Klarinet Archive - Posting 000108.txt from 2000/12

From: Knaphet@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Breathing, the Diaphragm and all that......
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 11:44:35 -0500

I have recently been rethinking the concept of breathing. I, too, was taught
to "breathe low", but I don't think that brings about optimum results for me
or my students, in terms of the amount of intake, tone or control.

I let my shoulders rise as a natural process of my rib cage lifting as I
breathe in. I feel that I am breathing both low and high: I am letting my
whole torso fill with air rather than *just* the upper or lower torso. This
seems to be the problem when players think too much about where the air goes
in. In the case of "stomach" breathing, I find that many lock their rib cage
down and can only get a little air.

A breathing teacher that I recently worked with recommended that I watch a
video of Pavarotti singing. If you want to see a performer whose ribcage
moves freely and easily, watch Pavarotti. It may also build your confidence
that breathing that involves shoulder movement is not "wrong."

Another related issue is how we think of the air going in. Part of the
reason that young students lift their shoulders is that they are lifting the
shoulders to try to draw the air in. I find that if one tries to only draw
the air into their mouth, shoulders and torso tend not to strain to bring the
air in. So if you work on breathing to let the rib cage be freely involved,
thinking about taking the air into your mouth (rather than trying to draw it
deep) will add to your success.

--Anthony Taylor

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