Another (Slight!) Change in Routine - Sat 9th June 2012

As I have mentioned previously, I tweak my routine weekly, adding slightly more advanced material or pushing myself a little further, one way or another.  This week, I have only adjusted my Lip Flexibility work.  I am, ofcourse, still using Irons, I have just altered a little:

WARM-UP:

1. CG Breathing:

• Preliminary Exercise: CG 5-5 x10
• CG 5-5-5-5 (as previous weeks)

2. CG Long Holds + 5 + 5 Notes:

• Low C, B, B-flat, B and C then two octave arpeggio down from Low C to double pedal C, then B, B-flat, B and C (holding double pedal C)
• Then in B-flat and G
• Middle F, E, E-flat, E and F then three octaves down from middle F to triple pedal C, then E, E-flat, E and F (holding triple pedal F)
• Then in E-flat and C (down to triple pedal C)
• The extra notes at the top help to establish a full sound before moving down to the pedal register and help to connect the registers better

3. CG Upward Two Octave Arpeggios + 5 Notes:

• Two octave arpeggio (tongued, minims) from pedal C to middle C, slurring to C#, D, C# and pause on C
• Then E-flat, F and G, then each key as high as possible
• Again, this focusses on connecting the registers
• Last week I tongued this, which was difficult. This week I am slurring.

MAINTENANCE:

1. Lip Flexibility

• Earl D Irons Group 9 - minimum 2 repeats
• Earl D Irons Group 17 - minimum 3 repeats

2. Clarke Second Study

• Slurred, single tongued, 'k' tongued and double tongued, starting on:
  • Low G, Bb, Db, E, mid-G, Bb, Dd and E [+ upper G] --OR--
  • Low Ab, B, D, F, mid-Ab, B, D and F [+ upper Ab] --OR--
  • Low A, C, Eb, mid-F#, A, C, Eb and F# [+ upper A]
• Followed by two octave G diminished seventh from low G to upper G, slurred and then double tongued, then triple tongued, as fast as possible, two (or three) notes per pitch (or A-flat or A dim.7 to match the days Clarke routine)

REPERTOIRE:

• Work on pieces that need it (preparation for the English Nationals and upcoming oncerts)!

WARM-DOWN:

• Three octave arpeggio down from low C to triple pedal C
• Then in each key down as low as possible (usual to G)

As you can see, I have moved from group 12 to group 17 in the lip flexibilities.  I have skipped 13 to 16 for a reason.  After group 9 (in the next couple of weeks) I will move up a little in addition to group 17, probably 13 next, then 14, etc... because 13 doesn't go as high as 12, and is one harmonic higher than 9.  This is a natural progression.  I didn't want to change both at the same time because I feel that this would be too demanding.  I won't change again until after the English Nationals (23rd June).