This article was originally released in the Fall/Winter 1996 issue of the Getzen Gazette.
Over the years I've been asked numerous times an important question, "what daily routine should I practice?" Or, "what daily routine do you personally utilize?" There are several factors one need consider in responding to this subject.
Everyone should realize we're all different. We don't all wear the same size shoe; we don't all play the same equipment! Our embouchures feel different some days, and we are all at various levels in our individual development. It won't always seem workable (or successful) to do the exact same routine on a given day. Understanding how our "chops" respond is also an important consideration.
Let's look more closely at the subject. I view the warmup as the initial part of the larger picture: the Daily Routine. The warmup, in my view, is doing what it takes to make the embouchure respond comfortably so we can then get into our daily regimen. Athletes start out each day with stretching exercises and calisthenics prior to running on the field or around the track. Brass players face similar concerns. We don't want to pull a muscle either! More importantly, we have to face our playing needs for the new day and ready ourselves. It is valuable to view the first part of our daily routine, the warmup, as a preparation / approach before we get into actually practicing technical etudes, solos, musical material in various styles, or something we will be performing in concert.
Younger players are in the "acquiring" stage. Their embouchures have not yet been fully developed. Therefore, a carefully planned daily regimen will be helpful and should include a good mix of some long tone, lip flexibility studies, breathing exercises, and control studies for basic articulation. Young players will be striving to build up their embouchures. I highly recommend soft playing (with an equal amont of rest time to playing time) for the first five to ten minutes. Allow the blood to circulate in the lips. All too frequently I see young players try to do too much non stop playing with barely any rest. This tires the player out and wears one down before one is ready to get into the playing needs for the day. I recommend avoiding forte or fortissimo playing and playing above the staff for at least the first five minutes. You will begin to sense when your embouchure feels ready to "expand" the dynamic realm and register. If the "chops" feel good one can start expanding things sooner on a given day. Always keep in mind a very relaxed approach. Air support is most essential and each day we need to renew the concept of getting our breathing mechanism working.
More advanced players, with stronger developed embouchures, also have the need to feel their embouchure is reponsive each day. Every day is a new one and our embouchures need to be "prepared" for what lies ahead. If we've played a great deal the day before, the lip may seem tired and a bit stiff. Soft playing in the low register may be more helpful. Again, careful to rest along the way.
All players will benefit fom a relaxed approach. Striving for the best tone quality will be an important goal, but is not realistic within the earliest stages of our warmup. Simply get the embouchure to feel responsive. Then once warmed up, we can begin focusing on a clear, full tone quality.
I think it is very valuable to simply blow air through the instrument without the mouthpiece (without buzzing). Feel the air through the instrument through the horn in an exaggerated way. I'd do this early in the daily routine.
Once more fully warmed up, players will turn to technical studies or control studies. Here we should be expanding registers, playing extremes in dynamics, and reviewing fundamentals. I think all players, no matter how advanced, need to continually address fundamentals in playing. With basic articulation are we getting clear definition on the beginning of all notes? Are all tongued notes sounding consistent in all registers? I would highly recommend some very simple and basic excercises found in the Arban book (see page 125) or the Herbert L. Clarke - "Technical Studies", or Goldman - "Practical Studies."
Key facility and "getting around the horn" in all keys with scale patterns, chromatic, major, minor, and diminished arpeggios are fundamental in building a good, sound technique. We train the fingers to respond to patterns and sequences we then utilize zillions of times in the future!
While younger players may be learning more advanced lip slurs, scales and arpeggios in more difficult keys or chromatic patterns, advanced players will need to maintain control and facility in these areas. Perhaps for the advanced player, viewing the Daily Routine as a Daily Maintenance program would be a more apt description of what we are trying to do each day.
Earlier I spoke of expanding dynamics and range (in all registers). Too often the low register is ignored. It is easy to end up playing primarily in a register we feel comfortable with and can control. We need to expand our control and consistency by playing in the more extreme registers at ultimately louder and softer dynamics. Always strive for your best tone quality and a beautiful sound. Consistency is the key word here. If we are inconsistent, then work on these areas in your routine every day. Work slowly to expand and improve these areas rather than try to make extreme changes too quickly.
Those who have played at least three yaers or more will find it very worthwhile to explore new and diferent daily routines. We learn much about our individual embouchures, what works on one day may not work well on another. Some players can feel very warmed up in five to ten minutes; others may need thirty minutes or more. Some days when we feel stiff or tight we may need to do fewer lip slurs, but more soft playing, primarily in the low register. Some players will swear by long tones as being essental to their warmup; others might find time spent here far less beneficial. We all are different and we should explore different approaches and new ideas. I think you'll find over the years you will change your warmup and daily routine many times.
Whether you are a young student trying to acquire skills or an advanced musician who has played many years, do view the Daily Routine as a terrific opportunity each day to get the embouchure feeling responsive, expand your dynamic control, improve your basic tonguing, renew concepts for good breathing approaches, and get your fingers moving. Then, move to practicing music in various styles as recommended by your private teacher or band or orchestra director.