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Tips for Wind Players from a Vocalist
Although I play and have played several wind instruments, I am no expert, but there are some ways in which the voice, also a wind instrument can help you in your performance of other wind instruments.
1. Breathe not from your chest, but from much lower in your abdomen. Many people use the term diaphragm to identify this place. Think of it better as the expansion around the stomach, this would include the back.
2. Breathe in the beats leading up to the downbeat or pickup. Resist counting then taking a quick catch of air. This just makes your tone and your pitch; not to mention your entrance sound choppy and ill-prepared.
3. Breathe those opening breaths in the tempo you will be playing, particularly if you need to play slowly. When you play fast, I think you should still take a long deep breath, not a quick chest filled gasp.
4. Sit a little forward on your sit so that your chest is lifted up enough to be able to fill your lungs more completely. Sitting back looks cool, but it doesn't help your air flow.
5. When you have rests, make sure that you being again with the process of preparation. You should never in a piece of music, just "zone" out or "take a break." Be conscious of what others are playing and how your next sound is going to either complete their statement, expand on their musical statement or begin a new, fresh statement. This will somewhat help with the preparatory breaths, the volume and even the timbre of your next sound.
Just some thoughts. Let me know what you figure out from your practices and experimentation.
1. Breathe not from your chest, but from much lower in your abdomen. Many people use the term diaphragm to identify this place. Think of it better as the expansion around the stomach, this would include the back.
2. Breathe in the beats leading up to the downbeat or pickup. Resist counting then taking a quick catch of air. This just makes your tone and your pitch; not to mention your entrance sound choppy and ill-prepared.
3. Breathe those opening breaths in the tempo you will be playing, particularly if you need to play slowly. When you play fast, I think you should still take a long deep breath, not a quick chest filled gasp.
4. Sit a little forward on your sit so that your chest is lifted up enough to be able to fill your lungs more completely. Sitting back looks cool, but it doesn't help your air flow.
5. When you have rests, make sure that you being again with the process of preparation. You should never in a piece of music, just "zone" out or "take a break." Be conscious of what others are playing and how your next sound is going to either complete their statement, expand on their musical statement or begin a new, fresh statement. This will somewhat help with the preparatory breaths, the volume and even the timbre of your next sound.
Just some thoughts. Let me know what you figure out from your practices and experimentation.
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