Every accomplished athlete has a set of essential “warm-ups” before getting into performance oriented activities. The same is true for all trombone players. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, warming up prepares your embouchure for a long session of playing. In this guide, I will walk through the best warm-up routine for trombone players. Read about how to build tone quality, flexibility, range, and endurance. Your trombone warm-ups will be the key to each and every practice session.
Let’s get started!
Why is a Trombone Warmup Essential?
Before diving into exercises, let’s understand why the trombone warm-ups matter:
- Prepares the embouchure – wakes up the lip muscles known as your embouchure.
- Improves airflow – establishes and strengthens your breath support.
- Prevents strain – reduces the risk of lip fatigue or tension.
- Builds muscle control – creates daily habits that improve flexibility, high and low range, endurance.
- Improves tone – your tone is the most important element.
How Long Will Your Practice Session Be?
Your warm-up routine for trombone should be a personal activity that you develop over time. What this means is that a beginner won’t be able to do all of these six steps below. An intermediate or advanced player – yes! As you do these exercises in your warm-up, you will develop strength in your embouchure. Your routine will eventually become a ‘memorized set’ that you can customize as you see fit.
A warm-up routine is essential for a short or long practice session. So, ask yourself – How long will my practice session be? A 15 min. practice session will not require a 20 min. warm-up. As you study the six steps below, you will be able to adapt your warm-up.
Step-by-Step Warm-Up Routine for Trombone Players
Below is a warm-up routine for trombone players designed as a progressive program that will prepare you for lengthy practice sessions.
1. Breathing Exercises (2–3 minutes)
Let’s remember that air is the fuel for your trombone playing. Breathing is a natural part of our existence. But for playing the trombone, we need to expand our lung compacity with breathing exercises.
An important muscle that sits directly below our lungs is called the “diaphragm”. Let me explain how it works. When we inhale, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward. This gives more space in the chest for the lungs to fill with air. When we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and rises. This action pushes air out of the lungs.
Before picking up the trombone, practice a few breathing exercises:
- Inhale through for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale slowly for 8 counts.
- Focus on deep, relaxed breaths expanding the diaphragm.
- How did you do?
- Let’s do this exercise 3 more times so that you get a good idea of what the diaphragm does.
2. Long Tones (5 minutes)
Long tones must be the first and most consistent exercise done with every trombone warm-up. Your volume level should be medium loud or mezzo-forte (mf)
- Start with low Bb in first position. Take a deep breath.
- Play this note for 8 slow counts. Repeat this for 8 more counts. Focus on a steady airflow and listen for a pure tone.
- Next, play the note F above Bb for 8 slow counts. Again, play this note for another 8 counts. Make sure that you are pushing the air ‘through’ the trombone, not just ‘into it’.
- Next, play the Bb above F in the same manner as the previous two notes. Relax for a minute.
- Next, in second position, play the same exercise on the notes low A, E above A, followed by the A above E.
- Next, in third position, play low Ab, to Eb, to Ab above. Rest for a few minutes.
Click the links below to read the exercises in notation.
Trombone Warm up Exercise #1 Long Tone Warmup Exercise #2Tip: Use a tuner to check pitch accuracy.
3. Lip Slurs (5 minutes)
A lip slur on the trombone is a smooth transition between two or more notes without using the slide or tongue — the pitch changes are made entirely by adjusting your embouchure (lip tension and air support).
Here’s how it works:
- The slide stays in one position (for example, 1st position).
- You change notes by tightening or relaxing your lips and increasing or decreasing air speed.
- This lets you move between the harmonic series notes available in that slide position.
Purpose of Lip Slurs
- Develop embouchure flexibility
- Improve tone and control across registers
- Smooth out transitions between partials
- Strengthen airflow and endurance
In this trombone warmup exercise, we will be playing notes without any separation in sound.
Lip flexibility is key to smooth technique.
- Begin with simple 1st position low B♭ –F–B♭ – F – B♭ slurs.
