Lessons 6 & 7 Outline
Jade Ferrell
MUS 3386-001
Lesson 6
I. The Three Pattern
A. In this pattern, beat two moves to the same point as beat three in the four pattern
B. Beat three in this pattern is positioned at the same point on the horizontal plane
as beat four in the four pattern
C. Two common problems occur in executing the three pattern
1. Beat two does not extend far enough to the right
a) The forearm must extend to the right and the angle at the elbow
must open sufficiently to permit beat two to flow to the right
2. Beat three does not make contact with the horizontal plane
a) Beat three must be lowered to the horizontal plane before
rebounding
II. The Two Pattern
A. In this pattern, beat one moves to a point slightly lower than the horizontal plane
1. This is necessary for pattern clarity; it enables beat two to be placed
sufficiently close to the vertical plane without confusing it with beat one
B. Beat two is placed on the horizontal plane
C. Beginning conductors sometimes reverse the rebound of beat one, causing it to
move to the left
1. The rebound of beat one must move to the right
D. All patterns will vary according to tempo, articulation, and dynamic level
1. The two pattern that is executed with the wrist movement only may be
used when the tempo is very fast and there is little time for rebound
motion
a) It uses little or no motion of the forearm or upper arm
2. A more angular two pattern is suited to staccato articulation
a) There is very little rebound of beat one
b) Most of the motion will come from snapping the wrist but some
forearm movement is also required
3. A very angular two pattern works well for marcato articulation
a) It has a deep V
b) Remember that marcato articulation requires a brief stopping of
the motion following the rebound
c) The full arm motion typically is used when conducting marcato
III. The Daily Dozen
A. This exercise involves conducting the two, three, and four patterns in that order,
four times each, for a total of twelve executions
1. Before conducting each set of twelve patterns, choose a tempo, a
dynamic level, and an articulation
a) One set could be conducted at a fast tempo, medium soft, legato
and the next set might be slow, medium loud, marcato
2. Conduct no more than six sets of twelve at each practice interval
a) The right arm tires quickly for beginning conductors; shake the
arm liberally after each set to reduce tension
3. Daily practice of the two, three, and four patterns is a necessity if these
patterns are to become automatic
a) Add this to your daily practice as a basic means of warming up
and habitual pattern execution
IV. Terminology For Dynamics
A. Terminology for degrees of loudness and softness is often given in Italian
B. As with the tempo terms, dynamics are relative and must be adjusted to the size
of the ensemble and the acoustics of the performance hall
C. The modifying Italian word piu (“more”), when applied to piano and forte, should
be translated literally so that piu piano means softer, and piu forte means louder
Lesson 7
I. Selecting a Baton
A. The best conducting batons are made of wood and can be quite expensive
1. Beginning students are encouraged to purchase fiberglass batons as they
are relatively inexpensive and more durable
B. It is very important to match the length of the baton to your physical shape
1. Standard baton lengths are ten, twelve, and fourteen inches
2. The majority of conductors can use the twelve-inch baton
C. When the baton is held in the right hand, the handle points to the palm, and the
shaft points at an angle so as to bring the tip to the center of your body
1. This creates a new vertical plane for the baton (centerline of the body),
but the right hand must remain in the position of its vertical plane (in front
of the shoulder)
D. Experiment with various sizes to determine what length best suites you
1. Conductors with long arms often are able to use longer batons while
those with shorter arms may need shorter ones
2. The size of your torso also influences the length of the baton
a) Remember to use good arm positioning when experimenting, and
keep the elbow up and extended
3. If the baton is positioned correctly, it will angle slightly to the left and the
tip will be directly at the center of the body
E. The handle is an important characteristic of the baton
1. Large long handles (often made of cork) should be avoided, especially for
people with small hands
2. This type of handle is often held under the fingers because it is too long to
maintain in the palm of the hand
a) This may result in a baton angle that is too far left and a
compensatory action by the wrist that makes the wrist look
unnatural
b) A long handle tends to be held with too much grip, which reduces
the subtle response action needed in conducting
3. Small, ball-like handles may encourage too much wrist action and require
that the baton be held primarily on the shaft
a) This handle is fairly common but it lacks the flexibility needed to
vary the conducting articulation
4. The best type of handle is made of rubber or wood, approximately two
inches in length and rather small in diameter
a) It is good if it tapers naturally to the shaft
F. A good baton should be light in weight and well balanced so that it can lie across
the upturned palm of the hand without falling to the floor
1. Batons that are too heavy and too long lack the flexibility needed for
varying the conducting gesture
II. Dynamic Changes
A. Two common dynamic changes are the crescendo and decrescendo
1. The crescendo may be shown by increasing the size (amplitude and
breadth) of the pattern
2. The decrescendo may be shown by decreasing the size of the pattern
B. While it is common to use the left hand to indicate such dynamic changes, the
size of the pattern in the right arm/hand also must vary according to the level of
dynamic change
C. The crescendo seems to be more easily shown by beginning conductors than the
decrescendo
1. The weakness in the latter occurs when the size of the pattern is
decreased too quickly
a) Work for a subtle change in the gesture (becoming smaller) as the
dynamic level decreases
D. Sudden dynamic changes as in subito forte and subito piano also must be shown
in the conducting pattern
1. Preparation for such a change to louder or softer needs to start on the
beat just prior to the dynamic change
a) In a four pattern, a dynamic level of soft becoming suddenly
louder on a downbeat would necessitate that beat four prior to that
downbeat be shown at the same dynamic level as the forte
section
(1) In this way, the conductor prepares the ensemble for the
change that is to happen
(2) Waiting to change the size of the pattern to match exactly
the time when the sudden dynamic changes occurs is too
late, and will not bring about the desired musical results
(3) Conducting is the art of preparation
