with the help of some more practice.

We've:
Twin Oaks
Highlights from Ratatouille
Phantom of the Opera
Broadways in the 90's
March Kawasaki
Ponyo (maybe)
Superheroes R Us

All of which are rather playful pieces and pieces that we like (taken from movies, theatres etc)
so I hope we'll really put some time into it and make sure that the saxophone section is one great section. We shall own the trumpet section and stop all this low morale thingy. Show them that if the mighty saxes can do it, the whole of nhsb can do it. I'll make lemon barley with say hua on that day of the concert and we'll be sure that everything turns out well.

Actually if you see, only twin oaks seems to be an obstacle.. the rest should be okay if Mr Tan touches up a bit. And I wish the alumni luck in the other three pieces, West Side Story, Les Miserables and Foxfire.

NHSAXES OUTING
tomorrow (26 nov) 10am meet at clementi mrt station
bowling at chevron, followed by section lunch and badminton at jurong east sports complex :D
pls bring (or wear) socks and bring badminton racket if you want to play badminton (please please please) come. haha :D
sms me if you coming. thanks!

NANHUA OPEN HOUSE
for those selected to go the open house (edlind, jia min, joy, felix)
pls report at 9.30am on saturday 28 NOV (dunno who's birthday)
and pls remember that EDLIND's birthday is on 27nov :D
we're playing eighties gold.

BAND CAMP/CONCERT
camp- report on 30nov at 8.30am in school :D
cya guys!!

JIAYOUS!! BAND CONCERT WILL BE A SUCCESS AND THE BBQ WILL BE THERE TO CELEBRATE THE CONCERT NOT MOURN THE CONCERT!! (wad english ish that)

cya guys :P
JOY!

HCImpressione I

2009-11-22T14:58:00.003+08:00

Hwa Chong Institution

High School Military Band;

College Symphonic Band

Conductors: Darence Leng, Daniel Kiang

Date/Time: 28 Nov (Sat), 7.30pm
Venue: Hwa Chong Institution (College) Auditorium

HCIBAND:
-Machu Picchu (Satoshi Yagisawa)
-Mononoke Hime (Jo Hisaishi/ arr. Takashi Hoshide)
-Little Mermaid Medley (Alan Menken/ arr. Takashi Hoshide)
-Imagine (John Lennon/ arr. Takashi Hoshide)

Junior Band:
-Big Fun in the Sun (David Marshall)
-Highlights from High School Musical (arr. Ted Ricketts)

Hwa Chong (College) Symphonic Band:
-Orient Express (Philip Sparke)
-Japanese Graffiti XIV (arr. Miura Hideaki)
-Xinyao Medley (arr. Ong Jiin Joo)

Combined Band:
-Flight to the Future~ Festival Overture (Fukushima Hirokazu) [Local Premiere]
-John Williams Symphonic Soundtrack (John Williams/ arr. John Moss)

Highly recommended by your sax seniors.. (I wonder why).

Along with the Philharmonic Youth one as well

Anw, Machu Picchu is High School's GWH SYF piece, so you can go see the benchmark for GWH this year.

Have fun! A's not ending until 30th =/ Haha. Enjoy your holidays (:

2009-09-19T17:30:00.002+08:00

whheeeeeeeeee :D
deaaaaaaaaaaaad D:

thursday's band prac was really fun!
remember mr tan's reminders about posture and dang, TONGUEING
i know some of us aren't tongueing (myself included) properly
and sec ones still can't really tongue
so i guess we must find time during sectionals to tongueeee. lols

and hor, hsu yueh and cheng xin ah.. dont talk talk talk talk talk can or not o.0
lol must keep clean record for our section
and don't be like the euphos; keep getting pumped :]
lol xing zai le huo :)

section tee in the process of being made..
i think we'll just go with red jersey with that logo thingy i drew at the front.
agreeable?

btw i went to jurong point de john little and they have this counter whereby u can choose your 'pendant' and put it on a necklace and i bought a sax with a red string for the necklace!
it looks really great but i keep thinking that it looks like those buddhist string thing that ppl wear on their neck. oh well, at least it goes well with the section tee in future!

actually we wanted to make the tee tmr, but i think we've all clean forgotten about it..
nvm; maybe we'll get on with it after eoy

anyway, EOY'S COMING REAL QUICK!!
STUDY STUDY!
do the saxes proud :P

2009-07-11T14:41:00.002+08:00

yea the blog's a little dead.

can someone design a section tee please?

and give suggestions on what colour you guys want.

btw the pw's been changed cus i cant remember the darn pw which is frigging long =.=

anw we can start thinking about what we're gonna perform/do for this year's rod (sigh)

-joy

2009-06-27T21:30:00.004+08:00

Stage 3: Individual working on music

Work through your piece, NOTE by NOTE, individually perfecting each note's:

- Tone
- Attack
- Intonation
- Dynamic level, including crescendo, and diminuendo if required by score

Now comes something NEW: rhythm and pulse.

