WARM-UP AND MAINTENANCE ROUTINE

By popular demand we now have a dedicated section for you to do “warm-ups” with me. I have put
together a collection of warm-ups and exercises that I do on a regular basis. You should keep in mind
that this collection is only what I do and is tailored for my needs. Feel free to pick and choose only
what works best for you. You may find that doing all the exercises might benefit you, but others may
find that it is too much to do all of them. The way I use this collection is to select what I need for each
day; my warm-up can be tailored to the repertoire I am currently playing or to areas that I know I need
to work on. I also tend to make up exercises on any given day, so don’t be afraid to experiment with
whatever ideas pop into your head. For me, doing the same warm-up day to day can get boring, so it is
important for me to switch my routine from time to time.
This warm-up is divided into the following groups:
• Buzzing
• Warming up with glissandi
• Warming up with the ‘F’ attachment
• Basic slurs
• Interval warm-ups
• Flexibility
• Arpeggi
• Articulated warm-ups
• Warm-up extras
• Interval exercises
• Jazz scales

Many exercises are laid out for you such that first I will play and you will then play – similar to “call
and response”. This pattern will repeat several times and after that, you will be on your own to finish
the exercise.
Some suggestions to keep in mind:
1. Try to warm up early in the day
2. Warm up in a quiet environment so that you can hear yourself easily. This is important so that
you will not play louder than you have to.
3. Your warm-up should be stress free so take your time. Let the blood flow as the body takes
some time to get going. Don’t force.
4. Rest as much as you need. Press the pause button and take a break if needed.
5. Maintain good posture and good habits, using excellent slide technique and legato as well as
deep breathing. What you do in the warm-up determines how you will play the rest of the day.
6. Breathe when you need it. Never play when you are starved for air. Air is free so have all you
want.
7. Take a break after the warm-up and before starting your normal practice.
 Buzzing
I q = 90 Gliss all notes
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
   

˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

˙˙
˙

II q = 90 Gliss all notes

˙˙ .. ˙˙ .. ˙˙ ... ˙˙ ...
˙. ˙. ˙ ˙
 

˙˙ ... ˙˙ ... ˙˙ .. ˙˙ ..
˙ ˙ ˙. ˙.

˙˙ .. ˙˙ .. ˙˙ ... ˙˙ ...
˙. ˙. ˙ ˙

˙˙ ..
˙.

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III q = 90 Gliss all notes
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙ ˙
   

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙
˙

2
IV q = 100 Gliss all notes
˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙
   

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙
˙

V q = 100 Gliss all notes

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙
   

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

3
VI q = 100 Gliss all notes
˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙
   

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

˙˙
˙

VII q = 100 Gliss all notes

˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙
  ˙  ˙ ˙

˙˙ ˙˙
˙ ˙

˙˙
˙

4
 Warming up with glissandi
I q = 70 Gliss all notes

II q = 100 Gliss all notes

3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3 3

Play in the valve Play in the valve

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III q = 58 Gliss when possible

VI I IV

III IV

6
 Warming up with the F attachment
I q = 95
3 3
3 3 3 3

3 3
3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3

II q = 56

6 6 6 6 6 6

6 6 6 6 6 6

III q = 80

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 Basic slurs
I q = 96

II q = 80

III q = 78

Play all in the valve

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IV q = 114

V q = 70

-IV (-V)

9
 VI q = 92

(Play all in the valve)

(Play all in the valve) Play all in the valve

VII q. = 100

+IV +IV +IV IV V IV

___ V IV V IV

_
V VI V
___ VI V VI V
____ VI
___ VII VI ___ VII VI VII VI ___

10
 Interval warmups
I q = 86

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II q = 78

12
13
III q = 50

14
IV q = 80

V q = 60

15
 Flexibility
I q = 120

VII
_________________ VI
_________________

_________________ _________________
V IV

_________________ _________________
III II

I
_________________________

16
II q. = 120

I I I I

III

IV
__________

_______________________

V
____________________________________________

VI
_________________

_______________________

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III q. = 120

18
 IV q = 90

V q = 90

19
 ~~~~~ ~~~~~
~~~~ ~~~~
~~~~~
~~~~~ ~~~~~
~~~~

20
~~~~~
~~~~~
~~~~ ~~~~~
q. = 100

q = 70
~~~~

VII
VI
 Arpeggi
I q = 118

B ?

B ?

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 B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

22
 B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

23
 B ?

B ?

24
I Extended q = 118

B ? B

? B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

B ? B

? B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

Extend upwards by half steps ad libitum

25
II q. = 76

B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

B ?

26
 Articulated warmups
I Ó = 80

-IV -IV

+IV

VI V

V +IV

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II Ó = 80

-IV -IV

28
29
III q = 80

30
31
 Warm-up Extras
I q = 90

3
3

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II q = 136

33
III q = 80

ee ee ee ee ee
Ta-aa-ee-ah

(IV
__ IV
__ IV
_ III
______________ IV)

III III III

III ________________ III

_

34
IV q = 100

VI VI VI VI v1 v1

35
IVa q = 100

36
V q = 86

37
 Jazz Scales
Pentatonic

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Whole tone

39
Diminished (WT, HT)

40
41
Diminished (HT, WT)

42
Bebop minor scale

43
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