Warm-ups and Studies

SKU: CF.BF131

ISBN 9781491153765. UPC: 680160911264. 9 x 12 inches.

Inspired by Clarence Cameron White’s book The Violinist’s Daily Dozen, The Violinist’s Daily Sixteen is a collection of daily exercises compiled by Roland Vamos. Intended for student and professional violinists, the collection provides the performer with a variety of exercises for daily warm-ups. Mr. Vamos also focuses on developing dexterity and flexibility in the fingers and joints, the first and fourth fingers in particular. Each of the sixteen exercises is notated for each of the four strings, and Vamos recommends that the exercises be practiced as warm-ups, choosing a different string for each day of practice.Also included with the Daily Sixteen is a comprehensive set of studies for developing fluency with scales and arpeggios. Mr. Vamos’ unique methodology is to begin with major scales and arpeggios, followed by minor scales and arpeggios, all of which are notated in two, three and four octaves. Alternate fingers are provided, as well as a variety of slurred and mixed bowings using the three parts of the bow whenever feasible. It is a remarkably systematic approach to performing scales and arpeggios on the violin and will surely benefit students and professionals alike.
ForewordThis short hand-setting set of exercises was inspired by a book entitled The Violinist’s Daily Dozen, conceived by Clarence Cameron White, a prominent African-American violinist, composer and arranger who enjoyed the bulk of his career in the first half of the twentieth century.I have practiced this set of exercises since I was twelve years old. It has served me as a superb warm-up and hand setting tool. Over the years, I have found that there are some aspects of this warm-up routine that were not given sufficient attention or not addressed at all. Consequently, I have expanded the Daily Dozen to create a new work entitled The Violinist’s Daily Sixteen.I have also paid particular attention in this work as to how these exercises are to be practiced. In exercises one and two, I have indicated some notes to be played before the actual written exercises. This is to ensure that the fourth finger will be over the string in a position ready to strike even though it is not being used. Before playing exercises three, four, nine, ten, eleven and twelve, I have indicated silent fingers to be placed on the notes they would be playing if they were being used.I have replaced Mr. White’s grace notes with notes of specific value and have slowed down the exercises so that the first joint (the joint nearest the string) of each finger can move with flexibility and strength. At no time should the first joint buckle.In Mr. White’s version, the last exercise gave the first finger some very valuable backward extensions. In this exercise (number 14 in this book), I caution the student not to move the hand along with the first finger. The hand should remain in position while the first finger independently moves back and forth.It became obvious to me that if the first finger were given the opportunity to develop the dexterity that Mr. White’s twelfth exercise emphasizes, the fourth finger could benefit from an exercise that gives it a forward extension. Consequently, I added another exercise to create a Baker’s Dozen (thirteen).Several years later, I felt that the second and third fingers should also have an exercise to further develop their dexterity…hence exercise fourteen was added to create a “Vamos Dozen.”Because the first finger did not have sufficient practice in the development of the first joint in the original version, I have added two exercises to precede White’s fifth exercise. After re-working and re-numbering these exercises, I have come up with a total of sixteen exercises. It is my suggestion that these be practiced as a warm-up, choosing a different string each day.—Roland VamosEvanston, Illinois 2017 PrefaceScales are a means of teaching a person the fingerboard on his or her instrument. The fingers move across the strings and are required to make shifts, all in highly organized patterns. Scales and arpeggios are the foundation upon which our repertoire is built. Many scale books have been written; each one being organized in its own specific way. The Flesch Scale System has been a standard for many decades. It is very comprehensive and systematic. From the point of view of establishing similar patterns, it has one drawback: it is organized by starting with a major key, followed by its relative minor, going through the circle of fifths. I believe that it is more profitable to do only major scales with their arpeggios first, going up chromatically, and then follow them in a similar way with the minor scales. In using this approach, the similarities in fingerings between the various scales are more apparent. It is also profitable to have alternate fingerings whenever possible. My approach to scales and arpeggios includes a variety of slurred and mixed bowings using the three parts of the bow whenever feasible. These bowings are not all-inclusive. Whenever a particularly awkward bowing pattern is encountered in the repertoire, it can be practiced as an additional bowing variation in the scales and arpeggios.    I have chosen to introduce the three and four octave scales by teaching two octave scales across the strings in one position going up chromatically through seven positions; starting on the first, second, third, and finally fourth fingers in major and melodic minor.—Roland VamosEvanston, Illinois 2017.

SKU: SP.TS460

ISBN 9781585607181.

Mitchell on Trumpet was written to provide the prudent student with the necessary skills to overcome any obstacle that they may encounter. The complete method starts at the very beginning and extends to the extreme limits of the horn through a gradual progression of 82 logically balanced lessons plus a companion set of warm-ups. The Warm-ups volume is a complete compilation of exercises and studies uniquely designed to maintain a strong, flexible embouchure, finger dexterity, sight-reading, range, and endurance at the highest level. The resources for maintaining these essential elements are found within this volume and are designed to be a faithful daily companion to the developing trumpet player and professional musician alike. Mitchell on Trumpet is a proven compilation of lessons that took many years to develop. It was designed to make the study of trumpet an enjoyable experience. You are continuing your study of a method revered by music educators around the globe; a method which stands unequaled by any other published approach for trumpet.

SKU: YM.GTP01101015

ISBN 9784336107173.