- Move to 2nd position A – E – A – E – A
- Next, 3rd position – Ab – Eb – Ab – Eb – Ab
- Next, 4th position – G – D – G – D – G
- Next, 5th position – Gb – Db – Gb – Db – Gb
- Next, 6th position – F – C – F – C – F
- Keep airflow steady and avoid unnecessary jaw movement.
Click the link below to read the music notation.
Warmup Lip Slur Exercise #1Tip: This builds flexibility and strengthens your embouchure.
4. Articulation Exercises (3–4 minutes)
Articulation in trombone playing is the way we “pronounce” the notes. Some notes are long and drawn out or slow. Others are fast. Articulation is done by the use of the tongue in the mouthpiece.
To better understand the tonguing concept, think about a water faucet turned on with a steady stream. Let’s take a finger and put it through the stream. This interrupts the steady stream. The same thing happens to a stream of air when it is interrupted by the tongue.
At the roof of your mouth there is a hard ridge just behind your top teeth. Place your tongue there to get an idea of this ridge. Now while touching that area, say “tah”. Say it again – “tah”. Great! Now you are learning how to use the tongue for the proper articulations.
Click the link below and practice a few articulation and tonguing exercises.
Articulation Exercise #1 Articulation Exercise #2
5. Slide Technique Exercises (3–5 minutes)
A trumpet player or clarinet player need just to put their fingers on a key or valve to get the notes. A trombone player has 7 different slide positions to play the notes. Precise slide positions makes or breaks trombone performance. Below are three exercises to use in your warm-up routine. These are designed for beginners through intermediate trombonists. For the purposes of your warm-up, alternate between these exercises.
- In Slide Technique Exercise #1 you will practice 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th positions. Play the slowly while you memorize the notes and the positions. Train your ear to listen to these notes (pitches) for the correct tuning. Slide Technique Exercise #1
- Slide Technique Exercise #2 is designed for accuracy between 1st and 6th positions. You can never have enough practice on this one. Slide Technique Exercise #2
- In Slide Technique Exercise #3, you will practice a bit more difficult passages but very good for a simple warm-up. For beginners, the notes and their positions are omitted. Slide Technique Exercise #3
6. Trombone Range Exercises (5 minutes)
Needless to say, trombone range exercises are not for the beginner. As your embouchure strengthens, you will need to extend the “highs” and “lows” of your range. Below, are three of my favorite exercises designed for the intermediate and advanced players:
Octave Bridging Exercise
This type exercise will train the embouchure to adjust to the different vibration speeds required for notes an octave apart. Practicing this exercise daily will improve embouchure flexibility, smooth register transitions, improved range, and consistent tone quality
Octave Bridging Exercise
Descending Power for Lower Range
To strengthen the low register (which also supports the high register):
- Practice descending scales or arpeggios down to pedal tones.
- Keep a full, resonant sound and steady airflow.
- Developing strong low tones improves lip flexibility and air efficiency.
Range Extension Exercise #2
Range Ladder Routine
The following exercise allows you to develop your upper range. Go up the ladder and come down the ladder. this is written in a legato “slurred” style, but can be played in a separated articulation with accents. Make sure you rest after playing the full exercise.
Range Extension Exercise #1
Additional Tips for Trombone Warm-Ups
- Consistency is key – make sure that every practice session starts with your warm-ups
- Stay relaxed – avoid tension in lips, shoulders, and hands.
- Use a metronome – keeps rhythm steady during exercises.
- Adjust for your level – beginners may shorten sections; advanced players may expand them.
- Always stop before strain or fatigue.
- Include range work after a full warm-up, not at the start.
In Conclusion
The best warm-up routine for trombone players isn’t about speed or complexity—it’s about consistency and focus. By combining breathing, long tones, slurs, articulation, and slide work, you’ll build a stronger foundation, improve tone, and prevent fatigue.
Whether you’re preparing for a band rehearsal, solo practice, or an online trombone lesson, make this warm-up your daily ritual. Over time, you’ll notice your tone improving, smoother technique, and more confidence in your playing.