Band Trainer guides
Learn how the music works
Short, practical explanations of the ideas behind each trainer. Every guide ends with a drill to practice it.
Instruments
Topics
Browse by instrument
TrumpetLearn and Practice TrumpetNew to trumpet? Start by learning how to make your first sound and play a few notes.ClarinetLearn and Practice ClarinetNew to clarinet? Start by learning how to make your first sound and play a few notes.FluteLearn and Practice FluteNew to flute? Start by learning how to make your first sound and play a few notes.TromboneLearn and Practice TromboneNew to trombone? Start by learning how to make your first sound and find your first slide positions.SaxophoneLearn and Practice SaxophoneNew to saxophone? Start by learning how to make your first sound and play a few notes.PercussionLearn and Practice PercussionNew to percussion? Start by learning how to hold your sticks and play your first rudiments.Snare drumLearn and Practice Snare DrumNew to snare drum? Start by learning how to hold your sticks and play your first rudiments on a practice pad.MalletsLearn and Practice Mallet PercussionBells, xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone all have their bars laid out like a piano keyboard.Drum setLearn and Practice Drum SetNew to drum set? Set up the kit so everything is in reach, then learn how drum set music is written and play your first grooves one hand or foot at a time.OboeLearn and Practice OboeNew to oboe? Start with a steady sound on your reed, then learn your first fingerings and practice them a few minutes at a time.BassoonLearn and Practice BassoonNew to bassoon? Start with a steady sound on your reed, then learn your first fingerings and practice them a few minutes at a time.French HornLearn and Practice French HornNew to French horn? Start with a steady buzz and a few easy notes.MellophoneLearn and Practice MellophoneMellophone is the horn of the marching band.EuphoniumLearn and Practice EuphoniumNew to euphonium or baritone? Start with a full, relaxed sound on a few easy notes.TubaLearn and Practice TubaNew to tuba? Start with a big, relaxed breath and a steady sound on a few low notes.
Rhythm
RhythmHow time signatures work: reading the top and bottom numbersWhat the two numbers mean, which beats are strong, and how to read simple, compound, and odd meters.Rhythm1 e & a and other ways to count rhythmNumber counting, Takadimi, Kodály, and Gordon syllables compared, and why shared rehearsal words help your whole band.RhythmHow to count dotted quarter notesWhat the dot adds, how to count the dotted quarter and eighth pattern, and how it matches a quarter tied to an eighth.RhythmTies vs. slurs: how to tell them apartBoth are curved lines. How to tell a tie from a slur at a glance, and what to play for each.RhythmCounting 6/8 vs 3/4: a beginner's guideBoth have six eighth notes per measure, grouped differently: three beats in 3/4, two in 6/8. How to hear the difference and count each one.RhythmHow to count cut time (and why it can feel fast)Cut time puts the beat on the half note. How to read 2/2 without translating everything back to 4/4.RhythmSyncopation without the panicWhat syncopation is, why it trips players up, and a step-by-step way to lock in off-beat rhythms.RhythmHow to write down a rhythm you hearA repeatable method for rhythmic dictation: find where the notes start, work out how long they last, then choose the notation.
Reading notes
Reading notesTreble clef lines and spaces, and faster ways to read themKeep "Every Good Boy" as an aid, and add landmark notes and step-and-skip reading so you count lines less often.Reading notesHow to read bass clef ledger linesLandmark notes and counting tricks for the ledger lines that low brass and bassoon players read often.Reading notesReading the grand staff: treble and bass clef togetherHow the treble and bass staves connect at middle C, which notes go on which staff, and how to read both at once.Reading notesHow to read tenor clefWhere middle C sits in tenor clef, how it compares with bass clef, and landmarks for reading the high parts in bassoon, trombone, and euphonium music.Reading notesHow long does a sharp or flat last in a measure?Accidentals last until the bar line, apply only to that line or space, and carry over a tie. What courtesy accidentals mean.Reading notesEnharmonic notes and the chromatic scaleWhy F♯ and G♭ usually share a fingering, how half steps work, and how to learn the chromatic scale on your instrument.
Ear training
Ear trainingRecognizing intervals by earHow to learn every interval from middle C, use songs as optional aids, and move on to hearing each interval directly.Ear trainingHearing the difference between major, minor, and diminished chordsWhat gives each triad its sound, and how to tell them apart in the band's own chords.Ear trainingSeventh chords: dominant, major, minor, and diminishedHow seventh chords are built, what each type sounds like, and how to tell them apart by ear.Ear trainingFully diminished 7th chords: how they are built and where they goThe chord made of stacked minor 3rds: how to spell it, why there are only three sets of sounds, and where it often goes.
