Well, here it is: Bill Adam's daily maintenance routine (or at least my version of it). Use caution and common sense in adding these exercises to your pracice routine. If you really want to understand the routine and Adam's approach to the trumpet, you really should study with Bill Adam or one of his students. Adam's approach is very individualized and can't be adequately described in such a public forum. Again, to get an understanding of the routine, get together with Adam or his students and learn first hand.
First, there is no such thing as a single routine that Bill Adam merely hands out to his students. These exercises are assigned and modified as necessary to aid in the development of the individual student. My routine combines exercises assigned by Bill Adam and from my previous teachers (Richard Winslow and Dan Keberle, both Adam students).
Most Adam students have made their own subtle variations on the routine so that it works best for them. If you are truly interested in the Adam approach to trumpet playing, you really should take some lessons from either Bill Adam or one of his many students teaching across the country. Remember what Bill Adam used to tell me: "If this exercise works, then fine. If it doesn't, DO SOMETHING ELSE." As with all exercises, use common sense while practicing.
In Bill Adam's article about trumpet pedagogy, Bill Adam states "I know there has to be a certain amount of mouthpiece buzzing to warm up the resilience that we have to have here. But if we can set the mouthpiece and tube in vibration, the embouchure is much more relaxed. What we're trying to do is to get the air through that horn with the least amount of tension and the least amount of muscle."
To buzz the leadpipe, remove the tuning slide. On a Bb trumpet, the mouthpiece/leadpipe should resonate at approximately an F (Eb concert) at the bottom space on the staff. Cornets and higher keyed trumpets will resonate at different pitches as the pitch is determined by the length of the tube. Hear the pitch in your mind (can you sing the pitch?), take a full, relaxed breath, place the mouthpiece to your lips and blow. Think about accelerating the air through the leadpipe and of letting the air blow the embouchure into place. The sound should be a resonant, reedy buzz. Focus on creating a resonant buzz, not an airy sound. I typically will buzz the leadpipe about a dozen times, or until I feel my embouchure responding to the breath in a relaxed manner.
These are sustained tones starting on 2nd line G and expanding higher and lower. Hold each pitch as long as comfortable at a volume of mf to f. Hear the sound you desire in your mind before you play. Take a full relaxed breath and blow, accelerating the air through the horn. Keep your mind focused on the sound you desire and let your body adapt as it attempts to achieve your goal. Rest after each tone. The tones follow the pattern: G, F#, G#, F, A, E, Bb, Eb, etc. The exercise ends on high G and low F#. For advanced players, start on 3rd place C and expand chromatically in the same manner. This pattern will end on low F# and high F#.
Start with exercise 13 and expand into the higher and lower registers. The pattern is 13, 12, 14, 11, 15, 10, etc. Play the exercises at mf to f and repeat as many times as comfortable. REST after each exercise. Don't extend any of these exercises to the point where you are running out of air and tension creeps into your chest. If you are a developing trumpet player, do not play so high that you have to strain for the notes. Always play with the most beautiful, full tone possible. To again quote Bill Adam, "Any time we play Herbert L. Clarke exercises, it's a good idea to think of the acceleration of the air. Play the first note with a fermata, accelerate the air through the trumpet, and when you start to use the valves, continue to accelerate the air so the tone stays free. Go slow enough so the notes themselves are being blown and so that there is no muscle restriction that will diminish the sound: keep the sound good and full!"
Crescendo into the 2nd note, continue to accelerate the air as you articulate the 3rd note and diminuendo into the 4th note. Rest. Repeat one half step lower. Rest. continue down to low G-F#-F #-G. Use regular fingerings throughout.
Use the first half of each exercise (G-C-C, C-E-E, E-G-G, G-C-C) going through all seven valve combinations. Let the acceleration of the air take care of the vibration of the lips. Think of accelerating the air to the point where the next pitch falls free. All notes should feel like they are on the same level.
All exercises should be extended down to the 1st harmonic (low C, B, Bb etc.) as is done in the first exercise. On the exercises starting on higher harmonics, continue slurring down to the 1st harmonic. If the high G is comfortable, try the study 8va (starting on high C) and slurring down to the first harmonic. Remember to REST AT LEAST AS MUCH AS YOU PLAY!!!
Play at comfortable mf-f. If the high G does not pose any problems, continue, 8va.
Play at comfortable mf-f. Start each exercise on the 1st harmonic, slurring through successively higher harmonics. This exercise is written out in Mark VanCleave's first text, available through Charles Colin publications. Remember To REST, REST, REST!!!
Single tongue as written. Then repeat as 8th notes (EE, CC, GG, etc.), triplets (EEE, CCC,GGG, etc.), and 16th notes (EEEE, CCCC, GGGG, etc.). Remember to take a full, relaxed breath and think of accelerating the air through the horn.
I sometimes supplement my routine with Schlossbergs 23, 25, 27, 95, 97,99 and 100.
This is a range extension exercise. It starts simply and expands into the high and low registers. Only go as far as comfortable. Never strain for high notes. Remember to think of accelerating the air through the horn as you play. REST AT LEAST AS MUCH AS YOU PLAY!!!
Sing, slur then tongue each exercise. Sing each exercise to prove you truly hear the melody. Pay close attention to intonation. Really nail each pitch.
Whether you slur or tongue, the air moves the same. Slur the exercise to develop your sense of follow-through of the air stream. Finally tongue the exercise, blowing as you did when slurring.
Sing and then play each exercise. When you have worked through the entire book, start over, but this time do it in C transposition. Each time you finish the book, start over on a higher transposition. Remember to sing then play each exercise. Really hear the pitches!! Think sound, not names on notes, transposition intervals, keys, or fingerings.
Mr. Adam had me sing EVERYTHING I played for him. I still follow this procedure as an ongoing challenge to improve my ability to truly hear the music in my mind before, or as I play it . Ultimately, one should be able to look at any piece of music and hear it in one's mind at sight.
Well, that's the basic routine. It will typically take about 2 hours to play. Remember to rest and take frequent breaks so that you are mentally and physically rested each time you pick up the horn.
All the best,
Mark Minasian
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