Smear Warm Up for Increasing Range
This is a warm up I use to increase range. You start on the lowest note and smear up each partial until you hit your breaking point. If you continue to do this, over time, you will see your range increase to a high F.
The goal with this warm up is to use the air to get the upper register, not your embouchure. As you get higher, use faster air. Then, as you bring the slide back down, keep the air flow up so it continues to have the same brassy sound. This is not a pretty sound, you want it to sound brassy and over played, to increase air. Pay attention to your air as you go up and down, keep the embouchure the same, and close the aperture with more air as you slide up to increase your range.
I use this exercise to help explain that range is not a result of muscle strength as much as it is a product of air. Use lots of air and let your air do the heavy lifting to increase your range. I’ve seen students increase by a minor third each semester they regularly use this warm up.
Warning - it’s not pretty, so you may want to consider doing this at home when nobody is around, or out in an open field. As always, use more air!
