Klarinet Archive - Posting 000636.txt from 1996/02

From: Jacqueline G Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Daily Warm-ups
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 12:11:50 -0500

I managed to get through all my incoming e-mail today and had a little
spare time and inspiration. I'd like to initiate a discussion on various
exercises people use for their morning (evening?) stretch!

As I've said before, I usually get to work by 7 am and drag my horns
along so I can do a bit of playing before I start work at 8. I have a
little routine developed which I feel gets everything moving for me and
enables me to pick up my instrument later and play with little
preliminary "tooting". This is how it works:

1) Long tones - whole notes at about 60
e-f-e1-f1-e2-f2-e3-f2-e2-f1-e1-f-e
e-f#-e1-f#1-e2-f#2-e3-f#2-e2-f#1-e1-f#-e
e-g-e1-g1-e2-g2-e3-g2-e2-g1-e1-g-e
etc. etc. through e-b (although you can go up to e-d#)

This is a really nice way to get breathing, get tone centered, and
get some resonance going through your head before you start!

2) Hyacinthe Klose - scale exercise through all keys

(This is from his etude book, I presume -- I have it memorized and
don't know the source! Sorry!)

I usually do this twice, second time a tick faster.

3) Arpeggios - triplets at about 132/144

two octaves, alternating major and minor, start with low e and
continue to e1. Great for fluidity, evenness of sound, etc.

4) Tonguing exercise (courtesy of Russ Dagon)

C major scale - about 120 - whole note on c, then one octave scale in
sixteenths, slurred, then one octave scale in sixteenths, tongued (but
don't play the final c -- you need to hear the metronome to check your time)

DO the same thing on d, (still C major scale) on up to c2, then back down.

This is great for a myriad of tonguing problems, and helps when you're
trying to pick a good reed! You really have to "blow through" the scale,
and helps develop good, supported staccato.

5) Baermann III - basic scales - starting at the END (Gb Major/eb minor)
and working back to the beginning. (I find this significantly more
difficult than working them in order!)

Then, if I have time, I'll pick up the A and do the Baermann scales in
the regular order!!

I have found this a great way to keep chops in shape for a minimum
investment of time. Also, as my teachers were always fond of saying,
it's more important to practice the basics constantly than to have to
practice and hash over every new piece you encounter. ("Every piece of
music you'll ever play is in Baermann III, just scattered around"!!)

Any one else like to share?

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu

   
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