I Recommend: Baritone (B.C.) Book

Ployhar's systematic architecture for warm-ups eliminates guesswork. Every unit builds sequentially from fundamental lip work through complex articulation, giving students (and conductors) a coherent daily routine rather than disconnected exercises. The inclusion of instrument-specific tuning suggestions and contributions from multiple brass specialists makes this feel like having a section coach on every page.

Methodical and grounded. The book reads like a master teacher's personal practice journal translated into usable form, moving through lip work, scales, and articulation without fanfare or filler. There's something reassuring about following a proven path.

Baritone players in concert band settings, from middle school through adult ensembles, who benefit from a structured daily warm-up routine. Directors seeking a comprehensive resource that covers every technical foundation without requiring supplemental books will find this indispensable. Private baritone instructors can use it as a systematic framework for individual lesson planning.

• Start each rehearsal with the lip slur unit before moving to pitched material. This establishes embouchure control without the cognitive load of reading or thinking about pitch.
• Use the major scale studies as your daily diagnostic tool. Consistency and evenness across the scale tells you whether students are ready for repertoire or need another day on fundamentals.
• Rotate through the articulation and dynamic studies in sequence rather than cherry-picking exercises. The progression is intentional and builds stamina for the demands of standard band literature.
• Incorporate the rudiment review section into warm-up no more than twice weekly. Spending the entire warm-up time here pulls focus from the comprehensive technical work the book provides.

This is your band's warm-up anchor for the entire year. Assign specific units to different days of the week so the section covers all technical areas systematically, then build the rest of rehearsal from there. The scale and arpeggio work also serves as the foundation for sectional rehearsals, making it easy for section leaders or assistant directors to run focused technical sessions.

• Lip slur control and embouchure flexibility
• Major scale fluency across multiple octaves and articulations
• Minor scale reading and intonation (natural, harmonic, melodic forms)
• Chromatic scale accuracy and evenness
• Arpeggio construction and execution
• Interval identification and accurate intonation
• Articulation clarity across different styles and speeds
• Dynamic control and response
• Rhythmic accuracy in complex meters and syncopation
• Fundamental rudiments and their application to brass playing