Ensemble Warm-Up Book

(Conductor)

Contents: Part I. Breathing Exercises Book By: Peter Connell

Part II. Flexibilities
Part III. Articulation
Part IV. Ensemble Skills
Part V. Scales

I. Breathing Exercises: Breathing is the MOST IMPORTANT technique required to make music on an
instrument. Even though it requires a lot of work it is important to keep breathing SIMPLE...steady
consistent air PULLED into the lungs. Our most efficient breathing occurs while sleeping. It can then be
deduced that all too often over analysis of this technique and the inner workings of creating breathe can
lead to tension rather than relaxation. An appropriate illustration would be to try and "yawn", that is
probably the best example of a truly relaxed and full breathe.

A. Relaxation Exercise. With your arms at your sides close your eyes and allow yourself to take
even and relaxed breathes. Try to relax every muscle in your body allowing maximum efficiency.
Don't allow the air to stop on the inhale but flow evenly from inhale to exhale.

B. Visualization Exercises (all should be taken at a variety of different tempos while marking time).
Breathe In 4 Counts/Exhale 4 Counts.

1) Paper Airplane (simulates p dynamic)

2) Dart (simulates mf dynamic)
3) Bow (simulates f dynamic)

C. In horn exercises (Taken at a variety of different tempos while marking time, using a variety of
different combinations of in 4/out 8, in 4/out 4, in 4/out 2, in 2/out 8....etc.)
(These exercises should also be practiced simulating a wide range of dynamics as well.)

II. Flexibility

ex.1 - A. Mouthpiece buzzing (The key is NO PRESSURE and consistent free-flowing air stream...RELAX!

1) Up for 4 down for 4 on the mouthpiece (smooth effortless connection through

the registers).
2) Long tones on a concert F or Bb (buzzing and then playing on the instrument).

B. In Horn exercises (2-10). All should be practiced with:

i) Consistent steady airstream.
ii) Maximum Relaxation...at a variety of different tempos and dynamic levels.
iii) Going down and back up "the series".

"the series": Is a term used to describe the natural movement through the partial series on
brass instruments:
Valved: Open, 2nd Valve, 1st Valve, 1st + 2nd, and back up.
Trombone: 1st position, 2nd position, 3rd position, 4th position, and back up.
 Special Note for Mellophone: The Mellophone is keyed
EXERCISE #2 - Two Note Slur in F so all of the lip slur excercises (2-10) will sound a
perfect 4th below the trumpets.

Brass: Two -Note Lip-slur. (play > bzz or sing > play)

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(p - mf - f)

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(cont. back up the series...see page 1)

Woodwinds: Two -Note Slur. (play > Sing > play)

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(cont. back up series)

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

EXERCISE #3 - Three-Note Slur/Major Scales

Brass: Three -Note lip slur

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(cont. back up series)

Woodwinds: Major Scales in Eighths

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(cont. back up series)

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EXERCISE #4 - Four Note Lip Slur/Chromatic Scale in Eighths.

Brass: Four -Note lip slur

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(cont. back up series)

Woodwinds: Chromatic Scale in Eighths

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3 3 3
3

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3 3 3
3

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3 3 3

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3 3
3
(cont. back up series)

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

EXERCISE #5 - Five Note Lip Slur/Chromatic Scale in Triplets

Brass: Five -Note lip-slur (play > bzz or sing > play)

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(cont. back up series)

Woodwinds: Chromatic Scales in Triplets

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3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3

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3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3

3 3

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3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3

3 3 3

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3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3
(cont. back up series)

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

 Velocity Lip-slurs
EXERCISE #6

%
(cont. thru the series)

EXERCISE #7

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(cont. thru the series)

EXERCISE #8

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(cont. thru the series)

EXERCISE #9


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(cont. thru the series)

EXERCISE #10 Variation: This exercise begins incorporating valve/slide work into the traditional lip slur.

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(cont. back up the series)

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

III. Articulation (Key > Same relaxed consistent airstream!!!!!!)

EXERCISE #11 - 4 - quarters and 8 eighths (practice at a variety of different tempos/dynamics...using either
staccato or legato articulation)

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(cont. back down Bb scale)
Articulation Study
Legato/Staccato exercise (trying to apply the SAME approach...air...into both styles). The 3 Step approach, focus
on the steps individually at first and then combine together into 1 seamless exercise. 1) Down the entire scale and
back up in eighth notes with a legato tongue (the model for a relaxed airstream). 2) Down the entire scale and
back up playing two eighth-notes (tenuto) on every pitch (maintaining the relaxed constant airstream. 3) Down
the entire scale and back up playing a staccato eighth note on every pitch (still maintaining a good airstream
through the separation). Gradually increase tempo. Be sure that they don't cutoff the airstream with articulation.
EXERCISE #12

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Step 1 - The Model Airstream

AIR > > > > > > > > > > > >

Step 2 - Maintain Model Airstream while bouncing the tongue off of the river of air.

% ; ; ; ;
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
AIR > > > > > > > > > > > >
; ; AIR > > > > > > > > > > > >

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Step 3 - Maximum separation, while
keep the breathe and airstream
AIR > > > > > > > > > > > > consistent (the same as the model).

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

EXERCISE #13 - Double Tonguing exercise

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Ta Ka Ta Ta Ka Ta Ta Ka Ta Ka Ta Ka Ta

EXERCISE #14 - Articulability (Articulation + Flexibility)

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%


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EXERCISE #15 - - > B. D. < - A finesse exercise. The key is to keep it light with a consistent airstream.

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

IV. Ensemble Skills
A. Balance and Blend (the levels of listening)
1.) Am I producing a characteristic sound on my instrument?
2.) Am I blending into my section's sound?
3.) Am I listening to the rest of the ensemble?

Flow Study: The purpose of this exercise is to produce a consistent and characteristic sound
through the registers. In other word: the same beautiful open sound you produce on the 1st pitch should
be the model for all of the pitches as you decend into the bottom portion of your register. This exercise is
also great for working on ensemble intonation and pitch matching. Have half of the section hold the tonic
for each two bar phrase as a point of reference. This exercise can and ideally would be played in all keys.

249

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Chord Progressions: The purpose of playing chord progressions are 3 fold: 1) As an intonation exercise.
2) As a stagger-breathing exercise. 3) Because they are fun to play really loud!
A Note on stagger-breathing: Keep this technique as simple as possible. Don't breathe at the same spot
as the person standing next to you. As an exercise have the ensemble sustain a mp concert f, and tell
them to take a step forward when the take a breath (as a means of visualization).

Bb - Basic

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!!!!!!!NO BREATHING ON A BARLINE!!!!

F - With a twist

G - Minor

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!!!!!!!NO BREATHING ON A BARLINE!!!!

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

 Bach Chorale


Fl.- %


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Cl.-





A.Sax- %


%

T.Sax-


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Tpet-



Hn.- %

>



Tbn.-


>


Euph.-

>

Tuba-

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.

 The Navy Hymn


%
Fl.-



Cl.- %


A.Sax- %



T.Sax- %



Tpet.- %


Hn.- %

>

Tbn.-

>

Euph.-

>


Tuba-

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.
 Doxology



Fl.- %

Cl.- %

A.Sax-

%

T.Sax- %

Tpet-

%

Hn.- %

>




Tbn.-

>

Euph.-

>


Tuba-

2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.
 V. Major Scales and Triads

Db- %


Ab- %

Eb- %

%

Bb-

F- %

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C-


G- %

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D-


A- %

E- %

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B-

F#- %
2012 Innovative Marching, Long Beach CA.