Forum of the Saxes

musicalprodigy · Joined: 03 Aug 2005 Posts: 119

I run out of breath very quickly and after playing 4 or 5lines of music i'm completely breathless and i have to pause for a few seconds. i try to breath every few measures when it makes musical sense to but I still have very poor endurance in this area. can someone please help/?

CMelodyMan · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:06 pm Post subject:

Doing longtones should help.
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Bariman · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:27 pm Post subject:

It will come with time. Just keep at it. Also, if you have the dough, you could try a mpc with a smaller cavity, and smaller tip opening.

Bariman
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JPSaxMan · Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject:

And what also helps is having a 'stand partner'.

Let's say you're on second alto with another second alto. You two can work out (verbally or not...I'm ususally the one who compensates most of the time)...you breathe on the odd measures and the stand partner breathes on the even measures or vice versa. I usually automatically breathe within two measures unless of course it's a tie or if I have to hold it out longer. I've held out a 16 beat whole note in classical and I do believe a 16 or 20 beat whole note in jazz...so it needs to be there.

Just get some lung support through various practice methods and you'll be set! Mr. Green

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Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

darby dylan · Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 63

teh best you can do is some fisical exercice like running ore swimming.

FoulShooter101 · Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 25 Location: Philadelphia, PA

Everytime you play, hold a note out as long as you can, and time it. Do this about five times a day, and you should see an improvement in a few weeks.
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Guest · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 10:38 am Post subject:

Everyone has great points, Long tones, and a mpc with a smaller opening are great, but most important, physical conditioning will take you a long ways.

JPSaxMan · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:34 am Post subject:

I will say this; I think, me not being an athlete, actually have better breath support than a lot of the members in my band who are athletic. So...you don't necessarily have to physically condition, but of course, I could always use a little exercise Laughing

. I'm a hunter too, so I walk a lot in various terrain which could help my lungs, but I do not exercise that much Sad

and I don't smoke Very Happy

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JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania