[Harp-L] Re: Advice for Breathing Technique

[todd allen <soundguyaudition@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for the advice David, It does seem to only happen when Iâm practicing 
alone and really start getting wildly into it. If I'm at practice with the guys 
I get more self conscious and hold back a lot, probably way too much! after all 
it is just practice. Maybe I should work on feeling it more and understanding it 
less.
Todd



________________________________
From: David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: todd allen <soundguyaudition@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, October 17, 2010 10:51:50 AM
Subject: Advice for Breathing Technique


Todd,ÂÂ you're experiencing what I call automatic breathing, where, in a blow or 
draw run, you find yourself venting or grabbing air through your nose or mouth 
as needed, more or less unconsciously, while playing.ÂÂ 


I consider this an important step in one's development of playing harp, inasmuch 
as one is not merely wheezing through the harp, inhaling and exhaling and 
finding notes that work to keep you breathing, now you're playing music with 
less regard for whether you have enough air to play a given sound, and your body 
somehow gets the air. 


I first found myself doing this unconsciously, too!

Later as I got better at air management I sometimes wondered if I was circular 
breathing, but no, just lots of venting and grabbing air, including blowing or 
drawing with my mouth (with closed airway). 


Everyone's airways and musical mind works differently, (thank goodness!) but 
harp playing is all about air management, and - often - music, blues in 
particular, is about not letting your brain get in the way, so it seems like 
you're on track!

-Dave "if you play while walking, try playing while skipping too!" Fertig
--- On Sun, 10/17/10, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> 
wrote:

[Harp-L] Advice for Breathing Technique
>Saturday, October 16, 2010 5:36 PM
>From: 
>"todd allen" <soundguyaudition@xxxxxxxxx>
>To: 
>harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxâm having a problem with my breathing and looking for advice 
>on ârunning out of 
>
>breathâ. When Iâm practicing a riff or rhythms with mostly draw notes like âOn 
>the road againâ I slowly start drawing about half the air through my nose before 
>
>running short of breath and I realize that Iâm doing it. 
>
>Is there a certain amount of air that you could typically let in or should I not 
>
>be wasting any air through my nose at all? Is this bad practice or do I just 
>need to control how much and when? 
>
>It happens little or not at all if playing cords. 
>I'm still a newby learnig mostly here and on the net.
>Thanks
>Todd
>