Re: Re: Warm-Ups


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Posted by Katy on June 20, 2001 at 18:41:50:

In Reply to: Re: Warm-Ups posted by Michael Russo on June 18, 2001 at 19:27:43:

Mike, I think what you say has a lot of merit.

Many have attested to their own personal routines...some the same as your, some quite different. True, warm-ups are molded to the individual, but to say that you don't need one? I'd say rubbish, but there's a lot of truth to what you have said. I agree that marathon warm-ups may not be necessary. Here is my concern:

I'm a band director at a high school in Minnesota. One of my students goes to a master class of James Galway (professional flutist...in highest regard in the field, equivalent to Pilafian, Bobo, etc. in yours) and comes back exclaiming, "Miss Jablonski! Guess what? I don't NEED to play a warm-up! Long tones are stupid and unnecessary! I'm just going to file music during warm-ups, since they are so detrimental to my development as a professional player, ok?" What am I to say to this? This is a man that the students should look up to!

The most important excerpt from what you said, Mike, is "If they are practicing regularly". I feel that a musician doesn't necessarily need more than a quick buzz or whatever to get started AS LONG AS they have their fundamentals strongly set and are practicing on a daily basis. This is often NOT the case. Students hear a role model say "I never warm-up" and think, "then I don't have to either!" while the professional probably meant to imply that this is only after you've put in a lifetime of (at least collegiate lifetime lol) of playing first. We are talking practicing MINIMUM of 4-5 hours per day with proper warm-ups for at least 5 years. Only then could you even BEGIN to think about going without a warm-up.

I want to re-iterate that I agree with you in that many professionals can get by without one. Playing at any time without thought and analysis behind it is not only a waste of time, but often quite detrimental as well. I urge you to proceed cautiously when stating the "non-necessity" of warming up. Feel free to do so, but make sure you ALWAYS include that disclaimer of "regular exposure to the instrument" at the same time.

This is the first time I've posted on the TubeNet, but have been exposed to it from a friend who posts here regularly. Sean, you do a wonderful job! Kudos to you! The insight and flow of ideas that you all provide is fantastic! Thanks for the opportunity.

-Katy


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