Woodwinds
WoodwindsClarinet fingering chart: the first 12 notes, then low E to high CThe first 12 notes many band books teach and the order to learn them in, plus a chart from low E to high C.WoodwindsFlute fingering chart: why many notes use the same fingers in two octavesBeginner flute fingerings, and how your air, not your fingers, moves many fingerings up an octave.WoodwindsHow to make your first sound on fluteStart on the headjoint, shape your lips, aim the air, and balance the flute, then play your first three notes.WoodwindsHow to get a better sound on fluteWhy a flute sounds airy, and how air direction, a smaller lip opening, alignment, steady air, and long tones help.WoodwindsHow to tongue on fluteHow the tongue starts and separates notes while the air keeps moving, "too" and "doo," and tongued vs. slurred notes.WoodwindsHow to play high notes on fluteFaster, supported air through a smaller lip opening, aimed slightly higher, plus octave slurs and third-octave fingerings for a clear upper range.WoodwindsWhy won't my flute play low notes?Why low D, C♯, and C crack or jump up an octave, and what to check: lip coverage, slower air, finger coverage, and leaks.WoodwindsHow to clean and care for your fluteTaking the flute apart safely, cleaning it after every practice, storing it, and the signs it needs a repair tech.WoodwindsHow to make your first sound on saxophoneReed, assembly, neck strap, and holding position, then your embouchure and first notes B, A, and G, plus what to check when the first notes don't work.WoodwindsSaxophone fingering chart: beginner notes and full referenceThe first notes many band books teach, then each written note from low B♭ to high F with the octave key marked. One chart for alto, tenor, and bari.WoodwindsHow to get a better sound on saxophoneExamples of clear, airy, and pinched saxophone tone, what to check for each, and the steady air, embouchure checks, clean starts, and long tones that help.WoodwindsWhen do you press the octave key on saxophone?Which notes need the octave key, the usual C♯ fingerings and other options, why the saxophone goes up an octave (not a twelfth like clarinet), and how to switch smoothly.WoodwindsWhy your saxophone squeaks and how to fix itNotice when the squeak happens to narrow down the cause, then check the reed, mouthpiece, embouchure, keys, and leaks, with something to try for each.WoodwindsThe clarinet register key and crossing the breakWhy the clarinet overblows a twelfth, and exercises for crossing the break smoothly.WoodwindsHow to make your first sound on clarinetAssembly, reeds, embouchure, and air, then your first three notes, plus what to check when something doesn't work at first.WoodwindsWhy does my clarinet squeak? Causes and fixesUse when the squeak happens to decide what to check first, then work on fingers, reeds, embouchure, air, or a leaky clarinet.WoodwindsHow to make your first sound on oboeSoak the reed, crow on it alone, set your embouchure, then put the oboe together and play your first notes, plus fixes for first-day problems.WoodwindsOboe fingering chart: beginner notes and full referenceThe first notes band books often teach, a chart from middle C to high C with the half-hole and octave keys marked, and how to choose regular, forked, or left F.WoodwindsHow to get a better sound on oboeWhy an oboe can sound thin, buzzy, or harsh, what to check first, and how long tones and a short routine help.WoodwindsHow to choose and care for oboe reedsSoaking, checking the crow and tip, storing reeds in a case, rotating two or three, and what to do when a reed acts up.WoodwindsOboe octave keys and the half-hole: playing above the staffWhich notes use the half-hole, the first octave key, and the second, and how to move between them smoothly.WoodwindsHow to make your first sound on bassoonSoak the reed and crow on it, put the bassoon together, set the height and your embouchure, then play your first notes, plus first-day checks.WoodwindsBassoon fingering chart: beginner notes and full referenceThe first notes band books often teach, the whisper key, flick keys, and thumb keys, and a chart from low B♭ to high D in bass or tenor clef.WoodwindsHow to get a better sound on bassoonWhy a bassoon can sound thin, buzzy, or flat, what to check first, how the reed and bocal affect pitch, and a short tone routine.WoodwindsHow to choose and care for bassoon reedsSoaking, checking the crow, tip, and wires, storing reeds in a case, rotating two or three, and what to do when a reed acts up.WoodwindsBassoon whisper key and flick keys: when to use themWhich notes need the whisper key, when to lock it, and how flicking helps notes at the top of the staff start in the right octave.WoodwindsBreathing exercises for woodwind playersHow to take a full, relaxed breath, keep your air even, and plan breaths so you can play longer phrases on any woodwind.
