This article was published in Interlude Vol.19, No.1 February-March 2014
by Roland Yeung
This article continues on from articles in previous issues of Interlude (see references below). It continues the developing of the Circles Technique and introduces a new technique Tataki.
These articles focus on learning conducting movements and complements study of ensemble repertoire, psychology of rehearsal technique, analysis of works and so on. These early articles are teaching basic movements that apply for sections of music rather than special single moments. This article focuses on one technique, one that illustrates a great deal of power and precision. It provides clarity in special single moments as well as give a very clear pulse.
Developing your conducting technique involves teaching your body new movements. How carefully we do this will mean less effort in undoing unwanted movements. I like to think of the learning process in this way in order to attain success. We know that the part of the brain that organises body movement does not judge whether a movement is correct or not, it just learns it. Our analytical part of our conscious brain programs the movement. This is where the adage “learn it correctly slowly”. Then gradually get faster once the body is comfortable, balanced, moving flowingly and without added tension. The conscious mind has to be patient and not push ahead before consolidating the movement at a slower speed.
Once the motion is learnt and differentiated from other basic movement, then it will be at your call at anytime. One test is whilst conducting a piece of music, add the new conducting movement whilst talking to someone else about something else. Video yourself doing it and review it.
Using The Saito Conducting Method
The Method can be regarded as a catalogue of gestures or techniques that gives conductors a wide range of gestures, a vocabulary or a taxonomy. With these techniques, the Method give conductors the ability to show musical sentences through movement and give structure to them as does grammar in language. As with any physical training, the movements have to carefully learnt, practiced, then repeated until the body and mind learns and remembers them. At this stage the movements become part of the conductor’s toolbox.
The movements to achieve the Saito gestures are not just about direction left, right, up or down, not just about acceleration, deceleration, pauses and stops. These elements are what the players and singers see and it essential that the vocabulary is used with the correct grammar and accepted conventions. Max Ruldolf’s textbook The Grammar of Conducting is an excellent compendium examples from the classical orchestral repertoire and gives the widely accepted conventions in the grammar of conducting.
Movement in the Saito Method has to be made with maximum effect and minimum of effort. How the arm and hand moves will be illustrated and amplified by the baton. Maximum effect so the conductor can clearly differentiate one musical passage from another. Minimum of effort because conductors have to work hard for the whole rehearsal, or music camp, or performance season and be at their sensitive and artistic best to the very last second of the performance. Getting tired is not acceptable if the conductor is to lead the artistic experience for the whole performance for the audience to enjoy.
Revise Conducting Circles Technique I
This is a fundamental technique for learning control of arm movement. Detail instructions were provided in the issue of Interlude Vol.17 No.2 October 2012. Be sure to revise this and remember the physical sensation when using this gesture.
Revise Conducting Circles Technique II
This set of exercises follows on from previous work on circles and it is from the motions of stopping, accelerating and decelerating practiced that we move on to the learning about Tataki technique. Be sure to revise these and remember the physical sensation when using this gesture. Detail instructions were provided in the issue of Interlude Vol.18 No.2 July 2013.
Conducting Circles Technique III: for developing independent left hand movement
This extension of the foundation Circles Technique is focused on developing the left hand.
A common question from developing conductors is how to develop left hand movement. In thinking about this, one immediately has the left hand moving in contrast with the right hand. When results do not come quickly, there is a high degree of frustration.
The first aspect of learning and using gestures is programming the body so the movement is automatic and flowing freely. The movement being automatic illustrates that the body has learnt it. The movement being free means that the mind is not thinking about the basic movement and is able to think about finer variations to match musical interpretations that stimulated by the conductor’s perceptions, imagination and thoughts.
Consider the following strategies to developing independent left hand conducting.
- For left hand alone, review Circles Technique I and II.
- Test how automatic your left hand Circles Technique by videoing your work for 1 minute. Firstly select constant speed circles, take up your best posture, go to the starting position and commence. Conduct, establishing a tempo without a metronome and endeavor to maintain the set tempo, a set size, and a clear pulse. Secondly, once underway, think about something else! Sing the national anthem or another song, recite a speech or poem, or something else with a different pulse or rhythm to what your left hand is doing.
- Not yet? That’s OK, because this will take a lot of time to achieve this. Practice makes best they say.
The Circles Technique III is made up of two different gestures. Practice each separately, one at a time, to be at your best in regard to automatic and free.
- Right Hand motion conducting a standard simple quadruple time. A more detailed description of this gesture will be given at another time. For this stage, ensure the simple quadruple gesture has these features.
