How to Breathe when Playing the Trombone

Video Transcript

"Hi, now since we're warming up, probably the single most important thing while playing an aerophone is to breathe. Is the air. Is a definite technique to learning how to breathe properly and particularly when you are blowing air through one of these pieces of carnical plumbing. You must breathe through your diaphragm in your stomach. This means that warm air is in your chest but if there's not a lot of it there what you must do is breath in through your nose and than what I do when I'm teaching children is have them put their hand on their belly and instead of them filling up their chest. They breathe in through their nose and fill up your belly first and empty it to your chest and the belly last. One more time. This proper breathing gives you a consistent air through the instrument so that your tone your duration and durability on the instrument are maximized. I'll just show you one breathe of air held on the trombone through the diaphragm and often times I warm up just by doing some breathing exercises. Than move to the trombone and sometimes I even while breathing, just play the mouth piece to try to control your breathing and to maximize how much air you have going through your instrument. I'll do one simple note and I'll hold it for as long as I can. Wow, I just emptied out all the air that was in my diaphragm and chest. Up from the diaphragm, out to the chest. You can feel your whole body relax, and warm up to play the instrument properly."