Re: [Harp-L] Circular breathing anecdote...

["steve" <mudharp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

 Thanks William,That's what I thought, less resistance with the other instruments.  Pretty much anyone with a harp at the higher side can choke off the throat and blow/draw real fast and circle breathe, but doing the blow "only" or draw "only" circle is a much tougher task let alone doing it in a consistant tone.thankssteve--- On Sat 04/15, William Jennings < will@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:From: William Jennings [mailto: will@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]To: mudharp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 19:51:26 -0500Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Circular breathing anecdote...Reed and horn and flute....wind instruments all require some specific mouth/lip shape/pucker...
and this is enhanced/shaped further by slight alterations of diaphragmatic air support, throat choking,etc. to flavor tonality.  Same with the harp. You purse or pucker play with lips really tightly mashed,you can control a very thin stream of air.  Amplified, you can create a bigger sound with less breath volume,so...I would suspect, as others have noted, that higher register harps offer more resistance than the lower keys.The idea that circular breathing can only 'sustain a note indefinitely' would be limited for harp if this canonly be achieved on blow notes.  The techniques described so far would be hard to apply to a draw...Wind instruments, unlike the harp, are all blow notes....though I would find Kenny G's playing far more tolerableif HE played ALL of his notes on the INHALE.  But every time I have to ride an elevator in a Hilton, Kenny justseems to keep pedaling on the blow...-Will

On Apr 15, 2006, at 7:13 PM, steve wrote:




William,Correct me if I'm wrong as I really don't know.I've never played sax or the other horns, but I think Kenny G's little horn emitts very little air through the reeds, which is far less than a harmonica. It should be much easier to circle breathe with an instrument that allows such little air to pass over the reeds. thanks,steve--- On Sat 04/15, William Jennings < will@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:
From: William Jennings [mailto: will@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 18:47:47 -0500Subject: [Harp-L] Circular breathing anecdote...Cheap joke content follows:"Kenny G set a world record for holding the same note the longest time.Something all his records appear to confirm."In a more serious mode, Katie Laur, who is a great singer and has led some greatbluegrass bands over the past several decades (based out of the Queen City of Cincinnati,or "North Kentucky" as some might want to point out), was known for her ability to hold afairly loud note for a very, very, very, (you get the point), long time.She did this to great effect (note: NOT affect), on "T" in the Jimmie Rogers tune, "T for Texas, T for Tennessee".The first time I heard her do this, with the band vamping to the point of exasperation behind her,I thought it was a gimmick and a fine bit of occasional stage presence.Subsequent occasions didn't cheapen the effect. In truth, she was just 
holding a note, shewas shaping it, crafting a minimalist sort of dynamic, and really nailing it's closure toa very profound climax...in a bar where much of the audience was yakking, clanking plates, etc.,it had the effect of slowly getting on everyone's aural radar...as her dynamic built, your could hearthe audience get quieter (the sound of people beginning to pay attention), and when she had mostof them in her palm, she slapped 'em but good. I miss hearing her since her band no longer seemsto tour out our way. When she sang a song, it just flat out stayed sung.Kenny G's loooooong notes? Naw. I rather watch him do card tricks than listen to his playing.-Will_______________________________________________Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.orgHarp-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

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