[MUSIC] We could talk about how to set up an ensemble for hours. But for now, let's just talk about some issues that affect how we would rehearse. So the first thing to think about in terms of setup is making sure that the room where we're rehearsing is organized. And that the room is set up completely in an organized fashion, before musicians enter the room. So when they do enter, it feels like an inviting place to make music. If there's clutter everywhere, if stands are at many different angles, if chairs aren't put in place, and they're kind of clumped together. It feels disorganized, and the rehearsal's going to be disorganized. Even if it's just a subtle a, kind of, mindset that we're in. That just, I feel disorganized, I feel cluttered. The rehearsal could be stressed and cluttered. So, make things organized so when folks come in they can look at a board and say, these are the pieces that we're performing, okay, my stand is here, great, I can get set up. And I'm comfortable and I'm ready to go. Okay, beyond that, maybe the basic rule of setups is that there is no rule of setups. Whatever works is really what we want to go for. If you find that the trombones have a better time hearing, and you have a better time hearing them, if you move them from the fourth row the right side to the second row left side. And the ensemble sounds better, and they sound better, move them to the second row left side. The issue is great music, not some rule that says trombones have to be in the back, next to the tubas. They often do, because that usually lets them hear the bass line better, and it usually creates better balance. But it doesn't have to be. So feel free to experiment with set up changes. Especially in rehearsal and even if it's just temporary you might, there might be a passage where the tuba is playing something with the bassoon. And maybe in your setup the bassoon happens to be very far away from the tuba. Well, why not say hey can you just move towards the tuba and just sit next to the tuba for this rehearsal. So you can hear your part, while they play their part, so you can work on some issues and intonation. So there's no spacial problem. Then as they kind of can say now I'm comfortable, I'm playing together, I'm comfortable with this part, move them back to their normal spot and let their ear, find that sound. And so feel free to experiment with sort of tweaks, and a set up especially on a temporary basis. We can even go crazier in terms of changing the setup, especially in rehearsals, in rehearsals. It, it can be a true rehearsal tool. A very common technique is what we often call the scatter technique which means ask everyone to sit next to someone who doesn't play their part. And often this means two violins might have to move because they share music, but beyond those issues. Ask folks just to move somewhere else in the ensemble preferably next to someone who they've never sat next to before. This might put a tuba next to a viola. This might but a flute next to a percussionist. That's okay, because the goal is to have them to hear parts that they haven't heard before. It also allows them or gives them the opportunity and challenges them to find the parts they are used to sitting next to and hear it across the ensemble. They have to kind of strengthen that muscle of listening. So when they are sitting back next to their stand mates and their section mates their, it's so much easier to be able to hear because they're used to kind of finding it out. Or finding the sound out in the, in the space of the ensemble. It'll also tighten rhythmic things. If you're thinking oh yeah, I have an accompanimental part, and now I have to work much harder to find where that accompanimental other part is, and fit inside. All of a sudden when it puts back together, boy this feels more secure, we've kind of strengthened that muscle. And it's a great exercise in hearing parts you've never heard before and illuminating those, so when you come back again you can find those that and so, oh, okay, I remember that I was just sitting next to this really cool viola part, let me see if I can hear it from where I'm sitting now. At the very least it's just fun and it can to help create a little change of pace. Especially towards the end of a rehearsal or if you feel like just the morale is sagging and we just need to, to, kind of, spice things up. It's a great tool for that. A similar technique is the box or circle technique which, essentially theater in the round or rehearsal in the round. Where, instead of straight rows or curved rows all facing the conductor, have a circle that the entire group, or square, or rectangle, whatever happens to be. So the entire group faces each other. Again, it creates a little bit of just variety and spices things up. It puts people next to players and sections that they’re not use to sitting next to and allows them to hear things they haven't heard before. And it puts instruments blowing into each other, or playing or singing into each other. So all of a sudden they can also hear, okay the trombones are now playing directly into me and the clarinets are playing directly into me, it create kind of a new sense of what the ensemble should sound like. So, the conductor has an interesting role in this, like where do you stand as the conductor? Well you can kind of stand right in the middle. And it's okay if you're not conducting the whole time. It's okay if your back is towards some folks while you're conducting. Because really, one of the nice things about this box or circle style is that it's almost simulating a chamber music environment. It feels like just a large group of individuals who have come together, no conductor. Let's make music together using eye contact and just being able to listen. So experiment with the setup. It's more than just a way to create organization and tell people where to sit. They can also be a rehearsal tool.