- Is your pulse steady and consistent? Check with metronome.
- Is your rhythm accurate? Or just approximate?

Practice 'clapping away' the metronome (set to 90 ~ 100 bpm) your clap should 'block out' or 'drown out' the metronome. If you can still hear the metronome, you fail.

Play through a phrase, not too long. Check if you have perfected all aspects for every note:

1. Tone
2. Attack
3. Intonation
4. Dynamics
5. Rhythm & Pulse

Last day of holidays already, hope you guys are ready to go back school. As for me.. Hm. Exams are 8 days long starting from next week. Have fun in school (:

nhsaxas ftw (: can see 5 generations.. lol. old liao. >.<

Good deal, must go!

2009-06-15T22:00:00.003+08:00

Hi guys, I'm here to promote a concert! One that I highly encourage you guys to go for, not only because they are my juniors.. but they're good. Really. The High School Band is a GWH band, and the many of my band's tutors for SYF are from the Thai band as well. (They are here to study in YST Conservatory of Music).

The Uni band is very good. They're even better than many of our local bands! Haha.

Details -

Hwa Chong Institution High School Band & Kasetsart University Wind Symphony
IN CONCERT

Date: 4th July 2009 (Sat)
Time: 1900 hrs
Price: $5.00
Venue: HCI (College) Audi

Repertoire includes:
Machu Picchu
Imagine
Mononoke Hime
John Williams Symphonic Soundtrack
The Little Mermaid
and more...

Their Machu Picchu (their SYF piece) is very very good, technically clean and precise. So do try to make it! Being exposed to good sound will improve you as well since you have a reference to aim for now. Haha.

Last thing, it is very very very very cheap! (:
Get your tickets from me now, I'll help you reserve on actual day.

2009-06-13T21:47:00.005+08:00

Well, well.
So NHSB's 3rd Annual Band Investiture has come to an end.
As your new SL, I hope we can work together and kope the Best Section Award for this year!
(Which I should say, is rather impossible, with the trumpeters around.)

I'll organise a band outing soon..
okay, i seriously wonder why am i typing in those fancy caps..
better get used to them or else i'll start using short form in my english homework o.0

Let's work together as a team (the strongest in band), we'll not slack during sectionals, except for those mass toilet sessions :]

During sectionals, we should try to:
1. Sound like just ONE sound, even though there's quite a few of us playing.
2. Tune together (I'll try to find our beloved tuner that was koped by dunno which evil section)
3. Must combine a lot a lot of times, Felix conduct!!
4. Do those practices that JunJie posted on this very blog.. (got a lot ah)
5. Combine sectionals with other sections.
6. GET EVERY SINGLE DARN NOTE IN THE SONG CORRECT. (running notes)
7. Get at least another person to learn your solo in case you're not around
8. Try to memorise school song and national anthem? :]
9. Eat together when there's lunch (during holiday pracs)

oh yea, I WANT A SAXOPHONE ENSEMBLE PIECE DURING OUR YEAR-END CONCERT!! WOOT!

I believe we can make it! Let's continue running this section moulded by our beloved SLs such as Zoelyn, Sharon, JunJie, erm.. JiaHao, etc etc etc with PRIDE and HONOUR!!

a bit high here. I think I'm taking this post more seriously than the other post.. oh well, of course i'm more attached to our dearest~~ Edlind, Vic, Jia Min, Felix (stop spamming cheese in my water.), Cheng Xin, Shan Jie, Hsu Yueh than the crazy bunch of guys like Aloysius, Ashley and Jerome -.-

See you guys in the next band prac! And jiayou for the school and national anthem! :]

-Joy

REJOICEEE

2009-06-10T17:12:00.003+08:00

Aha! i figured out the password and account again :D
Clap everyone cuz Edlind ' Tomato ' Ng is BACKKKK!
REJOICE! >:B

What are we gonna buy for Zoelyn and Donna?
Stuff toy Saxophoneeee!!! :B no link heh.
Gah Causeway Point's so far away..opposite end of Singapore :/

I dont want Zoelyn and Donna to step down ):
pooh.

-Carrot

2009-06-09T20:01:00.002+08:00

dead dead dead..

hahas. nice post there, junjie :]

i'm rotting at home. and all the CIP planning stuff is wth.
i'm starting to detest being the cip rep..

2nd band investiture's on 13th June..

must rmb to go o.0

btw we haven't got the presents for zoelyn and donna..

