Re: breathing


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Scott Landry on June 10, 2001 at 19:30:18:

In Reply to: breathing posted by highschooler on June 01, 2001 at 16:04:03:

Dear High Schooler:

It sounds like you and your buds are in a possible no-win situation. Some of the replies to your plea for help have managed to cover a few essential points:

1. While circular breathing would be the ideal option, I don't think anybody in the section could learn it in enough time to deal with this passage.

2. Stagger breathing seems like the best option at this point. In order for it to work effectively, you and your tuba buds will have to sit down with the instruments, pencils, and a metronome and figure out the "cheat" spots. Mark them carefully and don't change where you take the quick inhale; two other people are depending on you. Also, avoid breathing across the barline - it's the most obvious spot and most directors w/ears listen at that point more than any other. Make sure you breathe and come back in as un-obviously as possible - the sound of an audible gasp is a dead giveaway.

3. Breath marks will vary according to ability - the guy with the smallest lung capacity should probably take the first breath.

4. See if the director might be willing to bring in a college-level or professional tubist to work with your section. This might solve the problem and if the band director is asking you to do something that seems physically impossible, he might realize it after hearing it from somebody who plays the instrument for a living. Sometimes the same words coming from a different voice is all it takes.

5. If the band director has nothing better to do than yell at the section after putting in this much effort to insure a successful performance, let him yell and get it out of his/her system. You guys did the best you could.

Hope this helps.


Follow Ups: