What and how much warm up is needed prior to playing. Maintaining the highest level as you age.

November 5, 2023, 5:19 PM · With age it’s hard to find the right balance of warming up without causing finger fatigue. Scales in 3 octaves with variations, thirds, octaves, sixths, tenths, etc. Then we have Etudes. Too much dexterity work prior to playing can cause cramping. Stretching helps relieve the stiffness. Starting with slow notes first, then increasing speed gradually. Same goes for positions. Many short pieces(3 minutes long) seem to break me in. Starting out with difficult long pieces, ruins the rest of the day. Never used to. There should be a discussion on adjusting your playing as you age. Maintaining your highest playing level gets harder to do. Any advice is welcome.