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Conducting Exercises

This document provides instruction on various conducting techniques: 1) It outlines proper conducting form and covers basics like beat patterns for simple and compound meters. 2) It discusses techniques for conveying musical elements like tempo changes, fermatas, articulation, and dynamics. 3) Exercises are presented to practice irregular meters and smooth meter changes, using the left hand for cues, and independence of the hands.

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Damien Rhys Jones
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2K views4 pages

Conducting Exercises

This document provides instruction on various conducting techniques: 1) It outlines proper conducting form and covers basics like beat patterns for simple and compound meters. 2) It discusses techniques for conveying musical elements like tempo changes, fermatas, articulation, and dynamics. 3) Exercises are presented to practice irregular meters and smooth meter changes, using the left hand for cues, and independence of the hands.

Uploaded by

Damien Rhys Jones
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BASICS OF CONDUCTING

Bert Appermont

1) Movement
- Body and shoulders relaxed
- Small opening between the legs
- Swinging with the right arm => pulse (like a clock)
- Elbow stays almost motionless

2) Meters
2/4 3/4 4/4

3) Downbeat and upbeat


4) Tempo Changes
Look for the relation between the two tempos

5) Fermata
1. Conduct with stop

2. Conduct with caesura

3. Conduct fermata followed by a rest (without and with tempo change)


6) Ternary Meters
- The curves are similar than (2)
- The swing movements are bigger (always with pulsation)
- Practice 6/8, 9/8 and 12/8

7) Conducting musical character


a. Legato: use a more indirect and wider curve
b. Staccato / leggiero: use the wrist and the top of the baguette), small movement
c. Marcato => give an accent by making the pulsation more active
=> use the elbows (width) to create space in the sound

8) Conducting dynamics

f => big gesture

p => small gesture

mf => normal gesture

fp => give an accentuation and suddenly pull back

=> gesture gradually becomes bigger

=> gesture gradually becomes smaller


9) Irregular meters
5/8 7/8 + 8/8 10/8 + 11/8

10) Meter changes


Exercises: Conduct the following meters

1. 3/4 + 2/4 and 4/4 + 3/4


2. 6/8 + 3/4 and 6/8 + 2/4
3. 9/8 + 3/4 and 9/8 + 2/4
4. 9/8 + 3/4 and 9/8 + 2/4
5. 7/8 (2+2+3) + 5/8 (3+2) and 7/8 (2+2+3) + 6/8
6. 2/8 + 3/8 + 4/8 + 5/8 + 6/8 + 7/8 + 8/8 + 9/8 + 10/8 + 11/8 + 12/8 (and backwards)

11) Using the left hand


- to indicate the start of one instrument or instrumental group
- to indicate a musical idea: conduct a crescendo or diminuendo; conduct the phrase; point
out an accentuation;

Exercise 1: conduct 4/4 in the R.H., give a starting signal with the right hand on the 4
different beats

Exercise 2: conduct 4/4 in the R.H., conduct one bar crescendo and one bar dim. in the L.H.

Exercise 3: conduct the phrase of one of the scores (L.H.) while beating the time signature
with the R.H.

12) Independence of the hands


Exercise 1: Read a text loud while you conduct

- 2/4 or 3/4 or 4/4


- 2/4 + 3/4 or 4/4 + 3/4
- 2/8 + 3/8 + 4/8 + 5/8 + 6/8 + 7/8 + 8/8 + 9/8 (and backwards)

Exercise 2: Make a big circle with your L.H. while you conduct 2/4 or or 4/4 in your R.H.

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