Breathe-Dah

[Elmo Blatch]

Yeah, I took this from another thread--my thanks to whomever posted it.

I dare say in the corps I marched, we taught everybody to breathe right in the middle of the phrase. If not, right before the end of the phrase was also acceptable.

Elmo Blatch

[madscout96]

Before I vote, could you explain what you mean by "pixie dust" and "placebo"? Does "pixie dust" imply that the technique/ideology really works?

[drumcorpsfanguy1800]

Breathe-Dah relates more to the development of taking a proper breath, setting the embouchure, creating proper shape and size in the aperture, correctly forming the "ah" syllable, and proper use of the tongue to produce a clean, distinct start to notes.

It doesn't really apply to where within the phrase you breathe, but rather how you do it, as the "where" is always relative.

Not sure where you where trying to go with this, but if you were trying to discredit the Breathe-Dah method, you failed...

And by the way, yes, it is Pixie Dust. Also, I vote it should be added as the 12th commandment.

That is all.

Edited March 18, 2007 by drumcorpsfanguy1800

[SCVsopAaron]

no offense... but there's not much else you can do other than the "breathe-dah" stuff... I mean, you can hold your breath..........................dah!, or breathe-moo... but I think you get my point... much hoop-lah over a duh thing.

Edited March 18, 2007 by SCVsopAaron

[blackhorse]

I vote it should be added as the 12th commandment.

That is all.

I 2nd that

[flashofthunder]

"Breathe dah" generally helps to improve the timing of attacks by breathing in rhythm: you're already setting yourself up to enter at the correct time and tempo.

At least that's what I've always been told.

[McPound]

timing your intake of air is critical in wind playing. if you don't time it right, you'll come in too early or too late. plus you might not fill up all the way. breath dah = good.

[Einstein On The Beach]

Once you get to a certain level, the last thing you're thinking about is the breath. If you practice correctly and have been taught the right things, if you aren't taking good breaths, you're probably just stupid.

Anyway, as far as breath-dah, it's a pretty important facet when it comes to an ensemble such as drum corps hornlines who NEED to be very tight and uniform. But really, it's just an extension of proper brass playing. Infact, very elementary techniques as far as brass playing.

[PR_ducky]

Yeah, I took this from another thread--my thanks to whomever posted it.

I dare say in the corps I marched, we taught everybody to breathe right in the middle of the phrase. If not, right before the end of the phrase was also acceptable.

Elmo Blatch

When I marched, we were, for the most part, assigned breathing to avoid holes in the phrasing.

[zachariaswmb]

Peronally, I prefer Aaron's patented breathe-MOOOO technique. It really gets the crowd into it when you're doing shows in the plains states.

Edited March 18, 2007 by zachariaswmb