TUBA DAILY ROUTINES BOOK

Compiled by George Palton

 Daily Routines Book
Table of Contents
Prefaces
1. Acknowledgements
2. Forward
3. My Daily Routine Philosophy
4. My Daily Routine Outline

Exercises
I. Breathing
a. The Basics of Breathing
b. Breathing Exercises
II. Mouthpiece Buzzing
III. Long Tones
a. Standard Long Tones
i. BB Flat
ii. CC
iii. E Flat
iv. F
b. Long Tones Variations
IV. Tone Development Exercises
a. Bobo/Stamp Exercise
i. BB Flat
ii. CC
iii. E Flat
iv. F
b. Bruckner Exercise
c. Hindemith Exercise
d. Jacobs Turn Exercise
e. Chordal Warm-Ups
i. 1
ii. 2
iii. 3
iv. 4- Sarabande from Bach Cello Suite No. 5
f. Other Exercises
i. Flow Study Modification
ii. Misc. Exercises F-L
V. Three Note Lip-Slurs
a. Standard Three Note Lip-Slurs
i. BB Flat
ii. CC
iii. E Flat
iv. F
b. Variations
VI. Flexibility Lip Slurs
VII. Other Flexibility
a. Bobo “Broken Arpeggio” Flexibility Exercise

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 Daily Routines Book
Table of Contents
i. BB Flat
ii. CC
iii. E Flat
iv. F
b. Octave Exercises
i. Bobo Crash Tones
ii. Skip Gray Octave Pops
c. Arban Interval Exercise
VIII. Low Register Exercises
a. Interval Exercises
i. Major Seconds
ii. Minor Thirds
iii. Major Chords
iv. Major Thirds
v. Perfect Fourths
b. The Giant
c. Holst Low Range Exercise
IX. High Range Exercises
a. High Range Exercises
b. High Range Flexibility
c. Range Study
i. BB Flat
ii. CC
iii. E Flat
iv. F
d. Range Study Variations
X. Lip Trill Exercises
a. Skip Gray Exercises
XI. Tonguing and Technique
a. Double and Triple Tonguing
XII. Scales
a. Beginner Scales
b. Intermediate Scales
c. Major Scales- One Octave with Major Arpeggios
d. Major Scales- Two Octaves with Major Arpeggios
e. Pentatonic Scales
f. Minor Scales with Minor Arpeggios
g. Major Scale Modes
h. Dorian Mode with Minor-Minor Arpeggios
i. Thirds with Dominant Seventh Arpeggios
j. Advanced Major Scale Study
k. Diminished Scale with Fully-Diminished Arpeggios
l. Whole-Tone Scale with Augmented Arpeggios
m. Chromatic Scales
XIII. Beginner Routines

2
 Daily Routines Book
Table of Contents
a. Tuba
b. Euphonium
c. Trombone
d. TC Euphonium/ Trumpet
e. “The Basics” for Euphonium
f. “The Basics for Trombone
g. “The Basics for Tuba
XIV. Basic Routines
a. Tuba
b. Euphonium

Appendixes
1. Fingering Charts
a. BB Flat Tuba
b. CC Tuba
c. F Tuba
d. BC Euphonium
e. BC Euphonium Non-Compensating
f. TC Euphonium
2. Intonation
3. Orchestral Repertoire
4. Recommended References for Tuba/Euphonium
5. Recommended Solos- Bass Tuba
6. Euphonium and Tuba Course of Study
7. Recommended Recordings
8. Tuba Cross Training Regiment
9. Tuba Cross Training Regiment #2
10. Tuba Cross Training Regiment #3
11. Tuba Cross Training Regiment #4
12. Cross Training Regiment- Carl Fischer ed. of the Arban Method
13. Cross Training Regiment- Jacobs (2000) ed. of the Arban Method
14. Horn Maintenance
15. Tuba and Euphonium Equipment Guide
16. A Recommended Course of Study for High School Students- Low Brass
17. A Recommended Course of Study for High School Students- High Brass
18. Staff Paper

