Warm Up Workflow - Do this every practice session!
1) Tune by ear - https://www.tuningdrones.com/
2) Voicing
3) Fundamental Skill Exercise - Switch between 'Jazz' embouchure and 'Classical' embouchure
4) Tune again (briefly) just to be safe
1) Tuning by Ear
Match pitch using a drone tone. This website has a tool: https://www.tuningdrones.com/
Please use the octave C3 and transpose to B Flat.
(Andrew is checking out other options to find something better, but the linked website is good for now!)
Tune various registers - low, middle, and high.
2) Voicing
Consider playing through this voicing warm-up sheet or choosing exercises from the voicing book. You may invent your own warm up too!
3) Fundamental Skill
Posted: 4/26/2026
Play the Long Tone Song  - Long Tone Backing
(Still practice the loose, jazzy embouchure here. When it is comfortable, try it on scales)
Play the C Major Scale Song - Scale Song Backing
Posted: 4/20/2026
Use the "loose" embouchure and play long tones on comfortable notes (middle C, middle B, etc). Push in your mouthpiece as needed to be in tune. Emphasize feeling relaxed when playing. You can switch back to the "regular" embouchure after you've long toned, if you like.
Practice the C Major Key. Follow this reference sheet. (You have a hard copy too!)
OLD:
Posted: 3/9/2026
Quiet - Practice playing low notes (anything below G) as softly as possible. Have good tone quality and pitch too. You'll need to focus on a steady airstream and controlled embouchure.
Posted: 1/5/2026
Subtone - Practice using subtone on short passages and then switch to full tone (just grab an old piece to play a few measures from)
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To play subtone, let the reed gently rest on your bottom lip (as if it were sleeping) and gently blow just enough air to make it vibrate. It may be helpful to start just by blowing air into the horn - no tone just the sound of your breath. Then gradually increase air + pressure in the corners of your mouth. Experiment!
Lastly, subtone may work better if the bottom lip is closer to the tip of the reed. Try different positions and see what works for you.
4) Tune again
Do one more quick tuning at the end of the warm up to make sure everything is set.
Old Warm Ups can be found in Resources -> Archives.