Critical Mass, by Todd Stalter - Score & Sound
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- For more information, or to purchase, go to bit.ly/2Uo33WW.
Critical Mass
By Todd Stalter
Item: 00-33860
Series: Alfred Concert Band
Format: Conductor Score & Parts
Grade: 3
Critical mass is a scientific term that refers to the smallest amount of fissile material needed to sustain a nuclear chain reaction. This work begins with an explosion of sound, and then launches forward through small, ever-growing melodic fragments that expand outward and upward. (2:35) This title is available in SmartMusic.
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I was actually trying to look up some information on physics but this was definitely a pleasant surprise I really like this arrangement
this is my band piece
Lol most ppl are here bc their playing it
@@bestiereagan5246 mine too
I was only here cause I played it for all county lol
@@bestiereagan5246 same lmao
im just saying to anyone who is going to play this is middle school: this song is a monster and it will murder you of your sanity but hey, some parts have it easier and some people have more experience
Profanity
I play French horn part 1 in this and its the high part for the French horn for me it's not that hard I'm a 7th grader but everyone else has problems XD I study my music for atleast and hour after I get off school
@@sagep4613 legit this is what happens in my band
BD: take out critical mass
All the band: NOOOOOOO
Me: YASSS
@@sagep4613 feels bad man
We were gonna play this for contest before Corona virus cancelled that. I play 1st trombone. My arm dies playing this
"Pick a note!" I'm dying
Yeah I remember playing this in 7th grade and I just blew into my baritone as loud as I can. It sounded like a train wreck
“Pick any note except b flat and f”
I have to conduct this I'm only a sophomore...
@@nicksmith1472 k mobst3r
A piece I played the tempo was just “you have five minutes”
I miss this song. I played it in 8th grade and was second trumpet. I am now a freshman and for anyone still playing this, enjoy it
I also played this in 8th grade I was 1st clarinet.
I'm a sophomore as of writing this and the band is doing this for band contest season, and we had a section of the song for our final, which I did today because at my school the classes are shortened to make room for the 7th period final, and then the next two days are odds or one and evens on the other
Sucks I’m playing this as a freshman on clarinet but my bands awful since most of them are too lazy to practice
I'm literally performing it tonight and Tuesday along with majestic and air for band
@@moonsun9602 that literally happened to me, I was so disappointed. I wish schools had a mandatory audition for anyone trying to join band class.
The beginning always gives me a panic attack 😂
I was not expecting it at all,
I turned up my audio and then: *BAM*
I was listening to it without looking at the video at first and thought “that was a horrific chord, what’s going on here” and then I saw that the players had the liberty of choosing whichever note pleased them the best 😂
Fr
Real
Why is this guy so good at composing
Because Todd is a god at fast scores
Because he tries it out on the high school band he directs first. And he’s a genius. -Love, a former student who was one of the first to play this under his direction in the late 00’s
@@theraginginfernape9496 there are way better composers than Todd. He mostly just gives the low brass and woodwinds the same thing over and over at a fast tempo. It's really not creative at all. No diversity in this song. It was made for lower level, which I can understand, but it doesn't make him a god.
@@jetsettech8804He has a style, a niche even. I like his stuff because of the energy. I listen to other music if I want to do full-on orchestral analysis, but Todd usually says "y'know what, let's make an entire score based in the phrygian scale (I butchered that spelling)." It's fun and simple, yet still I find little things that make me appreciate his work more. Not everyone needs to be Bach
@@theraginginfernape9496 his composing is very simplistic with very little thought put into most parts. But hey, you like who you like.
I’m a senior and I played this song in my sophomore year as a floutist. This brought back so many memories. I remembered this song because I watched a concert band in my brothers college play this again. What a great song
omg I had to play this in 7th grade lol
I played this my 7th grade year
@@jarvinvaldivieso3990 same
I played this in eighth grade I was on snare
I can’t let the gang know I fw this 🙏💀
we MUST let gang know we fw this
@@amongles Touché
THE GANG MUST KNOW that we fw this
I’ve been waiting for a score for this for so long
Quentin Foster you can find it on their website
gary sis the preview on the website goes for only a few pages :/. I'm so happy they released the score, I love looking at all the parts while listening
InvestedWheat40 the scores on their website goes full page. Make sure you’re checking www.alfred.com
gary sis wait I forgot they had a website (I use jwpepper) that's amazing, thank you so much
InvestedWheat40 you’re very much welcome
The beginning reminds me of The Tempest by Robert W Smith
Its tempest on steroids
It really does tho
@@ufinityy that's Into the Storm
It reminds me a little bit of Counterbalance
reminds me of the avalanche part of eternal peaks
I had to play this in band 3-4ish years ago. Oof, it was challenging but fun
Same
I played this along side my older brother during my freshman year. I played the timpani part. For the pick a note, he took the mouthpiece of his alto sax and inhales to make this godawful screech. It was beautiful.
