| dear Pete,
I really should avoid writing early in the morning.
In the above post I wrote that you should keep your chest from collapsing and as I drove in to work this morning I thought about what I wrote and thought "What was I thinking?". That could be very easily misconstrued as some very bad advice. What I was meaning to say was that as you exhale, maintain a relaxed yet erect upper body, so, don't allow your whole upper body to cave in or collapse. Of course, the chest has to collapse as you get rid of the air. I just want you to exhale from a good posture standpoint, as though you were standing. Yes, your shoulders will rise very slightly when you breathe in, your chest will expand. As you exhale your shoulders will drop very slightly and your chest will "collapse" a bit. All of this is natural to a full breath. No hocus pocus.
Think of it this way: you know that nice arch that is created in the lower back when you sit properly? Well, it should stay the same when you exhale. practice this while you're at the keyboard right now. Sit tall, chin down, and breathe in and out fully but naturally. When you blow into your horn you need to hear those clear-sounding notes and produce them, each and every one from this good body use.
I hope I haven't made it worse!
Good body mechanics and good sound in your head before you play each and every note.
ML |