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Re: Trouble with Fast Breaths

Author: zhangray4
Date: 2018-07-03 06:23

Hi all, thanks for all the fast responses! Yes I do have asthma, and last time I spoke to my doctor about it, he had me blow into a device and it would move a plastic object along the side of the device. I could only get about half as far as the doctor could. So maybe asthma is the problem, but I don't want to stop there, because I like playing clarinet and I don't want anything to stop me from doing so.

I have never really tried more closed tip mouthpieces so maybe if I am able to get my hands on one, it will help me. I currently play on a mouthpiece made by Bob Bernardo. I think the tip opening is 1.13. I also play on Legeres, strength 4.25. I know that sounds like a very hard setup but I started playing clarinet using a B45 and eventually used V12 #3.5 reeds on it. But maybe I do need to find a lighter setup. I did try a few Legere #3.5 a few days ago but I just can't get used to it. My sound becomes way too bright in a bad way, and I just don't like it.

I didn't really mean breathing from the stomach, but isn't it true that your stomach expands when you try to take a deep breath? Even if the air only reaches your diaphragm? My teacher told me that I should not be afraid to expand my stomach rapidly, and he told me I just need to breathe in more rapidly and a bit more "violently." As a bass clarinet player in a big orchestra, he told me at times he would breathe so violently that it would hurt.

I'll take a look at the Lowenstern video and work on some of the breathing exercises, since I don't know if I can drastically change my setup. I'm just so used to playing on a resistant setup since I've always played on a very open mouthpiece.

Thanks!

-- Ray Zhang

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