Lung capacity, not enough?

Black Mage · Post by **Black Mage** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:52 pm

I've been playing my Clarke Original D for about four months now. I'm progressing, but there is one thing that I've been having a few problems with, lung capacity. I always seem to run out of air before I get to a point in the song where I can take a breath without interupting the flow of the music, especially when I'm playing the second octive. Are there any exercizes that I can do to increase my lung capacity?

Thanks,
BM

OnTheMoor · Post by **OnTheMoor** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:15 pm

I doubt your lung capacity is an issue mage. It is probably a matter of timing, you aren't breathing in the right spots. As for how you can fix that, I'd say listen listen listen, but there are others more qualified than me to offer advice. But unless you're a chipmunk, lung capacity is not your problem.

Screeeech!!! · Post by **Screeeech!!!** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:38 pm

Clark Originals do take a lot of air. Try a different whistle.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:32 pm

Either reply could be right. Listen and practice I used to have this problem on Flute but I timed how long I can hold out a note it is about 20 seconds which is a lot on Flute.

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:44 pm

My tweaked Clarke, that is supposed to take less air than an untweaked, requires more air than either of my flutes.

OnTheMoor · Post by **OnTheMoor** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:47 pm

Lambchop wrote:My tweaked Clarke, that is supposed to take less air than an untweaked, requires more air than either of my flutes.

That's alot of air.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:55 pm

What style Flutes are you playing?

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:52 pm

Who, me?

A Casey Burns Rudall (least) and a McGee 5088, also a conical, (slightly more), but both are still less than the whistle. A Cox D cylindrical bamboo takes about the same to a little more.

You can huff and puff on them, but if you're focused the air requirement isn't that bad.

Really, I find whistles in general to require a lot of air. Of course, I have asthma, so it may just be me.

I have a virtually untouched Water Weasel, a low G, that I should sell because it's just impossible. And it's not nearly the size of a D flute. And my fingers hardly cover the holes. Well, not hardly--they don't cover them. The poor thing is languishing here.

Pete D · Post by **Pete D** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 8:51 pm

I think you ask a good question.

1st of all Clarkes originals are difficult to play (IMHO) because they take a lot of air to play…but if you do learn to play it well, when you pick up a whistle with a plastic fipple, you’ll feel like super(whistle)man.

But probably more importantly…IMHO, it’s more than SIMPLY improving lung capacity. It’s more about proper phrasing. That's the difficult part.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:00 pm

Black Mage wrote:Are there any exercizes that I can do to increase my lung capacity?

Yes...
Google: breath exercises

I had some good links but I can not find them right now. I'll poke around when I get the time.

greg · Post by **greg** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 10:28 pm

i have a mack hoover brass d that takes very little air its great for learning new tunes you can play as slow as you want and not have to think much about breathing i hear the narrow bore takes even less air not to mention the sound is grrrreat!

Caru · Post by **Caru** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:06 am

A whistle with a bit more backpressure might be easier for you. Next time you have a few different whistles available, try holding a G note (or whatever) as long as you can and time it, to get a feel for how long a phrase you'll be able to play in one breath. There's a lot of variation between whistles.

Butterfly · Post by **Butterfly** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 5:04 am

Or simply buy a Burke narrow bore

When I play my Burke I don't have to take breaths at places where I usually do playing my other whistles, it allows me to play like 2 whole lines at 1 breath.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 5:30 am

Lambchop wrote:Who, me?

A Casey Burns Rudall (least) and a McGee 5088, also a conical, (slightly more), but both are still less than the whistle. A Cox D cylindrical bamboo takes about the same to a little more.

Really, I find whistles in general to require a lot of air. Of course, I have asthma, so it may just be me.

Yes, you. That is intresting I play a Geert Lejune 5088 (more) and an M&E R&R (less) I rarely pull out the Tipples anymore but they are in the middle, and I find that they take more air than most of my whistles. I don't find Whistles to take a lot of air and I also have asthma so it probably could be just you, I have sold whistles because the air requirments were too low. Some times you have to interupt the flow listen to more trad to hear it though. I can play 4 lines on one breath

chas · Post by **chas** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:05 am

I find that flutes definitely take less air than a Clarke original or just about any low whistle, but more than most D whistles.

If breath is an issue, I'd definitely recommend a different whistle. For moderate breath requirements, try a Clare, for low, try an Oak. Most importantly, keep practicing (you'll get better at using your breath), and listen. Also, IIRC, Rob Greenway's flute site has a section on breathing that I found very useful when I was starting out on the whistle.

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Lung capacity, not enough?

Lung capacity, not enough?

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