Summer Band – 1st Day Checklist

The following list of items should be brought with you on your first day of Summer Band.  Please review it carefully to ensure that you do not forget anything important, and do not wait until the night before to look at it.  READ IT NOW!  For your convenience, you can print it out by clicking the print button at the end of this post.

  1. CCISD Physical Form
    • Cannot use any other form.
    • Must be signed by Parent/Guardian AND student in THREE separate places.
  2. Band Handbook Acknowledgement/Film/Media Release Form
    • Do NOT print double sided.
    • Signed by Parent/Guardian and Student.
  3. UIL Acknowledgement form
    • Do NOT print double sided
    • Signed by Parent/Guardian and Student.
  4. UIL Health Tips for Marching Band Acknowledgement Form
    • Signed by Parent/Guardian and Student.
  5. Parent Consent Form for school sponsored trip
    • Signed by Parent/Guardian.
  6. Student Medication Form
    • Signed by Parent/Guardian
  7. Secondary Honor Code
    • Signed by student
  8. Sheet music for 2014 Marching Show and 2014 Stand Tunes
    • Available for download from CHARMS.
    • scroll down the page for instructions/help.
  9. Flip Folder and Lyre for instrument.
    • Put stand tunes in flip folder and in order.
  10. Instrument
    • With all necessary equipment such as reeds, valve oil, etc….
    • Instruments will be set down on concrete, therefore it is recommended that you bring a small towel to place underneath your instrument. (Not required)
  11. Pencil(s)
  12. Water jug (1/2 gallon minimum; does not have to be the blue one purchased at Equipment Night)
    • Water jugs ordered on equipment night will be distributed the first day of Summer Band. Camelbaks are highly recommended for rehearsals. (not required)
    • Blue water jugs (the one from equipment night) are required for football games.
  13. Athletic shoes
    • Vans, converse, vibram five fingers, or similar shoes are not acceptable footwear.
  14. Athletic t-shirt and shorts
    • Tank tops are allowed.
    • Ladies undergarments must remain hidden.)
  15. Sunscreen
    • Get the correct SPF for your skin type.
    • Apply sunscreen before going outside.
  16. Hat/visor and sunglasses
    • Sun protection for your eyes
    • Silly hats are not acceptable.
Download Music and Forms
  1. Click here or the CHARMS link at the top of this page
  2. Enter your student area password (initially your CCISD student ID)
  3. Click “Files & Handouts”
  4. Click the different music folders and then your instrument.  (Use the instructions in this post in order to figure out which part you should download.)
  5. Download and READ the 2014 Band Handbook, and then continue to number 6.
  6. Click the folder “Required Forms” and download and print every form
Important Note About Physical Form
  • ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A COMPLETED PHYSICAL FORM WILL BE SENT HOME AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RETURN UNTIL ONE IS TURNED IN WITH ALL SIGNATURES.

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Summer Band Is Almost Here

As you should already know, even though you are probably trying to forget about it, but we will be kicking off Summer Band next week.  This time of year can be a very exciting time for band students as we get up off the couch, head to school early, learn a ton of new stuff, and make countless new friends that you will always remember.  The Freshman and Upperclassmen will be getting together for the first time to form the 2014-2015 edition of the Clear Springs Charger Band, a group that will only be in existence for this one year.

We will be starting a journey, one which will take us from thinking about one new concept at a time to thinking about literally hundreds of different concepts all at the same time, while also entertaining thousands of people.  So everyone buckle up, because here we go!

