BREATHING FOR HORN |
The French horn has a beautiful, unique sound, so much so that often the most beautiful passages are saved for the horns to play. However, to play those beautiful notes, you need to start with plenty of air. There are two world-class tuba players, named Patrick Sheridan and Sam Pilafian, who have used breathing exercises to help them throughout their careers. Although they are not French horn players, the exercises they have developed will help all wind players.They have put these exercises together into a book and DVD set called The Breathing Gym. I highly recommend you begin using their techniques on a daily basis, even if it's only for a few minutes, so you become used to taking in lots of air. The more air you take in, the more control you will have over your pitch, tone and dynamics. Below are a few exercises to get you started, taken directly from The Breathing Gym series. |
WARNING: If you ever feel dizzy, be sure to stop the exercise, sit down and breathe normally through your nose.
Warm up Tension and Release
Breathing Exercise
Throughout this exercise, keep your teeth apart, your tongue relaxed and low, and your lips in an "oh" shape.
Put your finger next to your lips as if saying, "shhhh." However, in this case you are going to inhale while your finger is there, When you exhale, cup your hand and put it away from your face about arms length. Make an "oh" shape with your mouth and exhale fully enough that you can feel your air hit your hand when you do so.
Hints on Breathing
Warm up Tension and Release
- Sigh a few times, then take a deep breath and sigh loudly.
- Variation: Take a deep breath in, then tense up (fist/arms/shoulders). Finally exhale and explode the tension and air.
Breathing Exercise
Throughout this exercise, keep your teeth apart, your tongue relaxed and low, and your lips in an "oh" shape.
Put your finger next to your lips as if saying, "shhhh." However, in this case you are going to inhale while your finger is there, When you exhale, cup your hand and put it away from your face about arms length. Make an "oh" shape with your mouth and exhale fully enough that you can feel your air hit your hand when you do so.
- Breathe in for 4 counts (remember to put your finger lightly on your lips), then breathe out for 4 counts. Remember to keep your mouth in an open "oh" shape at all times.
- Breathe in for 3 counts, out for 4. Then 2 counts in, 4 out, and finally 1 count in, 4 out.
- Variation: Breathe in for 4 /out for 4, in for 3/out for 5, in for 2/out for 6, in for 1/out for 7.
- Try to do these exercises at a slower tempo. This will push and stretch your breathing in ways that a faster tempo will not.
Hints on Breathing
- The shape of the mouth should be"oh" or "whoa"
- Try to breathe evenly over the entire count
- Air should be moving at all times for these exercises (in or out--never holding)
- Change of air direction should be smooth as possible
- Make it easy and relaxed as possible.