Brass
BrassHow to make your first sound on trumpetBreathing, embouchure, buzzing, and your first notes on the trumpet, plus what to check for common first-day problems.BrassTrumpet fingering chart: how 3 valves make so many notesBeginner trumpet fingerings, why eight valve combinations make seven pitch groups, and how one fingering plays several notes.BrassHow to get a better sound on trumpetWhat a clear tone sounds like, what to check when a trumpet sounds fuzzy or thin, and the steady air and long tones that help.BrassThe harmonic series and brass valve combinationsHow partials and valves work together, why three valves make seven main pitch groups, and why some fingerings play more than one note.BrassHow to play high notes on trumpetWhy one fingering plays many notes, lip slurs, air and tongue position instead of pressure, and a gradual routine for a comfortable upper range.BrassHow to make your first sound on tromboneAssembly, holding, mouthpiece placement, and buzzing, then your first note in 1st position, how to tell which note you played, and what to check for air-only sounds and notes that fade.BrassTrombone slide position chart: beginner notes and full referenceThe first five notes and their positions, how to read the chart, then every note by register, with alternates and F-trigger positions.BrassHow to get a better sound on tromboneWhat a full trombone tone sounds like, what to check when it turns fuzzy or thin, and the steady air, long tones, slurs, and clean starts that help.BrassTrombone slide positions and alternate positionsAll seven positions, where the alternates are, and when using one makes a passage easier.BrassEuphonium in treble clef vs. bass clef: which part should I read?Why euphonium and baritone parts come in two clefs, how treble clef fingerings match trumpet, and how to switch between them.BrassFrench horn fingerings: when to use the thumb trigger (F vs. B♭ side)What the double horn's two sides are, how the lever, the valve, and the side fit together, where players often switch, and how to read a double horn fingering chart.BrassThe trombone F trigger: positions T1 to T6 and when to use themWhat the F attachment does, where the trigger positions are, and how the trigger saves long reaches to 6th and 7th.BrassThe 4th valve on euphonium and tubaWhy 4 can replace 1-3, which low notes the 4th valve adds, and how to start using it on euphonium, baritone, and tuba.BrassHow to make your first sound on French hornBreathing, embouchure, and buzzing, then holding the horn with your right hand in the bell and playing your first note, plus how to tell which note you played.BrassFrench horn fingering chart: single F and double hornThe first five notes many band books teach, why several notes share a fingering on horn, and a full chart for single F and double horn.BrassHow to get a better sound on French hornWhat a warm horn sound is, how your right hand shapes it, and the steady air, long tones, and lip slurs that help with a bright, stuffy, or airy tone.BrassWhy notes crack on French horn (and how to hit them)Why the horn's notes sit so close together, how hearing a pitch before you play it helps you land on it, and exercises for cleaner starts.BrassSwitching to mellophone from trumpet or French hornWhat changes when trumpet or horn players pick up mellophone: the mouthpiece, holding it, the fingerings, and where the notes sit.BrassMellophone fingering chart: beginner notes and full referenceThe first five notes many band books teach, why the fingerings match trumpet, and a full chart from written G♭3 (F♯3) to E6.BrassHow to get a better sound on mellophoneWhat a full mellophone sound is, and the steady air, relaxed playing, long tones, and lip slurs that let you play loud without blasting.BrassPlaying mellophone while marchingKeeping the horn steady and the sound clear while you march: horn angle, breathing on the move, and learning the music before you add the steps.BrassHow to make your first sound on euphonium or baritoneBreathing, embouchure, buzzing, and holding the horn, then your first note, how to tell which note you played, and what to check when a first-day sound goes wrong.BrassEuphonium fingering chart: bass clef, treble clef, 3 and 4 valvesThe first notes many band books teach, in bass clef and treble clef, and a full chart for 3- and 4-valve euphonium and baritone.BrassHow to get a better sound on euphoniumWhat a full euphonium sound is, what to check when it turns fuzzy or thin, and the breathing, long tones, and lip slurs that help.BrassHow to make your first sound on tubaSitting and holding the tuba, relaxed breathing, embouchure, and buzzing, then your first note and how to tell which note you played.BrassTuba fingering chart: beginner notes and full referenceThe first notes many band books teach, why one fingering plays several notes, and a full chart for 3- and 4-valve BB♭ tuba.BrassHow to get a better sound on tubaWhat a full tuba sound is, what to check when it turns fuzzy or thin, and the breathing, open throat, long tones, and lip slurs that help.BrassHow to play low notes on tubaWhat usually changes as you go lower, and how more space, steady air, firm corners, downward slurs, and the 4th valve help keep low notes clear.BrassBreathing exercises for brass playersHow to take a full, relaxed breath, keep the air moving evenly, and plan breaths for longer phrases.
