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Forums :: Ask Instructor David Barrett

I... Can't... BREATHE!!!!

3 replies [Last post]
Fri, 02/19/2010 - 17:12
jjudson
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Joined: 12/23/2009

David,

Would it be possible for you to put together a newbie video that just focuses on breathing? I would have wished the info to be on the intro lessons themselves, but I know it's too late for that now.

There are some areas where I'm just not sure how to breathe. As an example, on the Solo Harmonica Study 1 - Section 2: Bass Lines, on exercises 2.1 - 2.3, I'm struggling to figure out how not to pass out.

I could use some instruction on when to breathe out, when to breathe in, when to breathe through the nose, when to breathe through the harp, when to breathe through both - all as it relates to certain licks and passages.

Is this something you could do?

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Fri, 02/19/2010 - 18:40
#1
David Barrett
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ExpertHead InstructorTeacher 10Level 10
Joined: 12/20/2009
Answer

Here's some general tips for you:

1) Exhale before you start (sounds simple, but a lot of people forget this)

2) Make sure your nose is closed on draw notes. To check, play a single blow note as long as you can... time it... do the same with a draw... time it... if you can blow a LOT longer than you can draw, then your nose is open. To close your nasal cavity, play with what will feel like a slight yawn... not only will this close your nasal cavity, you'll get much better tone. Experiment, this can take a while to be able to do this at will.

3) Open your nose on blow notes (unless there's a lot of blow notes)... this will help a lot.

Solo Harmonica Study 1 - Section 2: Bass Lines, on exercises 2.1 - 2.3 - These have pulls on the up beat, which will bring in a lot of air if you play the draw chords to loudly or too long. So...

1) Exhale before you start
2) Make sure your nose is closed for the draw notes
3) For your upbeat pulls, play them softly (again, it takes a while to learn how to do this) and short... they sound better this way, as well as helping with breathing
4) If you can open your nose on the 5+ (basically try to blow your nose), do so.
5) Don't play too slowly, this can make the issue worse.
6) Keep in mind that in Solo Harmonica Study 2, where you take the same patten and go to the IV Chord next, you'll be able to do a whole bunch of blow notes.

You won't need to use all of these tools to make it through this passage, but experiment with what you can do.

You'll get it!... give it time...

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Fri, 02/19/2010 - 22:40
#2
David Barrett
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ExpertHead InstructorTeacher 10Level 10
Joined: 12/20/2009
More...

Forgot to say, take a look at "I run out of breath so easily!" in the FAQ section.

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Sun, 02/21/2010 - 15:23
#3
Andy_W
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Joined: 02/01/2010
Hope you dont mind me

Hope you dont mind me chipping in on this one. Ive been working on learning how to seal the nose on draw notes and found one of David's articles that helped me @ http://www.harmonicasessions.com/jun05/nose.html.

Best wishes

Andy

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