Here is the real first post about my routine and a short example of what I am doing in the practice room. I thought it would be symbolic and logical to start at the beginning. I guess this post will be a bit longer because I have a lot to say about the studies and some background about the method I learned. Don't be scared, I can't imagine myself writing such long posts in the future.
So, one of the first things I learned and established when I arrived in Denmark was the method of Song and Wind by Arnold Jacobs and the Chicago School. I won't dig into it now because it's a very big method but I will explain a bit about what I am doing and why. Firstly, I start with some breathing exercises, which I'll write about in a separate post, and then I do some mouthpiece playing and rim playing.
The main part of my warm up is the Cichowicz- Long Tones Studies. Most trumpet players know them, and it's almost like a hymn for warming up for many of us. I do them daily with some adaptations and shortcuts in order to get to the upper register a bit faster, to avoid mindless playing, and to not get too bored.
What I really take care of while playing those studies (sometimes I even call them songs), is first of all the quality of the sound. I won't continue to the next one if I am not satisfied with my tone quality. The idea is that the studies are very simple so that you can really focus on the sound and especially the singing. I really try to, and many times literally do, sing with the trumpet as much as possible, playing very lyrically and trying to imitate a good singer (or a very good trumpet player). I make sure that I take a full breath each time and very importantly - I don't hesitate before the first note. My body functions are only breathing and playing. Inhale and exhale. I really make sure there is no stop in between.
Next, I make sure that I keep the good tone quality as I go up and down the register. I don't want to close anything or to squeeze anything. I try to play as big and as fat as possible all over the range.
In the short clip attached here (again, taken with my phone with no editing at all), I demonstrate one of the last studies I usually do in my warm up. I try to achieve is big fat sound in all the octaves, all the way. A good breath with no stop before the first note. You can see I expand the original study a bit just to challenge myself to connect all the range from the mid-low range to the high range and all the way down to the lower range. I love the feeling after those studies and I feel ready to dive into my routine of playing whatever I need: Drills, solos, excerpts, etudes. No matter what - I am ready :)
Thank you for reading, please very free to comment, ask questions, give feedback etc
V. Cichowicz Long Tones Studies (expended). Trumpet - Eyal Weinberger