The Band Parent’s Guide to Practicing
Robert Andrews Middle School - Ms. Hodge
Common Practice Roadblocks
“I don’t know how this song
goes!”
“I don’t know the notes!” or “I
can’t read the music!”
“I know how this is supposed to
sound, but it is just too hard for
me!”
“I can’t make a good sound on my
flute!”
“I can’t get this high note on my
flute!”
Solutions
Usually when students say this, it’s because they cannot read or remember
the rhythm.
- Have the student play the first few notes, even if they don’t
remember what rhythm to play them in. This might jog their memory.
- Have the student listen to the song. Songs from the band book can be
heard here: EE2000 | Hal Leonard Online Other songs can be looked
up on YouTube or the band website: Practice Help - Robert Andrews
Band (weebly.com)
- If they can identify certain rhythms (like a quarter note, a half note,
etc.) they can write in the counting below the music, and then play it
slowly.
Have the student write in the note names, fingerings, or slide positions for the
song. This is a great tool for beginners. To do this, they can:
- Use the “notes in review” block on page 6 of their first band book as a
guide.
- Use the fingering/slide position chart at the very back of the book.
- Search for a “fingering chart” or “slide position chart” for their
instrument on google.
Once your student is looking at one of the above resources, they can match
the note in the music to the note on the chart. The chart will then tell them
how to play it. This can then be written in the music. Hopefully in the future
they will no longer need this tool.
Here are some practice tips that will help students feel more comfortable with
a tricky piece:
- Slow it down. Once they can play it at this slow pace, try it again a
little faster!
- Practice in small chunks (Is a whole song challenging? Start with just
one measure!)
- Listen to a recording of the song and follow along, play, or “airband”
along with a recording of the song
First, your student needs to make sure they have their flute in the “sweet
spot”.
- Have them look in a mirror when they play to make sure the hole on
the flute is lined up with the middle of their mouth.
- Then, have them “roll” the flute forwards and backwards. They can try
playing in a few different positions here. They should find a sweet
spot where their air is blowing over the exact right spot on the flute to
make a sound. Have them describe to you how it felt and try to
remember where this sweet spot is so they can find it again in the
future.
Then, your student needs to make sure they are using the right mouth shape.
- Try making a smaller hole with your mouth.
- Pretend to spit sunflower seeds. When you do this, you will likely
make your mouth flat, wide, and engage the muscles right at the
edges of your mouth. Try using this mouth shape on the flute
- Ensure you are blowing the air right across the top of the flute, not IN
to the flute.
On flute, whether you play a high or low note depends on what you are doing
with your air.

“My clarinet sounds funny!” or
“My clarinet is squeaking!” or “I
can’t get this note out of my
clarinet!”
“My clarinet is REALLY hard to put
together and take apart!”
“My saxophone sounds funny!” or
“My saxophone is squeaking!”
“There is a note on my
clarinet/flute/saxophone that
isn’t working!”
“My trumpet/euphonium/tuba
sounds funny!”
“My trumpet/euphonium/tuba
valves are sticking!”
“My trombone slide feels sticky!”
or “My trombone slide is moving
slowly!”
“I can’t get this high note out of
my trumpet/trombone/
euphonium/tuba!”
- For a high note, aim your air up, kind of like what you do when you
blow hair out of your eyes.
- Make a smaller hole with your mouth.
- Speed up your air like a laser beam.
First, check the reed. This is usually the culprit.
- Check to make sure the reed isn’t damaged. If it is, put on a new one.
- Check to make sure the reed is straight up and down, and is at a
height where you can see just a sliver of the mouthpiece at behind it
at the top.
If you are still having a problem, double check the student’s technique.
- Make sure your student’s fingers are covering the holes. If air is
leaking out of one of them, they will probably squeak.
- Make sure the student is using the correct embouchure/mouth shape.
Their bottom lip should be touching the reed (not their teeth).
- Try having the student put less or more of the clarinet in their mouth.
They should be able to find a “sweet spot” where they sound best.
This clarinet needs cork grease. Your student likely has some in their case. It
looks like lip chap. Have them put it on the cork of their clarinet and work it in
with their fingers.
First, check the reed. This is usually the culprit.
- Check to make sure the reed isn’t damaged. If it is, put on a new one.
- Check to make sure the reed is straight up and down, and is at a
height where you can see just a sliver of the mouthpiece at behind it
at the top.
If you are still having a problem, double check the student’s technique.
- Make sure the student is using the correct embouchure/mouth shape.
Their bottom lip should be touching the reed (not their teeth).
- Try having the student put less or more of the clarinet in their mouth.
They should be able to find a “sweet spot” where they sound best.
There is likely a spring out of place on the instrument. Have the student show
it to me next class and I should be able to fix it very quickly.
The valves are probably in the wrong place.
- Have the student unscrew each valve and spin it until they see a
number. The valve you play with your index finger should be number
1, then number 2, then number 3. If they are in the wrong order, fix
them.
- Then, you need to make sure they are twisted correctly. On trumpet,
the valves should be positioned so that the numbers are facing the
mouthpiece. Once in this position, carefully screw the top of the valve
back down. If they are twisted incorrectly, you will sound funny.
- On euphonium and tuba, there is only one way the valves can go in.
Twist them until the valve drops down easily and then screw the top
of the valve back down.
This instrument valves need oil. Watch this video and follow along: How to Oil
Your Valves - Trumpet Tutorial - YouTube
This video is about trumpet but can be used for euphonium and tuba as well.
Your slide needs some oil. Watch this video and follow along: How to oil a
trombone slide - YouTube
Here are some general tips for your student:
- Say “m” right before they play. This puts their face in a good position
for brass instruments.
- Think “ee” while playing. This wider mouth shape will help with high
notes.

“My trumpet/trombone/
euphonium/tuba is making a
gurgling or clicking sound!”
- Raise your eyebrows. I don’t know why this works, but I know it often
does!
- Start with lower notes and work your way up to the high note.
- Speed up your air. (Give it some oompf!)
There is condensation in the instrument that needs to be emptied.
- Trumpets and trombones: empty your spit valve.
- Euphonium and tuba: take out the slide of your instrument one at a
time and turn them upside down. Likely most of them will be empty,
but one of them will have condensation in it.

More general practice tips and tricks:

- No matter what instrument you play, start your practice with a warm up. This will help get your muscles
ready to go and will make your practice time more efficient!
o If you play a wind instrument, try warming up with “long tones”. These are notes you hold for a long
time. Try to focus on making a good sound.
o If you play percussion, try warming up by drumming eighth notes back and forth. (Left, right, left,
right...) try to make sure every time you drum your stick is the same height. You want each drum to
sound just like the next!
- 15 or 20 minutes is a good length to practice your instrument.
- When in doubt – ask Ms. Hodge for help!