[oshawya]

I just got my alto I bought from Bruce today. i got it out and started messing with it, only to find that I can't go on one breath as long as I used to be able to. i have not played for about 18 years. Any suggestions to get back in the swing of things like certain breathing exercises or something? Oh, and I am a smoker, so I know that is most of the problem. (I know I need to quit, don't come down too hard on me) Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ChuBerry47]

Keep holding your breath as long as you can, whenever you are done with a piece. There are also breathing exercising bags from the wwbw.com website, that the object is to blow as much as you can without taking a breathe. That should work. They are only, I believe, $20 or even less. Good luck.

 

[ZephyrSax]

How's the alto?

 

[oshawya]

How's the alto?

It's great!! Couldn't be happier. Awesome sounding horn and looks great too. Can't wait to get back in the swing of things again. Would definately recommend to everyone to buy from Bruce Bailey. The horn is just as he said and it shipped very quick too. I LOVE my Sax!!

 

[gary]

Here are two exercises I got from trumpeter Claude Gordon. I won't elaborate. They seem pretty simple and they are. No mystique but they will help considerably.

One is simply a long tone exercise but hold the note as long as you can and squeeze the last few "drops" of air out so much that your diaphragm is quivering. (Be careful not to transfer the tension to your neck.) The aim at the end of each long tone is not to have the most beautiful sound you can but to really squeeze that air out.

Take a walk and take two steps inhaling, hold two steps, exhale two steps. Increase this incrementally.

Yoga breathing techniques are helpful. Again, details aren't necessary here. Please google "yoga breathing techniques" and you'll find useful suggestions.

Swimming is wonderful for breath control and it's non-impact exercise.

Oh yeah. And you know the obvious. I've known smokers with great wind control and non-smokers who were short-winded. Loose the cigarettes for the obvious health reasons. There's no tobacco lobby here. Know what it says on the cigarette packages? (Paraphrasing) Smoking will (not might) give you serious health problems.

 

[Canadiain]

Welcome back

Best thing I did after not playing for a similar length of time was join the local community band...it really focuses your mind on practicing, and gets you playing with a group again. Its fun too, if the band isnt too serious.

Just playing is the best thing you can do to improve, long tones and that will help, but its pretty boring to be honest. Gotta be done though to push your lungs and improve breath control.

One thing I've noticed with others in a similar position in band is that playing loud they are fine, but they really struggle (and so did I) to keep their volume down on the p and pp bits, so vary that volume and try playing really soft as well as really loud, it will help with your air support and all that good stuff too.

 

[oshawya]

Thanks for all of the advice. There are some really good ideas here. I will give it a shot and see what happens!

 

[oshawya]

Oh yeah. And you know the obvious. I've known smokers with great wind control and non-smokers who were short-winded. Loose the cigarettes for the obvious health reasons. There's no tobacco lobby here. Know what it says on the cigarette packages? (Paraphrasing) Smoking will (not might) give you serious health problems.

I know that if I want to get really good that I need to quit these things for sure! I am going for hypnosis next week. A friend of mine tried it and has been quit for about 6 months now and hasn't even thought about wanting to smoke again. Wish me luck! I hope it does the same for me too!