[Dixielandjazz] Warming Up - was Keyboard etc.

[Howard Wiseman]

The only problem with warming up off stage is that in many of the places we play, there is no "off stage" as such.  Most of the bands I know all walk in, sit down, assemble their instruments, look for places to put the cases and instrument stands, spend a few mnutes warming up, relax for a moment, then have at it with the opening piece.  The big bands et al warmed up on a specific piece that the players were comfortable with and got the audience in the mood.
 
The big music venues (like, maybe, Carnegie Hall) had rehearsal rooms to warm up.  But even the big symphonies warm up on stage, the section heads give a nod to the conductor, and the concert begins - usually with something the musicians are familiar with and enjoy.
 
Hmmm, that sounds familiar.  I'm just an old traditionalist.  Meatball
 
PS  In the men's room?  No way!  I don't even want to breathe in most of them..  

--- On Sun, 11/8/09, Stephen G Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net> wrote:


From: Stephen G Barbone <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Warming Up - was Keyboard etc.
To: "Meatball" <h.wiseman at yahoo.com>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 6:23 PM



On Nov 8, 2009, at 3:00 PM, dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com wrote:

> Robert Ringwald" wrote (polite snip)
> 
> And that brings me to a complaint about horn players.  I hate it when they get up on the stand and warm up, annoying the audience and other musicians who are trying to get set up and trying to talk not too loudly so the audience can hear them.
> 
> Why can't a horn player go into the restroom, outside, green room, or somewhere else to warm up?  And why can't they warm up with a mute in the horn?
> 
> I have been at functions as a guest, not playing, and been in the audience eating dinner or talking when a horn man or two or 3 start warming up on stage and sometimes, due to his ignorance or the ignorance of a sound man, while standing near an open mic.


I hear you Bob. I work sometimes as a sideman in a band where the leader horn man warms up with long tones and scales for about 5 minutes right in front of the audience, either on the stand or on the main floor. I cringe as does the rest of the band, especially when he hits a lot of clams.

Our trumpet player, Paul Grant has a mute which blocks out almost all sound which he uses. It is great practicing in motel rooms when on the road. We all warm up outside, in a dressing room, or hallway if necessary. Both the trombonist and I do very little warm up. All I do is run the notes from bottom to top to make sure all the keys are working. All she (trombone) does is blow about 6 notes.

The only thing we do on the stand is tune up. Bass and guitar tune electronically and virtually silently. Indoors , with my 61mm barrel, I am just almost alway perfectly tuned to them. Trumpet tunes electronically and Trombone tunes during first number.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband






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