Not enough AIR

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I've been having problems keeping enough air to play loud and low(er) during long passages. I either have small lungs or use a lot of air. I would suggest the latter because I usually have plenty of air for whatever else I do (how can you check your air capacity?). During those loud long passages where I'm supposed to be playing some powerful, forceful, low notes (slurring too) , I seem to always run out of air taking a breath in the wrong spots; it's most dramatic when I'm playing something like that though. I'm very careful about tone though if that changes anything.

For a couple weeks now I've been taking extremely deep breaths for only 10 minutes a day just to see if I can use some more of the capacity available in my lungs (can capacity grow?). I THINK I have strong lungs, but I don't know. How would you find out?

Thanks a lot for recommendations and advice

Erik
(150 points)

I don't know about checking your airflow or air capacity, but it seems like you are convinced it isn't enough. Here is what I have done over my carreer to help my airflow, as unintentional as it may have been. Lots and lots of cycling. What we do as low brass players is as much of a sporting event as any sport in the sense of air usage. So I suggest running, swimming, or cycling.

The problem with working on airflow by practicing breathing for whatever amount of time per day is that it is not in context. You have to give your lungs a workout and force them to work harder than they are used to. Cycling, swimming and running are the three major sports that use the most air, and train your lungs to be powerful tools, which is exactly what we need from them. And this route does not give you immediate results. It takes time. But if you really get into it, you will see results over time.

If your not really into the sports thing, there are also devices that help moniter and work out your airflow. Some can be found here:

http://www.windsongpress.com/breathing%20devices/breathing%20devices.htm

http://www.hickeys.com/pages/brbreath.htm

musicman
(176 points)

Just a thought, could you also add timing the air that is coming out to what you would need plus more? Like take a metronome and breath in for a number of counts and then breathing out with a steady full amount of air. Would this help also?

Arande2
(44 points)

Thanks for the ideas. I think I could add some exercise in and see if I can strengthen my lungs *over time* that way. Counting would probably be sufficient as well for monitoring.

The lung power besides just lasting longer on higher notes also helps increase maximum output on low notes like the Low E-G range where sometimes you really need that extra lung power to really get going.

Not enough AIR

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