Posted by Teaching today on March 01, 2001 at 09:41:49:
In Reply to: Tips on how to relax and use more air posted by Andy Smith on February 28, 2001 at 14:08:50:
One exercise my teacher gave me that helped was this:
tear off about a 4 inch square of paper; then put it up against the wall, and stand a a few inches away from it. Blow on it to keep it plastered to the wall, for as long as you can. This will give you the feeling of constantly moving air, and you'll have to learn to take a whole lungful in order to keep the paper on the wall very long.
Another way of thinking of air is the "warm air" concept; imagine that an endless strip of mirror is moving by your face just a couple of inches from your chops, and you have to breathe out in such a way as to keep it fogged up. That will also give you the concept of keeping your air moving. This one works for me very well.
If you're pinching to play notes, spend a whole lot of time in the low range, and concentrate on keeping that same relaxed feeling for higher notes, using "only" your air to go up in pitch. (It won't be "only" air, but the concept will help a lot.)