What is "Breathe-Dah"?

[kasommer]

Frankly I'm not a fan of being told that I can only breathe on beat 4 when I have 3 more counts to take a breathe. You can hear the difference in a hornline when they are allowed to breathe over 4 beats, and when allowed only 1, and 4 beats will always win.

Using it for timing purposes....UGH!

I don't understand why you say ugh to using the breath for timing. breathing is one of the most integrated actions our body can make. By using breathing for timing, it helps set up the attack, the airs flows without being capped (glottaly stopped) and clean ensemble attacks and releases. The instructional staff can hear if the hornline is syncing up and work to make the music cleaner. I understand what breathe-dah brings to the game. I just don't fully understand exactly what you're saying works for you. And I'm not saying B-D is the only way. Different strokes; different folks.

What I primarily like about B-D is when I'm beat, I can remember DVD in 2004 telling us that when we're tired we always go back to the basics and execute that. His method has fundamental levels that can always be relied on, individually and in a group. What I appreciate about DVD's method is that it demonstrably works, is teachable, is transferable (i.e. people can be taught to teach it), and is evolving.

17 or so hours before I leave for Rochester...

[Kyle B]

Breathing in for 1 beat and then releasing the air does not prevent 'capping' the air, nor is the opposite true.

[supersop]

I don't understand why you say ugh to using the breath for timing. breathing is one of the most integrated actions our body can make. By using breathing for timing, it helps set up the attack, the airs flows without being capped (glottaly stopped) and clean ensemble attacks and releases. The instructional staff can hear if the hornline is syncing up and work to make the music cleaner. I understand what breathe-dah brings to the game. I just don't fully understand exactly what you're saying works for you. And I'm not saying B-D is the only way. Different strokes; different folks.

What I primarily like about B-D is when I'm beat, I can remember DVD in 2004 telling us that when we're tired we always go back to the basics and execute that. His method has fundamental levels that can always be relied on, individually and in a group. What I appreciate about DVD's method is that it demonstrably works, is teachable, is transferable (i.e. people can be taught to teach it), and is evolving.

17 or so hours before I leave for Rochester...

See you there Kim. Have a great show on Friday. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe you can put on a clinic as to why B-D is so fundamentally critical.

Kick some A!!

[kasommer]

I was typing while other replies went out. So my post missed some of the explanations. I understand our viewpoint better now. thanks.

[iwannamarchcorps]

It's a groundbreaking new technique for brass players.

Breathe in, then articulate the buzz/air out with a "dah"

Don't act like this is what you've been doing since 5th grade. It's revolutionary. You're just a hater.

[supersop]

Breathing in for 1 beat and then releasing the air does not prevent 'capping' the air, nor is the opposite true.

Ugh ...... NOT capping the air is part of the B-D technique. No one ever said it was as simple as "breath in on 4 and then say Dah and the world will bow to your Godliness". It's so much more, including keeping your throat open at all times, breathing from the diaphram, staying 100% relaxed in every muscle group and allowing the air to flow freely OUT once your have filled up in that one count. The DAH is instantaneous and only interrupts the air stream for a split second in order to ensure a clean attack.

You can't teach B-D without teaching all of the other things, and I'm sure I left some things out. B-D is simple, but it's not stupid simple. Other factors must be taken into account and worked on.

[AlexL]

It's a groundbreaking new technique for brass players.

Breathe in, then articulate the buzz/air out with a "dah"

Don't act like this is what you've been doing since 5th grade. It's revolutionary. You're just a hater.

Nobody's saying its revolutionary. Actually, the simplicity of it is one reason it works.

[Kyle B]

Whatever, what I do works for me.

What you do works for you, and also works for me.

I prefer breathing longer when possible. I think I can safely say that my level of musicianship and tempo control is high enough that I don't need an extra tool in my bag of tricks to make sure that I stay in tempo.

Does it work? Yes.

Does what I do works? Yes.

It's all a matter of personal opinion folks.

[AlexL]

It's all a matter of personal opinion folks.

This is true. There are a lot of ways to get there, and the key either way is that everyone buys in.

The reason i think B-D works so well, is that because a lot of people have different ways of doing things, it unifies them onto one thing, and ensemble-wise thats a good thing. And, being a fairly easy to understand concept, its easy to grasp across a wide range of players.

Edited September 2, 2009 by alarson83

[supersop]

Whatever, what I do works for me.

What you do works for you, and also works for me.

I prefer breathing longer when possible. I think I can safely say that my level of musicianship and tempo control is high enough that I don't need an extra tool in my bag of tricks to make sure that I stay in tempo.

Does it work? Yes.

Does what I do works? Yes.

It's all a matter of personal opinion folks.

Kyle, if you read my last LONGER post, I touch on your points as to why they are beneficial .. and why count 4 breathing is also beneficial in the long run. I also point out that many people teach a modified variation of this technique to compensate for tempos and dynamics. Sorry I post long, but they're often worth reading. You all miss alot when you're only focused on those who are pushing your buttons.