second session

[senea]

I have found a great deal of information on the 'warm-up' or the first session of the day, but I want to know what you guys do to warm-up for the other sessions of the day when you play.

Would you do something different if you got to rehearsal 20 minutes early than if you got there five minutes early?

senea

[ This Message was edited by: senea on 2004-02-05 07:13 ]

[PH]

This is actually a great question. This depends on a number of things, including how much I played earlier in the day, how heavy the playing is going to be later in the day, how long I was away from the horn between sessions, etc.

If I put the horn down for a couple of hours I usually do a few notes on the leadpipe, followed by a few long tones or flow studies, followed by a bit of pronunciation. This is sort of a condensed version of the routine I use to start the day.

If I don't actually lay off enough to really cool down I might just dive right in and start looking at the music in front of me, although I wouldn't start with the toughest lick and I'd be sure to do it slowly and smoothly until I reestablish my relationship with the instrument and get my brain back into thinking in terms of sound instead of words or music notation.

[_Don Herman]

Pat -- WARNING! NOT ADAM! Delete if inappropriate! But, I'd like to chip in on this: "Would you do something different if you got to rehearsal 20 minutes early than if you got there five minutes early?"

One of the things I have to watch, especially as a CP (comeback player) and not a working pro (anymore, and never was much), is overdoing it before rehearsal. If I get there twenty minutes early and play for twenty minutes, I am often decreasing my effective "on" time. Part of this is because I may be sightreading, and if I don't have a good idea (mental sound) of the parts, I'll be lipping stuff in and out all over trying to find the notes. Kills endurance, not too mention sound. And, I always forget to breath when I'm so focused on trying to read those little black thingies on the page... Another part of it is that I'll start looking for tough spots, and maybe get nervous about what I have to play, so I'll work harder. It can be twenty minutes of constant playing (with no break) trying to get the music perfect. I suspect that's enough to wear out many of us!

So, five minutes early, I'll do a quick, easy warmup, e.g.: long tones, Clarke #1 stuff, then slurs covering the range I need to play or a little more, and finally a little tonguing practice just to make sure everything's working. or not. Then I'll look over the music, trying to spot the tricky parts and/or ugly transpositions. One last little warmup blow, then start the rehearsal.

Twenty minutes early, I'll pull out my horn and do a few tones, easy slurs, then put it down and start looking through the music. With extra time, I can try to sing it to myself, and/or play the tricky parts slowly to work out rhythyms and fingerings (and, of course, those transpositions -- now I have time to pencil in the fingerings of the tricky ones). Anything over the staff I'll play down if I practice it -- I want to learn the sound of it, get it in my mind, and not wear myself (and everybody else) out hammering away at an unknown part in the stratosphere. Octave transpositions I can handle pretty well. Then, do my five minute warmup. Ideally. As for what really happens, well, let's just not go there!

I realize a pro will do things much differently. If appropriate, I'd like to hear suggestions for "fast" warmups. As I am also the soundman at church, more often than not I come in and have to play with the board during the practice time, leaving me only enough for a very quick warmup before playing. I've worked hard over the past few years to reduce the warmup I need, but would love to hear an Adam perspective on the "quickie warmup" if there is one.

Thanks! - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[senea]

Wow thanks! I was beginning to think I had asked an abysmal question.

Quickie warmup for not-the-first session, yeah, I think that's what I'm looking for - I wish I could figure out how to change the topic name.

I have great morning routines and then I get to the second session and I never figure out what I need to make it solid - as evidenced by the amount of crapping all over myself I end up doing. I tried flow studies and clarkes but I still feel stiff, and I always feel too rushed to play long tones. Maybe that's what I need anyway though. I'm trying that tomorrow.

Pat what do you do with pronunciation?

senea