The Yoshiko Kurokawa's Piano Supplement Exercise Book series is the most comprehensive and powerful technique books for improving piano technique. With these books, the basic techniques essential to piano playing, as described in Chopin's manuscript of technique, Brahms' exercises, and Hummel's theory of piano technique, can be learned easily and effectively. In addition to warm-up and exercise pieces by Yoshiko Kurokawa, they include works by composers such as Hummel, Clementi, and Mozart, plus exercise-specific exercises by composer Yasuhisa Touma. They can be used even for those who are just beginning to learn the piano. It is full of warm-ups that will improve the hand form, and learners will be able to play smoothly, with a focus on finger movements.

SKU: M7.AHW-1012

English.

A collection of method books, exercises, solos, embouchure and breath control studies, and duets directed to players at all levels of their development.

SKU: M7.AHW-1013

English.

Progressing from intermediate to more advanced levels of difficulty, these studies take the student through long tones, lip slurs and trills, interval and flexibility exercises. Useful for players of all levels.

SKU: BT.AMP-034-030

During his short lifetime Max Reger (1873-1916) was a prolific composer with many of his best known works being composed for organ. The ten chorale preludes in this selection are from his set of Thirty Short Chorale Preludes Op.135a composed as short voluntaries for liturgical use rather than for recitals in these arrangements Philip Sparke has kept this in mind and each prelude can be performed with minimal instrumentation for those occasions where a small band is needed. They also make great pieces for band warm-ups or studies in intonation, sound and balance.

Tijdens zijn korte leven was Max Reger (1873-1916) een productief componist; veel van zijn beste werken zijn geschreven voor orgel. De tien koraalpreludes in deze selectie zijn afkomstig uit zijn set van dertig kleine koraalpreludes, opus 135a, die werden gecomponeerd als tussenspelen voor liturgisch gebruik, en niet zozeer voor recitals. Philip Sparke heeft hier rekening mee gehouden zodat elke prelude kan worden uitgevoerd met een minimale instrumentatie bij gelegenheden die een klein ensemble vereisen. De preludes zijn ook heel geschikt als warming-ups of oefeningen in intonatie, sound en klankbalans.

Max Reger komponierte während seines recht kurzen Lebens eine Fülle an Werken vieler Genres. Diese zehn Präludien stammen aus 30 kleine Vorspiele zu den gebräuchlichsten Chorälen für Orgel. Sie waren ursprünglich eher als Voluntaries im liturgischen Rahmen, denn als Vortragsstücke gedacht. In seinem Arrangement für Brass Band berücksichtigte Philip Sparke diesen Verwendungszweck und machte sie für eine minimale Besetzung spielbar. Die Präludien eignen sich auch hervorragend als Aufwärmstücke oder als Stimm-, Klang- oder Balanceübungen und sie können in verschiedenen Zusammenstellungen als kleine Suiten aufgeführt werden.

Pendant sa courte vie, Max Reger (1873-1916) était un compositeur prolifique dont la plupart des œuvres les plus célèbres furent composées pour orgue. Les dix préludes de choral de cette sélection sortent de ses Trente petits Préludes-Choral op.135a, composés comme morceaux d’orgue pour usage liturgique plutôt qu’ des récitals. Dans ses arrangements, Philip Sparke a gardé cela l’esprit et chaque prélude peut être interprété avec une instrumentation minimale lors d’évènements où un petit ensemble est nécessaire. Ils conviennent aussi comme pièces d’échauffement ou études en intonation, son et balance.

SKU: CF.BF129

ISBN 9781491153321. UPC: 680160910823.

Cello Power is a series of books designed to be used to expand the cello student’s facilityand knowledge of the instrument. The books are structured to focus on the advancedmaterials that appear in our cello literature. Most important are the exercises and myfurther recommendations on how to work on them. The process is first to digest thefundamental of each and thereby to enable one to build a solid technique in preparationfor the difficult passagework ahead. An example are the double-stop excerpts, which arebroken down into two-string bow patterns to aid in intonation and to clarify the spacingfor the left hand.Books 1 and 2 are planned to fill the gap left vacant by lack of materials covering, ina progressive order, the transition from the introduction of the thumb position into astudent’s studies and the work on the much more difficult application of this informationinto studies by Popper, Grützmacher and Piatti. Of course, then there are the ensuingrepertoire demands of the concertos of Dvořák and Saint-Saëns and such like.Book 3 is aimed at developing a sure and secure technique and facility in the lower areaof the cello. This includes material to help make the fifth, sixth and seventh positions lessawkward for the student. The goal is to aid in the ability of the student to become moreable to apply this technical comfort to the attainment of a more nuanced and emotionallyfulfilling musical performance on the cello.
Cello Power is a series of five books designed to be used to expandthe cello student’s facility and knowledge of the instrument. Thebooks are structured to focus on the advanced materials thatappear in our cello literature. Most important are the exercisesand my further recommendations on how to work on them. Theprocess is first to digest the fundamental of each, and therebyto enable one to build a solid technique in preparation for thedifficult passagework ahead. An example are the double-stopexcerpts, which are broken down into two-string bow patterns toaid in intonation and to clarify the spacing for the left hand.Books 1 and 2 are planned to fill the gap left vacant by lack ofmaterials covering, in a progressive order, the transition from theintroduction of the thumb position into a student’s studies and thework on the much more difficult application of this informationinto studies by Popper, Grützmacher and Piatti. Of course, thenthere are the ensuing repertoire demands of concerti by Dvořák,Saint-Saëns and such like.Book 3 is aimed at developing a sure and secure technique andfacility in the neck area of the cello. This includes materials to helpmake the fifth, sixth and seventh position less awkward for thestudent. The goal is to aid in the ability of the student to becomemore able to apply this technical comfort to the attainment of amore nuanced and emotionally fulfilling musical performance onthe cello.