[TPIN] Gig Warmup

[David Arndt]

>>So, short of warming up away from the rehearsal/gig, how do you do it?

Why *not* warm up away from the gig?  

Just my personal approach: I like to play for 10 minutes or so before
leaving for the gig, so that I know "where my chops will be", and get my
"mind set".  This puts the 10 minute 'warm up' an 1-2 hours before the first
sound check, maybe an 2-3 hours before a the first set of the evening.  (I
find that putting some distance between the warm up and actual playing helps
the feel and freshness factor).  

When arriving at the gig, I touch a few notes on the horn (a few attacks,
easy slurs/arpeggios, a couple high, a couple low...), and and deliberatly
don't play much more than that.  

Every one is different of course.  I did learn in my early years that
warming up a lot in the pit or on the set doesn't score you a lot of points
- especially a young ambitious player in the midst of a lot of seasoned
pros.  If I do have to "lean into" some notes to get 'comfortable' before
hand, I stick a harmon or whisper mute in the horn, and keep it to a
minimum.

- da