Types of Batons for Conducting an Orchestra

Series Summary

Conducting an orchestra can be a daunting task, be it a string ensemble or an entire symphony. The job requires an extensive knowledge of music scoring as well as a natural gift to distinguish proper pitch and tone. And beyond the music basics, a conductor has to be an entertainer, involving their musicians as well as their audience in the piece they are conducting. The conductor is the focus of attention for the entire performance venue, so they must follow the proper etiquette and established rules and at the same time keep the crowd entertained and involved. Watch this series if you are planning on becoming a conductor, or if you would just like to know more of what goes on at the podium the next time you attend a classical music performance.

In this free series on conducting an orchestra, you will learn such basics as how to hold a baton and how to use your hands when conducting, as well as tips for rehearsing your orchestra into top shape. You will also learn a few of the common mistakes of beginning conductors.

Video Transcript

"In this clip, we will be talking about the various batons you will use. First of all, you have concert batons and you have rehearsal batons. You can use, you known, a concert baton or a rehearsal for either or, but, a lot of times the rehearsal batons are a little bit more sturdy and they'll be a little thicker and they we will have, a lot of times they're made out of cork for the handles. The absorb sweat and they also, they don't wear out as easily and they, you can grip them a lot easier and they're easier on the hands sometimes. They make different sizes, lengths and handles. So, this one is a pretty big baton. It's really heavy actually and it has that kind of handle. So it just depends on your preference and how it fits in your hand. The next kind is a rehearsal baton but it's like that. It's a longer handle and it's a lot lighter. And this one happens to be a lot shorter. They don't have to be. This would be okay in a rehearsal situation, but for a big orchestra, you wouldn't really want to use it as much because the longer the baton, the easier it is to see most of the time. So this would be for like a big orchestra and you could get away with using this for like a chamber orchestra or even, you know, a somewhat big, medium sized orchestra in a good room with good visibility. Here there are two types of concert batons right here. These are both custom made. They're a little bit different in length and this one actually, as you can see, has a little bit of an indent so it fits your hand. So your pointer finger goes right there and it feels really nice and just fits your hand really well. So, that's one kind. And then this kind is a different kind of handle and it's a little bit shorter and it's all personal preference. But there are a lot of kinds of batons, some of them are metal or aluminum, they're balanced. There's a baton out there that's balanced and it feels, it just glides. So it's all personal preference and you'll want to check around music stores and a lot of custom baton shops around the country offer custom made batons and they're usually in the $15 to $80 range and they usually come with cases and stuff. And you'll want to keep your baton in a case because they get cracked a lot and you might go through a lot of them. So, it's all personal preference and they are all varied in price ranges."