3
 Acknowledgements
This book is the culmination of a long project, which in its first conception was
put together almost seven years ago. This text is the second edition in its expanded form.
This book has brought life to my desire to bring the many ideas I have developed in my
own teaching with that of my great teachers and other brass pedagogues that I have been
studying for quite some time. I first would like to thank my undergraduate teacher Velvet
Brown who first inspired me down this path. I also would like to thank my teacher and
mentor in graduate school, Skip Gray, who has guided me to a new level of study in daily
routines. He has also allowed the use of many of his materials which appear in this book.
One thing I have come to realize in putting this together is that with the wealth of
daily routine material out there, it is nearly impossible to create an “all inclusive”
anthology. For a more thorough look at some daily routine concepts, it is recommended
that you purchase the texts listed in the Appendix under Etudes, Methods, and Technical
Studies.
A basis under which this text was completed was a survey I completed in the
spring of 2004. To see the results go to www.georgepalton.com/routine. I am constantly
adding to and updating my materials, many of which are available at
www.georgepalton.com.

Happy Practicing!
George Palton- June 2007
 FORWARD

This page is meant to help give an explanation to some of the

exercises in this book. In general the exercises fit into two categories:
ones that must be transposed to fit the instrument’s key, and patterns that
can be used in any register. In general- these exercises are open to
adaptation. Change then to work on areas of weakness in your playing.

LONG TONES- Exercises are provided in all keys. Transpose the

variations for your instrument.

TONE DEVELOPMENT- The Bobo/Stamp exercises are provided in all

keys. The Bruckner exercise begins in C and can be transposed into
whatever key fits the musician’s needs. Exercises C-E should be played
as written. Exercises F-N is a series of patterns that can be transposed if
needed. In general the focus is the development of good tone, and use of
air.

THREE NOTE LIP-SLURS- Patterns are written out for horns of all keys
with the fingerings below. Play these slowly and focus on proper slurring.
The variations are patterns to be transposed to the instrument’s key.

FLEXIBILITY LIP-SLURS- These are patterns that should be transposed

using the series of fingerings established in the three note lip-slur
section.

LOW/HIGH RANGE EXERCISES- Use excerpts, etudes, and literature to

supplement this exercise. For example, for low range development
practice Respighi Fountains of Rome.

TONGUING/TECHNIQUE- Use exercises from the Arban Complete

Method for the Tuba and Clarke Technical Studies for the Cornet to
supplement these patterns. To multi-task use scales to focus on these
areas.
 My Daily Routine Philosophy

Name: Date:
 The Basics of Breathing
Compiled by George Palton, Marshall University

Common Misconceptions
The Diaphragm is a piston that moves up and down. When the diaphragm descends the
chest cavity enlarges which lowers air pressure and allows your lungs to fill up.
Breath Support is the blowing of breath. The volume of wind provides support, not the
contraction of muscles.
We can not change our lung capacity. It is based on age, height, gender, and health
factors. However, we can do the most with what we have.

Basic Concepts
Adopt a “WHOA” shape in your mouth when inhaling
Maintain a constant and even flow of wind
Utilize an even “cyclic” exchange of inhalation to exhalation
Always keep the air in motion
Allow the music to breathe, emulate a great vocalist
Breathe in time and maintain a steady tempo when breathing
Only use the first 80% of your lung capacity
Plan all breaths for the purpose of survival and to optimize the musical effect
Use good posture, don’t raise your shoulders
Fill your lungs from the bottom to the top
Breathe to expand, don’t expand to breathe
Breathe from the corners of your mouth, not your nose
Make your breath as silent as possible, noise is resistance
Lower notes need twice as much air, higher notes require air to be twice as fast
INHALE=YAWN, EXHALE=BLOW WIND!

Basic Exercises (Measure airflow through horizontal arm movement and arm circles)
In 2 Out 2, In 4 Out 4, etc.
In 2 Out 2, In 2 Out 4, etc.
In 4 Out 4, In 2 Out 4, In 1 Out 4, In 1/8 Out 4

Tools Available
Homemade: piece of paper, PVC pipe (breathing tube), toothpick (BERP)
For Purchase: breathing bag, breath builder, respirometer

Supplemental Resources
Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind by Brian Frederickson
The Breathing Gym (DVD and Text) by Patrick Sheridan and Sam Pilafian
 BREATHING EXERCISES
George Palton, Marshall University

Do these with a metronome at quarter note= 60.

Fill your lungs up from the bottom to the top. Breathe to expand
your lungs, do not expand your lungs to breathe. Throughout all
exercises in this book, tension must be avoided.

