TrumpetMaster - View Single Post

rowuk · 12-07-2007, 05:44 AM

Paul,
your breathing is the problem and a good teacher is the best medicine.
You can try this though:
picture the breathing cycle as a circle. Inhale is the left and exhale is the right side. You will notice that the top and bottom are also round. Your description shows that you have an angle-an abrupt change from inhale to exhale. Practice breathing WITHOUT the horn. Stand up, feet parallel and about shoulder distance apart. Inhale slowly and deeply and when you are full, exhale being careful not to put any bump in the process. The same thing applies when transitioning from exhale to inhale - do not add "tension" to get more air in more quickly. When you have "successfully" completed a couple of cycles - replace exhale with play (do not use the tongue to get your sound started, just "exhale" through the horn). You will immediately notice the strain at the top and bottom of the circle and that is where you will have to start working. This is what happens when our playing is not properly monitored. Things creep into the process and we have no idea how they got there. There is of course MUCH, MUCH more to pay attention to, trying to succeed with a DIY approach just is not a very efficient way.

Draw a big circle on a piece of paper and hang it up in the room that you practice in. If someone asks you what it is, tell them "breathing art"!

12-07-2007, 05:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
rowuk Moderator Fortissimo User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 4,624	Re: come back player problems Paul, your breathing is the problem and a good teacher is the best medicine. You can try this though: picture the breathing cycle as a circle. Inhale is the left and exhale is the right side. You will notice that the top and bottom are also round. Your description shows that you have an angle-an abrupt change from inhale to exhale. Practice breathing WITHOUT the horn. Stand up, feet parallel and about shoulder distance apart. Inhale slowly and deeply and when you are full, exhale being careful not to put any bump in the process. The same thing applies when transitioning from exhale to inhale - do not add "tension" to get more air in more quickly. When you have "successfully" completed a couple of cycles - replace exhale with play (do not use the tongue to get your sound started, just "exhale" through the horn). You will immediately notice the strain at the top and bottom of the circle and that is where you will have to start working. This is what happens when our playing is not properly monitored. Things creep into the process and we have no idea how they got there. There is of course MUCH, MUCH more to pay attention to, trying to succeed with a DIY approach just is not a very efficient way. Draw a big circle on a piece of paper and hang it up in the room that you practice in. If someone asks you what it is, tell them "breathing art"! __________________ Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.