[Harp-L] Breath control advice?

[Chris Hofstader]

Thanks Richard.

This is precisely the issue I’m working on with Tomlin lately and your article helped by bringing a different perspective on the same notion.

> On Nov 6, 2016, at 5:16 PM, Richard Hunter <rhunter377 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> 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
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