Exercises for Euphonium
In this section you will find some of the more common exercises from various trumpet methods adapted for the euphonium player. This should help you get accustomed to the euphonium using some methods you may already be familiar with.
Stamp Buzzing Warm Up
This buzzing exercise is the same as the one used by James Stamp. The weak hand holds the mouthpiece and the dominant hand plays the keyboard. This exercise is normally written in treble clef, but here it is in bass clef to give you more practice reading in this new clef. You'll notice the exercise is all white keys to keep the keyboard playing simple so you can focus on matching your buzz to the piano's pitch.
Stamp/Schlossberg Long Tone Drills
Invented by Max Schlossberg and developed by James Stamp, this simple version of their tone exercise also works well as a warm up. The foundation of the exercise is to play the octave, fifth, and tonic of the scale (first note of each measure) but by going up one step from the octave and fifth the player is forced to work on intonation as well as tone. If this exercise were written for trumpet music, it would be the equivalent of starting the first exercise on third space C, and starting the final exercise on first space F#. This should make the final note, low E, within the playing range of even young players. As you advance, continue the pattern by lowering each note a half step and descend into the pedal range of the instrument.
Irons Flexibility Exercises
Earl Irons' Twenty-Seven Groups of Exercises is a great resource for flexibility on the trumpet. This exercise is based off of Group 6, but has been adapted for bass clef to begin at the bottom end of the euphonium for the beginning level student with a low E being the lowest note. This exercise uses the same flexibility pattern and ascends through the standard 3-valve progression. Make sure to slur all notes and maintain a clean transition between pitches.
Schlossberg Articulation Exercises
Max Schlossberg's Daily Drills and Technical Studies is full of great fundamental exercises, including this one for articulation. Begin by playing each exercise as written and with variations A and B at a quick single tongue tempo using standard fingerings. Make sure to keep articulations bouncy and light.