Fudge Fugue

2009-06-04T20:42:00.003+08:00

Something nice to show you guys (: (and to aim for)
Train hard and you guys might just be able to play this for Belle Notte III =D

I have the score btw, for all the parts. Haha (:

2009-06-03T20:30:00.001+08:00

Stage 2: Section Level

One (hopefully observant and diligent) person in the section has to lead.

Start with 1 note (eg. a tuning note, or other easy note in the middle of your range) and establish in this order:
1. Identical tone quality
2. Same dynamic level
3. In-tune with each other
4. Same attack/tongue

The test: when each player plays one by one, a blind observer (bring your own) must think it was all the same player.

- Pass? Then practice the different degrees of attack, and dynamic levels
- Pass? Move to the next note, up one note or octave etc.

If you attempt all notes (in 2 octaves) at all dynamic levels at all degrees of attack, you'll have 720 to do. You'll have to strike a balance and compromise due to limited section practice time. Pick a range of notes, perhaps all the C and G and some extreme range notes.

HOWEVER, you still have to do all 720 on your own individually!

This is a good time to select some peak notes in your pieces: a unison note, or an exposed important note, or a phrase where your conductor repeatedly complains that you don't play ensemble (uniformly in all aspects). Practice to uniform perfection!

Articulation/Tonguing

2009-06-01T22:21:00.002+08:00

Articulation/Tonguing

Just as the marimba has different mallets for different degrees of 'attack', so too you need to have varying degrees of articulation and tonguing.

Go back to practicing with just one note, and practice to establish 5 distinct degrees of attack/tongue.

SLUR
No tongue, do this later, by practicing the scale, checking if your air 'wobbles' as you change notes.

YARN
Legato tongue, for slow/song-like music for repeated notes within a slur, or unmarked articulation, sometimes tenuto.

RUBBER
General tongue, probably the hardest to maintain consistently. Essential for accompaniment chords, classical playing.

WOOD
Light accent, for most notes (even when articulation is not marked on the score) in fast/dance music.

PLASTIC
Strong accent, for the written accents, marcato, sfz, and features such as climatic notes. Often followed by drop in dynamic, like fp.

Once you can manage these attacks consistently, continue to practice them with:

- All the notes in your entire range

- At all dynamic levels for one note

- And then check that tone and intonation are maintained.

Now calculate the total number of combinations of sounds you need to master:

For 1 note, 6 dynamic levels x 5 varying degrees of attacks = 30 ways to play one note, ALL MUST BE WITH ideal tone and perfect intonation.

Each way must be practiced 100 times til perfection. Repeat for all 24 notes (2 octaves, more for woodwinds). That's 30 ways x 24 notes x 100 times = 72000.

What are you waiting for?! Start practicing already!! (:

peek-a-boo

2009-06-01T15:20:00.003+08:00

well, well.

ZOELYN!!
our beloved sl don't go online one T.T

i want section outing...

something to cheer you up!

- Joy

Intonation

2009-05-30T16:41:00.003+08:00

Back again to post before I go off to ECP for overnight bike hike around SG (:

Just a disclaimer that these tips I'm posting are fron my conductor's handouts given to the band some years back (before I joined Hcband). Whee, so enjoy (:

Intonation

When your tone is already cleaner and relaxed, the next step is to check if you can sustain a long note, without it fluctuating in pitch or dynamic. Use a tuner to check if your note changes pitch as you sustain it. If it does, you need to determine the cause and rectify it.

Probable causes of a wavering pitch:

1. Air flow not consistent (air pressure and air speed, usually students let the pressure drop as air runs out). Keeping air pressure constant in your lungs is often referred to as 'breath support'.

2. Lips/embouchure not still, (moving) while sustaining the note.

3. Other body parts moving while sustaining the note (shaking legs, elbows, head).

4. Bad posture, crossing legs, leaning on back of chair.

Tune your instrument:

1. Once you can sustain a steady note, tune it by adjusting your main tuning slide.

2. For brass, tune all remaining valve slides.

Compensate for your instrument:

1. Test the other notes in your scale to see how far out of tune, and whether sharp or flat.

2. Next practice 'compensating' the out of tune notes to make them in-tune, by

3. Employing triggers and slides (for brass)

4. Embouchure adjustment (your lips), jaw pressure (reeds).

5. Alternate fingerings

6. Rolling the flute

Test yourself:

1. Then practice sustaining all the notes in tune (long notes first)

2. Then practice sustaining all the notes in tune at all dynamic levels.

3. Write a chart or scale to indicate your intonation errors for each note, then practice playing scales that remain in tune throughout.

4. Then practice scale studies, etudes, to test your ability to keep-in-tune throughout. While you are at this, check: Is your tone still perfect? Can you maintain the tone and intonation at all dynamic levels?

Regarding the scales in tune thing, I guess Sharine (another graduated senior one year older than me, hc also), can show you. Haha. So that's where the book you guys have (the scale studies one), come in. Yup, that's what the books are for!

