Here are some of my favourite warm-ups, as featured on my Soundslice page. Do be sure to click through to view and interact with each exercise in full. These are all designed to be friendly, but more fiddly sections are marked with an *expert* alert. Enjoy.
#1
Get ready to warm up all 7 positions and both your smooth and detached playing. Use your best sound and always aim for contrast. Do return to this exercise lots and see what can you add each time.
#2 *expert*
Let’s get moving! This exercise is a great test to see if you’re warmed up. Aim for consistency and good control of your instrument. Do try this at different BPMs and see how this changes the challenge of this exercise.
#3
Here’s a great sequence to help you to develop your pulse. For this to sound brilliant, you need to maintain a confident crotchet pulse throughout, while subdividing within that. This is a great flexibility exercise too.
#4
This simple exercise looks a little daunting on the page, but should sound and feel comfortable. This works on your coordination and keeping these phrases full of air should help you to produce a great and even sound. Think in big shapes and try to only breathe every 4 or 8 bars. Trying this at different speeds will offer different challenges.
#5
This flexibility helps you swoop across your instrument with great control. Really listen to your sound – is every note beautiful and even? You can try this pattern in reverse too.
#6
The glissando! Don’t stop your air, it should be moving for this whole exercise. Focus on keeping the sound full and your slide rhythmic. Again, trying this at different speeds will present you with different challenges.
You might like to extend this exercise to include more harmonics (higher, lower). This is a great way to extend your range.
#7
A look at blowing across the harmonic series. Each two bars is in the same position, but you will need to make small adjustments on your slide to keep in tune.
Start out by trying this very slowly. This exercise begins in 7th position so you can gradually build towards the highest notes (1st position). Keep your air moving!
#8 *expert*
Here’s a more advanced look at the harmonic series. This is an excellent range-builder. Again, pay careful attention to your tuning, and make sure to keep your air moving. Keep a good pulse, don’t slow down when it gets tricky.
#9 *expert*
Here’s a little exercise to practise your arpeggios/triads, while also working on your subdivision. Keep your crotchet pulse the same throughout and be sure to fill the phrases with sound and air. Don’t stop the flow.
This is written in Bb Major, but do use Soundslice’s transposition tool to try this in a new key.
#10
Ease in to your practice with these ‘sighs’. Keep relaxed and use a full sound. Breathe in time! Try Warm Up #11 for a slight variation on this.
#11
Ease in to your practice with these ‘sighs’. Move the air a little more when you stretch upwards. Keep relaxed and use a full sound. Breathe in time!
#12
Another simple way to stretch into your different harmonics on the instrument. Keep every note long, especially when the minimums arrive!
#13
Let’s get moving. Make sure that you are keeping in time and subdividing where you need to. No bumps!
#14
Let’s stretch our flexibility even more! Keep your air moving – keeping a good pulse is key to getting these to sound great.
#15 *expert*
This features some movement in octaves. There is an option to use a trigger for the penultimate note of each phrase, but please choose the note that suits you best! Keep this musical, treat it like your favourite melody.
Jane Salmon 