BRASS
Paul Baron is one of today’s most highly respected lead and commercial trumpet players. He carries 40 years of experience in a wide range of musical
styles – from jazz to rock, big band to musical theatre, and TV jingles to movie soundtracks – with a distinctly bright and powerful sound. As well as
being a performing artist for XO Jupiter Instruments and Pickett Brass with his signature line of mouthpieces, Paul is also an author, educator, and
clinician. www.paulbaron.net.
By Paul Baron
Warmups for Brass Players
Part 4: The Pre-Show Warmup
T
his is the shortest warmup I do. It might be all I have a chance
to do on a gig day, but hopefully, I’ve had a chance to play
one of the other warmups earlier in the day – especially the
“Morning After Warmup” if I feel a little beaten up and need
some physical therapy time for my chops.
I play this Pre-Show Warmup even if I practiced, or at least warmed up,
earlier in the day. I will also do an abbreviated version between shows on
a double show day to make sure I’ve reset for the second one. Doing this
also helps prevent injuries by setting things correctly in motion.
The other reason and impetuous for writing this warmup comes from
years of adjudicating at big band jazz festivals and hearing bands warming
up before competition and performance. Walking through the warmup
areas, I heard brass players engaged in high-note competitions with their
bandmates and friends, or testing their range on every note they can
squeak out. Inevitably, those players left most of the good notes on the
practice room floor and had very little left for when it really counted: the
bandstand competition or performance.
I am also speaking from experience from my days in high school
and college, and if I’m really honest, I was also guilty of this into my early
career days as well. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, and when
things are working well, we want to play the full range. It takes maturity
and confidence to know how the chops should feel on good days to
really trust that when we need the high notes in performance, they will
be there. It isn’t necessary to “try” or play every note in order to count on
the high notes when needed.
Warming Up the Body
Before I even start playing, I do a few other things to get my body warmed
up, starting with lip fluttering (like making horse noises). It sounds strange
but really helps get the blood and oxygen flowing to flush the lactic acid
from stiff chops. I also do some pushups to help get the blood flowing
and lactic acid flushed away. Do pushups on your hands and knees to
make it easier, or some forward bends, jumping jacks, or anything just to
get the blood flowing and to wake up the body and chops.
Leadpipe Section
The first section in all three of my warmups is with the mouthpiece in
the leadpipe only and the tuning slide out of the horn. Read the previous
column (“The Morning-After Warmup") or my book for the full explanation.
This leadpipe section gets the air and chops responding to a gentle
airflow without the preconceived idea of how the trumpet is supposed
to sound with the first notes of the day. I love this section because when
I concentrate on getting a warm and full sound on the mouthpiece and
leadpipe only, it really opens up my sound and relaxes and opens my
airstream. The benefits will be felt immediately and will set up the rest of
your practice or performing day in a really good way. I’ll even do leadpipe
buzzing for a minute or so before starting the second act of a show.
Onto the Horn
In this section, try to keep the volume at a very soft level, even down to
the bottom octave. Strive for a very gentle and even flow of air. I play
this at a gentle mezzo piano volume and expand the intervals down the
octave from second line G to low G. The whole while, I am listening for a
balanced vibration without any bumps or hiccups. If I hear or feel a little
something along the way, I stop and flutter the lips for a couple breaths.
If my chops are especially stiff and puffy, I might go back to more lead
pipe buzzing and spend more time in the pedal register. When it starts
feeling better I’ll move back to the horn. Then I’ll do this line again with
the same goal in mind: balanced vibration between intervals.
Don’t rush through this section. If things are taking time to get going
again, this is an indication your chops need it, so it’s better to take the
time to gently get the chops responding than to rush things.
As well as warming up (or in this case, re-warming up), you want
to make sure you are listening to and hearing the signals your body is
sending you to warmup efficiently. This will help to prevent injuries as well.
The next sections are approached in the same way starting on
middle C expanding down to low C, then starting on top space E down
to bottom line E, then last is starting on G on the staff down to second
line G. Preceding each new section, I do a triplet “chop check” exercise to
illuminate any holes in air flow and vibration in my chops. If I hear and feel
any hiccups or changes in constant vibration through the range, I’ll stop
and flutter my chops or play some more in the pedal register.
The full explanations and music notation for these warmups are contained in Paul’s new book, Trumpet
Voluntarily: Three Strategically Designed Warmups to Combat the Demands of Today’s Trumpet Player, available
now at www.paulbaron.net.
30 CANADIAN MUSICIAN