Daily Warm Up and Conditioning Routine (2010 ITF)Brent Phillips

Baylor Universitywww.baylortrombones.com

The systematic daily approach to the instrument can be the most positive and reinforcing aspect of our craft. Use this time to develop the strong pillars, both mental and physical, that aid in our creative and technical achievement on the horn. If we simply hammer through these exercises without being aware of our everyday muscular and creative needs, we soon become tired of the process. Seek to enjoy the process of getting better. I have included many quotes from professional athletes throughout this warm up routine to help you better reconstruct the performance aspect of your profession. To simply warm up every day without spending time in the “Mind Gym” will not serve you well. See yourself at your “gold medal” or winning moment. Visualize your surroundings and hear exactly how you would like to sound. Use this daily warm up time to solidify your goals and personal concepts of tone and style. These warm up exercises are a compiled from many teachers and performers (Remmington, Alessi, Ellefson, Marsteller, Schlossberg, Arban, Lange, Whitaker, Pilafian, Sheridan).

Moving from least resistance to maximum resistance:

Exercise #1 - Breathe in and out very easily (sigh – no energy expended).

Exercise #2 - Quick work on the “cut away” – using a rim or a cut away mouthpiece, buzz the following Cimera etude.

Exercise #3 - Brush strokes – (on the mouthpiece) buzz from a comfortable low note to a note in the extended upper register. Concentrate on smooth even transfer from top to bottom. Imagine using a paintbrush; keeping the brush on the surface with even steady pressure, never letting the brush leave the surface of the wall. Work on smoothing out unevenness of texture and tone – NO AIRBALL

1

Exercise # 4 - Buzz the following Cimera etude on the mouthpiece

Exercise # 5 - Slide tube buzzing – carefully remove the outer slide. Begin downward descending scales beginning on Db.

Exercise # 6 - Buzz the following exercise – continue descending down chromatically (Ellefson) Buzz two measures in one breath.

2

Exercise #7 - Buzz Stretch (Lange)

Exercise # 8 - Down to Business - Play the following long tone exercise slowly and deliberately. Seek to define the perfect air to buzz ratio.

“In spite of all the distractions, remained focused on the job.” Reggie Jackson

Exercise #9 - Practice Mute playing -Play the following glissando exercise on a practice mute first –then open!

3

Exercise # 10 - Full fortissimo sound round of the ends of whole notes (open)

“Competitive toughness is an acquired skill and not an inherited gift” Chris Evert

“Under pressure, you can perform 15 percent better or 15 percent worse.” Scott Hamilton

Exercise #11 – Soft intervals – play the following interval study (Alessi) as soft as possible with a good tone. Breathe when necessary, repeating the note before the breath.

4

“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field.” Vince Lombardi

Exercise #12 – Glissando Work (Lange)

Exercise #13 – Flow Studies (Pilafian/Sheridan/Whitaker)

5

Exercise #14 – Valve Slurs (Lange)

Exercise #15 – Lip Slurs (Schlossberg)

6

“I may win and I may lose, but I will never be defeated.” Emmitt Smith

Exercise #16 - Flexibility (Alessi)

“It’s not the size of a man, but the size of his heart that matters.” Evander Holyfield

Exercise #17 – Valve Challenge (Phillips)

Exercise #18 – Range Building (Alessi) – This exercise is the most important towards building security in the high register and developing smooth even slurs.

7

Work on eliminating any “shift” or “resetting” during this exercise. Play each grouping of slurs in one breath. Alessi recommends expanding upwards by adding the next note in the arpeggio series.

8

9

10

Exercise #19 – (Arban)

Exercise #20 – (Schlossberg)

11