Breathing is the Key to Good Brass Playing

Because I haven’t changed anything in my routine this week, and I am trying to keep this blog regular, I thought I would post about what I feel is the most important aspect of brass playing, but that I feel is also neglected by a lot of players and is the root of most problems in people's playing.

Obviously, as a brass player I speak from my own experience, but as a teacher (in the classroom mostly, but also a teacher of brass to private pupils) I come across the same problems in others.  Players who have problems with playing loud, high or soft or with articulation or with tone, usually have inefficiencies or faults in their breathing.

There has been much discussion about this topic in the past, a quick ‘Google’ search for Arnold Jacobs yields hundreds of results, but still this is an issue for so many players – something many teachers and tutors also seem to neglect.  For me, the title of this post sums up how important awareness and understanding of breathing is.

Firstly, I would like to point out that for as many articles you will find online, or elsewhere, about the importance of good breathing for brass playing, you will most likely find just as many that contradict statements made in them.  One of Arnold Jacobs teachings is that over-thinking is just as bad, if not worse, than ignorance.  The detriment of over-thinking Jacobs labelled as ‘paralysis by analysis’ can have a negative on playing.  Instead of thinking about the music, we think about the science.  I feel that is you read too much about it you will do more harm than good.  What I am trying to do here is present an idea in a simple form that can be copied by a player, if they so desire, without too much thought.

My own approach to breathing is based on Claude Gordon’s technique.  His breathing mantra is quite simple – “Big Breath; Chest Up”.  Of course, the “chest up” is the antonym to much of the breathing techniques taught by those who say to use the ‘diaphragm’ to breathe properly.  Anatomically speaking, the diaphragm is an involuntary muscle and cannot control how we breathe.  For many years, in many circles, this has been the only approach to breath support that has been taught.  Although the statement is scientifically inaccurate, the sentiment is correct in that the support musculature for breathing is in the area around the diaphragm.

Claude Gordon acknowledged that this technique is inaccurate and so came up with his approach.  The muscles used to try to keep the chest up, are those around the diaphragm.  To begin to learn the “chest up” position, imagine puffing out the chest.  Develop this feeling by taking some relaxed breaths, keeping the chest in this position.  Now start adding force to the breath, during inhalation and exhalation, and learn how this feels.  For me, this “chest up” position feels like raising the abdomen towards the breastbone.

To develop the “big breath”, this is quite easy.  If you push the jaw forward slightly, which opens the oral cavity (a technique of Jacobs), and suck the air in until full you have taken a “big breath”.  Combining this with the “chest up” is the simplest form of Gordon’s breathing technique.  Gordon also has an exercise, that he easily extends, that develops this technique further and thus develops the players breathing efficiency.

Preliminary Exercise

This is a good way to begin learning the technique and can be a good exercise at the start of the day in which to ‘warm-up’ the breathing.

• 5 counts in – “Big Breath; Chest Up”
• 5 counts out – blow hard, completely empty
• Do this ten times in sequence

Developmental Exercise

• 5 counts in – “Big Breath; Chest Up”
• 5 counts full – keep the “chest up”
• 5 counts out – blow hard, keeping the “chest up”
• 5 counts empty – keep blowing, keeping the “chest up”
• Do this at least ten times in sequence

This exercise is developed by first increasing counts one at-a-time to ten, over a lengthy period of time.  Then do the exercise (from 5 to 10 counts) whilst walking, then jogging.

Application to the Instrument

When playing, the best way to use this technique is to replicate the inhalation (take a “big breath”, with the jaw forward, sucking the air in, filling up) and the exhalation (blowing hard, keeping the “chest up”).  Put simply, “Big Breath; Chest Up”.

For further reading into the Claude Gordon technique, refer to his book "Brass playing is no harder than deep breathing".

Also make sure to visit www.trumpetherald.com - a forum for trumpet players, with a dedicated forum to Claude Gordon.

Routine Progression from 25th June

There have been lots of subtle changes to the routine since June.  I will attempt to go through them as briefly as possible.

Up until I began my ten day break, the routine stayed exactly the same as it was at the 9^th June.  I stopped, completely on Sunday 15^th July, when we had a short march and hymn job.  In the few days leading up to this, I worked one-off-one-on in terms of practice.

On Wednesday 25^th July I began again.

