Did you ever wonder how trumpet players and saxophonists play extended pieces without a moment's rest? Musicians and glassblowers utilize circular breathing, a technique that permits them to continue playing a note, for example, without stopping to catch their breath. Circular breathing is a craft that demands daily practice and dedication for success.
History
Circular breathing has been utilized for centuries. Australian Aborigines used the breathing technique to enhance and lengthen time spent playing the didgeridoo. During the period of the Roman Empire, circular breathing was used by glassblowers.
Method
During circular breathing, the cheeks are filled with air that is utilized after the lungs run low on air. The stored air in the cheeks allows a musician to continue playing his instrument while his lungs refill their air capacity. Take the case of a trumpet player. He inhales through his nose and stores air in his cheeks while exhaling air from his lungs. When the air supply in his lungs becomes low, he pushes the air from his cheeks into the instrument until he has inhaled enough air to his lungs to resume respiratory breathing. He repeats the process until the end of the song.
Drills
Perform circular breathing drills and learn proper technique before attempting to use circular breathing with an instrument. Practice by puffing out your cheeks while inhaling and exhaling through your nose. After this becomes comfortable, open a slight gap between your lips. Inhale through your nose, and exhale through the tiny hole in your mouth. After mastering the second part of the drill, squeeze a straw and place one end in your mouth and the other end in a cup of water. Puff your cheeks, inhale through your nose and attempt to blow air bubbles through the straw into the water. Once you have learned to do this, you should practice with an instrument, rather than continue practicing with the straw.
Practice
Practice is essential to mastering circular breathing. Instrumentalists incorporate circular breathing into their warm-ups to ensure success. Initially, switching from lung air to cheek air can be very difficult--time and repetition are the keys to progress, comfort and confidence.
Benefits
Circular breathing can lengthen playing time and positively influence breathing capabilities and comfort while using an instrument that requires a lot of breath work. Circular breathing is not diaphragmatic breathing or connective breathing--it does not lower anxiety or provide the emotional relief associated with other breathing techniques.
