Does the starting point of your warm up matter?

[henrikbe]

Just saw this, by Doug, on another thread:

DO NOT START ON LOW Bb (2nd line)

Start an octave higher - middle Bb

It's called "middle" for a reason.

Though I may have misunderstood, I suppose what Doug had it mind here was where to start learning(?), but it got me thinking: Does your starting point, the first tone you blow when warming up on a given day, influence your playing for the rest of the day in any way? I usually start on third partial F, and descend long semitones down to the pedal range, before restarting at the F again, and going semitones up to high Bb (if I'm able to reach it). I've always assumed it's best to start low, but can a low starting point "set" my embouchure in a way, making it harder for me to play high (and easier to play low)? Or is the starting point completely irrelevant, and will any random tone as starting point give the same results (after a few minutes of playing)?

[norbie2018]

Didn't Bill Watrous state his starting point was the g above the staff? I know I've seen Christian Lindberg state everything should be based around the feeling of the f in the staff. Long time exercises from Remington start on the middle Bb. Is that confusing enough for you? The point is there are many answers and they relate back to what works for the individual. What is that saying? Try everything and use what works for you?

[Redthunder]

Yes. It matters. If you have the same first note every day, then that note, and be extension, that range of the horn, is going to be the most comfortable for you. Henrikbe, you yourself implied high b flat is not something that’s always accessible. Try starting your warmup higher, like middle b flat or even a middle D, and expand outward chromatically in half steps, up and down for an octave in either direction, at the same time, instead of going all the way down to your pedals, and then all the way up. See if it makes a difference for yourself.

[harrisonreed]

I always start on an Ab, bottom space in the staff.

[Doug Elliott]

My view of a warm-up is completely different from most.
I'm not going to go into details, but the starting note and what you do from there definitely affects your comfort zone.

[BeardedPicc]

After this came up the other day I've been starting my warm-ups on middle Bb and going up, and then coming back to middle Bb and working down to relax the embouchure after playing higher. Since starting that I've noticed that my higher range seems to feel more comfortable than before, although not much as I am still a beginner. But I definitely think I'm going to keep using it as my starting point and see how it continues to work for me.

[Doug Elliott]

If that's already working well, try starting on D

[Redthunder]

After this came up the other day I've been starting my warm-ups on middle Bb and going up, and then coming back to middle Bb and working down to relax the embouchure after playing higher. Since starting that I've noticed that my higher range seems to feel more comfortable than before, although not much as I am still a beginner. But I definitely think I'm going to keep using it as my starting point and see how it continues to work for me.

If you want a more detailed routine based around this idea, check out Rich Wiley's book "Focal Point", available on his website, boptism.com. It features four sets of routines, each starting on a different note, between F below middle B flat and F above middle B flat.

[BeardedPicc]

Doug, the D above is actually a more comfortable and stable note for me, so I'll definitely try it. The F above is definitely not, but hey, if I start on D then it should only get more comfortable quicker right?

Redthunder, thanks for tip! I'll give that a look and try then out!

[Doug Elliott]

Start on D and do lip slurs both directions from there. When F becomes more comfortable, start there.

[imsevimse]

I don't want to be dependent on a special warm-up. My gigs are often with minimal warmup so I try to practice like I'm doing a gig. My start is mostly on a Swedish folk song or any other folk song like "Jenny with the light brown hair" (starting on d above the staff) or "Londonderry air" (starting on something like e within the staff) I need to start something that gets the flow in order and I like to start legato. This was just as an example, but I usually start within the staff or just above the staff. Then I play the same song in a few different keys, usually going up a semitine or down until I decide it's time to try another.

If Im very short on time I only play a chromatic scale. It might be with a practice mute just before the gig. I start on Bb above the staff and play one octave up and if I have another minute continue and repeat down in semitones until I get to f within the staff. If I have yet another 30 seconds I start on the Bb again and go up in semitones to d. After this I rest That's my shortest warm-up that serves the purpose.

/Tom

[Harpcat]

This thread is really interesting. I’ve been starting my daily warmups on D above the staff for the last week and the results seem very encouraging. My lower range seems much more solid now. Not sure if something has changed or if it’s simply the placebo effect of trying something new/different. However, I’m gonna stick with if for no other reason than DE suggested it. Anyone else care to weigh in after changing their warmup?

[BeardedPicc]

Starting on D4 was working well for me. It was definitely helping me become more comfortable in the higher range and I was feeling comfortable with it. The last week I decided to take it up to F4 like suggested. This helped my high range more, but I'm actually starting to have some issues with my low range. Before I could slur into my low range fine, but now it's difficult. Although that could just be that my embouchure muscles are working in a more correct way now, staying firm still while descending, and I just haven't figured out yet how to slur into the low range that way.

[SaigonSlide]

Lately I've been trying purposefully to mix things up, rather than always start with the same exercise on the same note. I used to be the opposite: always start on middle Bb. Now I"ve bene starting somewhere on the next partial, like B natural, and extending up and down chromatically until i've gone an octave in either direction.

I think it's important to stay flexible (pun intended). When you get anchored to a certain way of doing something it makes it harder to change to something else. Kind of like why certain keys are just easier to play in...doesn't make any sense why B major feels awkward compared to Bb major.

[imsevimse]

I think it's important to stay flexible (pun intended). When you get anchored to a certain way of doing something it makes it harder to change to something else. Kind of like why certain keys are just easier to play in...doesn't make any sense why B major feels awkward compared to Bb major.

Exactly!🖒When you are new to the instrument then the start note and start pattern is very important, but this is as long as the foundation is not set. As you get better you need to go away from those patterns especially if you notice you are bound to do them. It is fine to continue in your comfort zone if you always are in control of your environment but if you aren't, and the gig is coming up and you have no time to warm up then you better be prepared to do the gig with no or minimal warmup.

We often think we have to do things a certain way but when we investigate the matter we can do things many ways and they might all work. Don't stop to do experiments because you leave childhood. Include the new circumstances in your training and your confort zone will increase as you learn to do it new ways.

/Tom

[Pre59]

Kind of like why certain keys are just easier to play in...doesn't make any sense why B major feels awkward compared to Bb major.

Maybe because familiarity breeds content?

[PaulTdot]

The part of the horn you start in definitely matters, though the effects are sometimes subtle. I always encourage my students and other players to start somewhere near the top of your "comfortable" range. My rule of thumb is "pick the highest note which feels comfortable to play at the end of a long gig, on tired chops", and start your warmup there.

Think of your low range as an extended technique to work up to, just like the extreme upper register. Slurring up and down from the middle of the horn is a great way to do that.

[VJOFan]

I have to admit that I had never thought about this idea until this thread. Because I don't have to worry about screwing up my playing (I pick and choose where, when and how much I play) I try things these days.

I am feeling that it is beneficial to not always play in the lower middle range before going too far above the staff.

I also will echo some of the intimations above and in similar threads that flexibility style exercises do more good on balance for my playing than long tones especially in terms of ease of playing in different registers.

[ArbanRubank]

I always start on middle F because that's where my "spiderweb-based" long-tone patterns start and I always start off with long-tones.

Middle F makes the most sense to me in this context. It gives me all the room I need, as I alternately work up & down; well into the high range and through all of the trigger notes, well into the pedals. So far, I haven't run out of notes on either end and probably never will - if we consider the ultra-high range as well as the double & triple pedals! Lol.

[norbie2018]

I've just started using d above the staff as my starting note. I purchased Focal Point and have been incorporating those exercises into my routine. Give me a few weeks/months to see how it goes.