Posted by jeff miller on June 30, 2003 at 14:32:25:
In Reply to: circular breathing question posted by Aaron Hynds on June 29, 2003 at 18:11:50:
I'd suggest first making sure you understand the principles of c.b.. Then I might try with a glass of water and a straw.
The problem with learning to CB on a tuba or other instrument is usually that we're afraid to make crappy sounds on our instruments. You have to be prepared to make a cruddy sound while you're learning. The sound will change when you are inhaling. Don't be afraid of that; accept it. Pretend you're playing a didjeridoo.
To be honest, I tried for a long time on my tuba using the methods above (which I have seen work) and could never do it. In the end I bought a 6 pack of good beer and 4" PVC pipe (a.k.a. "poor man's didj").
I put on Mickey Hart's "Planet Drum" and played along, stopping frequently to consume the beer. By the end of the cd and six pack, I could do it no problem.
jeff