play routine soft?

[orchestraltrpt]

Anyone ever play the entire routine soft, or close to as soft as possible? Do you think this is good or bad to do? Thanks for you input.

[robert_white]

I don't see how playing the entire routine softly would be of much value, but I try to incorporate a wide dynamic range into the exercises.

When I'm doing the routine, I'm trying to play everything with a free and full sound. Some days this is softer at "sqare one" than on other days. Regardless, as long as things are speaking and responding well, I'll use my imagination to make things musically interesting: dynamics, tempos, articulations, etc. If my sound for whatever reason isn't 100% right off the bat, then I'll usually play as simply and clearly as possible with a clear full mf-f until things seem to be speaking well. This almost always is directly related to how mentally "awake" I am when practicing.

On an average day, though, here are examples of some things I might try that incorporate dynamics practice into the routine:

- Long tones: Begin forte on G, diminuendo each note to niente over, say, 16 slow counts.
- Chromatics: Alternate loud and soft, or cresc/diminuendo and dim/crescendo
- Schlossberg #6: self-explanatory. I go for maximum contrast on this one (niente to really intense FF and back)
- Arban ST excercises: alternating not just loud/soft volume, but hard/soft tounguing as well.

There's all kinds of possibilities.

[ This Message was edited by: robert_white on 2004-08-05 23:34 ]

[Billy B]

In recent lessons with Mr. Adam he has had me play routine through the chromatic scales softly then begin to open up after that. His only explanation is that this should help develop the high range. At the same time he has me alternate days starting long tones on G then C. When I asked him about those time I would hear Bob Slack et al playing extremely loud routine, he just changed the subject. Analysis breeds paralysis.

[PH]

Mr. Adam uses different routines, different dynamics, different qualities of tone, different kinds of articulation, etc. according to what is needed at each player's current stage of development.

In general, he has students play routine on the loud side as a way to focus on moving the air energy through the sound and in order to release unproductive physical tension. However, at some stages, especially when a student has begun to achieve this state of energized relaxation, he will have students play all or much of the routine at softer volumes.

Like Billy, I recall a time when he had me play softer in order to improve my upper register.