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Thread: Warm-up melodies

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    West Palm Beach, FL
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    3,853

    Warm-up melodies

    I'm curious if anyone else uses a 'warm-up melody' as part of their normal warm-up routine. After some scales, arpeggios and lip slurs I like to play "Scarborough Fair" (Simon and Garfunkel) but at the lower octave starting on low concert 'G' (it's 1 flat in but really G Dorian mode). After a few times I then play it an octave higher or at it's normal range.

    What if any melody do others like to play in their warm-ups?
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  2. #2
    Oh, yes! But I often just try to play by ear some melody that is floating in my mind at the time.

    I have a few go-to melodies, though. "Groovy Kind of Love" goes entirely by scale (diatonic) for about 33 notes! In fact, in the whole main melody there are only 2 skips greater than a step:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gITde19Ec-A

    "I'd Go from Rags to Riches" starts with a major triad plus the octave (1-3-5-8) so it naturally falls out of my bell.

    Now and then:

    Voi Che Sapete
    Sukiyaki
    Slow movement from Reicha Quartet
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  3. Yep, every day. It changes depending on my mood, but some of my favorites are:

    Bach cello suites
    Various baroque sonatas (galliard, Telemann, Vivaldi, etc)
    Arban melodies
    Blazevich Tuba etudes
    Bordogni vocalises
    Snedecor lyrical etudes for trumpet
    Brad Edwards Simply Singing books

    Anything that “gets my spirit flowing” works. It has an effect on my entire day if I can get in a singing mindset early.

  4. Quote Originally Posted by cochranme View Post
    Brad Edwards Simply Singing books
    I picked up one of the Simply Singing books at NABBA this year, and I frequently use it for warm-ups - especially when I'm tired of going through the same routines every day.
    James Kircoff
    Genesee Wind Symphony - principal euphonium (Adams E3 Custom .60mm yellow brass bell w/ K&G 3.5)
    Capital City Brass Band (2019 NABBA 2nd section champions) - 1st baritone (Besson BE956 w/ Denis Wick 6BY)

  5. Quote Originally Posted by jkircoff View Post
    I picked up one of the Simply Singing books at NABBA this year, and I frequently use it for warm-ups - especially when I'm tired of going through the same routines every day.
    I learned a LOT from recording these regularly. There’s no place for bad sound/intonation/rhythm to hide.

  6. #6
    If I don't have anything in front of me, I play hymntunes that I know, gradually changing keys until I reach the top of my range.
    David Bjornstad

    1923 Conn New Wonder 86I, Bach 6 1/2 AL
    2018 Wessex EP100 Dolce, Denis Wick 4ABL
    2013 Jinbao JBEP-1111L, Denis Wick 4AM
    2015 Jinbao JBBR-1240, Denis Wick clone mouthpiece of unknown designation
    Cullman (AL) Community Band (Euph Section Leader)
    Brass Band of Huntsville (2nd Bari)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
    Posts
    1,867
    I have several I play:

    Greensleeves
    Sleepsong from Secret Garden (really pretty melody) Dave - you should do an arrangement of this!!
    Perhaps Love by John Denver
    You Raise Me Up

    Also, like Dave, I like just picking out a melody I might be thinking of or have thought of recently. Good practice to see if you can get it right. If I booboo a few notes, I play it again and try for no mistakes.

    I do the melody playing usually after doing warmup stuff. To sort of test whether or not I am dialed in.
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

  8. #8
    Pretty much every warmup. I'll do auld lang syne, or amazing grace around the circle of fourths( or fifths, but who's counting). I also like to do "impressions" of players I like on simple melodies they've recorded. i.e.
    Danny boy- Brian Bowman
    Deep river- Demondrae Thurman
    Gentle Annie- Michael Colburn
    Pure imagination- Toby Oft (if I'm playing trombone or not its still great)
    etc.
    Dave has a ton on youtube. Counterintuitively, these impressions have given me more of my own personality when playing and a wider sound palette.
    Alex S

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by John Morgan View Post
    I have several I play:

    Sleepsong from Secret Garden (really pretty melody) Dave - you should do an arrangement of this!!
    *snip*
    You Raise Me Up

    *snip
    I know we're talking about warmups, not performances, but "You Raise Me Up" is very popular among Southern Gospel tenor soloists, and back-up tracks are readily available is gospel bookstores, for those who want to actually perform it as a solo.

    Likewise, karaoke tracks for "Sleepsong" are available on Youtube. I perform it with a track that just has a solo harpist.
    David Bjornstad

    1923 Conn New Wonder 86I, Bach 6 1/2 AL
    2018 Wessex EP100 Dolce, Denis Wick 4ABL
    2013 Jinbao JBEP-1111L, Denis Wick 4AM
    2015 Jinbao JBBR-1240, Denis Wick clone mouthpiece of unknown designation
    Cullman (AL) Community Band (Euph Section Leader)
    Brass Band of Huntsville (2nd Bari)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Summerfield, Florida Sturgis, SD (summers)
    Posts
    1,867
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveBj View Post
    I know we're talking about warmups, not performances, but "You Raise Me Up" is very popular among Southern Gospel tenor soloists, and back-up tracks are readily available is gospel bookstores, for those who want to actually perform it as a solo.

    Likewise, karaoke tracks for "Sleepsong" are available on Youtube. I perform it with a track that just has a solo harpist.
    David,

    Quite right on back up tracks. The one you mention for "Sleepsong" is really nice. I have a band arrangement for "You Raise Me Up", actually a couple arrangements, one of them that Rick F. mentioned in another post.

    I have always been a "melody" person. I LOVE beautiful melodies. And what better instrument than a euphonium to play them on!!
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

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