Bill Broughton composer/artist/conductor/producer
Arranging Video: I’ve been writing for more than 40 years and I was thrilled to see Graham Lloyd’s course on Arranging. In viewing his demo video there were points in many areas that I had not thought of or had not heard such as: in regard to counter melody the “3 point melody guidelines” and in regard to choosing keys: that different ensembles i.e. orchestras/concert bands lean toward favourite keys. OF COURSE!! Graham’s experience and knowledge shine like a bright light. I learned from the school of “hard knocks” and “on the job” his Arranging teaching would have been a great benefit in those earlier years. Get it, use it, learn from it then write from your heart.
Harmony Video: Stem direction, distance between voices, percentage of leaps in melodies, percentage of root progressions, 4 groups of numbers...PRICELESS! This is just the very smallest “tip of the iceberg”! My career has been based on getting the job done and doing it now, quick study and listening. Graham takes all that I have done through many years and details, incredibly, what it is called and how you should use it. It’s not a formula. it’s the rules. They are properly set out so that in the end, if you have done the study and you use what you have learned, you add your love and passion for the gift and write to your heart’s content. I would guarantee that each piece would be proper and complete in its form and probably sound pretty spectacular as well
Harmony Video: Stem direction, distance between voices, percentage of leaps in melodies, percentage of root progressions, 4 groups of numbers...PRICELESS! This is just the very smallest “tip of the iceberg”! My career has been based on getting the job done and doing it now, quick study and listening. Graham takes all that I have done through many years and details, incredibly, what it is called and how you should use it. It’s not a formula. it’s the rules. They are properly set out so that in the end, if you have done the study and you use what you have learned, you add your love and passion for the gift and write to your heart’s content. I would guarantee that each piece would be proper and complete in its form and probably sound pretty spectacular as well
James Brice - B.Ed (Mus), L.Mus A, A.Mus A
Dear Graham,
Now that the eagle has landed, and we have brought home our 60+ members from the Castle Hill RSL Youth Wind Orchestra (YWO), and the North West Wind Ensemble (NWWE) have almost all returned, I just want to pass on my most sincere thanks to you. Your words of encouragement have meant so very much to us all. Thank you Graham!
For over 20 years you could only imagine the magnitude of importance & influence that YOU have had in my decision to pursue the most privileged career imaginable- Music & education.
I remember like yesterday, your words of encouragement and guidance to a young 17-19 year old euphonium player, performing with either the Kew or Footscray Yarraville Brass Band (and a few more also if my memory serves me correct...). Followed by your guidance, insight, input and influence throughout several eisteddfods/ competitions, which then followed to my aspiration to join the RAAF Bands in 1996. I clearly recall a discussion with you, just prior to sending through my application/CD to David Worrall in late 1995.
Throughout all of this, and within my 11 year career within the RAAF, positive messages together with your brilliant music has encompassed every aspect. Thank you ever so much Graham.
What you have done for Australian music is absolutely magnificent and indeed prolific!!!
And, on top of all of this, on behalf of all of myself, my family and every single member of the NWWE, and our huge support network, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your purely brilliant, inspiring adjudication CD for which we shall treasure forever.
So few people truly appreciate the profound affect and influence that this feedback has to a community. Your positive feedback was the nicest gift one could receive. Sharing this with my NWWE last night was an amazing experience. From all in NWWE we thank you!!
I might also add, that your adjudication CD’s from Open A in 2007 & last years’ Junior A Grade Concert (for my Knox Grammar School boys) were equally well received!! Finally, we would be honoured to play/ record more of your brilliant works. If there was ever a chance to commission a work from you, we would indeed be ecstatic.
Thank you so very much Graham. Kind regards, James Brice
Now that the eagle has landed, and we have brought home our 60+ members from the Castle Hill RSL Youth Wind Orchestra (YWO), and the North West Wind Ensemble (NWWE) have almost all returned, I just want to pass on my most sincere thanks to you. Your words of encouragement have meant so very much to us all. Thank you Graham!
For over 20 years you could only imagine the magnitude of importance & influence that YOU have had in my decision to pursue the most privileged career imaginable- Music & education.
I remember like yesterday, your words of encouragement and guidance to a young 17-19 year old euphonium player, performing with either the Kew or Footscray Yarraville Brass Band (and a few more also if my memory serves me correct...). Followed by your guidance, insight, input and influence throughout several eisteddfods/ competitions, which then followed to my aspiration to join the RAAF Bands in 1996. I clearly recall a discussion with you, just prior to sending through my application/CD to David Worrall in late 1995.
Throughout all of this, and within my 11 year career within the RAAF, positive messages together with your brilliant music has encompassed every aspect. Thank you ever so much Graham.
What you have done for Australian music is absolutely magnificent and indeed prolific!!!
And, on top of all of this, on behalf of all of myself, my family and every single member of the NWWE, and our huge support network, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your purely brilliant, inspiring adjudication CD for which we shall treasure forever.
