Bear

Dear Manny, Sir,
First and foremost, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours on this fine winters nite in Texas... all of 75 degrees and nice n sunny... lol. This bit I shall write has been covered plenty of times but I would like to try and get a shortened/basic approach. So here goes: I have a problem when plaing for a long time. Long time is defined as playing etudes or passages of long length where one is not "supposed" to breathe. I seem to never take enough in to complete the passage or take in an excess to where I do not blow it all out. Anoher side effect is that this tears down my embouchure after a while to where piano passages take on an airy sound and/or loud playing becomes obniouxly brassy... I've read Jacob's Wind and Song and other scripts but still... is it just a phrasing thing I have not gotten panned out yet... stilll?

Manny Laureano

Very simply, Tim, it's just learning to take in as much air during the replacement breaths as you do during that first breath. Easier said than done but it is possible. With my less-than-average lung capacity I've had to learn to do just that.

It takes no more than wanting to, believe it or don't. You have to motivate yourself to inhaling as much as you can during those all-important replacement breath moments and then, do it. If you hear gasping it's not right. You want a fast, relaxed, warm-sounding breath. HOH in , HOH out. Don't activate the vocal chords, of course.

ML

Bear

rgr sir, I was afraid you'd say something along those lines... back to practicin' the swin' of my axe.

sidequestion: do you have (or know) anyone with liht asthma and does it play a role in their breathing while playing etc?

Manny Laureano

Yeah, that would be me, Tim.

When I feel especially tight or have eaten too much before a concert I use an inhaler. The medicine is Albuterol and known as Ventolin commercially. As I say, though, it's very infrequent and more of a last resort. It's not something I use daily.

ML

Solar Bell

I also have asthma.
I it mostly under control, however I have been hospitalized and near death on more than one occasion.

I always carry an Albuterol inhaler, but I do not use it much. I did need it recently in Colorado due to the high altitude.

My doctor says that playing the trumpet is very therapeutic for my asthma.

-cw-

Bear

Wow, how does that work? I would think that it would upset it....

silverstar

I have asthma too. I gave up trying to use the albuterol inhaler though, because it causes my heartrate to go nuts and I shake like a leaf after I've taken it....I feel like I just ran a marathon or drank about 10 shots of Espresso, but I'm breathing normally. It makes it almost impossible to play the horn, especially on long tied notes and lyrical passages. Like you, I don't use the inhaler daily...actually, the only time I've ever needed it was for marching band, and I had to give that up because it made it so hard to play that it wasn't worth taking it.

Do you have similar side effects with your inhaler, Mr. Laureano? If so, how do you work through it?

I hope I didn't just hijack the thread...

Lara

Solar Bell

Bear wrote:
My doctor says that the way I breathe while playing is very good.
Taking big breaths that a normal person would not take, and having a controled exhale ia all beneficial for my asthma problem.
Most people also do NOT know how to use an inhaler.
You should empty your lungs as much as possible,
Take as deep a breath as possible while inhaling the medication,
Hold your breath and you should feel the albuteral opening up your lungs, when you feel this happening, try to inhale even more without letting air out.
You should get an instant relief.
I watch many people use their inhalers and I am amazed that MOST do NOT use them correctly, and complain that they are not helpful.

(Lara, how's THAT for hi-jacking)

-cw-

rjzeller

Wow...small world. I was given an inhaler early this fall after the doctor finally said I had to start using one. I hate any type of medication, so I've resisted.

I've known I had asthma for years, but never brought it up. Unfortunately, during my visit to get sleep apnea dosed, they spent a LONG time going over my sinuses and breathing. I'll admit the inhaler helps..I just don't like using it -- makes my throat hurt.

It's odd that so many of us here have it. Perhaps I've been lucky in that I haven't needed an inhaler for so long, or perhaps the trumpet playing truly IS theraputic for it.

btw...Chuck...tough luck on that bowl game. I was pulling for ya....oh well. I don't have very high hopes that the Gophers will bring the big ten a win...

W Scott

Lara, if the side effects get too bad, ask your doc. about another medicine. I can't remember the name of it, but there is a form of Ventolin that is altered with two addtional molecular chains that reduces the side effects.

I'm also an asthmatic, which mostly affects me when i get sick. Any time I get a cold it goes straight to my lungs and I'm back on the nebulizer. Trumpet playing is actually good for asthma as the back pressure from playing 'pops' open the smaller airways allowing trapped secretions to be coughed out. Those secretions can be an irritant/trigger for bronchospasm. Plus, there are stretch receptors in the lungs that get a workout which can help reduce that 'short of breath' feeling.

I am surprised by how many on this board are asthmatics. As asthmatics though we do have a bit of an advantage over other players. Asthma is an obstructive disease----air goes in easily, but it's tough to get it back out. That means lower air flow coming out---but hey, it doesn't take much air to power up a trumpet. The result is we can often hold notes or play longer phrases than non-asthmatics can. I just started lessons with a local pro and he's surprised when I can hold a note at the end of a phrase longer than he can!

Bill