When you pick up the flute, how do you
warm up? Aside from the pint of Guinness, that is.
I don’t “warm up.” I just pick up the flute and play tunes, and as I do so the flute and I get warmed up.
Likewise, when I’m done I don’t “cool down.” I just take the flute apart, wipe it out, pack it up and go.
Why would you need to have a “warm up” routine? Seriously. It’s not like you could pull a lip muscle or blow a gasket on your flute or anything like that if you don’t “warm up.”
I usually begin with a few scales just to measure how cantankerous my lip may or may not be and if my dried out winter fingers cover the holes right. I usually then do a lot of long tones to work on the tone and then octave jumps. After that I play a few familiar tunes then work on new ones or what ever else the spirit moves me to do. AND depends on what the kids, wife and cats are doing in the meantime.
Today I was having a ball playing through Waltons Slow Airs. Being a reader I sometime get hung up on running through a number of tunes because its what I feel like doing at the time. What’s great about doing this is that I only concentrate on the tune - timing, feeling, et al - and don’t even think about embouchure stuff.
Go for whatever but keep on going for it.
BillG
Years ago I used to go through a warmup routine, long tones, breathing exercises, scales, the whole bit…
Then I hit college, and Dr. Steinquest pointed out while looking at me from underneath his eyebrows that pro musicians don’t get to “warm up”–you may have to pick up an icy cold flute, have about 5 minutes to try to thaw it out while the curtains are closed, and then you’re onstage under the big hot lights and you better be able to just pick it up and play it.
He was a big proponent of playing cold, and he quickly weaned me away from all that warm-up junk. And I’m glad–especially now when there’s so little time to practice, if I had to waste time “warming up,” I’d never get to play tunes.
So the best way to warm up: don’t!
One catch–I still think long tones are a great way to build tone, control, and efficient air use. But not as a warm-up, so much as something to occasionally just devote part of a practice to.
–James
Like Bill, I too go through a good warm up. No Guinness, but a nice glass of Chianti! First I’ll do long tones and scales, then I’ll work on some dexterity patterns and breathing techniques. This for about a half hour. Then I’ll work on some already known tunes - trying to refine them and “make them mine”. Then I’ll work on a few new pieces and finish the night playing some more already known pieces. Since the mind remembers the last thing you do…I always try to end on a real strong tune. (if I’m having an off night and sound horrible, I will still try to play just one tune well and then stop.)
Not warm up? Sure there are gigs when I can’t, but the fact that I almost always do spend time warming up means I’m more confident in may abilities when I get out in front of people.
oh and by the time I’m done with practice…the wine is gone, too.
But thats just how I do it!
Sue
Thanks to all. I notice that I’m much less good
at first, that I become fluent after awhile,
and I don’t warm up, I just start playing tunes.
So I wondered if maybe a standard routine might
speed the process. Whatever works…
Thanks again..
My"warm-up" consists of placing the flute headjoint someplace “warm” (armpit or ? ) for a few minutes while I read something. Then it’s ready to go. Usually start off with a few tunes I know well, then go on to whatever I feel like working on…
Mary
Jim,
I run thru every note possible on the instrument
from key note to octave2 at least thrice before I do what I’ve said
I usually by playing scales in which I jump octaves trying just to adjust the embouchure rather than blow harder (left over from whistle playing). That gives me a good idea whether the head is rotated in by the proper amount, how the lips are working etc. In the last couple of weeks (probably not permanent). Recently I’ve been also playing long notes to try to get my lungs and diaphragm ready for playing. Dunno if that will be a regular thing in the long run or not.
:roll:
You may lose your poise.
I’ve sometimes started performing cold.
Yes, one loses one’s poise.
I’m with John on this one; warming up makes little sense, since whether you’re warming up on scales or a jig, you are doing essentially the same thing, and the flute and your lips will take the same time to sound good. You might want to chose a tune or three that don’t wear you out at first – most players I know go into one of their simpler favorites first; if that’s warming up, so be it.
What James mentioned is another thing altogether; if you’re working on something specifically, for tone or some muscle-memory exercise, new key signature scales, or whatever, then that’s for practice, not warm up.
Gordon
I also tend to start with slower pieces at the start of a practice, lots of times my first tune is Farewell to Glasgow, so I guess that is a kind of warm-up.
When we play session usually our first set is Tommy People’s / Toss the Feathers / The Lilting Banshee / Boston Ferrets–excuse me, Austin Barratts 
. So it’s not much of a slow start.
–James
Hmmm, What a warm couple you are 
Sometimes I warm up, sometimes I don’t. My main purpose in warming up is to get my embouchure free and focused, so I play long tones, beginning near the middle of the flute’s register, and working down. I then work from the middle register to the upper register. You really don’t have to simply play long tones, often I make up something more interesting to play as I go. I may play a few scales and arpeggios after that, to get my fingers going. I really don’t have any set format.
Of course, sometimes I get right down to playing! 
Dana
I grok the flute and it groks me, and so, beyond differentiation, Playing Is.
Seriously: aside from keeping my hands stretched and limber (discreetly, of course) throughout the day, I just give my embouchure a quick test. Since my hands are already warmed up, it’s usually enough for me.
Thanks all.