In my first lesson with Russell Gray, we talked about constucting a routine that covered all areas of technique. I have always used this as a basis for any routine I have used.
For the last two months I have returned to a style of practice I tried a few years ago - Claude Gordon. If you don't know who CG is, Google him - his list of students is impressive, and his method book output is huge. I do not follow any of his methods strictly, but base my routines on them loosely.
The first thing to say about Claude Gordon's approach, is how he sees breathing. He has an approach that is quite out of the ordinary, where the chest stays up throughout exhalation. This seems counter-intuitive, but actually has a big impact on playing, especially range. More on that in another post.
With time being precious (a busy life as a school teacher, a wife and son and a band to rehearse with) a concise, but full routine is essential! This is a diary of my practice routines since I started with Claude Gordon material. I have kept this in a little book, keeping a journal...
On days of rehearsal and/or concert/contest, warm-up only.
From Sat 17th March
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing - 5 in, 5 full, 5 out, 5 squeeze x10
- Inhale over 5 ("Big Breath, Chest Up")
- Stay full for 5 (keep the chest up)
- Blow hard over 5 (keep the chest up)
- Keep blowing over 5 (keep the chest up)
- Starting on middle G, one octave descending arpeggio, holding the bottom note as long as possible.
- Then in each key down to C major (i.e. pedal C)
- Then, play two octaves in the same way (low C to double pedal C), then in B-flat and G
- Then, three octaves in F major (from middle F to triple pedal F), then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- Vincent Chicowicz style Flow Studies working up to high C (and above) with equal balance in the low and pedal ranges
1. Lip Slurs
- Low C - middle G - middle C - middle G - low C (as many times as possible in one breath)
- Then the same on B, B-flat, A, A-flat, G and F-sharp
- Middle G - middle C - upper E - middle C - middle G (as many times as possible)
- Then on F-sharp, F, E, E-flat, D and D-flat
- Middle C - upper E - upper G - upper E - middle C (as many times as possible)
- Then on B, B-flat, A, A-flat, G and F-sharp
- Simple, scalic passages covering around a fifth, entirely single tongued
- Some kind of Clarke material - nothing too planned
- Work on pieces that need it!
From Sat 24th March
WARM-UP:
- Exactly the same as last week
1. Lip Slurs
- C-G-C-E-C-G-C etc...
- G-C-E-G^-E-C-G etc...
- C-E-G^-B-flat-G-E-C etc...
- #1 to 7 (or 13), slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued
- Followed by a one octave chromatic scale up and down from C to C, slurred, then double, then triple tongued
- Work on pieces that need it!
From Sat 31st March
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing (the same)
2. CG Long Holds (the same)
3. CG Upward Arpeggios:
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Slurs
- C-G-C-E-C-G-C etc...
- G-C-E-G^-E-C-G etc...
- C-E-G^-B-flat-G-E-C etc...
- #1 to 7 (or 13), slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued
- Followed by a one octave chromatic scale up and down from C to C, slurred, then double, then triple tongued
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Two octave arpeggio down from low C, three times (CG "Relax Lips")
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing (the same)
2. CG Long Holds + 5 Notes:
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Slurs
- C-G-C-E-G^-E-C-G-C etc...
- G-C-E-G^-B-flat-G-E-C-G etc...
- C-E-G^-B-flat-C-B-flat-G-E-C etc...