In 2 Out 2
In 4 Out 4
In 6 Out 6
In 8 Out 8

In 2 Hold 4 Out 2
In 4 Hold 4 Out 4
In 6 Hold 4 Out 6
In 8 Hold 4 Out 8

In 2 Out 2
In 2 Out 4
In 2 Out 6
In 2 Out 8

Some Tips:
• RELAX!
• Avoid raising your shoulders.
• Fill your lungs from the bottom to the top.
• Breathe from the corners of your mouth, not your nose.
• Make your breath as silent as possible, noise is resistance!
• INHALE= YAWN
• EXHALE=BLOW WIND!
 Mouthpiece Buzzing
Palton
Exercise A
Start at any comfortable note (such as F) and slur up/down to notes, gradually increasing the interval.
Use this exercise to increase range and quality of buzz.

?c
etc.
Tuba
˙ b˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ b˙

?
6 etc.

˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ b˙ ˙ ˙

, , ,
Exercise B- Stamp/Bobo "White Keys" Exercise
U U U
? j j j
11

. œ. œ œ .
œœ œ œœœœœœœ
œœœœœ œ œœœœœœœ œœœœ œ œ œœœœ œœœ
,
? j U , j U , U
œ . œ œ œ œ . œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ
17

, U ,
? œ œ œ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ . œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Uœ
23

J J
Exercise C- Sirens
˙
Start at your lowest possible note and gliss up to your highest possible note and back down.

? Ó
27

˙ ˙
Exercise D- Bobo Octaves Exercise

, U , U , ,
Slur to the first note and gradually gliss to the second note. Use fifths if your range is limited.

? U̇ U̇
œ œ ˙ #œ #œ ˙ œ œ bœ bœ
29

œ ˙ œ #œ ˙ #œ œ ˙ œ bœ ˙ bœ
? œ
,
œ U̇ œ , œ U̇ # œ , # œ U̇ œ , œ U̇
37

œ ˙ œ œ ˙ œ #œ ˙ #œ œ ˙ œ

Exercise E- Buzz simple tunes.

 Long Tones George Palton
Pause in between each set of long tones. Maintain focus at all times, do not simply play a long tone do something with it
dynamically. Use a constant air stream like blowing a long whole note. Always keep a beautiful tone throughout all of these exercises.

BB Flat Tuba
?c , , , ,
Tuba bw w bw bw bw w bw bw
p ƒ p simile

?
9
, , , ,
bw w w w w bw w w

?
17
, , , ,
w bw w w w w w bw

?
25
, , , ,
bw w bw bw bw w bw bw

?
33
, , , ,
bw w bw bw bw
w bw w
?
41
, , ,
bw bw bw bw
bw w bw bw
 Long Tones George Palton
Pause in between each set of long tones. Maintain focus at all times, do not simply play a long tone do something with it
dynamically. Use a constant air stream like blowing a long whole note. Always keep a beautiful tone throughout all of these exercises.

, , , ,
CC TUBA
?c w w w w w
Tuba bw w bw
p ƒ p simile

?w
9
, , , ,
w w #w w w w w

?
17
, , , ,
w bw w w w bw w
w

?
25
, , , ,
w w w bw w w w bw

?
33
, , , ,
w w w bw w w w
w
?
41
, , ,
w w w w
bw w bw w
 Long Tones George Palton
Pause in between each set of long tones. Maintain focus at all times, do not simply play a long tone do something with it
dynamically. Use a constant air stream like blowing a long whole note. Always keep a beautiful tone throughout all of these exercises.

E Flat Tuba
? c bw , , , ,
Tuba w bw bw bw w bw bw
p ƒ p simile

? bw
9
, , , ,
bw bw w bw bw bw w

? bw
17
, , , ,
bw bw w bw w bw bw

?
25
, , , ,
bw w bw bw bw w bw bw

?
33
, , , ,
bw bw bw bw bw
w bw w

?
41
, , ,
bw bw bw bw
bw w bw bw
 Long Tones George Palton
Pause in between each set of long tones. Maintain focus at all times, do not simply play a long tone do something with it
dynamically. Use a constant air stream like blowing a long whole note. Always keep a beautiful tone throughout all of these exercises.

, , , ,
F TUBA

Tuba
?c w w w bw w w w bw
p ƒ p simile

?w , , , ,
w w w w
9

w bw w

?w , , , ,
w w w
17

bw w bw w

?
25
, , , ,
w w w bw w w w bw

?
33
, , , ,
w w w bw w w
bw w

?
41
, , ,
w w w w
bw w bw w