 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2005-06-20 22:52
How many of you can circular breath? I have "known" how for a while, but Robert Spring gave a lecture on this topic as well as double tonguing at the OU Clarinet Symposium that really helped me a lot with these two extended clarinet techniques. During my practice today, I was able to hold a first-finger-E-to-thumb-F-trill-sorta-thing for two minutes or more. The only thing is that I have to play very quietly while taking the breath because I can't seem to pressurize the air in my cheeks enough to play anything over mezzo-piano. And forget about mezzo-piano once I'm over the break! Then it's pp or below!
Any tips? Thanks a lot!
-Tyler
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Author: hans
Date: 2005-06-20 23:23
Tyler,
Unless there is an unavoidable need for it, learning circular breathing may not be worth the effort. A British medical journal contained a report a few years ago that linked circular breathing to reduced life expectancy for the musicians that practise it.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2005-06-21 02:05
Are you serious? Why would that be? I will search for myself, but do you know of any online articles on the topic of linked medical problems? I will definitely be careful with this if it's not good for me....!!! lol
thank you for any and all input everyone! keep the advice flowing!
-Tyler
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2005-06-21 03:35
Once upon a time, bassoon players used to have a small, foot operated pump that had a hook shaped tube to place in the corner of the fagottist's mouth. You would chug along with your continuing part, all the while pumping away with your toe to keep the air pressure up.
A big problem with playing tricks with your breathing process is that you are running a deficit for oxygen in your bloodstream while you are doing it. While you can bring in some additional gas volume with the circular process, you are never "purging" your bronchial system of the CO2 laden and oxygen poor "breath" that stays within. Also, increased CO2 tends to increase the respiration rate (a natural reflex that is hard wired into us as humans), and thus circular breathing will mess with your breath patterns overall.
(Incidentally, this is the same problem that prevents James Bond from staying alive while hiding under water and breathing through that hollow reed. Unless you have a lot of draft (and your lungs aren't the world's most efficient pumping system), and unless you exhale through the water (thus making all sorts of bubbles for the henchmen of Dr. No to find you by), you just can't bring in enough air to stay alive.)
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-06-21 04:27
"BTW -There ARE other portions of the woodwind.org site besides the bulletin board ...GBK"
Perhaps a highly-visible link from the forum back to the main page would be in order. I visit the forum via a direct bookmark and, while I know where the main woodwind.org page is, it's not immediately obvious from here that it exists.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Karel
Date: 2005-06-21 05:12
The links are right under the "Clarinet BBoard" heading at the top of the page.
Karel.
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2005-06-21 17:14
I have read the online Spring article, and actually own a packet with the same information.
I continue to research and ask questions until I have none left.
-Tyler-
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-06-21 22:14
Here's the little bit found on the BBoard search engine on how circular breathing is bad (I looked up circular breathing health):
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=35675&t=35595
Check under Hiroshi's 2nd post.
Right now, I'm kinda glad I can't circular breath...............
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