| Dear Jack,
I must ask a few things:
Are you a smoker or do you go through phases where you happen to be around a lot of it?
Do you have a history of mild asthma?
Have you been in situations where you've have to eat somewhat heavily before playing?
Do you have times where you find yourself tightening the abdomen while exhaling?
You sound a lot like me before I started working with Arnold Jacobs AND before I availed myself of albuterol, a medicine for asthmatics and people with pulmonary obstructive disorders.
You see, I'm an asthmatic and have been so since I was four years old. While I don't use the albuterol often, it has helped me keep my airways open when I'm stressed by environment, over-eating, and the like.
When a player tells me that there is inconsistency such as you describe, I become suspicious about his health.
Write back, and let me know if I'm on the right track. If not then it's a simple case of abdominal tightness during exhalation and, since its nature is insidious, often it's difficult to detect!
Cheers, my friend. We'll figure it out and keep you consistent.
ML |