My symphony high School band is doing this piece now, and I LOVE that tronbones get some of the melody around bar 10 and near the end. This piece is definitely a new favorite of mine! ❤
Just got this piece for band in high school (I'm a Tenor Sax). I have only played it once and am absolutely LOVING it.
Our school had 3 French horns and I had to play first part ALONE
@Sinead Hurst the only backup i had was 2 7th grade saxophones
Same but I was trombone
Same, but trumpet
yo me too
me too bro
This one is rough, but so much fun once you practice and get it right
We played this my freshman year of high school and our director pushed us to play the final section a bit OVER tempo
Glad to know our band director wasn’t the only one
I’m playing this in junior high?
Same
I’m a freshman and I’m playing this song too
I just got the music last week and we just started going over it
practicing this song now in highschool as a trombone player. give me strength...
From one trombone to another it's been 3 months how are you doing so far?
It’s not stupidly hard just remember to breathe well
fellow trombone player, I hope you loved this song because I'm currently learning it in band and it's such a badass song!
get better
@@awakenedxxz hey its a difficult song, don't be toxic. I'd like to see YOU try to play a trombone, and then everyone to tell you "lol get better" when you're struggling
I'm in 8th grade and am playing this with my band for a competition, it's such a fun piece and I love it a lot!
Lol same
i would cry if this was the song my band director chose. guess im just a hater fr
tupelo middle school?
same 😨
i LOVE the high woodwinds line at 98 its just so perfect and nice oh my god
(its still hard but i can play it im being relied on for that)
I am a freshman in highschool and I just played this song a few weeks ago at a concert and being a clarinet with just one other in the band was really fun getting to do the little clarinet moment
omg i’m in the 7th grade and their making is play this. as a clarinet the 32nd notes are killing me😭😭
@@norac1280 awe I feel you
Which notes did they pick 😭 sounds mad good
IKR????
Only true musicians appreciate that insane chord
This sounds like a perfect opening song for a marching band show.
we're actually doing this as part of our marching band show this year!
@@nonexistent1196 write the name and city of your school so that I can look it up this fall to see if anyone uploaded the show.
@@robertridley9279 uh... lmao
@@ready0410 this right here is called being a level 3 sex offender
Look up Hebron HS 2021 marching show.
This has no business being so good
Ik it’s amazing!!!!
Played it in junior year as a bassoonist and it was of my favourite band pieces out of everything we did. The unfortunate part was that, while the bassoon part is fairly light, we had so few bass players (no tuba at all) that I really had to gun it. Pick a note was great though because I could use the bassoon’s full fog horn potential
I played it this year (only on third year of playing in band) as a Horn. We only had three including me. So we were dependent upon eachother
The French horn at 1:31 will always be my favorite bit :3
and alto sax
It's a good part
This piece is a lot of fun to play
im playing this piece for ISSMA. its like energy and i love it
same
we're playing this in eighth grade its so EPIC
Played this song a few days ago for my All region ATSSB Concert and when i tell you it shook me to my core- it literally did. Great song when played correctly!
Just performed this tonight, and it went well. Xylo part:)
lol im playing this in my high school band- its a really good piece i like it a lot, probably the best told stalter piece out there
My band teacher is having us do this this year and I (like many in my class) am terrified for my life. It sounds amazing tho
Same. We played a piece call "Majestia" and it did terrible, that was our first concert of the year, lol!
doing this as a 7th grader for our spring concert, came here for reference bc im practicing it rn. good luck
Kadden you requested it 😭😭😭
i played this this year in middle school for all region..😢
yooo me too, istg you were in my band. what instrument?
Same i play trombone
@@qubertone yoo what was your name? i sat infront of the trombones
Orthoxia i play flute
@@lillianlou idk if we were in the same band lol
We played this in our seventh grade year of middle school for festival. It was insane
I love this song! It sounds so cool! I’m in 7th grade, and my band director is having us play it for our spring concert!!!
do you live in PA by any chance
I get the best bit of nostalgia from my sophomore year of highschool
@Lauren Cruse I’m actually a sophomore Clarinet playing that is going to preform this piece at our fall concert.
We played this peice this year! It's SO good!
I played this for a competition when I was in 7th grade! It was pretty tricky at first, but we eventually mastered it and won gold!! I get nostalgia from listening to this song now.
Im an 8th grader who plays the timpani for this part, this song is dope asl and im hyped to play this for the concert
This is awesome !!!
I'm playing this in band in a concert in two days. Wish me luck 🙏🙏
Same but like in a week from now 😭😭
I wish I was 😔
Surprised this didn’t have a piccolo part, especially since it is a 3
Not all grade 3 pieces have a piccolo part
Theresa Chacon I have realized after looking at more grade 3 scores. I just wish he would have had one for this piece.
this reminds me of a piece i played called ignition... this arrangement is super cool
This piece sounds so much like “Into the Storm.”
playing this song this year for the school band 👍
listening to this makes me cry
My band director plans on playing this for concert assessment, and I’ve already stolen the xylophone part. Wish me luck, but holy hell, I’m so excited!!
