Cat No. JM50489
Price £40.50
Composer: John Edmondson
Category: WARM-UPS for BAND

Grade 1.0

TEACHING AIDS For The Director: Adequate warm-ups are critically important for young under developed embouchures. Warm-ups are best accomplished in an organized manner prior to rehearsing program material, since young players are rarely trained or disciplined enough to warm-up individually. A warm-up session can also be effectively used for daily drills and training in listening (balance, blend, intonation and tuning), articulation and lip slur practice, tone production and breath support, precise attacks and releases, proper phrasing, and dynamic control and contrasT.

These exercises, patterns and chorales are all designed to help you accomplish the above. They have been thoroughly time-tested to improve skills, and to be interesting
to the students. They are organized so that they can be used (some or all of them) in the order they appear on the page, as outlined on the next page.

It is never too late to develop good rehearsal and warm- up habits and routines. Ideally, each student should enter the rehearsal room, assemble his or her instrument, (making sure it is in good condition for the rehearsal — a spare reed is at hand, etc.), check the music folder for a sharp pencil (never ball point pen or anything that cannot be erased later) and the correct music; take a seat, adjust the stand to the proper height, and then lightly blow warm air through the instrument WlTHOUT MAKlNG A SOUND. The first musical sounds in the rehearsal hall should be as a group under the conductor’s direction.


A. EMBOUCHURE RELAXER. Wind players must carefully loosen tight embouchure muscles just as athletes stretch and loosen tight muscles prior to all-out physical activity. Keep the dynamic level very soft, and hold each note a comfortably long time with adequate pauses between notes for muscle
relaxation.

B. BASIC WARM-UP. Now that the muscles are “stretched” and ready to work, move on to this five-note sequence (do to sol) from the B Concert Scale. For additional warm-ups, repeat the pattern using re to Ia, mi to ti, etc. Also, use the pattern in other keys, especially those of works to be rehearsed later. Be sure the release at the end of each phrase is precisely together at the third count and not somewhere in between two and three.

C. ARTICULATION AND SUBDIVISION OF BEAT. Select one of the eight available patterns, and adapt it to the BI Concert Scale, repeating the pattern on each step of the scale as you proceed upward. Concentrate on a steady tempo, with accurate subdivision of the beat, with adequate breath support behind firm tonguing. if only one pattern is to be used, number five is suggested as the best single choice, Use as many patterns and as many scales as your schedule allows.

D. LIP SLURS. Although lip slurs are designed primarily for brass players, woodwind players will find these especially useful for finger coordination practice; i.e., the correct groupings of fingers moving up or down together. Some reed parts slur to the second note up an octave, rather than to the lower octave (Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone and Oboe).

E. Bb. CONCERT SCALE IN 3rds/5ths/7ths. A favorite device and a refreshing way to play scales. The band is divided into four separate groups In the score, with each group entering two notes after the last group, so that ultimately every on is playing the scale in thirds, triads or seventh chords. This device has been adapted to the Discovery Series instrumentation and format and can be easi- ly memorized, Use the last four measures for tuning by isolating each chord, holding it and adjusting pitches as necessary through careful individual listening.

F. TALLIS’ CANON. A two-part canon for everyone begins this chorale, followed by a harmonization of the melody for full band. The opening canon should be
played in four-measure phrases, each with its pick-up note, and the harmonize version has breath marks provided. Keep the tempo steady, and never let it rush.

G. OLD HUNDREDTH. “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow” is the familiar title of this chorale. This has been arranged so that the normal fermata pauses
are written out, and the percussion provides a rhythmic accompaniment. Stress precise releases at the third count at each phrase ending. Daily warm-ups should never become drudgery or be boring. Keep them fresh and imaginative by adapting these patterns and ideas to your particular needs. Above all, use this valuable time to teach musicianship.