Percussion
PercussionHow to hold drumsticks: matched grip for beginnersWhere the fulcrum goes, how tight to hold, and the grip habits that slow beginners down or make their hands hurt.PercussionHow to hold mallets and play your first notes on bellsA relaxed mallet grip, the right instrument height, where to strike each bar, and letting the mallet rebound, then your first notes with alternating hands.PercussionHow to read snare drum musicWhat each mark in a snare part means: the percussion staff, note and rest values, sticking letters, accents, and roll slashes.PercussionHow to read drum set musicWhere each drum and cymbal sits on the staff, why cymbals get x's, which notes are hands and which are feet, and how to read a beat one layer at a time.Percussion10 common drum beats: rock, pop, disco, swing, bossa nova, and moreTen common grooves, from rock to bossa nova: how each one sounds, how to put it together, and which one a chart is asking for.PercussionHow to play accents on snare drumAccents come from stick height and stroke speed, without squeezing the stick. High and low strokes, keeping the unaccented notes quiet, and an exercise that turns into paradiddles.PercussionDrum rudiments for beginners: which 5 to learn firstFive rudiments that show up often in beginning band music, how to practice each one, and how to build speed.PercussionHow to practice percussion at homeA 15-minute plan for pad and mallets, how to grow rudiment tempos, and what to use when you have no drum or keyboard at home.PercussionBuzz roll vs. double stroke roll: which one does the music want?How the notation, the style, and your director tell you which roll to play, how each one is made, and how to keep a roll smooth and even.PercussionReading music on bells and xylophone: a guide for drummersHow the keyboard is laid out, how to find notes without staring at your mallets, and how to read sharps and flats on the top row.PercussionBells, xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone: what's the difference?How the four mallet instruments differ in sound, range, and the octave they sound in, and which mallets go with each one.PercussionHow to practice scales on bells and xylophoneSee each scale as a pattern of front-row and back-row bars, pick a sticking, and build speed with a metronome.PercussionHow to roll on marimba and xylophoneWhy mallet players roll to hold a long note, how fast to alternate, and how to start, move, and end a roll cleanly.PercussionHow to set up a drum setStarting points for the throne, pedals, snare, toms, and cymbals, adjusted until you can reach everything without leaning or stretching.PercussionDrum set coordination: playing hands and feet togetherWhy hands and feet feel tangled at first, and exercises that add one limb at a time until the parts fit together.PercussionDrum fills for beginnersWhat a fill does, how to count into one without speeding up, and simple fills on snare and toms that land on the crash.PercussionHow to read a jazz band or pep band drum chartSlashes, written beats, ensemble figures, and road-map marks in a drum chart, and how to support the band's hits.PercussionFrom concert band to jazz band: what changes on drumsWhat changes when a concert band percussionist moves to drum set in jazz band: the part, the tempo, swing, and volume.
Band skills
Band skillsHow to practice at home in 15 minutesAn example 15-minute plan you can adjust, and a step-by-step way to fix the hard spots instead of playing through from the top.Band skillsKey signatures: which notes are sharp or flat, and remembering themHow to read a key signature, name the key, and stop missing sharps and flats in the middle of a piece.Band skillsConcert pitch and transposing instruments, explainedWhy a clarinet C is a concert B♭, how transposition works, and how to talk pitch with the rest of the band.Band skillsPlaying in tune: hearing "beats" and matching pitchWhat out of tune sounds like, how to tell if you are sharp or flat, and how to match pitch with your section.Band skillsA sight-reading checklist to run before playingWhat to check before you sight-read, what comes first when time is short, and how to keep going once you start.Band skillsWhat is a chair test in band? How to prepareWhat to expect, an example week-by-week plan, and what to do on the day.