Ok let me see if I can get this right,
I have been inquiring about an Overton Bflat bass. After emailing back and forth with an owner of this whistle I was a bit confused.
The discription given was that it seems to suck the air out of your lungs, which seems to be characteristic of Overtons.
None of my Overtons are like this, so I sent an email to Colin. Sunday morning I was awoken by the man himself. We chatted for a bit, he played a Low A for me and Brigette played her Didg. It was really great.
Colin has said this before and he said it again, you have to learn to breath right into the whistle.
So I went back to my lot and started to experiment with breath control. I have done this in the past but never thought much of it, or made it part of my practice. That is to try and play the whistle as quiet as I can with every note. By blowing a certain way, I am able to play the Overtons very quietly and shure enough the air stays in the lungs.
Can anyone share how you practice breath control? I am intrested in picking up some other ways to practice it.
I do 2 exercises away from the instrument. This way there’s nothing to distract me from the breathing.
Breathe in for a count of eight ( thru the nose) hold for a short while, then exhale (thru the nose again)for another count of eight. You can do this anytime, even while walking, working, etc. work on increasing the count on each end till you reach 25 ( that should be enough although I know some people who do 30).
Breathe in slowly thru the nose while concentrating on your center abdomen (diaphargm, chi, solar plexus, whatever you wanna call it) while visualizing ( this is the exciting part, it helps , it actually does) breathing in gold threads of air. Exhale slowly right after thru the mouth ( natural lip and oral cavity position) this time visualizing thread of flame or red hot air. Do as slow as possible. The visualization part you can modify as you please. It just helps take the boredom out of the routine.
This works for me. Hope it will for you.
If you’re playing anything that uses a lot of air or requires good air pressure, it pays to work on proper breathing.
First, if you’re really moving a lot of air through your lungs and doing it for a longer time, say through a whole set, you want to avoid breathing into your lung tips, or “shallow”. If, when you inhale, your shoulders go up, or the upper part of your chest comes out before you belly bulges, you’re breathing is shallow and you risk hyperventilation (you get dizzy).
Practice inhaling consciously: Keep your shoulders relaxed and down and visualize the air flowing into your belly (almost into your pelvis, deeeep down). Try to make your paunch grow. If you need a lot of air, fill your lungs from the bottom up. When practising, and if you can while playing, inhale through the nose: that makes most people breathe properly automatically.
When blowing into your whistle (or other wind instrument), concentrate on breath pressure. Imagine you diaphram, a horizontal muscle under you lungs, being pushed down by your lungs and try to brace your diaphram against that pressure without pushing up. Then imagine that your torso is filled with air and by contracting all the muscles around it (like a fist around a tube of very liquid toothpaste) you force the air up and out. One of the best exercises is to imagine a candle flame three feet in front of you that you are trying to blow out.
Ask any brass player you know, they do this sort of thing all the blipping time.
Oh, you have no idea of the secret and discusting world of brass players. It’s the reason the Crystal People are yet hesitating. Hard-core brass players will stick out their bellies with no regard for decency or looks, they will grunt and groan (very useful exercise: open your mouth, exhale quickly through your mouth, making a “huh” sound–but don’t do it when you mother-in-law is in the next room). At other times you can see them with spoons sticking from their mouths, held for as long as possible just between the lips. There was this euphonium player I used to know… but enough of this.
It’s true, it’s all true. I’ve done all those silly excercises at one time or another. I really think the best way to work on breath control is to play.
As long as we’re into “visualizing our bellybuttons” and such, here’s something to think about regarding air, especially useful if you live in a place with clean air, or have a mountain handy.
If you are conscious of it, air has a “flavor.” Imagine being on a mountain, above timberline, after a spring rain. The air is cool, but the sun is out and everything, even the air itself, seems alive. Or maybe you live near a forest, with all the spicey smells of life; or in a desert with the clean dryness in the air. (If you live in a smog-infested industrial zone, my condolences and prayers for an active imagination)
Now take a breath. Not a little wimpy survival breath. A deep, savoring, living breath. Taste all that is in the air. Concentrate on it the way you would a fine wine or a magnificently good cup of tea. Appreciate its taste the way you appreciate the taste of a cold gatorade after a hot football game.
THAT is how you breathe when you play. If you appreciate air for what it is, inhale it like something to be enjoyed, not just used, then you’ll be able to control its exhalation. At least you’ll enjoy it more. And it’s a good excuse to get out in the mountains/forest/desert so you don’t forget. God bless–
I guess playing an instrument that requires a valve to let the drool out toughens one’s skin against social niceties.
Anyway, would you care for another macaroon, Vicar? Do please ignore the trombone player, he was kept awake half the night by a bagpiper in the next room, and really isn’t feeling entirely oojah-come-spiff at the moment.
If you need a lot of air, fill your lungs from the bottom up. When practising, and if you can while playing, inhale through the nose: that makes most people breathe properly automatically.