Practice Tools


Take Lessons

How to Practice Article 1

How to Practice Article 2

Metronome

Tune Your Horn

The Practice Spot (website)

Jazz Practice

Blank Staff Paper (solo)

Blank Staff Paper
(duet or piano)

 
 

Listening is still the best way to tune. Music is a listening skill, so it only makes sense to practice tuning by ear.

Use each of the tracks listed below to tune your instrument. Listen and observe the beats that are created by playing out of tune. If you can't tell whether you are sharp or flat, pull out till you know you are flat and work your way up to playing in tune (this is an old guitarists trick).
If you are close and don't want to start so far out, lip the note up and down, trying to play on both sides of the note, slowly narrow your focus until you are right on pitch. Sometimes, playing purposefully out of tune makes playing in tune easier.

Once you can play a note in tune, expand to playing scales and intervals while the track is playing. Eventually you should use these tracks while you are practicing passages of your band music and solos. Each track represents a separate key or key area. If you can't figure out which track to use while practicing your music, ask a teacher.

 

Tune to A#/Bb

Tune to B
Tune to C Tune to C#/Db
Tune to D

Tune to D#/Eb Tune to E Tune to F
Tune to F#/Gb Tune to G Tune to G#/Ab Tune to A