The document discusses the key elements of a successful musical ensemble: organization, communication between band members, choosing a suitable repertoire, and regular rehearsals. It notes that both highly successful bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd as well as more equal bands like ABBA and Fleetwood Mac have achieved major success. Regular rehearsals, good communication, and ensuring all band members are prepared are emphasized as important factors for improving as an ensemble. Both the strengths of being organized, cooperative and determined as well as the weaknesses of being unorganized and unfocused during rehearsals can impact how well a band performs together.

1. The Elements of a
Musical Ensemble
Subsidiary Music Performance Diploma
LO1- Musical Ensemble

2. Anyone can form a band… but how good it is depends on
organisation and communication skills, along with a will to
want to play together.
Band members should be suited to one another in order to
achieve the best results.
Ideally the band should equally contribute to the band-
however, there are numerous bands who were not equal but
achieved major success.
Band Members

3. Bands who were NOT equal:
The Beatles
Pink Floyd
Bands who were equal:
Abba
 Fleetwood Mac
Bands: does equality matter?

4. There are numerous ways in which to do this:
 Form one with friends who share similar
musical interests and capabilities
Join a musical club- there‟s bound to be people
in there who have a similar ambition to you!
Check your local music shop, there are usually
loads of adverts on the door
Search the internet!- its surprising how many
sites that are dedicated to finding you other
local musicians to play with.
. . . Or make one
How to join a band?

5. Without organisation, a band
cannot survive.
Band members should come to
an agreement agree among one
another when organising
issues- e.g. dates for rehearsal,
repertoire and solos.
Band members need to be aware
of the decisions made by other
members so that they can
organise themselves . . . this all
depends on good band
communication!
Organisation

6. Communication is key:
-band discussions (listening skills + cooperation)
-musical interaction
-audience interaction
You need to be able to listen carefully to what
you and others are communicating and then
adjust to that!- may result in re-scheduling,
playing at a different dynamic level etc.
Communication

7. You need to get out and play to the public in as many
venues as possible- make a target for yourself like “I
will play in at least 5 venues this year” and stick to it!
Many famous bands and artists promote their music
on sites such as MySpace and Facebook- Lilly Allen and
Arctic Monkeys became famous to an extent because
of this!
How do you communicate your
music to as many as possible?

8. Without rehearsal, a band cannot
improve.
 Rehearsal is just like our solo
practice, yet if you‟re in a band, you
need to do BOTH!
Issues arise that don‟t normally occur
in solo practice- you need to make sure
that the sound you produce is
consistently together.
Rehearsal… is REALLY vital

9. A weekly rehearsal = ESSENTIAL
 Longer rehearsals may be necessary to polish the band in
time for a performance
My local choir always holds weekly rehearsals and when the
performance time draws nearer we are expected to attend
longer rehearsals (sometimes more than once in a week)-
similar to the „Joseph‟ production!
Rehearsals are usually 2 hours in length- but it depends on
who you are catering for.
Examples

10. • Repertoire will depend on what music your
band plays and which areas you specialise
in.
• Repertoire should be chosen together- you
must consider everyone‟s suggestions
(communication and listening skills)
• Its important that all the members of your
band like the repertoire that you have
chosen, otherwise they may not put in much
effort.
Repertoire

11. If you sign up to a school band, for instance for a
production, then you should have a knowledge of that
production to judge whether the music would engage
you.
 At my local choir, every year we are allowed to vote
what repertoire we wish to sing over the upcoming year,
every member of the choir is given a vote and we can
either agree with someone else‟s findings or find other
repertoire to suggest- this will all be considered.
Examples

12. Of the band:
Strengths: organised, cooperative, imaginative +
inventive, equality, a strong will, best intentions for
the band, friendship, aims + ambitions,
determination.
 Weaknesses: unorganised, uninterested, very
mainstream, biased status of members,
uninspired, factions + alliances, dis- functional.
Strengths & Weaknesses

13. Of the rehearsals:
Strengths: set targets for the rehearsal are
achieved, each band member knows the music,
focussed session, members on time= Great music
Weaknesses: targets are not set previous to a
rehearsal and therefore nothing is achieved, band
members have not worked separately on the music,
discordant atmosphere, laid- back approach to the
rehearsal (lateness, distractions etc.)= Random
sound
Strengths & Weaknesses