So try them out from 2nd June. If you can bring your instruments home (altos should have no excuses for doing so. Haha.) do bring. Get your own personal tuner (don't rely on band ones since they get misplaced and koped by other sections often) so you can have the luxury of practicing where and whenever you want, even after band prac (:

The next post (after I conquered 100km around SG) will be on Articulation.
Hope I make it back alive, and do publicise this blog to everyone in our section. (:

just.. checking out :]

2009-05-30T15:54:00.004+08:00

HEYY PEOPLE!!

good good. can see the blog's not really dead :]
thanks to crazy juniors like edlind and vic!
and of course erm.. partly crazy & enthu seniors like jj!

well, take that advice from the previous post by junjie!!
btw, he's dang right about the intimidating part.. -.-

changed blog skin even though the other one damn nice...
the posts area very small.. so it's like can see a thing..

this one's quite small too. but better :]

CHANGED URL BTW. lol
saxinthecity.bs was used, so i used sax-in-the-city..

kay shall not change anymore :]

upcoming band pracs: 2 june & 4 june.

wheee!

-joy

Individual Tone

2009-05-29T23:47:00.000+08:00

Hi all

This is your long-lost senior who comes back every thursday to slack and intimidate the sec 3s, as well as to be Santa and give out Green Teas =P

On a more serious note, I'm sure the following will be helpful to everyone in the section. Its pretty long, and hence I shall be posting it in bits and pieces to facilitate digestion by you guys (: Be sure to internalise it, and I'm sure you'll improve tremendously.

Best section ftw! (:

DEVELOPING YOUR MUSICIANSHIP
Stage One: Individual.

Tone.

- Establish a rich and pure tone. Clear and NOT FORCED.

- You need to have a strong impression (idea) of what a good sound is. To do so, you need to have recording samples of professionals playing solo, even unaccompanied, and listen meticulously and often

- Then you must keep trying to imitate that sound.

- Start working on one note first. Practice daily, then continue to other notes until you cover the entire range of your instrument.

- Finally, practice keeping your tone 'perfect' at all dynamic levels, extreme soft to very loud (pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff).

If you take 1 week of practicing everyday to improve 1 note, and 1 additional week for each dynamic level, you'll need: 24 notes (2 octaves) x 6 dynamic levels = 144 weeks (2.7 years) to complete this task

Therefore, it has to be a work in progress starting ASAP (: Tone is really something that differentiates a good player from a not-so-good one. It is the first thing that people will judge you on when you play.

Always remember to keep your air speed intense and imagine the embouchure as a circle and that all the air has to pass through that hole immediately upon starting the note. Do not apply pressure on your lower lip as far as possible. Experiment with variations of these (speed, vol. of air, amount of mouthpiece 'eaten' etc.) to produce a good tone.

One last thing, remember to breathe warm air into your instrument. Also, try blasting your way up the scale (like what some of you guys did last thurs) to have a gauge of what air speed and intensity to have for all your notes, as well as warm up your instru.

That's all from me! Do wait for the next instalment which will talk about intonation.

Happy holidays (and remedials to the unlucky ones)
Cheers,
JJ

KENNY G!

2009-05-29T18:22:00.000+08:00

WE WORSHIP HIM!!!!!!!!!

HAHA im posting !
BOOM BOOM!!!!!!:D
Why are we playing volleyball at sentosa? o.o
You people are athletic and sports inclined. Im not. :|
Suggest a non-sport activity please. :D
i . am. lazy. and . fat . spare . me.

i want to change the URL!

saxinthecity.blogspot.com

heh. ok maybe not nice either ._.

hah Kenny G looks gay :D muahaha..Ok i will not be a homophobe. ._.

- Your BELOVED Carrot >:B ( who shrunk 4 cm D: )

2009-05-29T16:56:00.000+08:00

eh edlind, not funny. i'm getting irritated, i mean it.

and so, welcome to the new saxophone blogg :]
it's ours, u can blog as and when u like (frequently i hope)
please don't make it dead...

so, we'll stick to saxforlife.bs.com temporarily until someone comes up with a more decent url
hehs... one wrong alphabet and it's sick, like lind mentioned :)

anyway, there's a saxophone section outing in the planning, most likely to sentosa
beach volllley! ;)
hope we get a decent date and everyone can attend
i suppose everyone here's got our own stuff to do, but just put some time aside for some quality time (not sectionals now) together to bonndd :]

2009-05-28T23:10:00.000+08:00

ehh...
why are there like 2 bloggs?
peeps start blogging!
kay. lamee.
credit to joy YEO shu yee.
lmao-

2009-05-28T23:04:00.000+08:00

hiie :D
joy here