Just For Beginners: Warm-ups for Young Trombonists
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Linda Yeo
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Download a PDF of the warm-up sheet
Warming up on your trombone is an important part of your muscial
day. Playing a brass instrument is much like a sport - you wouldn't go
out an run a mile with no warm-up. You would need to wake up your
muscles, and get them ready to run that mile. Your lips are made up of
many muscles which help you to play trombone, and it's necessary that
you warm them up every day. The following is a warm-up that will
help you get ready to play the trombone.
1. Mouthpiece Buzzing: This is a fun way to start your warm-up.
Take your mouthpiece out of the case, and start buzzing in the
middle of your range. Do some upward and downward glissandi
(buzzing with no tonguing), making sure that you increase your
air flow when you reach for higher notes. You can put your hand
in front of the mouthpice to feel the air flow.
2. Long Tones: Be sure to listen to your sound during this part of
your warm-up. Focus on the tone, and on making it the very best
that you can. Take big, relaxed breaths during the rests and
breath marks. (If you can't reach 7th position, just omit the
C-flats.)
3. Lip Slurs: Make sure that you use no tongue on these; only your
lips tightening or loosening should change the notes. Don't let
your sound have bumps, and be sure that your air flow is the
same throughout. Start with the #1 section, and practice that set
of slurs until you are very good at them. Then add #2 to your
warm up, and play both each day. When you can play #2 very
well, add #3 as well. Be sure not to pinch the upper notes of #3!
Increase your air flow for the higher pitches just you would for
mouthpiece buzzing.
4. Scales: This is an essential part of your warm-up. Play at least 2
to 3 scales every day in your warm up. Scales are the building
block of music, and they need to be reviewed frequently. See the
Resources section of the Just for Beginners for scales sheets you
can download and print. Try to learn a new scale every week.
http://www.trombone.org/jfb/library/jfb-warmup.asp (1 of 2) [2/13/2001 7:54:59 PM]
Just For Beginners: Warm-ups for Young Trombonists
Now you are ready for a day of trombone playing and
practicing. Go to it!
Bass trombonist Linda Yeo will graduate from the Wheaton (IL) College
Conservatory of Music in May 2001, and has been an active member of the
Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Trombone Ensemble,
and Brass Quintet. She has been featured as a soloist with each group and
in 2000, she was a winner of the Conservatory concerto competition,
playing the Ewazen Bass Trombone Concerto with the Wheaton College
Orchestra. An active freelance player in the Chicago area, Linda also has a
busy teaching studio of players from elementary through high school.
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http://www.trombone.org/jfb/library/jfb-warmup.asp (2 of 2) [2/13/2001 7:54:59 PM]
