long tone exercises II
By now, most of us are familiar with basic long tone exercises. (See example I below.). I always begin on b2 (See example II below.), because it is a note that requires very little effort to play. So, you can always feel comfortable starting on it. Long tone exercises should always have a purpose, other than your teacher’s insistence upon playing them! Here are some ideas of things that you can concentrate on while playing them:
1) Intonation: alternating between using a tuner and not using a tuner, play the two slurred notes so that they are in tune with each other. Once accomplished, move on to the next two slurred notes.
2) Dynamics: crescendo and decrescendo as you slur, being sure to remain in tune at your softest and loudest.
3) Color: experiment with various vowel shapes and vibrato speeds, being sure to remain in tune throughout.
4) Articulation: experiment with various consonants and the resulting clarity or breathiness. Particularly in the lowest register, experiment with how quickly the air can reach the outer edge of the embouchure hole after articulating; this exercise can help you build coordination that will improve lower register response during articulation.
5) High Register: after completing the low register, repeat this exercise in the high register, always aware that your embouchure opening should replicate the three-dimensional feeling you have when practicing the overtone series.
6) See also Long Tone Exercises I in this series.
