No one ever said that I was fast.
After decades of teaching the same 20-minute warm-up, I have recently found something even better to add to my practice routine.
I now play the same recording as before but have found added benefits to this routine by changing the tempo (doubling the speed) and form (playing the scales twice) of the original exercise.
Included below is a copy of the updated exercise.
The benefit of the original 20-minute warm-up was achieved by gradually increasing to higher notes as well as including lower notes to keep the lip flexible. By performing these exercises each day, the player is able to become more proficient as well as more comfortable playing in the upper register on his/her instrument. This regular practice gains for the player the feeling as well as the security with each half step increase in their high range.
When performing the original exercise, the player tends to place more effort and attention on the highest note which tends to increase effort in the air as well as the embouchure. By following this new approach, less energy is used to play the same high notes because of the need to perform the same chromatic scale twice. Unlike one note to achieve as in the original, the succession of two attempts lessens the tension so that the top note is performed with far less effort, making it much easier to play.
How this works-
- Start the 20-minute warm-up as before.
- Rather than play the first version of the warm-up, play as indicated of the accompanying sheet music.
- Keep your dynamics in the p-pp range.
- Repeat the scale at twice the recorded speed.
- Slur every note.
- As before, reach your target high note and then retrace your scales back to the first single octaves.
That’s it.
For me, this has improved my upper register substantially.
Try it and let me know if it works for you.
Sheet music-
Original recording-
