Vacation Mouthpiece Workout

[Alex Reeder]

When I go on trips and can not bring my tuba, I like to at least bring my mouthpiece along to keep my chops in shape. Does anyone have suggestions for exercises or a daily regimen I can do that will work well to make sure I am not out of shape when I get back to my beloved tuba? Also, any comments on mouthpiece exercises as a daily supplement to tuba practice are welcome also.

[Tom]

A long time ago there was a publication that included a section called mouthpiece melodies or something like that. I'm sure someone on this board has a copy (I don't). The whole thing (as you can probably imagine) was nothing more than a list of popular melodies to buzz on the mouthpiece. It was nice because there wasn't anything more to it except a list. You really don't need the list to do this...just think of an easy melody and buzz it.

You can really buzz anything you want...long tones, lip slurs, etc., etc.

My only word of caution at this point is be careful about how much pressure you apply. It's easy to get a little carried away with a mouthpiece alone.

[Leland]

My only word of caution at this point is be careful about how much pressure you apply. It's easy to get a little carried away with a mouthpiece alone.

Add volume to that caution, too. I've heard some people start their first buzz of the day at an effort similar to playing pretty loud on the instrument, and that's only because a mouthpiece alone is much quieter, and they expect to hear something substantial.

This may sound odd, and some people would probably deride me for it, but I've got a bunch of drum corps hornline warmups that I've recorded, and if, for example, I'm in the car, I'll buzz along with them until I feel good. I now have almost 3-1/2 hours' worth, but I can pare it all down to a good 15-20 minute routine, with mezzo mid-low register, pedals, slurs & flexibility, articulations, a bit of upper range, often with a metronome for tempo control, and chord progressions for ear training.

[Bill Troiano]

When I go to Florida to visit the inlaws, I take my mouthpiece and a tuner. I spend about 15 minutes a day just buzzing scales, producing very long tones while using the tuner. It's difficult to play them in tune, but even coming close gives me a great workout.

[Alex C]

Mr. Jacobs always suggested that you make music on the mouthpiece. It's the part of the instrument that's not limited by which valve you engage. It's only limited by your imagination and on the mouthpiece you can expand your musical imagination.

I did not hear of him telling a student to practice scales on the mouthpiece. That's not much fun either.

Go ahead, play the violin or trumpet solo or be your favorite singer (hip hop excluded). Have fun and improve at the same time.

It's important to enjoy music, even on vacation.

[IkeH]

I'm away from the horn more and more these days doing bass gigs on the road. I usually take a mpc and do the page of warmups written by Arnold Jacobs from the Hal Leonard band book. Lately, I've been using the lexan Kellyberg mpc which is very lightweight to carry around and seems to be easier on the chops as far as pressure.

[JB]

Does anyone have suggestions for exercises or a daily regimen I can do that will work well to make sure I am not out of shape when I get back to my beloved tuba?

Check out the mouthpiece alone exercises written by Arnold Jacobs as a supplement at the back of the Hal Leonard band mehtod tuba book. Some seriously good and useful material.

.

[Adam C.]

I usually focus on smooth low to high/high to low glissandi and melodies when mouthpiece buzzing.

"excluding hip hop" - if that's what the guy listens to, let him buzz along with it.

[smurphius]

generally the same warm-ups you normally use work with or without the horn. in fact, you'll be more apt to playing in tune when you go back to the horn this way, assuming you can use a tuner or hear what tones you're buzzing. this goes back to a post i believe i'd seen a while back about needing a pocket tuba. better yet, how about a fold up tuba. something that can go from a briefcase size, to a large 6/4 horn with 6 valves, and an open wrap. haha.