Re: Breathing & The Nose

[Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> I want to add emphasis to Winslow's response to Mike Curtis' comments on
> breathing through the nose as a way to take on or be rid of air.  I became very
> adept at this technique about twenty years ago, and even today I still fight off
> the natural reaction I developed to draw in air through the nose.  As a result,
> as Winslow noted, it has taken me a long time to perfect my bending techniques,
> and after a long night of blowing I have to concentrate not to fall back on this
> terrible habit. 

Actually, there's a couple of tricks to nosebreathing as a technique for 
prolonged noteplaying:

1. Know which notes you can use it on - high notes and airy chords are
more suited to opening up the nose to rid oneself of excess air.  In fact,
opening the nose a little on higher notes can actually help resonance. 

2. Use it VERY sparingly.  Harps are bidirectional - they have blow and
draw notes. Play with your brain and you'll usually be able to arrange
your tunes and soloes so you get plenty of air naturally. 

3. When you nosebreathe, use control.  Don't just open it completely and 
let all the air out.  You'll lose your tonal quality and sound very 
thin, like a deflated balloon.  Open it JUST enough to allow just enough 
air to escape as necessary.

4. Exhaust your oversupply of air quickly.

After Winslows comment, I paid more attention to my nosebreathing last 
Friday and Saturday.  I played from 7 PM until 1:30 AM both nights, so I 
had a real chance to analyze this.  

I noticed that I use it sparingly, and never on bends, overblows, or
"honkin'" low notes.  Mostly, I'll use it when I'm winded, and will blow
a massive chord, almost as a "passing tone".  I have a few soloes where
I'll sustain a single note with slight bends, resonance changes, vibratoes
(tongue, throat, diaphragm, headshake, handshake, and combo's), and other
(usually) subtle variations for 10 or 12 bars.  After this is done, I
usually want to go into something else without letup to prolong the mood,
and the chord/nose conbo is an excellent way to ventilate in a hurry. 

But it's a move I used maybe 5 times both nights - and those were some
LONG nights - I did my single (7 pm to 9 pm), PLUS played all night with
the band from 9 to 1:30.  I'd guesstimate I played harmonica a good 40% of
the time.  From your comment above, I have the feeling that you were doing
it a lot more frequently than I.  Am I correct in assuming this? 

> As an additional comment on deep breathing, meditation breathing techniques are
> a wonderful way to develop the intake of air in the diaphragm.  There are some
> yoga excercises for the stomach muscles that can help develop diaphragmatic
> tremolo;  any good yoga book will have them listed as explained.  A strong
> diaphragm will help you in getting rid of air when you have the full strength of
> your stomach muscles to quickly force out what you don't need.

I've never studied yoga, but anything that works the diaphragm and 
respiratory system  will help your harp playing.

In case you wonder what the "diaphragm" is, and how you can breathe from 
it, if you lay on the floor on your back, and breathe (like you have a 
choice :-), you will naturally breathe using your diaphragm.  Your 
stomach will move in and out as you breathe.  This is one of the first 
things vocalists are taught, and it's something every serious harmonicist 
will benefit from developing.


 -- mike