- The ictus are middle, in, out and up respectively for each beat in turn 1,2,3&4
- Each beat has an upbeat and down beat
- The tempo shown is even – each ictus is reached at exactly the right time.
Tataki Technique
In contrast to the Circles Technique I which creates flow, momentum, sustained legato and vibrant sound, Tataki gives a very clear beat point and is excellent for rhythmic passages. As a gesture it is at the other end of the spectrum to Circles.
Tataki is a Japanese term meaning to beat or strike. It is a conducting gesture that accelerates into the beat point resembling the motion used to beat a drum.
As with learning to beat a drum, learning Tataki the resulting sound creates a continuum of sounds with varying sharpness in articulation from the lightest staccato. In learning to conduct Tataki, we are starting with conducting the strongest and sharpest articulation.
The gesture has three sections: the preparatory motion or upbeat, the before point motion or the downbeat and the rebound.
The gesture has a name for each point. The start of the gesture is the preparatory position, at the beat-point, the instant the sound begins (from the previous beat). The point where the upbeat changes to the downbeat is the secondary point. The point where the sound commences is the beatpoint or the ictus.
The explanation of the above is simple, but the way conducting gesture is approached is quite sophisticated. This can be expected because the gesture demonstrates the will of the conductor. Memorize the names.
Tataki Technique I
The Tataki conducting technique is derived from the most simple and natural beating motion. Stand in the playing position to play a drum using a drumstick.
- Place the stick over the drumhead: at the preparatory position or the ictus
- Lift the stick: making the preparatory motion or upbeat
- Strike downwards: the downbeat or the before-point motion
- Rebound: the after-point motion.
Try to do this as one gesture imitating a percussionist playing one note on the drum.
Next do each part of the motion separately, and repeat.
- In a passive and gentle motion, move to the preparatory position at 6 o’clock
- Give the upbeat gesture, stopping at the secondary-point at 12 o’clock. Show strong intent moving straight up rather than around a circle.
- Give the downbeat gesture, accelerating to the beat-point. Fall, don’t pull straight down rather than around a circle.
- Rebound gesture, decelerating to a stop at around halfway up between the secondary and beat points.
Do this in front of a mirror and aim to reproduce the simple and natural movement. Video your work to see if the movement is fluent, consistent, moving easily, flowing and without strain. In the best tradition in learning the motion for making the best sound on a drum, these motions are what you would be learning to do to understand the Tataki technique.
A key part of learning this gesture is achieving a smooth acceleration and smooth deceleration.
- Acceleration motion is created by falling, relaxing the arm from the secondary point.
- Deceleration motion and change of direction is activating the hand muscles that stop the hand at the beat-point and lift it with a short explosive burst, then relaxing the muscles again.
Practice each of the above separately.
The result you are looking for is a gesture where players can easily predict when the beat-point will arrive so they can all agree when to play a note on the beat.
Because this technique involves accelerating into the beat-point, it is called an In-Point Motion.
Summary
The Conducting Circles Techniques I, II and III are to establish a fundamental technique to learn and sustain a gesture that shows flow, momentum and a sustained, legato and vibrant sound. The third includes work to begin to develop independence of left and right hand.
Tataki Technique is a conducting technique that is derived from the natural up and down motion that we observe in our daily lives.
If this material is helpful, look for support material on my website. You are welcome to post any feedback at www.rolandyeung.net.
Conducting classes are being offered in 2014 and continuing in bursts through the year. Classes are in the evenings or on Saturday mornings and are organised in 5-week sequence of classes. They will be posted on the aMuse distribution list and rolandyeung.net.
Please feel free to ask questions.
Roland Yeung is a freelance conductor, adjudicator, tutor and clinician. He is music director of The Grainger Wind Symphony. Roland recently retired as the Director of Music at Carey Baptist Grammar School and was Artistic Director of the Melbourne School Bands and Strings Festival. He was awarded by his peers the life membership of the Association of Music Educators aMuse (Victoria), ABODA National and just recently been awarded life member of the Association of Directors of Music of Independent School ADMIS (Victoria).
e: roland@rolandyeung.net
w: rolandyeung.net
References
- Interlude Vol.17 No.1 March 2012 Introduction to the Saito Conducting Technique by Roland Yeung
- Interlude Vol.17 No.2 October 2012 Conducting Technique: using Saito principles by Roland Yeung
- Interlude Vol.18 No.2 July 2013 Conducting Technique II: using Saito principles by Roland Yeung
- The Saito Conducting Method by Hideo Saito ed. W. Toews
- The Grammar of Conducting by Max Rudolf
