Long Tone Warmup
This daily routine will dramatically
improve your phrase length as well as tone, breath support, and
control. It’s the most important of all of these
exercises.
1. Set your metronome for an appropriate
speed. For those new to this exercise, try 120.
2. Play an E major scale starting on the
lowest e. Play in whole notes with the metronome clicking
quarters. Play up one octave in one breath.
3. Rest for eight beats.
4. Return down the same scale. Rest for
eight beats.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 with F major.
Continue with F#, G, etc. for the full range of the clarinet.
6. Continue to play each major scale
until you reach G major at the top of the range.
7. This exercise should tax your breath
to the fullest, so choose a metronome marking at the edge of
your ability (the slower, the better). Try bumping down the
tempo at every eight-beat rest until you find your limit.