Slurs and Scales
Slurs and scales is a series for brass to develop the fundamentals of lip slurs while the woodwinds work on the fundamentals of scales/patterning exercises. There are also developmentally appropriate percussion exercises as well. These exercises can be used as a conceptual teaching tool, but also as an ensemble warm-up. I'm always searching for new ways to approach the basics in order to give variety to teaching warm-ups/fundamentals. One big difference between this and other sequences is that it only focuses on the keys of Bb and Ab. This can be a time saver for younger ensembles where the woodwinds may not be fluent in the keys of A, G, Gb, etc.
Band Basics
These ensemble warm-ups/fundamental packages have several purposes. Each page is in a different key, helping students to solidify the notes and patterns. Included in each key is several different exercises: the scale proper, an easy etude to listen to the sections and then blend the sound together, an exercise that plays the scale from 1 to 5 DOWN to low 5 and back to 1 (this is to help students realize that the key is not just the scale), technical patterns for developing individual and ensemble articulation, an (most) importantly, a CHORALE!
My goal for these warm-ups is to have one page that addresses what you usually have to go to several different places (resources) to achieve. I use these for myself especially for festival preparation. Also, I wrote a TON of percussion parts. Students can play snare, bass, cymbals (suspended and crash), Timpani, Auxiliary instruments (it's a general rhythm so they can play on any single strike percussion instruments), bells, or xylophone/marimba.
My goal for these warm-ups is to have one page that addresses what you usually have to go to several different places (resources) to achieve. I use these for myself especially for festival preparation. Also, I wrote a TON of percussion parts. Students can play snare, bass, cymbals (suspended and crash), Timpani, Auxiliary instruments (it's a general rhythm so they can play on any single strike percussion instruments), bells, or xylophone/marimba.