WARM-UP (only)

1. C.G. Breathing (separate to practice, early in the day):

• Preliminary Exercise: 5 in; 5 out – ten times
• Developmental Exercise: 5 in; 5 full; 5 out; 5 empty – at least ten times

2. Initial Long Tones:

• Eight beat notes from low C down to low G, starting with air attacks (no tongue) focussing on airflow and quality of sound
• Vincent Chicowicz First Flow Study, in C down to low F major, again focussing on airflow and quality of sound

3. C.G. Long Holds + 5 at each 8ve:

• Low C, B, B-flat, B, C, G, E, pedal C, B, B-flat, B, C, G, E, double-pedal C, B, B-flat, C and C (holding last note as long as possible)
• The same in B-flat and G majors
• Middle F, E, E-flat, E, F, C, A, pedal F, E, E-flat, E F, C, A, double-pedal F, E, E-flat, E, F, C, A, triple-pedal F, E, E-flat, E, F, C, A, triple-pedal F, E, E-flat, E, F (holding last note as long as possible)
• The same in E-flat and C majors

4. C.G. Upward Arpeggios 2 octaves + 5:

• Pedal C, E, G, low C, E, G, upper C, C-sharp, D, C-sharp, C
• Then in E-flat, F and G major
• Continue up as high as possible (in this case to C major)

I then STOPPED!

Thursday 26^th July: As yesterday, this time working up to D major

Friday 27^th July: As yesterday – no change

Saturday 28^th July: Same warm-up, this time added Irons group 13 afterwards

Sunday 29^th July: The same, now with Irons groups 13 and 17

Monday 30^th July: As yesterday, adding Clarke Second Study in low G, B-flat, D-flat, E, middle G, B-flat, D-flat, E and high G.

Tuesday 31^st July: As yesterday, except Clarke Second Study now in low A-flat, B, D, F, middle A-flat, B, D, F and high A-flat

From Wednesday 1^st August, routine returned to normal (as above, alternating between diminished seventh key sequences in the Clarke), adding Repertoire work of varying degrees daily.

I developed a horrible and painful cold sore on my bottom lip, exactly where I place my mouthpiece, and changed my routine slightly on Wednesday 8^th August – only doing warm-up and stopping at High B-flat Major (because I couldn’t go any further)

From the 9^th August, because my lip was healed, I returned to the routine, this time adding “Franquin” type exercises at the end of the routine, played as softly as possible, firstly with air attack and then tongued.

From the 19^th August, the routine continued, this time removing the Chicowicz Flow Study and with the addition of Clarke Third (in place of Clarke Second), again working through diminished seventh key sequences and employing single, ‘k’ and double tonguing.  I also replaced Irons 17 with Irons 18 (just a little more complex).

From the 25^th August, the routine stayed the same, except the “Initial Long Tones” and C.G. Upward Arpeggios.  The Long Tones were now as long as possible on middle G/E/D-flat/B-flat/low G or A-flat/F/D/B/low A-flat or F-sharp/E-flat/C/A/low F-sharp (matching the Clarke key sequence).  The C.G. Upward Arpeggios were now pedal C, E, G, low C, E and G minims followed by middle C, chromatic down to middle F-sharp and back to C as quavers.  Working in the same manner as previous weeks.

The next change has occurred this week, from Friday 14^th September, where I removed the “Initial Long Tones” altogether and now replaced Irons Group 13 with Group 14.  Otherwise this is the same.

As you can see, this is a progressive development and has proven to be beneficial and essential to the development of control, tone, accuracy and stamina as well as range throughout this period.

A long overdue update

It’s been three months since my last update and so much has happened since then.  I have played a solo with another band (which I had never done before), played at the English Nationals (requiring two test pieces), had a break from playing (which I try to do annually) and returned to a busy concert schedule, including playing at a wedding with an almost ‘scratch band’.

Firstly, my routine has developed a little, bit by bit.  I will post an update on that separately.  The routine has progressed gradually so as not to be too dramatic a change at any one time.

So, Saturday 16^th June 2012: my first solo with another band.  Pemberton Old Wigan DW Band had arranged to do a joint concert with Yorkshire Imperial at the infamous Morley Town Hall.  As part of this, we played two joint items, followed by one set each and accompany two soloists from the other band, culminating in another two joint items.  The joint items and our individual sets were all great.  When it came to playing my solo, ‘Live and Let Die’ arranged by Ray Farr, I have never been so nervous.  I had practised the solo plenty.  I had even performed at a number of concerts with Pemberton when I first joined the band four years ago, so was confident I could play it well.  The only problem was with not knowing the band.  Being accompanied by your own band and your own conductor is comfortable.  You know how each other tick.  A new conductor and a new band bring up too many variables for my confidence.