So few people truly appreciate the profound affect and influence that this feedback has to a community. Your positive feedback was the nicest gift one could receive. Sharing this with my NWWE last night was an amazing experience. From all in NWWE we thank you!!
I might also add, that your adjudication CD’s from Open A in 2007 & last years’ Junior A Grade Concert (for my Knox Grammar School boys) were equally well received!! Finally, we would be honoured to play/ record more of your brilliant works. If there was ever a chance to commission a work from you, we would indeed be ecstatic.
Thank you so very much Graham. Kind regards, James Brice
About Craig DabelsteinCraig Dabelstein, BAMus, BMus, GDTL, GradCertEdPub is the saxophone teacher and a band conductor at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. He is a regular reviewer for Music Forum magazine and a research associate for the series of books Teaching Music Through Performance In Band
by Craig DabelsteinUnderstanding intonation for musicians (not mathematicians)
Graham Lloyd Music Pty Ltd
Have you ever wondered why you can spend twenty minutes tuning up your band and then the first chord they play sounds horrendously out of tune? Then Graham Lloyd’s new book, Understanding intonation for musicians (not mathematicians), is for you.
“No tune up session should last longer than two minutes, max.”
Why? Because the tuning note, when pitched perfectly with an electronic tuner, will still be out of tune in certain chords. It is this inescapable fact that Graham explains and develops throughout his book.
The book only contains 67 pages of text, but scores of pages of musical examples that you can photocopy (legally) to use with your students. Throughout you will find many ‘Ah ha moments’ as Graham calls them: when you finally get an explanation for one of those baffling problems you have been struggling with for years. A favourite example is when you spend twenty minutes tuning up a B-flat concert only to find that the first chord of the first piece is a C7 and the B-flat sounds horribly out of tune (you need to make it nearly a third of a semitone flat (30 cents) to make it in tune).
Other texts have explained intonation before: where this book differs is its writing style—it contains plenty of theory, probably more than you can digest in one go—but it is written in plain English and with plenty of humour. The learning points at the end of each chapter are also useful summaries that you can use to remind yourself of the salient points without having to reread the whole chapter.
The other way this book outshines other texts on intonation is the included CD with the musical examples and the fantastic Intonation Keyboard software. Not only does it improve your own aural acuity but it is a great way of explaining intonation concepts to students (anyone who has tried to explain beats to students by having two clarinettists play a unison note in and out of tune will know it is difficult to do, especially if those students can’t hold a note steady in the first place.)
Graham is a brilliant musician and conductor but he is not a high school or primary school teacher. He will be the first person to admit that it is up to you, the specialist music teacher, to discover ways of applying this information to your ensemble rehearsal. I have taken Graham’s advice and never spend more than two minutes tuning up. But what I do is spend time doing long tones (most students can’t hold a steady note, so why spend time on tuning?), pitch bend exercises (how can a student play in tune if they can’t alter their pitch up or down?) and lots of listening exercises (working on balance and blend).
An amazing amount of work has gone into developing this book. I imagine that if every band and orchestra director in the country purchased a copy, the profit would still probably not pay Graham for the time it took him to put it together. However, making a profit is not Graham’s purpose in writing this text. Those lucky enough to know Graham will know that he is always extremely generous with his time and his willingness to share what he knows.
The knowledge gained from this book is essential for any conductor of any ensemble. By developing ways of using this information with your band or orchestra, not only do you achieve ensembles that sound better, you make your life just a little bit easier.
Graham Lloyd Music Pty Ltd
Have you ever wondered why you can spend twenty minutes tuning up your band and then the first chord they play sounds horrendously out of tune? Then Graham Lloyd’s new book, Understanding intonation for musicians (not mathematicians), is for you.
“No tune up session should last longer than two minutes, max.”
Why? Because the tuning note, when pitched perfectly with an electronic tuner, will still be out of tune in certain chords. It is this inescapable fact that Graham explains and develops throughout his book.
The book only contains 67 pages of text, but scores of pages of musical examples that you can photocopy (legally) to use with your students. Throughout you will find many ‘Ah ha moments’ as Graham calls them: when you finally get an explanation for one of those baffling problems you have been struggling with for years. A favourite example is when you spend twenty minutes tuning up a B-flat concert only to find that the first chord of the first piece is a C7 and the B-flat sounds horribly out of tune (you need to make it nearly a third of a semitone flat (30 cents) to make it in tune).
Other texts have explained intonation before: where this book differs is its writing style—it contains plenty of theory, probably more than you can digest in one go—but it is written in plain English and with plenty of humour. The learning points at the end of each chapter are also useful summaries that you can use to remind yourself of the salient points without having to reread the whole chapter.
