Technic Today, Part 2: Baritone B.C. Book

This book delivers exactly what intermediate baritone players need: targeted exercises that reinforce the technical concepts introduced in Band Today, Part Two without overwhelming students with disconnected drill material. Ployhar's deep understanding of brass pedagogy and method design means every exercise builds logically, and the progression feels purposeful rather than arbitrary.

Straightforward and purposeful. These are exercises designed to build confidence and precision without unnecessary complexity or stylistic flourishes. The work feels achievable yet demanding, pushing players to refine their articulation, intonation, and range control in manageable increments.

Baritone players in intermediate concert bands who are working through Band Today, Part Two and need focused technical reinforcement alongside their ensemble studies. This book is equally valuable as a supplement to any other intermediate band method that addresses similar technical concepts and ranges.

• Work through the exercises in sequence rather than jumping ahead; each new technical concept builds on the previous one, so skipping around undermines the logical progression.
• Use a metronome from the start, beginning at a comfortable tempo and only increasing speed once students execute the passage cleanly and consistently.
• Assign specific exercises as homework tied directly to the passages students are learning in Band Today, Part Two; this reinforces the connection between technical work and musical application.
• Have students identify which technical challenge each exercise addresses (articulation clarity, interval accuracy, range extension) so they understand the purpose beyond 'completing the assignment.'

Assign sections of this book as concurrent homework while the band is learning corresponding repertoire from Band Today, Part Two. The exercises serve as targeted preparation for the technical demands students will encounter in ensemble pieces, making rehearsal time more efficient and effective.

• Articulation control (legato, staccato, and mixed articulation patterns)
• Interval accuracy across the middle and upper range
• Smooth register transitions
• Rhythmic accuracy and subdivision awareness
• Technical facility in progressively complex passages