VERY simple (hard) exercise
Posted: Thu May 16, 2024 12:12 pm
I've gone back to doing long tones/expanding interval exercises, whereby I'm working on breath control, beauty of sound at all volume levels, and intonation all at the same time. I only do two octaves. I start at second space B-flat and go up and down half steps until I reach the B-flat at the top of the staff and the B-flat below the staff. I start each pitch at pianissimo, crescendo two slow measures to fortissimo, and diminuendo back two measures to pianissimo and fading Into nothing on each pitch. It doesn't take very long, and it focuses my attention on probably the three most important aspects of playing (ok plus "time", as I'm also attempting to keep the time steady) all at once. I do have a tuner turned on, and glance over at it when I'm suspicious that I might be wandering a bit off course.
I don't do this as a "warmup". I play random stuff and maybe even an etude or two before doing this. I prefer that I'm awake and aware and blood is flowing before working on this... I don't like the word "routine". I like to really be paying attention when working on something regularly, and not just going through the motions (ie. with no sharpened awareness nor even any self-critiquing involved).
If I don't like the way I started one of the pitches, I will start that one over. I want to make sure that I have breathed in just the way I intended, and started the pitch at just the volume level that I intended.
If I catch the pitch wavering amidst a crescendo or dominuendo much more than a couple of cents, I'll start over on that pitch.
I don't do this as a "warmup". I play random stuff and maybe even an etude or two before doing this. I prefer that I'm awake and aware and blood is flowing before working on this... I don't like the word "routine". I like to really be paying attention when working on something regularly, and not just going through the motions (ie. with no sharpened awareness nor even any self-critiquing involved).
If I don't like the way I started one of the pitches, I will start that one over. I want to make sure that I have breathed in just the way I intended, and started the pitch at just the volume level that I intended.
If I catch the pitch wavering amidst a crescendo or dominuendo much more than a couple of cents, I'll start over on that pitch.