Florida All-County Auditions: 30-Day Pulse→Tone→Style Plan by Instrument

All-County auditions reward control and consistency—not just speed. Here’s a 30-day plan that improves the three things adjudicators hear first: Pulse → Tone → Style. You’ll get a 15–25 minute daily routine plus instrument-specific drills for winds, brass, strings, percussion, and chorus.

At B Amazing Music, our screened, background-checked instructors teach one-on-one in your home across Winter Garden, Windermere, Lake Buena Vista, Ocoee, Clermont, and Apopka. We’ll tailor this plan to your rubric and county requirements.

Quick answer (how to score higher, faster)

1. Pulse first: If the time isn’t steady, nothing else counts. Train with a click + subdivision (metronome or drum loop).
2. Tone second: Long-tone ladders (winds/brass/voice) or open-string bow levels (strings) every day.
3. Style last: Articulation, dynamics, and phrasing after pulse/tones are clean.
4. Sight-reading daily: 5–7 minutes with a timed preview (counting > guessing).
5. Two-take method: One slow for accuracy, one musical for style—then stop.

Your 30-Day Timeline

Week 1 – Stabilize Pulse

• Daily click at 60–72 bpm (or audition tempo –10%).
• Etudes hands/valves/bows without slurs or ornaments (rhythm only).
• 5–7 minutes of sight-reading (preview → clap → play).

Week 2 – Build Tone

• Add long tones (winds/brass/voice) or bow-level tone on open strings (strings).
• Keep etude slow; add mf→mp swells and breath/bow plans.

Week 3 – Add Style

• Bring tempo to –5% to target.
• Apply articulations, dynamics, and vibrato/lyric shaping where appropriate.
• Mock audition 1: scales → etude → sight-read (single take).

Week 4 – Polish & Perform

• Target tempo with metronome off final week except for spot checks.
• Mock audition 2–3 (recorded). Fix two measures per day only—avoid overhauls.
• Sleep, hydrate, and play mezzo the day before.

Daily Routine (15–25 minutes)

1. Pulse Grid – 3–4 min

   • Clap/tap with click quarters → 8ths → triplets.
   • Play/chant your scale rhythm on one pitch (or muted strings).

2. Tone Block – 5–7 min

   • Winds/Brass/Voice: Long-tone ladders (mezzo, then pp), focus release.
   • Strings: Open-string tone—slow bows, level elbow, straight path.
   • Percussion: Full, even strokes on pad; rebound control at two dynamics.

3. Etude Focus – 6–8 min

   • Two-take method: slow/accurate, then musical (add dynamics/articulation).

4. Sight-Reading – 5–7 min

   • 30–40s preview → count tricky bars → clap subdivisions → play once.
   • Circle the “gotchas” (accidentals, rhythm cells, jumps).

Busy day? Do Pulse Grid + Sight-Reading and call it a win.

Instrument-Specific Drills

Woodwinds (Flute, Clarinet, Sax, Oboe, Bassoon)

Pulse: Tongue-on-metronome—play T T T T (quarters) then T T T T T T T T (8ths).
Tone: Long tones pp→mp (8–10 seconds), listen for no shimmer at the start.
Style:

• Flute: “HAH” air start without burst; keep vibrato narrow until secure.
• Clarinet: Throat-tone focus; keep chin flat for pitch.
• Sax: Light tongue, “doo” syllable; avoid scoops unless marked.
  Scale tip: Slurred ascending, light tongue descending to lock time.

Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba)

Pulse: Air-only subdivision (say “tss-tss-tss”) with click, then add horn.
Tone: Lip slurs 1–3–5–3–1 (mf→mp); match slot before adding tempo.
Style:

• Trumpet/Horn: Short articulations on air (TOO, not TUH).
• Trombone/Euph/Tuba: Legato tongue or natural slur with clean slide/valve timing.
  Scale tip: Start one dynamic lower than you think; clarity > volume.

Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass)

Pulse: Mute on, open-string bowing with click (quarters→8ths).
Tone: Bow-level sets: D/A or A/E, 8 slow bows each, frog↔tip control.
Style:

• Violin/Viola: Hooked bowings and spiccato tests at mezzo-soft first.
• Cello/Bass: Weight from arm, not fingers; plan shifts on bow changes.
  Scale tip: Rhythm pyramid (quarters→8ths→triplets→16ths) at one tempo.

Percussion (Snare + Mallets)

Pulse: Accent the 2 & 4 at 60–80 bpm—sing the backbeat while playing 8ths.
Tone: Snare full rebound at pp, then mf; mallets center-bar tone with relaxed grip.
Style:

• Rudiments: Paradiddle grid (RLRR LRLL) with subdivision out loud.
• Mallets: 1-oct scale blocked → broken, no wrist lock.
  Sight-reading: Count aloud the first measure always.

Chorus (All-County Choir Prep)

Pulse: Clap rhythm of the excerpt with box breathing 4-4-4-4 to calm tempo rush.
Tone: SOVT (straw or lip trill) 60–90s → oo/ee resonance slides on one pitch.
Style: Word stress; consonants early to protect vowel length and intonation.
Sight-reading: Do-based movable solfege or numbers; speak rhythm first, then sing softly.

4-Week Checklists (print/screenshot)

Week 1 – Pulse

• □ Metronome daily (quarters→8ths→triplets)
• □ Scales at –10% tempo
• □ Sight-reading 5–7 min/day

Week 2 – Tone

• □ Long-tone ladders / bow-level drills daily
• □ Breath/bow plans penciled into etude
• □ Mock SR #1 (timed preview)

Week 3 – Style

• □ Add articulations/dynamics
• □ Tempo –5% from target
• □ Mock audition #1 (recorded)

Week 4 – Polish

• □ Target tempo (met off except spot checks)
• □ Two recorded run-throughs, choose best
• □ Rest day before audition (light tone only)

Sight-Reading: 60-Second Method

1. Preview (20–30s): Key, meter, road map (repeats/DS).
2. Trap hunt (15s): circle accidentals, ties across barlines, wide intervals.
3. Count & clap (10s): clap two hardest bars with click.
4. Breathe/reset (5s) → Play once at mezzo.

If you get lost: hold common tone, re-enter on the next strong beat.

Mock-Audition Script (5 minutes)

1. Scales: two clean, even dynamics.
2. Etude: announce tempo; start mezzo, shape phrase.
3. Sight-Read: follow the 60-second method.
4. Self-notes: 1 pulse fix, 1 tone fix, 1 style fix—tomorrow’s plan.

Parent Support (what helps most)

• Quiet corner during practice; metronome allowed on phone.
• Short blocks: two 10-minute windows beat one marathon.
• Ride-along progress: ask for a 30-second clip mid-week; celebrate small wins.
• Need to miss a lesson? We offer virtual make-ups so momentum stays high.

FAQ

How fast should my scales be?
Play at the tempo you can keep perfectly even. Clean > fast. Add +4 bpm only after two flawless days.

What if my tone breaks when I add dynamics?
Drop to mezzo and rebuild. Tone quality first, then dynamic contrast.

How much time should I spend on sight-reading?
5–7 minutes daily beats a 30-minute cramming session. It’s a coordination skill.

I’m nervous in the room. Tips?
Box breathing (4-4-4-4), soft jaw, and count the first bar silently before playing. Start mezzo and grow.

Want a county-specific game plan (and mock panel) at home?

We’ll match your instrument and district rubric, fix pulse, tone, and style in order, and run two recorded mock auditions before the big day—in your home.