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Selected short exercises to build embouchure strength, flexibility and consistency, as well as ease of articulation.
Selected short exercises to build embouchure strength, flexibility and consistency, as well as ease of articulation.
Long Tone and Tuning Exercises
Long Tone and Tuning Exercises
• Play 3–4 tones (start on middle register notes) for 20–30+ seconds each with a 10–15 second break between them. Also try long tone scales or intervals, changing notes while playing for 30+ seconds without a break. Try a mezzo forte dynamic, and work on keeping the tone steady and focused.
• Play long tones with crescendos and diminuendos. Use the metronome on 69 per beat, and change dynamic on each beat like "stairs", 1–5, 5–1, where 1 is soft and 5 is loud. Also practice ending long tones gracefully by making a diminuendo to nothing rapidly without a pitch change.
• Play long tones with vibrato. Use the metronome on 69 per beat, and play 1,2,3 and 4 pulses per beat. Use either abdominal or throat vibrato.
• While playing a long tone, make a diminuendo from forte to pianissimo for 12 beats with the metronome on 60 on three middle register notes, then on two high octave notes, while the needle on the tuner wavers not more than 5 cents on either side from 0.
• Also, practice slow scales with a tuner or colleague sounding the tonic. Tune each note carefully and quickly; practice putting the upper octave 'on the shelf'; without sliding up or down to it.
Flexibility and Tuning Exercises
Flexibility and Tuning Exercises
I. The reed exercise involves rolling the reed and lips in and out (at the same rate) to create three different pitches (no instrument needed). The control and pitch accuracy comes primarily from rolling the lips/reed in and out, as well as air speed and pressure, not so much from jaw pressure. Perform the exercise below holding the reed, and then without any support from the hand.
II. The embouchure glissando can be used to make the half step slide in the piece written below (rather than with fingerings). Use the same rolling motion as above, this time with the reed in the instrument.
III. To work on tuning and legato playing, slur middle A, Bb, B, C, C#, D, Eb, F each up the octave and back, and down to the low octave, where possible, ending in the middle register. Play them as five half notes with the quarter at mm=60 (see example). Play the tones mezzo forte, and roll in, without the tone sounding bitten, and increase air support to play the upper octave in tune. Refer to the tuner to be sure of your pitch. Practice putting the upper octave 'on the shelf'; don't slide up or down to it. better to put it on the 'wrong shelf' at first. Make the downward slur as smooth as possible by keeping the air support to the end of the higher note.
Scale and Articulation Exercises
Scale and Articulation Exercises
Scales
• Play the 'Scale du Jour', two/three times in a row, in one breath, with a crescendo to the high register, all slurred. Do not diminuendo too soon on the descent. The goal is a legato, flexible line, which balances the volume between the registers.
• Play 'Scale du Jour' using the following rhythmic patterns. Make up new patterns that lengthen different notes in the scale. Play as fast as possible without tension in the fingers or tongue.
• Play the 'Scale du Jour' with one of these four articulations patterns, working on ease of articulation and eveness. Play as fast as possible without tension in the fingers or tongue.
Articulation and Rhythm
• Articulate five D4s (and C#4s) softly in a row quickly with the metronome. Figure out how to do it without squawking playing as fast as possible.
• Using the Scale du Jour', one octave, ascending and descending, articulate 5 16th notes on each note as fast as possible (mm=112-132+). Next, articulate 9 16th notes on each note as fast as possible while keeping the articulation light and the tongue movement easy. Also try 5 notes in scale patterns going up from each note of the scale. Try articulating repeating and scalar triplets as fast as possible.
• Play the 'Scale du Jour' using the rhythmic pattern below as fast as possible with an free articulation and accurate rhythm (from John Gillette).
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