Description
Modal Flute Warmup by Laura Lentz, performing flutist, composer, and educator, presents a mode-based approach to warming up that cultivates curiosity, awareness, and expressive discovery as foundations of artistic growth. Designed for flutists at the high school level and beyond, the book encourages thoughtful exploration of sound, emotion, and embodied awareness through reflective, engaging warmup practices.
Not long ago, Laura began wondering whether her warmup allowed her to explore the full range of color and emotion she was seeking in her playing—and whether it could bring her joy in the process. Inspired by a five-note, modal exercise called “Each Motif One Fast Puff of Air” (attributed to Sam Baron), she began incorporating modal improvisation into her routine, developing a warmup that invites reflection, attention, and playful experimentation.
Selected for inclusion in the 2025 National Flute Association Selected Flute Repertoire and Studies Guide, Modal Flute Warmup has been recognized as “an important contribution to the work of flutists who explore outside of the strictly tonal realm.”
Rooted in the expressive possibilities of modes, the book is organized around six sequential, thoughtfully designed mode-based warmup exercises that engage the flutist’s attention, imagination, and listening skills. Lentz encourages inquiry, reflection, and self-observation—helping flutists notice what they hear, feel, and experience, creating space for questions, discoveries, and musical insight.
Chapter 1: Start to Discover
The book begins with nine Start to Discover sections, guiding flutists to approach practice with awareness and curiosity:
- Introduction
- Body Awareness
- Breathing
- Embouchure
- Tone
- Technique
- Articulation
- Expressive Elements
- Practicing & Your Flute
These sections provide a foundation for mindful exploration of sound and technique, offering prompts and reflections that can be applied throughout the exercises. By bringing an air of discovery to practice, flutists engage fully with what they hear, feel, and experience—sparking “aha” moments and deepening understanding of their own playing.
Chapter 2: 6-Part Modal Warmup
The heart of the book is the six-part sequential modal warmup:
- Part 1: Modal Airy Sounds
- Part 2: Modal Harmonics
- Part 3: Modal Patterns
- Part 4: Modal Root Patterns
- Part 5: Modal Noodles (with improvisation prompts)
- Part 6: Modal Melodic Patterns
In the new version: Part 6 now includes a duet part, allowing flutists to warm up together side by side—perfect for teachers and students, studio partners, or colleagues.
Through all these exercises, flutists encounter new sounds, fingering combinations, and emotional qualities. Prompts encourage reflection, listening, and creative improvisation, allowing players to explore tone color, phrasing, and expressive ideas.
Chapter 3: Modal Flute Duets & Other Expanded Features
The expanded version introduces seven newly composed Modal Flute Duets, designed for equal collaboration:
- Shaping phrasing, color, and dialogue while exploring modal playing
- Incorporating extended techniques, ensemble listening, and improvisation
- Ideal for teachers, students, friends, or colleagues
- Drones and recordings for these duets are available on Bandcamp: Modal Flute Warmup Duets
Additionally, newly composed drones by Rochester composer Sean William Calhoun are now available to support the six-part warmup:
- Provide a stable pitch center to support intonation and modal gravitation
- Create an inspiring soundscape for the six-part warmup
- These drones can be found at YouTube: Modal Flute Warmup Drones
The expanded version also includes Discovery Flute Cards, developed by Laura Lentz and Anastasia Mousouli:
- 80 short prompts organized into four themes: Noticing, Imagining, Experimenting, and Expressing
- Designed for warmups, practice, lessons, rehearsals, or creative breaks
- Encourage reflection, improvisation, and creative engagement with breath, sound, emotion, and artistic voice
Modal Flute Warmup is an essential resource for flutists and teachers seeking a warmup approach that supports curiosity, reflection, and joyful discovery—whether practicing alone, exploring duets, or engaging in improvisatory exercises.
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