Breathing Block

[whitedawn]

breathing blocks are generally more "hype" than anything else. they don't really accomplish much, except from making people really tired and miserable... before rehearsal even starts.

[rut-roh]

breathing blocks are generally more "hype" than anything else. they don't really accomplish much, except from making people really tired and miserable... before rehearsal even starts.

In my experience, I would have to disagree.

[kickhaltsforlife]

breathing blocks are generally more "hype" than anything else. they don't really accomplish much, except from making people really tired and miserable... before rehearsal even starts.

breathing blocks are a great endurance builder, in an activity where endurance has a lot to do with everything. If done correctly it should improve your physical endurance, improve you breath control, and it will put you even more in shape. It has more benefits, but i'm pulling this from my own experience. Yeah there can be "hype" involved. I know from experience, it can help pull a hornline together if people are struggling, cause people do struggle.

breathing blocks really helped me learn to control my breathing during a performance, cause really, if you don't breath properly, your going to have performance issues.

now combining breathing blocks with other types of conditioning is great.

basically, in drum corps, you have to learn how to control your air, while being mentally and physically tired.

It's all about air!!!!

[Medeabrass]

You can also do a show run-through of air only. Sometimes with a tuning slide pulled out. Another twist that builds a lot of breath control is to do a run through playing but adjusting the dynamics so that a fff is played at mp or mf so on and so forth. Much harder than it sounds.

[soccerguy315]

the best breathing blocks are when you return from lunch, and the staff goes "too many of you got seconds at lunch... you will regret that."

disaster

[kevingamin]

You can also do a show run-through of air only. Sometimes with a tuning slide pulled out. Another twist that builds a lot of breath control is to do a run through playing but adjusting the dynamics so that a fff is played at mp or mf so on and so forth. Much harder than it sounds.

Glassmen used compressed dymanics and air/valve only during rehearsal days to ensure the hornline didn't blow their chops by hour 8 of 12. We also did "soft bopping", which is attacks only at soft dynamics, to work on early/late attacks in the music.

[hrnguy500]

if you know you are going to do breating block avoid eating big meals beforehand. I would also stay away from dairy products as well. My experience was doing the running in the morning so I wouldn't ever drink milk or eat the eggs. Just a suggestion.

Breathing block makes you better.

Edited September 30, 2008 by hrnguy500

[RayH]

I never heard of these breathing blocks, but this all sounds interesting for a horn player. I wouldn't mind doing these myself, but I would need to start out slow and just try to build myself up a little. Any suggestions??

This is really informative!!

[soccerguy315]

I never heard of these breathing blocks, but this all sounds interesting for a horn player. I wouldn't mind doing these myself, but I would need to start out slow and just try to build myself up a little. Any suggestions??

This is really informative!!

if you normally do running, just insert it into your run... you can start with open breathing (no "ssssss" sound on the exhale) and do in 4, out 4, some in 2, out 6 etc. I've never done out for 48 like someone mentioned in this thread, but we generally did the shorter ones (I think maxed out at 16 out) with louder volume. You can put a crescendo on the last ~2-3 counts of your exhale too. Make sure you take as much air as possible in in the 1-2 counts of inhale each time. Try using the "ssssss" sound on the exhale (like you are making a "snake" sound) some, which increases resistance (ie, if you tried to release all your air in one count through your instrument, you can't, but you can do it with an open throat and no resistance)

alternate with normal breathing when you need to if you are just doing it on your own.

breathing blocks definitely make you stronger.

[liebot]

You can also do a show run-through of air only. Sometimes with a tuning slide pulled out. Another twist that builds a lot of breath control is to do a run through playing but adjusting the dynamics so that a fff is played at mp or mf so on and so forth. Much harder than it sounds.

Air and valve run-throughs = me killing myself. So painful. Especially when you do one at the end of visual block, a playing run at the end of brass block, and then a full corps run at the end of ensemble. Worst days ever.