Return to Main Page
Breath Control
The following are checkpoints for the use of the breath:
- The breath is taken in through the mouth.
- For quick breaths, it is best to take the breath in at the corners of the mouth, disrupting the embouchure as little as possible.
- For the in-breath, imagine quickly filling a bag of sand from the bottom to the top.
- The shoulders should not rise during the in-breath.
- For the out-breath, imagine squeezing the breath out like a tube of toothpaste, from the bottom to the top.
At the same time, there should be a feeling of resistance in the diaphragm, keeping the breath low.
- Think of breathing out a fast stream of cold air. The tongue is high at the back, like saying the syllable "key".
- The throat remains relaxed during the breath. This prevents interference with the in-breath and constriction during the out-breath.
Breathing Exercises
These exercises will improve the ability to take in the breath quickly and use the out-breath to support the sound.
- Repeat the following 3 times. increasing the length of the out-breath by 5 seconds a week until you can breath out for a full minute:
- Stand with your weight balanced evenly over your feet.
- Silently say the word "How" as you breath in quickly, feeling the temperature of the air against the back of your throat.
- With the in-breath, expand your stomach, and feel the air filling your lungs from the bottom to the top.
- Do not lift the shoulders with the in-breath.
- Keeping the feeling of support in your stomach muscles, breath out, imagining you are breathing out through a straw.
- Slowly breath out until your lungs are nearly empty, but not to the point of strain.
- For practice directing a focused stream of air:
- Place a small piece of paper against a smooth wall at mouth-height.
- Stand about 6 inches from the paper.
- Release the paper as you breathe out, pinning the paper to the wall for a count of 5.
- Rest and repeat the exercise 3 times.
Increase the time and distance gradually until you are able to pin the paper for a count of 10 at a distance of 12 inches.
- For practice directing a steady, well-supported stream of air:
- Cut a strip from a sheet of binder paper about 3 inches wide.
- Hold the paper at one end, about 8 inches in front of your face, with the bottom end at the height of your mouth.
- Gently blow on the paper, seeing how long and how steadily you can curl the bottom of the paper away from you.
- Rest and repeat the exercise 3 times.
- After having good success with the prior exercise:
- Holding the paper, begin the outbreath gradually so the paper barely moves.
- Steadily intensify the outbreath until the paper is at its farthest point and still under control.
- Reduce the breath until the paper comes to rest again.
- Pace the increase and decrease of breath so they take the full breath to complete.
- Rest and repeat the exercise 3 times.
Helpful Videos