Long Tones #2
This is another composition that is a great warm up because it goes down one octave. This warm up was designed for tuba, but it also can be used for any instrument in private lessons or during band class.
First, open your tuner and select the appropriate level of accuracy. I would suggest to use Wind > Fine tuning. Otherwise, the tuner will say you are in tune but it can error up to 20 cents. You will hear if you are in tune if there are no beats, meaning, the sound doesn’t have a wah-wah sound to it. Try to blend within your section so no one person stands out.
Then, open your sheet music and play along with the recording if you are alone, or the rhythm section if you are with a band class. The rhythm section can play swing, and the chords seem random but are deliberate and fun to play. The goal is to keep the sound in tune the entire time, even when you crescendo and decrescendo. As you get louder, the sound will go sharp, so you have to adjust your embouchure and perhaps your tuning slide(s) to stay in tune. Always adhere to the tuner - do not assume you are correct. You have to learn how to play in tune, your instrument will not take care of that for you, especially beginner or intermediate horns.
This exercise is designed to help you develop embouchure in the brass because you want to have a consistent embouchure throughout the entire range of the horn. As you play in the different extremes, try to keep the exact same embouchure and focus on airstream for the high notes.
If you do this a couple times a week in private lessons, or a handful of times within a full big band, you will see an improvement in your tone and and balance as an ensemble, even with the big band.
I always start with this or my major scale workout if I’ve been off the horn for a few days, to remind myself of precise tunings on my horn. I also use this to become familiar with a new horn.
This is a composition named “Velvet Tone”. There is a series of 2 - this is the shorter one, about 2 minutes, and it covers one octave from C to C, Velvet Tone #2. The other Velvet Tone #1 is available on this website.
