Brass Techniques

from "Teaching Brass, by

Breath Control - Producing a satisfactory tone on any brass instrument depends in great measure on the proper use and control of the breath . The exhalation of air across a properly formed embouchure causes the lips to vibrate. This vibration is the basis of the brass tone and is greatly affected by both the speed and the steadiness of the column of air. In order to produce and sustain any pitch or phrase, the player must learn proper breathing methods; Ònormal Ò inhalation and exhalation on will not produce a desired tone on any of the brass instruments. Even though the player is relearning to breathe, this new method of breathing must still be as relaxed and natural as possible.

The Diaphragm - In order to diagnose and solve breath control problems, brass players should be familiar with parts of the body that affect the breathing process . The diaphragm is a large dome-shaped muscle and membrane structure that separates the abdominal and chest cavities. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts downward and flattens out, allowing the chest cavity to expand vertically. This diaphragm actually relaxes during exhalation, returning to its dome shape and reducing the volume of the chest cavity.

The Thorax - The human chest cavity is also capable of horizontal expansion through enlargement of the rib cage, or thorax. The thorax is controlled by a group of connected muscles called the "intercostal" muscles, which, when contracted, cause the thorax to expand in area. The diaphragm and the intercostal muscles are connected, thus creating a simultaneous vertical and horizontal expansion when all are contracted. Because of this, the "work" portion of breathing is accomplished during inhalation. These muscles relax during proper exhalation.

Points of Resistance - During inhalation, the air column should not meet with any points of resistance. However, the column of air may meet with at least three major resistance points during exhalation: The glottis, the tongue, and the aperture.

1. The Glottis - The glottis is actually not a "thing"; it is a "space." It is the space created by the opening and closing of the vocal cords and is often a first point of resistance during exhalation. The size of the opening changes greatly during normal activities such as talking, coughing, or sighing. Most brass player advocate using a very open glottis during brass playing and thus creating very little resistance to the air column at this point.

2. The Tongue - The tongue is the second point of possible resistance to both inhalation and exhalation. By placing the tip of the tongue and the back of the tongue and the back of the tongue in various positions in the mouth, one can create degrees of resistance to the air column varying from no resistance to total resistance. Each of the brasses uses the tongue differently.

3. The Aperture - The aperture produces the final (and for some brass instruments the only) physical resistance point to the air column during exhalation. The aperture is created by the air column as it blows a hole in the embouchure during exhalation. The size of this hole is regulated by degree of tension of the lips, and the volume and speed of the air column.

Proper control of these three resistance points is different on each of the five major brass instruments and is essential for good tone production.

Posture - Developing good posture is essential to proper breathing techniques. If a brass player slouches while sitting or standing, or if he or she places the body in a rigid position, the lungs, diaphragm, and intercostal system cannot function as outlined in the preceding sections.

When sitting, the player should sit forward with the back away from the chair, the feet flat on the floor, and the spine in an upright, non curvilinear position. In assuming this position, the player must be careful not to raise the chest too high or allow any muscles to become rigid.

When standing, the player should avoid slouching or tensing the chest and abdominal areas. Twisting or contracting of the chest and abdominal areas reduces the air capacity of the lungs.

Inhalation - The process of breathing involves two motions: inhalation and exhalation. The player should always inhale through the mouth. The glottis must be very open and the tongue down and out of the way so that the incoming air encounters no resistance. The inhalation should be a very rapid intake of a large quantity of air. The simultaneous contraction of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles allows for a "deep" breath which fills the lungs. When inhaling, the player should feel as if the lungs are filled from the bottom first, then upward.

When discussing a topic as abstract as proper breathing, you may find analogies useful. For example, to achieve the proper vertical and horizontal expansion, players may be asked to "feel" that they are growing taller. (players should not raise their shoulders during this exercise). To provide the incoming air column with no resistance points, players might imagine the glottis and oral cavity to be large enough to swallow an orange or a baseball. Proper inhalation might feel like a rapid, silent gasp of air or a deep yawn. To visualize deep breathing, players could compare inhalation to filling a glass, from the bottom to the top. Any analogy used should evoke thoughts of relaxation and openness of air passages.

Exhalation - The air should not be held in the lungs after inhalation; exhalation should begin immediately. Exhalation for the brass player is not the "normal," passive expelling of air. The air should be projected into the instrument in a steady column in order to produce an unwavering tone. The player does this by relaxing the diaphragm and intercostal muscles in a smooth, controlled motion while expelling the air from the lungs. This controlled relaxation of the diaphragm may waist. The speed with which the air column is released helps regulate the volume of tone and the speed of vibration of the lips.

A useful exercise to improve the exhalation process is to ask the player to hold his or her hand at arm's length in front of the mouth. The player, if projecting the air properly, will be able to feel a strong air blast striking the hand when the air is blown through the embouchure.

Common Problems - When learning to play brass instruments, players encounter several common problems. Most of these problems involve the inhalation process. The single most common breathing problem is clavicular breathing. This is very shallow, upper-chest breathing; you can often spot it if you see a player's chest or shoulders rise during inhalation. In order to correct the problem, you might use some of the analogies suggested earlier.

Retention of "stale" air can often lead to tension in the chest and abdominal muscles or even to hyperventilation. Most common of the high brasses, this is caused by the player's not expelling all of the air in the lungs before taking another breath. Encourage the student to take fewer breaths to correct this problem.

Another common high-brass problem is "setting" the breath. This is caused by holding the breath in for a short period of time before beginning to exhale. The inhalation-exhalation process involves a smooth turnaround of the air column. The breath should not stop between inhalation and exhalation. This problem is often identified by explosive attacks and overblown pitches.

Air columns that move too slowly are also very common. Usually caused by tension in the throat or abdominal muscles, or by tongue resistance, this problem is often termed "squeezing" the tone. The tone produced is an unsupported, weak sound, and the plater should be encouraged to relax the throat and abdominal muscles, place the tongue on the bottom of the mouth, and release the air column faster.