Junior High Band
Testing Tips

Give Chromatic Tests

The chromatic scale was part of our daily warm-up. There was a chromatic test every quarter. The tests started short and gradually got longer. The goal was that the 9th graders would be able to play the chromatic over the full range of their instruments.

The written (not concert) test ranges follow. Each test was played up and down.

7th Grade ChromaticTest

7th Grade ChromaticTest

(The students were given chromatic scale sheets containing all the tests. See Chromatic Tests)

Video Disclaimer

The attached videos are not perfect examples of how each tune should be played. They are recordings of junior high students, some of whom have had their instruments for only a few months. Also, they are not professional recordings. They were taken by band parents using home equipment and naturally focusing on their own children.

I include them for two reasons: (1) To give you an idea of what the arrangements are like, and (2) To illustrate the kind of performance you can expect from your junior high students.