I just try to breathe through my eyelids like the lizards of the galapagos islands.
The importance of breathing is in so many ways, underestimated. It is almost too easy to create various unwanted mental states by over or under breathing-especially during performances. This will be apparent to the audience. Being cognizant of it and breathing in a more relaxed fashion can only help matters even when doing things that are strenuous. I had my first slap in the face with breathing (actually they probably slapped by rear to help it along ;-) ) when luging. When going down new tracks for the first time I was so intent on making turns, etc (so as not to smash into a wall) that I barely breathed on the way down...not good. When I finally relaxed and was more normal in breathing patterns my performance went up and fatigue went down. Same on stage, getting into the moment as a singer and guitar player sometimes would screw up breathing patterns and the voice would crack, lose emotion, etc. because of it. Not to mention that breath is one of those things that gives power and emotion to music and often when we hear breathing as part of the singing it can be a vehicle for emotion. It can also sometimes be annoying ;-) ~Peace~ Plish ----- Original Message ----- Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2008 6:00 AM Subject: Breathing
Of course breathing is as an important thing to work as one's instrument.
I am practicing martial arts for about 35 years and in that case, uneffective breathing is immediately felt as lack of endurance, injuries and so on.
And I must admit, for all my experience in that area, that when I play guitar, it arrives that so taken by what I'm doing, I forget to breath and "awakes" because lacking air. Or it arrives also that I will swallow my saliva to wrong way and end in chokes.
This a rather more important thing to work on than many may thinks because of this "new age" talk...
Regards
Olivier Malhomme
Le 8 nov. 08, à 12:39, Loopers-Delight-d-request@loopers-delight.com a écrit :
From: "Byron Howell" <howell.byron@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: OT: Music books that transcend technique...(was Re: semi-OT: i recommend Victor Wooten's book)
I teach & practice T'ai Chi, which uses breathing as one of the
elements to bring about relaxation. Since I have found so much benefit for myself, I am wanting to share
this with others. I have played with the idea of doing local
workshops.
A workshop like that is most needed. If I were anywhere near, i would
support. I primarily came to looping through an injury which prevented
me fro pursuing drum-set practice and gigging. <snip>
The main aspect of my drumming that really sped up the injury was my
complete lack of awareness for my breath. Now that i have focused on
my breathing patterns i notice how really hard it is to keep a steady
pace while playing. My playing goes all wonky. Its like practicing new
breed excercises. The breath becomes the fifth limb. lately i have
begun starting my practice sessions by syncing my playing to my
breathing and vice versa.
now that i am in the process of resetting my spine, i find that
failing to breath properly always ends up in some type of tension
somewhere in the body. Once you become hyper aware, its kinda a curse
tho...one ends up spending hours eliminating tension in the body in
order to play a note that not many notes get played hehe...but for
ultimate freedom of any injury its a nessesary process. musicians
playing freely now, should incorporate this aspect to make sure your
still doing so in 10 to 20 years. At age 26, I discovered very early
the perrels of improper breathing.
<snip>
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