trill wrote:
#1: Lay on the floor with the heaviest book you own on your belly. Take long, slow deep breaths to raise + lower the book. Explore the limits of filling and emptying your lungs. Nothing rapid. No pain needed. Just carefully probe your limits.
#2: Lay on the floor, close you eyes, and focus your attention on your breathing. Calmly observe it. Then, slowly inhale your belly as far as you can. Then, over and above that, inflate your ribcage and upper chest. Slowly reverse. Approx 8sec to inhale, 8sec to exhale.
I got these from a music class I took that featured a "breathing gym".
Breathing uses muscles. Muscles can be strengthened. Patterns can be strengthened.
Note: this is not a recommendation on how to breathe while you're playing. It merely strengthens your breathing muscles and cultivates an awareness of your breath. Strong breathing muscles give you power and stamina. The awareness comes in handy when trying to find a good moment to breathe while playing, and, finding the right amount of air for the different notes and different octaves.
trill
This technique mentioned by trill has been applied by many singers. Though this is basic, many have neglected this as many people want fast results so they just scream out of their throat.
I have been doing this ever since I was 7 years old until now.
In singing we have what we call protagonistic or main muscle and the antagonistic or the supporting muscles.
The main is the abdominal muscle that supports the inflation and deflation of the diaphragm on front and side.
The support are the lats and the spinal erectae provide the support at the back.
The main and support muscles have a major role in sustaining long and high notes because long notes well...use a lot of air on a longer period of time.
Remember NOT to deplete or fill your air fully when singing or on playing, but you can on exercises.
If you fill it completely you will feel the need to burst it out. If you deplete it fully you will feel the need to engulf a lot of air.
In singing air budgeting is always observe and breath marks are placed on rests regularly or on parts where the keys are low (as it is easier to breath on low keys).
Most of the time breath marks are upon the discretion of the singer, but it is suggested that you breathe in air after the end of a line/phrase, as breathing in in the middle of the phrase sounds struggling.
It also applies to woodwinds where you cut the bars or measure where you feel you almost or totally deplete your air.
There are many exercises for diaphragm.
The Hiss is for capacity as it is filling then emptying.
If you want to strengthen your diaphragm do the
Hass...Has...has....hass..has in staccato but sustaining the SSSSS shortly
The staccato adds the motion of abs and back movement. It will also help you on air control and air budgeting.
Then if you want to increase the difficulty pronounce hash..hash.... in the same manner
notice that the SH sound use a lot of air.
Then if you want to increase the difficulty do this when your walking then on running...
Sounds crazy, but I do this vocalization even when running on the thread mill.
Locomotion use a lot of air as you need more oxygen in your blood, so moving then doing this will strengthen your lungs, your diap, your abs, your lats, your spinal erectae, and your legs.
Thus achieving many things in one.
In fact when I first tried my low D whistle 3 days ago, I had to struggle as the breathing is like singing sustained high notes several times.
Whereas, you dont sustain many high notes of your range, many times in singing, you just do that on highlights most often.
It is like singing highlights many times
I have been coughing until now, but not as worse compare to the first 2 days. It is not due to virus but to the reflex that I am learning on Low D.
It took me 2 days to understand the whistle's air requirements and air demands, and after vocalizing every time I cough suddenly the cough reflex stops.
Hope this helps
