Clarke, Schlossberg, and Lip flips.

The session today is based around some of my favorites, Clarke, Schlossberg and others. This is a “primary session” so it is based around the nuts and bolts of playing.

The Routine

  • Some breathing, your choice, I also threw in some constructive rest (Alexander technique) today.

  • Clarke 3 - Play each one twice, once slurred, once tongued. Aim for keeping these as soft as possible.

  • Schlossberg - No. 13 Quarter = 40 try to not telegraph which way the slur is about to go.

  • Schlossberg - No. 20 Half = 60 Legato tongue

  • Schlossberg - No. 64 Quarter = 60 mf only, Final note down two octaves (harm 2)

  • Schlossberg no.62 - First two lines, as fast as you can do them clean. All lip slurs, as written and down the octave. Once slurred, once tongued.

  • Schlossberg no.59 - As written, fast as clean. One time slurred, one time tongued.

  • Brass gym - Lip flips. Major third, Perfect fourth low, octave (on 1 side of the horn only), perfect 5th low.

  • Flutter tongue scales in the low range. (can’t flutter?)

That is it.

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Gekker and Schlossberg for control and ease

The session today makes use of Chris Gekker’s book Endurance Drills for Performance Skills and the Schlossberg book again. If you don’t have the Gekker book you could find similar approaches in Clarke, Shuebruk, and Nagel. I just really like the Gekker book, it is also a nice way to take a step back from the Clarke book and let that refresh itself.

Once we hit our stride this becomes a back and forth of technical and flow/flex. Also pay close attention to the concepts of the Gekker book and what is being worked on, spoiler, it isn’t speed.

The Routine

  • Breathing exercises - Flow but focusing on expanding the breath (so instead of working to in for 1 out for 1, work your way up to something like in for 16 out for 16 with a metronome at 52 bpm. Great one to use a breathing tube with)

  • Schlossberg no.6 down an octave. This is just so we start on Harmonic 4 instead of 8.

  • Schlossberg no.12 (as written)

  • Schlossberg no.21 and ascending on the Bb horn.

  • Gekker no.1 going as high as can be controlled. No tension or straining in the Gekker exercises.

  • Schlossberg no.15

  • Gekker no.3

  • Schlossberg no.25 (same was as in the Schlossberg session starting on the harm 4 C)

  • Gekker no.7

  • Schlossberg no.52 (following procedures from the Sclossberg session)

  • Gekker no.10

  • Etude of choice, I’d go with Kopprasch or Kling, something focusing on articulation and moving around the horn to reinforce what we worked on.

That is it. It is a focused session and heavy work. If you start losing the ability to keep it in control, jump to the etude after a 5 minute break and call it.