Anyway, it went fine.  I know I could have played better.  I know there were bits I have played better in my own practise and in concert with my own band.  I also know that it wasn’t the band’s fault, or the conductor’s.  It was my own performance anxiety – nerves.  I am not ashamed of how I played.  It wasn’t that bad.  I am just unhappy that the performance wasn’t better.  I hope to be able to perform solos with other bands and do a better job of it in the future.

The week that followed was contest week building up to the English Nationals.  This year, just like last year, we had to prepare two test pieces.  First, was the set test piece ‘Masquerade’ by Philip Wilby, followed by our own choice ‘Harmony Music’ by Philip Sparke.  Last year, working on two test pieces in a week of rehearsals was very tough.  Perhaps due to the demands of the pieces - we played ‘Elgar Variations’ and ‘Spriti’.  The Thomas Doss piece, written for the 2010 European Championships, has a demanding Soprano Cornet part, with a lengthy delicate ‘religioso misterioso’ section.

This year, even though the two pieces are demanding and require lots of stamina and test all facets of brass playing, from range to finger technique to tonguing and articulation to loud playing to the softest, most delicate playing.  I enjoyed the rehearsals, and think that the key to my ‘survival’ during the week, was pacing myself.  The way our conductor works, is that we do work on our test piece to then run at the end of the rehearsal.  This usually starts a few weeks before the contest.  Sometimes, we do an early run-through to see how it feels on a ‘fresh lip’.  My stance during non-contest-week rehearsals is to always give 100%.  How else can I improve and be sure to be confident in what I am playing?  However, in contest-week I save it for run-throughs and the ‘important bits’.

By preserving my energy in rehearsals and only really ‘stepping on the gas’ during run-throughs, I knew I had the stamina and energy in reserve for the big day.  I played well, as did the band.  ‘Masquerade’ finally came together on stage, it is not a piece that suits us particularly well.  However, ‘Harmony Music’ is right up our street - big solo for our star euphonium, cadenzas for cornet and horn.  The right people are featured, and the technique of the band is tested and displayed.  On the set test we came 8^th out of 8, and on the own choice we came 6^th.  This made us joint last with two other bands (Reg Vardy and GUS).  We were very pleased with our performances, but in such a strong field were happy to have beaten a couple of rivals, even if only in the own choice.

Following the English Nationals, on Saturday 23^rd June 2012, we only had one or two performances before our summer break, which started in mid-July and lasted until mid-August.  After our final rehearsal, I put the instrument away and left it there.  I didn’t touch it for nearly two weeks.  This is quite a long time really.  In previous years I have only not played for one week at the most.  I decided for my own sanity, and for the sake of an effective recovery, I needed to have a longer break this year.  We had been so busy, and I needed to spend quality time with my young family, I wanted a longer break.

Once school finished for summer, I could spend quality time with the family as well as begin to practise again.  I built gradually over the course of a week, before returning to a complete routine again, by adding an extra exercise a day.  Within two weeks of my return I was playing at a wedding for a friend of the band, with a ‘scratch band’ made up of mainly Pemberton and Wingates players, with a few others thrown in for good measure.  The programme, including the hymns, were mainly Salvationist arrangements, with a number Paul Lovatt-Cooper pieces (himself a Salvationist).  Anybody who has played Salvationist hymn arrangements for band will know that they are quite demanding in terms of stamina.  They are fair more demanding than the ‘Red Books’ most other bands use.  We coped, but it was a bit of a blow.

A week later and we were back at band an performing in public again.  Saturday 18^th August was a private function.  We had a light programme, but a baptism of fire in terms of our return to band.  Wednesday 22^nd August was where we backed our principal cornet player, Joanne Johnson, in her final Masters Recital.  We accompanied her in a 45 minute programme and then we continued with a normal, but open-to-the-public, rehearsal.  What a hectic return to band.  Good job I was back in good form because of my practice routine!

Since then, we have done two concerts, one of them with the Hoghton Weavers.  Both of them the band has played really well.  We have a weekend of this weekend, but we are then busy the next four.  All concerts.  At the end of November we are competing in the Scottish Open and we haven’t confirmed our choice yet, but it is looking very likely that we will be performing a piece that has an exceptionally demanding Soprano Cornet part.  So far, so good.  Contest week might be a different ball game!

I will give more details of how my routine has changed since June (three months ago!!) and how I phased my return to playing after my short break in the next update.