TheCanadianScreamer

In my experience, I have always felt the warm up to be a load of crap. A bunch of method books i have read tells you to do a huge, drawn out warm up including buzzing, scales, lip slurs etc. I personlally feel that a thirty secon warm up including a two octave C to C scale and maybe a cromatic scale to be sufficiant. Am i an idiot or do you agree.
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"If you don't read well, tell people you just had brain surgery" - Da Tasteebros

ldwoods

I would not consider you an idiot, even if you do quote "Da Tasteebros".

In regards to warmups, I firmly believe it is a personal thing. If what you are doing is working for you, then I'd say there is no need to do anything different. Just remember, if you do start having issues, you may want to reconsider the warmup issue. We all change as time goes on.

Deecy

Take a look at this before you decide that warmups are for sissies.
Absolutele eye-opener.

http://www.shout.net/~jmh/articles/freddie01.html

NickD

Great article, Tom! As I read it I could only think, "been there! I can sure relate!"

Warm ups are individual. Bobby Shew's warm up consists of fluttering his chops for a few seconds. He picks his horn up and BAM! Double C - with hair on it!

I've stories of Doc showing hours before a gig to warm up and get ready.

Personally, I can pick my horn up and play pretty cold and squirt out some high notes cold, but I don't PLAY well cold. I prefer a twenty minute warm up if I have to play right away.

On gig days what I do is PRACTICE. I have a gig tonight. I started practicing at 10 AM. I play a lttle and then put it down, play a little, and the go out and cut the grass, play a little and then go work out, etc. By the time I get ready to go to work tonight I'll have practiced about three hours on trumpet and one to two hours on piano. It will appear to others that I'll take my horn ot of the case and play cold, but that won't really be the case. I'm just ready to go.

It really depends on the player and the gig, IMHO.

FWIW coming from me!

Nick

PS: BTW, on days when I don't have a gig, I do the following routine:
PRACTICE! There really isn't anyu difference, unless I want a day off.

bigtiny

Well, like anything else with playing the trumpet, this is largely subjective. I know that for me, I have a standard warm up that I do every day before practice or play. If I don't do the warmup, I have about 1/3 the stamina and playing as I do if I warm up.

bigtiny

oldlou

This is from an antiquated 'comebacker' that will never have the raw talent that you display now. I am most intrigued by your mastery of the trumpet/cornet. While I enjoy listening to you play jazz, your classical work is superlative. If I were given the oportunity to advise you, it would be to spend more time on your fantastic classical work. In my humble opinion, you have the makings of another classical giant.


Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to meet you in Chicago at the TM get together, whenever that might occur.


OLDLOU>>

trpt2345

I agree, and that was one of the things Barbara Butler instilled in me. From the first lesson I had with her she stressed there is no physical need for a warm up. Good fundamentals are everything. Especially when one has a consistent routine of playing and practicing I feel you're always sort of on. I don't worry about it. Same with warm down. I need to play, I play.
One of the CSO guys, one of the trombonists, don't remember who, said, "Warm up? We never cool down."

Michael McLaughlin

"This is not at all bad, except as prose."
Gore Vidal

dbacon

Back in the 70's it was great to hear the CSO and check out Mr. Herseth, Mr. Jacobs et. al. before performances. I still use a warm up pattern Mr. Jacobs used on stage, and Mr. Herseth could often be heard playing scales, or Clarke Studies, etc. Mr. Crisafulli was the best...put the mouthpiece in the trombone, put it out on the stage, go back stage, wait for the first note of the performance. He had practiced at home, a student of his assured me. Mr. Farkas certainly had the most extensive warm up.

I like a good 20 mins of basics each day before any heavy work. A few long tones/flow studies over the range, get the brain going then the breathing. Embouchure, tonguing, fingering. I can play from a cold start but enjoy a good warm up.