[Harp-L] Breath control advice?

[Richard Hunter]

Chris Talbot wrote:
"I'm looking for advice on improving my breath control. Simply put, I tend
to fill up on air a little too quickly."

In many cases, problems with breath control are the result of breathing
from the wrong place--from your chest, as opposed to your diaphragm.  You
can make a diagnosis yourself by standing in front of a mirror and playing
a long draw note.  Are your shoulders rising up and your chest expanding as
you breathe in?  If so, you need to start using your diaphragm, not your
chest muscles, to control your breathing.  Doing so will improve your tone
enormously in addition to giving you more control over your air.

See this post on my site for instructions on how to develop proper
breathing:
http://www.hunterharp.com/breathex1/

In short: control the air with your gut = good; control the air with your
chest = bad.  Controlling breath with your chest tightens your chest and
neck muscles, constricting your sound and making it sound thin and whiny.
Controlling breath with your diaphragm makes your tone big and wide,
because you now have a column of air vibrating all the way from your lips
to your gut.  Better.

Regards, Richard Hunter
-- 
"The Lucky One" 21st century rock harmonica project at
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/richard-hunter-s-the-lucky-one/x/5259889#/
Author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
Latest mp3s and harmonica blog at http://hunterharp.com
Vids at http://www.youtube.com/user/lightninrick
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