ALA Gilbert North just played this on Tuesday I was on euphonium and I was dying so was my friend who plays trumpet as 1st trumpet
If imagine hard enough I can envision my band actually sounding like this 😂
My band read this once and my section could NOT keep a straight face (including me) when "picking a note" and everyone would be out for the next 4 bars at least LOL
Being in the middle of the band as an oboe at the pick a note part is scary but fucking awesome
I'm playing this song. It is hard but awesome for sure!
I am playing this rn for our 8th grade concert
This is a banger I wish my teacher kept it
a year later and I still stand by this^^^
I remember studing this in middle school, and then a few months later having to do the timpani solo in honor band just by coincidence.
gonna play this in concert band!!!! i hope it goes well!
Why does this actually sounds good at 2x
I played this yesterday at a band concert
I was supposed to play this for my Band concert or a screen of the final one of the year but then it was canceled because of the coronavirus when we are not in school we were supposed to play it
my middle school is playing this song and i like it a lot
lies you don't like it CAP
i actually cant believe this a actual grade 3 LOL and who here is playing this and thinks this is a banger!🤩(im playing french horn on this btw!)
Straight 🔥
I was just watching a piece I also have to play in band. Kinda spooky how RUclips recommended me this as I was listening to that other piece
1:52 correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that’s Morse code for SOS
It's been a year BUT! That is not Morse code for SOS. As far as history knows it, SOS has been three dots, three dashes, and another three dots. So ... --- ...
What you pointed out sounds like a bunch of dots and it really doesn't mean anything.
Actually I believe that's Morse code for the word critical
I get to play that badass timpani part for my upcoming spring concert
i fell asleep in band and when the first note played i was definenlty up 😭
aw hell nah im outta here
- you eardrums at that moment
The last four measures sound like a warm up! 😂
The second alto sax part is very fun
It really is except if you are playing it on a alto clarinet like I am, even tho I play bass clarinet and have the bass music
“Pick a Note!”
Me: Plays Low A on Bari Sax as loud as possible 😂😂
we sight read this today! we had so much fun. love this piece (im in 7th grade lmfao)
Ok but is tenor sax really just better
@@The-official-grindel yes.
Wait you are in 7th grade and playing this piece? Nice
@@Batteriesincludded much is expected from us considering we’re #1 in ky…. its stressful 😭
This song is so good but it’s hell to play
I find it a little interesting coming straight out of beginning band to play this
The tempest on steroids💀 0:06
Trumpets?
We played this my 8th grade year. We weren't nearly at this skill level how tf lmao.
THE LOW BRASS PART AT 0:14 >>>>>>>>>> whatever the hell the flutes play
This song altered my brain chemistry. I changed my username.
How did you guys play this in 7th grade???? I just got this piece for class (10th grade/sophomore/2nd year hs) it’s not like we sounded bad, we just weren’t the best, and you guys are getting this in the 7th grade, that’s crazy
I’m an eighth grade and I got it😭
I only have tonight to learn this
And it went greattttt
Playing this in 8th Honors band… we’re doing it for Music For All Indianapolis
We playing this for middle school all state I in 7th
Is song would be so magic for me but I have a bass guitarist that basically doesn’t know how to tune, read notes and play new songs. 1:54 this part is where she just plays random notes and the bar rest after it, you will ALWAYS HEAR HER PLAY
Also my conductor made percussion practice 69 a lot and everytime she said it a kid from the other side of the band would smirk at me
Forget Zodiac Signs, what note do you choose?
It feels like it slows down a little at 0:28
I am currently a freshman in highschool And I’m playing 1st trombone :) wish me good luck
My school band is practicing this
Same
Bro the first melody sounds like tempest melody by Robert W Smith
THE BEGINNING ERM- how does it sound good…
Completely forgot that I played this one in high school
My highschool after not playing for months mastered this song in a week and I dont see this being that difficult
I have timpani solo tonight , (freshman btw)
There’s a freshman in our band who is the timpani solo, I’m just the woodblock 😿
i had timpani solo as well, i did it as a 7th grader in 8th now
I’m playing this in middle school😭😭😭
I played this for jr all county
I had snare but the most fun is timpani
⚡️🕺🏼⚡️
This song is too short, I wish it was like 8 minutes long.
Why are clarinets so quiet I’m a clarinet and know
As a clarinet, I would like to add by saying that if we play too loud it often goes horribly out of tune, squeaks to high heck, or just doesn’t.
..well, to my experience..
I play many clarinets and it’s all to do with your embouchure I play regular, bass, alto, and contra, and contra alto
It’s just all about how you play and the as I said the embouchure, and how hard your reed is I can play loud and sound completely fine, Bc I tune to being loud not quiet, so also tune to being loud and you’ll be a little flat or sharp depending on notes. It’s all trial and error to figure what works for you to play loud and not squeak and sound good
I thought it was by Robert W Smith because of the melody at the start lol
I am playing this for Atssb region and I’m trombone 1 and at measure 10 I’m dead💀💀💀💀