The other way this book outshines other texts on intonation is the included CD with the musical examples and the fantastic Intonation Keyboard software. Not only does it improve your own aural acuity but it is a great way of explaining intonation concepts to students (anyone who has tried to explain beats to students by having two clarinettists play a unison note in and out of tune will know it is difficult to do, especially if those students can’t hold a note steady in the first place.)
Graham is a brilliant musician and conductor but he is not a high school or primary school teacher. He will be the first person to admit that it is up to you, the specialist music teacher, to discover ways of applying this information to your ensemble rehearsal. I have taken Graham’s advice and never spend more than two minutes tuning up. But what I do is spend time doing long tones (most students can’t hold a steady note, so why spend time on tuning?), pitch bend exercises (how can a student play in tune if they can’t alter their pitch up or down?) and lots of listening exercises (working on balance and blend).
An amazing amount of work has gone into developing this book. I imagine that if every band and orchestra director in the country purchased a copy, the profit would still probably not pay Graham for the time it took him to put it together. However, making a profit is not Graham’s purpose in writing this text. Those lucky enough to know Graham will know that he is always extremely generous with his time and his willingness to share what he knows.
The knowledge gained from this book is essential for any conductor of any ensemble. By developing ways of using this information with your band or orchestra, not only do you achieve ensembles that sound better, you make your life just a little bit easier.
Via email from Bruce who attended the Seminars recently
"As I send this e-mail to you I cannot believe that it has been over two weeks since we were together at Ringwood. Thanks to you both for giving me a rev-up over the weekend.
A couple of comments from two of my band members at our rehearsals recently, the first one was from my "ever faithful BBb Bass player", who has been with me since I took over the Band in 1967, he was the only player I had told that I was going to the Seminar. As he was going out the door after the first rehearsal after the weekend "hey Mate, it was worth it ".
Another long serving member who knew nothing of my attendance said to me on the second rehearsal after,"I don't know what you are ON but I want some of it.."
And Another,
Hi Graham,
When I attended two of your seminars a couple of months ago, I mentioned that I was going to be the conductor for an annual 3-day band workshop over the school holidays. Well it was held last week and I thought I'd let you know how it went. Thanks to your instruction it couldn't have gone better!
After attending the Conducting and Rehearsal Nuts and Bolts seminars and studying the accompanying literature I was geared up to put what I had learnt into practice. With the knowledge of both of these seminars I was able to effectively lead from the podium and bring out the best from the kids in the band (35 grade 3-6 students from various primary schools with anything from 6 months to 3 years experience). I chose nine pieces which were a mix of Grade 1.5 & 2 standard (all played at the correct tempos!). Rather than just "playing the notes" I was able to get them to play with feeling that was beyond their years. Even though there were less children in the band than previous years, the band had a bigger sound as I was able to get more out of each player.
Both the organisers and parents were coming up to me after the concert, saying they were amazed at how well the band sounded. This was the first time I had conducted this workshop as there is a different conductor every year, however due to the success of the rehearsals and the concert I have already been asked back to conduct next year's band. So thanks Graham, I can honestly say the success of the workshop and concert was due in no small part to the knowledge I gained from your seminars.
Thanks again,
Geoff Dawson
"As I send this e-mail to you I cannot believe that it has been over two weeks since we were together at Ringwood. Thanks to you both for giving me a rev-up over the weekend.
A couple of comments from two of my band members at our rehearsals recently, the first one was from my "ever faithful BBb Bass player", who has been with me since I took over the Band in 1967, he was the only player I had told that I was going to the Seminar. As he was going out the door after the first rehearsal after the weekend "hey Mate, it was worth it ".
Another long serving member who knew nothing of my attendance said to me on the second rehearsal after,"I don't know what you are ON but I want some of it.."
And Another,
Hi Graham,
When I attended two of your seminars a couple of months ago, I mentioned that I was going to be the conductor for an annual 3-day band workshop over the school holidays. Well it was held last week and I thought I'd let you know how it went. Thanks to your instruction it couldn't have gone better!
After attending the Conducting and Rehearsal Nuts and Bolts seminars and studying the accompanying literature I was geared up to put what I had learnt into practice. With the knowledge of both of these seminars I was able to effectively lead from the podium and bring out the best from the kids in the band (35 grade 3-6 students from various primary schools with anything from 6 months to 3 years experience). I chose nine pieces which were a mix of Grade 1.5 & 2 standard (all played at the correct tempos!). Rather than just "playing the notes" I was able to get them to play with feeling that was beyond their years. Even though there were less children in the band than previous years, the band had a bigger sound as I was able to get more out of each player.
Both the organisers and parents were coming up to me after the concert, saying they were amazed at how well the band sounded. This was the first time I had conducted this workshop as there is a different conductor every year, however due to the success of the rehearsals and the concert I have already been asked back to conduct next year's band. So thanks Graham, I can honestly say the success of the workshop and concert was due in no small part to the knowledge I gained from your seminars.
Thanks again,
Geoff Dawson