 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: vjoet
Date: 2010-09-13 15:18
For some time I've been pondering and experimenting with the most efficient warmup routine. What I've discovered works best for me, may be a starting point of exploration for other clarinetists (advanced amateur).
I first pondered what the purpose of warmup was, and concluded its purpose is to summon into application all the components of fine playing. My list of those components is this:
1. Fine tone quality (rich and robust).
2. Solid breath support.
3. Proper voicing of the registers.
4. Precision and suppleness of fingering.
5. Absolute evenness in runs.
6. Full dynamic range.
7. Rhythmical accuracy.
8. Crisp seco staccato, and full range of articulation.
9. Attentiveness to the musical import (interpretation).
With this as my list of what I intend to accomplish in warmup, the traditional warmup (long tones and scales) proved (for me) woefully inadequate.
This is currently what I've landed on as my warmup:
1. As I assemble the instrument I mentally hear what I'll play first, the open G. I hear it as the best open G I've ever heard or have ever played. I also run through my list of "components."
2. I play that long open G, matching my mental concept, then articulate it as quick sextuplets, then staccato downward the F scale. Breathe.
3. The chromatic scale as 16s from E to altissimo G, then as sextuplets.
4. Rode Caprice #3, altering the recapitulation to staccato articulation. I play this as if there were an audience present and convey the musical import to them.
There, in 5 minutes I'm warmed up for the day. The key to it, I think, is (for me):
1) knowing what components of playing I need to "activate", and
2) the lyrical, flowing etude employing nearly the full range of the instrument to provide the "in quo" to activate them all. That the etude is mostly slurred substitutes for the traditional long tones and has the benefit of summoning all the components in my warm-up objectives.
I find other Rode Caprices work equally well provided they are only of moderate difficulty (eg #9 , 15, 18) reserving the more difficult ones for the actual practice session, not the warmup to it.
V Joe
(amateur)
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Author: thomasbrindle
Date: 2010-09-13 18:31
HiVjoet!
I also have tried to find the quickest warmup. I often only have about 20 minutes per day to practice. (I only play for a hobby mostly now)
I start with trills to get my fingers going. Then I do crescendos and diminuendos on long notes. Then I do scales with tonguing in loud and soft. Takes me about 10 minutes. Then I do my pieces.
Your warmup sounds good. But why do you start with open G? This is a short notes on the instrument, and needs less air than the long notes. Maybe you should start with a middle note?
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Author: vjoet
Date: 2010-09-13 19:10
Hi Thomas,
I start with the open G for the inital reed check. Since the throat tones are generally less resonant, I find if the reed responds well in giving a rich G, then the reed will generally produce the other notes well, too.
After warmup, I generally start with scales and arpeggios, and only then onto etudes or pieces. Your suggestion of trill work strikes me as good. I'll try to incorporate such into my practice. Langenus, Bk II, p5, even has the recommendation that they be practised often. I haven't been doing that. Pinky finger trills require special attention. Thanks for the suggestion.
vJoe
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Author: GBK
Date: 2010-09-13 19:22
There are numerous practice routines, both published and home made.
I've posted this before, but here again is the 6 day practice routine for basic fundamentals as was originally laid out by Marcel Moyse:
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MONDAY - E major scale, F major scale, E minor scale, F minor scale, E whole tone scale, F whole tone scale, Diminished 7th chords starting on E, F and F#, Augmented chords starting on E, F, F#, and G, Dominant 7th chord on E resolving to Major and Minor triads on A, Dominant 7th chord on F resolving to Major and Minor triads on Bb, 3 octave chromatic scale in triplets starting on E
TUESDAY - F# major scale, G major scale, F# minor scale, G minor scale, E whole tone scale, F whole tone scale, Diminished 7th chords starting on E, F and F#, Augmented chords starting on E, F, F#, and G, Dominant 7th chord on F# resolving to Major and Minor triads on B, Dominant 7th chord on G resolving to Major and Minor triads on C, 3 octave chromatic scale in triplets starting on F
WEDNESDAY- Ab major scale, A major scale, G# minor scale, A minor scale, E whole tone scale, F whole tone scale, Diminished 7th chords starting on E, F and F#, Augmented chords starting on E, F, F#, and G, Dominant 7th chord on Ab resolving to Major and Minor triads on Db, Dominant 7th chord on A resolving to Major and Minor triads on D, 3 octave chromatic scale in triplets starting on F#
THURSDAY - Bb major scale, B major scale, Bb minor scale, B minor scale, E whole tone scale, F whole tone scale, Diminished 7th chords starting on E, F and F#, Augmented chords starting on E, F, F#, and G, Dominant 7th chord on Bb resolving to Major and Minor triads on Eb, Dominant 7th chord on B resolving to Major and Minor triads on E, 3 octave chromatic scale in triplets starting on G
FRIDAY - C major scale, Db major scale, C minor scale, C# minor scale, E whole tone scale, F whole tone scale, Diminished 7th chords starting on E, F and F#, Augmented chords starting on E, F, F#, and G, Dominant 7th chord on C resolving to Major and Minor triads on F, Dominant 7th chord on C# resolving to Major and Minor triads on F#, 3 octave chromatic scale in triplets starting on G#
SATURDAY- D major scale, Eb major scale, D minor scale, Eb minor scale, E whole tone scale, F whole tone scale, Diminished 7th chords starting on E, F and F#, Augmented chords starting on E, F, F#, and G, Dominant 7th chord on D resolving to Major and Minor triads on G, Dominant 7th chord on Eb resolving to Major and Minor triads on Ab, 3 octave chromatic scale in triplets starting on A
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This is the warm-up practice routine which I encourage my students to follow.
Combine the above with weekly selected etudes, technique, tonguing and repertoire work...GBK
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Author: thomasbrindle
Date: 2010-09-13 20:46
Hi Vjoet!
Thanks for your postings! I'm probably not at your level of playing, but I do think that my trill warm-up has good reasons. I try to do the trills so that I'm just using my fingers. By this way I avoid tensions in the arms. Then I try to bring the awareness of those further into my body- arms, shoulders, throat and back. If I can trill without tension then I can play all the hard technical stuff without tension.
I will try working down from the open G like you do. At least that way you have no interference from the fingers!
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Author: mlz
Date: 2010-09-13 22:02
My teacher would love that GBK's routine includes the diminished 7ths every day!
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Author: vjoet
Date: 2010-09-14 12:51
Glenn,
You probably don't remember but 3 or 4 years ago you emailed me the Moyse scale and arpeggios. I use them to this day. I just make a distinction between Warmup and Practice. In Warmup I try to summon every components of good playing. Then I divide Practice into technical and musical. The Moyse falls into the technical.
vJoe
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