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.
