Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?

Subject: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: GUEST,Les B
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:27 PM

With the rapid onset of old age and, concurrently, a more active gigging schedule, I find myself needing to "warm up" the fingers (banjo) and the voice more than in past years.

Sometimes, recently, our group has only had 15 minutes or so to get ready to go "on". All of us have said we find warm-ups beneficial, but we haven't arrived at the fastest & best system. Any advice from Mudcatters ??

Subject: RE: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 05:46 PM

We play something we know REALLY REALLY well, start kinda slow, a little below tempo, then get faster each time thru until it's TOO fast, then stop and wriggle the fingers and maybe do it again.

Subject: RE: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 06:47 PM

I have suffered from cramp in my left forearm and a tightness across the top of my right hand if I launch into fast tunes too quickly and, playing dance music I find it helpful to start with a couple of gentle hornipipes.

I am guessing but I would imagine that hand/ fingers wise, any sort of excersie that gets them moving would be benificial and perhaps something as simple as clenching ones fist and then streching the hand would help for the playing and could be done quietly. I have no idea how you could excercise the vocal chords though.

Jon

Subject: RE: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: Mbo
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 06:53 PM

On fiddle, I used to warm up with Cripple Creek, All I Ask of You, and a bit of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherezhade."

Subject: RE: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: alison
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 08:47 PM

chinese balls

you know the ones you can buy (2 in a box - usually decorated), and they jingle as you roll them. If you get them the right size you can roll both around in your palm, and when you get really good reverse the direction, great for moving your fingers, and even better for keeping fingers warmed up during breaks....

and I say this in advance.... "shut up 'spaw!!" *grin*

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: sophocleese
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 10:46 PM

If you know you've got a gig later in the day warm your voice up earlier when you have time and then hum off and on. Drink lots of water so you don't dry out. Then do short scales or arpeggios in your quick warm up to get your range.

Humming when you can if you can't do a full warm up is still helpful.

Subject: RE: Warming Up - what's fast & efficient ?
From: Les B
Date: 17 Aug 00 - 11:45 PM

Alison - I'd forgotten all about Chinese balls! I bought a pair eons ago and have them somewhere in one of my cases. Ah yes, "Ben Wah Banjo" I can hear it now !