- #1 to 7 (or 13), slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued
- Followed by a one octave chromatic scale up and down from C to C, down to low F-sharp and back to low C: slurred, then double, then triple tongued
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Two octave arpeggio down from low C, three times (CG "Relax Lips")
- Play an extra, lower, octave on the last time (and/or make two more repeats wth extra octave if needed)
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing:
- Preliminary - 10 in; 10 out x10
- CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Flexibility
- Earl D Irons Group 9
- Earl D Irons Group 11
- Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued, starting on:
- Low F#, A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and upper F# --OR--
- Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd, E and upper G --OR--
- Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D, F and upper Ab
- Followed by a one octave chromatic scale up and down from C to C, down to low F-sharp and back to low C: slurred, then double, then triple tongued
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Two octave arpeggio down from low C, three times (CG "Relax Lips")
- Play an extra, lower, octave on the last time (and/or make two more repeats wth extra octave if needed)
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing:
- Preliminary - 10 in; 10 out x10
- CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Flexibility
- Earl D Irons Group 9
- Earl D Irons Group 11
- Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued, starting on:
- Low F#, A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and upper F# --OR--
- Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd, E and upper G --OR--
- Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D, F and upper Ab
- Followed by a one octave chromatic scale up and down from C to C, down to low F-sharp and back to low C: slurred, then double, then triple tongued
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Three octave arpeggio down from low C to triple pedal C
- Then in each key down as low as possible (usual to G)
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing:
- Preliminary - 10 in; 10 out x10
- CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C, slurring to C#, D, C# and pause on C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Flexibility
- Earl D Irons Group 9
- Earl D Irons Group 11
- Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued, starting on:
- Low F#, A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and upper F# --OR--
- Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd, E and upper G --OR--
- Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D, F and upper Ab
- Followed by a one octave chromatic scale up and down from C to C, down to low F-sharp and back to low C: slurred, then double, then triple tongued
- On a mid-range note, then repeat on other notes throughout the range
- 8 beats (mm.=60), air attack at p
- 4 beats rest
- 8 beats, tongued at p
- 4 beats rest
- 8 beats, air attack at pp
- 4 beats rest
- 8 beats, tongued at pp
- 4 beats rest
- Air attack at pp, hold as long as possible, always diminuendo-ing
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Three octave arpeggio down from low C to triple pedal C
- Then in each key down as low as possible (usual to G)
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing:
- CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C, slurring to C#, D, C# and pause on C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Flexibility
- Earl D Irons Group 9
- Earl D Irons Group 11
- Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued, double tongued and triple tongued, starting on:
- Low F#, A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and upper F# --OR--
- Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd, E and upper G --OR--
- Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D, F and upper Ab
- Followed by Clarke's "Setting up Drill in C": low C to low f# to low C to middle C to low C chromatic, as fast as possible exploring double and triple tonguing
- On a mid-range note, then repeat on other notes throughout the range
- 8 beats (mm.=60), air attack at p
- 4 beats rest
- 8 beats, tongued at p
- 4 beats rest
- 8 beats, air attack at pp
- 4 beats rest
- 8 beats, tongued at pp
- 4 beats rest
- Air attack at pp, hold as long as possible, always diminuendo-ing
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Three octave arpeggio down from low C to triple pedal C
- Then in each key down as low as possible (usual to G)
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing:
- Preliminary Exercise: CG 5-5 x10
- CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C, slurring to C#, D, C# and pause on C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Flexibility
- Earl D Irons Group 9
- Earl D Irons Group 12
- Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued and double tongued, starting on:
- Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd and E [+ upper G] --OR--
- Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D and F [+ upper Ab] --OR--
- Low A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and F# [+ upper A]
- Followed by two octave G major scale from low G to upper G, slurred and then double tongued as fast as possible
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Three octave arpeggio down from low C to triple pedal C
- Then in each key down as low as possible (usual to G)
WARM-UP:
1. CG Breathing:
- Preliminary Exercise: CG 5-5 x10
- CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)
- Two octave arpeggio down form Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
- Then in B-flat and G
- Three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
- Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
- One octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from low C to middle C, slurring to C#, D, C# and pause on C
- Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
1. Lip Flexibility
- Earl D Irons Group 9
- Earl D Irons Group 12
- Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued and double tongued, starting on:
- Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd and E [+ upper G] --OR--
- Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D and F [+ upper Ab] --OR--
- Low A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and F# [+ upper A]
- Followed by two octave G dominant seventh from low G to upper G, slurred and then double tongued, then triple tongued, as fast as possible, two (or three) notes per pitch
- Work on pieces that need it!
- Three octave arpeggio down from low C to triple pedal C
- Then in each key down as low as possible (usual to G)
I'm not saying it'll work for everybody, but its making a big difference for me.
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