Brass Advantage with Wayne Downey
Issue 4

Circular Breathing

Welcome back to the “Land of All Things Brass.” With summer underway I’ve gotten many different requests for information on brass technique but the most requested topic strangely enough has been circular breathing. Information on circular breathing is hard to find and if you’ve ever looked you’ve noticed that it’s rarely covered in any brass technique book but I’ve investigated the topic and this is what I’ve found…

Circular Breathing is a special technique used by wind instrumentalists to produce a continuous tone without stopping for breath. Besides the classical and jazz applications the technique is used extensively in the playing of the Australian Didgeridoo as well as many traditional oboes and flutes of Asia and the Middle East.

The principle is very similar to the way bagpipes work with the exception that your cheeks substitute for the bellows of the bagpipe. Your cheeks hold the reservoir of air (recently expelled from the lungs) while you inhale through the nose into your lungs. With the proper technique a continuous cycle of air support through an instrument can be created.

The technique involves four distinct steps:

1. As the performer begins to run low on air, the cheeks are puffed out.
2. Air from the cheeks is pushed with the cheek muscles through the instrument and used to maintain the sound while inhalation occurs through the nose.
3. As the air decreases in the cheeks and sufficient air is brought into the lungs through the nose, the soft palate closes and air is again used from the lungs.
4. The cheeks are brought back to their normal embouchure position.

The process of switching from air in the lungs to air in the cheeks and back again is the single factor that keeps many individuals from succeeding at circular breathing. There are many methods to teach this feeling. The following is one method used to learn this technique that I find particularly helpful and instructive. As in any new technique, circular breathing must be practiced on a daily basis for success. In addition it is very important to begin work with the instrument as soon as possible after achieving success without it.

Practice these exercises to learn how to circular breathe!

• In the shower fill your mouth with water and push a stream of water out using only your tongue and cheek muscles. Make sure no to use any pressure from the lungs to help. Once you have that down try to stay relaxed and breath in and out with your nose while making the stream. Keep trying until it feels comfortable.
• Get a long straw and a cup of water. Using just cheek muscles and the tongue as in #1 push air through the straw and into the water creating bubbles. Try to keep the pressure even and the flow of bubbles smooth until the air in the cheeks runs out. It should only last a very short period of time if you are really using only your mouth.
• Next, while making bubbles with only the mouth and cheeks, move your tongue slightly back to help close the throat. Take a little air in through your nose to replenish the lungs before the bubbles stop. You are now almost circular breathing. Master this until the muscle contractions you are using feel totally comfortable and the bubbles are flowing smoothly. Tip: It can help to twist the end of the straw a bit to increase backpressure and make the bubbles last longer.
• Now take a breath and blow into the straw using lung pressure to make the bubbles. Don’t waste air, just a light stream of bubbles will do. Now switch to pursing air with only the mouth and take air in through the nose to replenish the lungs. Smoothly switch back to pushing with the lungs and repeat.

Practice on keeping the bubbles going smoothly without ever stopping and you are Circular Breathing! Work on increasing the volume of air you can expel smoothly and you will be ready to apply your new knowledge to your instrument.

I’d like to thank the experts at the Didgeridoo Store in Oakhurst, California and Dr. Robert S. Spring for their expertise on this topic..

Well, that’s about it for this month Don’t forget to send your questions or topics to: AskWayneDowney [at] drumcorpsplanet [dot] com and when you get a chance log onto my website http://www.xtremebrass.com/ for all your brass needs. I’ve just released Frank Dorritie’s new brass method book titled “XtremePower & Range” and my new compilation of Brass Etudes titled “SuperStar Etudes”.

“Don’t Let The Chance Pass You By”. See Ya Soon…

Wayne

Publisher’s Note:
Wayne Downey is the first of Drum Corps Planet’s panel of subject-matter expert columnists – providing our readers with expert information and insight from the best teachers and leaders in the drum and bugle corps activity. In addition to his long-term role as Music Director of the 11-time DCI World Champion Blue Devils drum and bugle corps – where he’s won 20 Jim Ott awards for “Excellence in Brass Performance”, Wayne is distinguished as one of the finest brass teachers/clinicians and arrangers in the world. His work has been featured by some of the world’s most-respected drum corps, high school and collegiate bands – as well as the Tony and Emmy award winning show “Blast” and in feature films. In 1991 Wayne was inducted into the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame for his contributions to the Drum & Bugle Corps activity as the musical director for the Blue Devils. Wayne’s latest venture – XtremeBrass.com provides brass players of all ages and skill-levels, as well as educators, personalized lessons and access to his championship-winning techniques and methods. We’re honored to have him as one of our contributing columnists. -jmd