Important Extras

Tempo Changes

Remember to conduct especially clearly during tempo changes and to pay particular attention to these areas of the music. Tempo changes are potentially hazardous areas. As the tempo changes, change the size of your rebound, but strike the same focal point. This change in the pattern clearly indicates to the musicians that the tempo has changed instantly. The rebound size will indicate to them that the tempo is faster or slower.

Fast Tempo tips.

Using Two Hands

Never cross your hands, it confuses the band and slows the pattern and thus the tempo.

When using two hands, the conductor has two options.

Two-handed conducting.

The first option is to mirror the hands. In this case each hand does the same thing, but in the opposite direction. When conducting with mirrored hands, never cross your hands. The advantage to using mirrored hands is increased visibility. This is very useful for drum majors and field conductors.

The basic four beat pattern is the best for mirrored hands.

The second option is to use the right hand to conduct and use the left hand to cue the musicians, show dynamics and phrasing. When this is done, the left hand generally remains at the side or at the stomach except when it is being used.

The more complicated the music, the simpler the pattern required. There are many different styles of conducting, and many different ways to conduct the same music, even with the same pattern.

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