Do you warm down?

Peach · Post by **Peach** » Sat May 21, 2016 10:51 am

Do you make a point of always warming down after playing, or only after a heavy session, or just never?
If you do, what do you do?

I find it matters more as I get a bit older and, in reality, practice less.
So I like to leave the chops in a really relaxed state after playing particularly a big session (usually 2.25hrs of brass band). I do that just by playing chromatic arpeggios down as low as possible into the pedal register.

Interested what others do...

arpthark · Post by **arpthark** » Sat May 21, 2016 11:12 am

I'm not sure I've ever understood the physiological basis of "warming down." Surely the best way to relax your chops is to just not play? If someone has any insight, please share.

marccromme · Post by **marccromme** » Sat May 21, 2016 6:27 pm

Sure I warm down after a practice session - I go and kiss my wife. Very relaxing!

southtubist · Post by **southtubist** » Tue May 24, 2016 8:14 pm

I like to blast some pedals out as loud as possible. Preferably pedal C or lower. It's great, except for right after a concert or rehearsal. The conductor won't like it much. . .

southtubist · Post by **southtubist** » Tue May 24, 2016 10:16 pm

bloke wrote:Doesn't this mess up your $/♩ ratio...??

Maybe. . . Fortunately I don't have any need to play for money any more.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Wed May 25, 2016 1:03 pm

tuben wrote:My warm down involves draining the tuba of water and then putting the tuba away.

My warm down consists of putting my tuba in it's case before any of the other "caring musicians" bash it while trying to get out of the rehearsal hall before everyone else.

Peach · Post by **Peach** » Wed May 25, 2016 1:06 pm

bloke wrote:Doesn't this mess up your $/♩ ratio...??

Joe, when you get paid as much as me* it makes little difference.

*Readers can decide themselves whether I get paid almost nothing, absolutely nothing, OR a huge fee.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Wed May 25, 2016 11:37 pm

tuben wrote:
Peach wrote:Do you make a point of always warming down after playing, or only after a heavy session, or just never?
My warm down involves draining the tuba of water and then putting the tuba away.

+1. Don't warm UP either. I never could figure the benefit of wearing out my chops before the gig.

Play for a few hours every day. Just pick the darned thing up and blow!

cambrook · Post by **cambrook** » Thu May 26, 2016 12:17 am

"I just stay hot!" - Dale Clevenger

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Thu May 26, 2016 7:52 am

Generally my only warm down is emptying water out of tuba before putting back in case and heading home

cambrook · Post by **cambrook** » Thu May 26, 2016 8:04 am

After a big concert I find it very helpful to look after my embouchure,
by the application of cold beer to the top lip...

Donn · Post by **Donn** » Thu May 26, 2016 10:18 am

bloke wrote:Simply, he was having to play that solo with too much "I'm late trying to get to my rehearsal" adrenaline running through his veins...

So not to put too fine a point on it, but it sounds like a need not so much for the warm-up we would normally expect for that term, with some tuba playing exercise (in fact I think you implied he had been playing.) Rather it's a broader question of getting ready, mentally and physically, which is always something to take seriously when you have something challenging ahead.

And I wonder, if maybe a mental warm-down could have some benefits? I don't mean playing, or any conscious attention, just a few seconds of relatively idle time, giving your mind's background processing some time to finish up with the music stuff before you move on.

[ and in case anyone is wondering, I don't know about bloke, but sure, I live a perfect life with no challenges. ]

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Thu May 26, 2016 11:05 am

Donn wrote:

[ and in case anyone is wondering, I don't know about bloke, but sure, I live a perfect life with no challenges. ]

I won't go that far but my life has far less DRAMA in it now than it did 25 years ago!!

bort · Post by **bort** » Thu May 26, 2016 11:35 am

cambrook wrote:After a big concert I find it very helpful to look after my embouchure,
by the application of cold beer to the top lip...

Exactly

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Thu May 26, 2016 4:22 pm

ValveSlide wrote:

Well, yet more indication that "Donn" and "bloke," in fact, are the same person. Two sides of the same coin, if you will.

I've never seen them shower together so they MUST be the same person.

k001k47 · Post by **k001k47** » Thu May 26, 2016 6:14 pm

I don't play anymore. But when I did, I always warmed down, or cooled off, after I played with copious amounts of adult beverages

mceuph · Post by **mceuph** » Fri May 27, 2016 10:08 am

"Don't warm UP either"

-Example #1 why I tell all of my students to never, ever go to Tubenet for serious playing advice.

"President Usama"

-Example #2 why I tell all of my students to never, ever go to Tubenet for serious playing advice.

"Whatever bs self-righteous responses this post elicits, which I will not be reading"

Example #3 why I tell all of my students to never, ever go to Tubenet for serious playing advice.

Sorry, I know a lot of you personally and many of you are great people and some close friends, but after reading these types of comments (many of them written and accepted as Gospel) over the years think it's best if I'm done here permanently. I'm sure that many of you will agree that I should be after this. Best of luck to all in your musical endeavors.

Three Valves · Post by **Three Valves** » Fri May 27, 2016 10:45 am

mceuph wrote:

-Example #1 why I tell all of my students to never, ever go to Tubenet for serious playing advice.

I get it, you tell them to come here for the robust and diverse conversation!!

roweenie · Post by **roweenie** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:02 am

bloke wrote: (I also can't help but wonder if - particularly at a small venue or church - if "brass players fiddling around and making non-performance noises on their instruments on stage" is somewhat annoying...EVEN - or particularly - IF the patrons or congregants are involved in conversation, as - let's face it, we who perform are in "show business". Think of this: Actors don't wander around onstage gesturing and shouting their lines prior to the performance of a play.)

Right on.

Once the house was open, Sousa would not allow a single note to be played by any of his musicians. He wanted the first sounds to be heard by his audience to be the first note of the first piece on the program. I suspect there was some showmanship involved with this policy, but the side benefit was courtesy to the audience.

I don't think his musicians suffered very much from this policy. Either get there early to warm up, or do it at home before you leave for the gig (as I usually do).

Donn · Post by **Donn** » Fri May 27, 2016 11:20 am

mceuph wrote:but after reading these types of comments (many of them written and accepted as Gospel) over the years

It's kind of a conundrum, though, isn't it? What to do with people who will accept stuff as Gospel? They sure shouldn't be reading Tubenet, but ... where can they find absolute truth that they can receive, safely despite this mental infirmity?

TubeNet

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