Freshman Begin
Monday, July 28th at 9:00 AM
Clear Springs High School – Band Hall

Full Band Begins
Tuesday, July 29th at 9:00 AM
Clear Springs High School – Band Hall

Important notes for the 1st day
  • Eat breakfast and drink water before band begins everyday of Summer Band.  Click here to review our previous post on preparing your body for summer band.
  • Make sure you are on time, in fact you should plan on arriving 15 minutes early for every rehearsal.
  • All required forms and music are now available for download from CHARMS.  Please visit CHARMS by clicking the link at the top of this page or by clicking here, and download them as we will be collecting the forms at the beginning of rehearsal on the first day and you may be sent home if you are missing something.
  • Click here in order to view a detailed checklist of everything that you need to bring with you on the first day of Summer Band.  READ IT NOW! Do not wait to read it until the night before or you will be very stressed.

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Summer Band Preparation

During Summer Band students will learn many new concepts to help them play their instruments better and of course learning how to march.  Students who take the time to prepare for Summer Band will get a much more rewarding and enjoyable experience out of it, which will result in a much more rewarding and enjoyable school year.  Therefore, we highly recommend that students take action now, before Summer Band begins, in order to get the best possible experience out of Summer Band  and the school year.  There are two components to successfully preparing yourself for Summer Band, which are practicing your music and preparing your body physically.

Practicing Music

Download the 2014 show music from CHARMS if you have not already done so, read this for help.

  1. Work on one section of music at a time.
    • Do not try and work on an the entire piece at once.
    • When you have completed the steps below successfully, then you may move on to the next section.
  2. Use a metronome
    • Seriously, use a metronome 100% of the time that you are practicing and focus on completing the steps below, in-time with the metronome.
    • Start slow, only get faster when you can complete all of the steps below successfully.
  3. Tap your foot
    • This will help with marching
    • If this is easy for you, then you can practice taping your left foot on odd beats (1, 3, etc…)and right foot on even beats (2, 4, etc…)
  4. Count the rhythm
    • Count as strongly as if you were playing (don’t whisper under your breathe)
    • Instrument should be in playing position
    • Finger/position your part as you count
    • Only continue when you have counted and fingered/positioned 100% successfully.
  5. Say note names
    • Always do this under tempo, you won’t be able to do it as fast as counting or playing.
    • Say note names as strongly as if you were playing (don’t whisper under your breathe)
    • Say flats and sharps (e.g. if you have a B-Flat, then say “B-Flat”)
    • Finger/position your part as you say the note names
    • Only continue when you have said the note names and fingered/positioned 100% successfully
  6. Play the part
    • Record yourself
    • Listen to the recording and analyze
    • Did you stay with the metronome?
    • Did you play the correct rhythm?
    • Did you play the correct pitches?
    • If you are having trouble playing the correct rhythms, then spend more time counting.  If you are having trouble playing the correct pitches, then spend more time saying note names.
  7. Move onto next section or repeat this section at a faster tempo

Note:  There are many more practice techniques that can be used in addition to the ones listed above and I encourage you to use any that you may know.

Preparing Your Body

It’s hot in Texas, and while we will not be outside during the hottest part of the day, (we normally go inside around 10am and don’t go back outside until around 6pm)  there are some simple things that you MUST do to better prepare yourself for Summer Band.

  1. Drink Water!
  2. Go outside!
    • Seriously, go outside.  Yes, we know it is hot, but you need to get used to it.
    • Start off just going outside in the shade and then move to the sun, working your way up to longer times spent outside in the sun (wear sunscreen).
  3. Drink Water!
  4. Get some exercise (outdoors)
    • Some simple suggestions would be to go for walks or go swimming.
  5. Drink Water!
  6. Stop eating processed foods
    • I mean it, if it comes in a sealed plastic wrapper, has an expiration date that is more than one week away, and has hard to pronounce words on the ingredient list, then it is probably bad for you and will make you feel terrible when you do any physical activity.
    • Eat real food, normally found around the perimeter of the grocery store.
  7. Drink Water!
    • Have you gotten the hint yet that you need to be drinking water?
    • Stop drinking sugary beverages, they are bad for you and will make you feel terrible when you do any physical activity.

If you have any comments/questions about practicing music or preparing your body, please use the comment box below so that others may benefit from your comment/question.

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