Breathing Techniques For Flutes : Solo Coming Up And Need Help?

Question

I am playing a solo at my sister's wedding in less than a month and I need help on some breathing techniques. How do I make the way I breathe less noticable in the solo? When I take a breathe in a piece the note before the breath gets cut off and people can really hear me inhale kind of loudly. I need help!!!!

Answer 1

First thing, practice long tones. It helps a lot. Long tones help you get used to breathing deeper and playing for a longer amount of time. Also make sure that you fill your lungs and push the air with your diaphragm.

Answer 2

Have you researched circle breathing. It is hard to do but not as noticeable. I used to be able to do it but you have to keep practicing even if you get good at it. Google it, you will find techniques.

Answer 3

It sounds to me like you're taking a "high-pitched" breath...are your shoulders moving while your taking a breath?

If so, try taking deeper, lower breaths. To get the feeling of what one of these breaths should consist of, let out ALL your air before taking in your breath. (Try letting out all your air, pushing out a few more puffs like your trying to blow out birthday candles, then don't inhale for at least 10 seconds)

Overall, I think exhaling before inhaling will help your problem.

Answer 4

inhale through your nose

exhale as you blow

and honestly its not that noticeable

just make sure you take little breaths throughout so they are just now and then giant gasps

hope this helps and goodluck

Answer 5

okay practice holding your breath and releasing it for a while

and then try to breath through your nose when you dont have alot of rests... and well yea

and breathing shouldnt really matter as long as you sound good..

Answer 6

breathing audibly is a huge nono! if you can hear yourself breath in-you are constricting your throat.

follow these steps to achieve noiseless breathing;

1. your throat should be open and relaxed (form the vowel shape for "OH")

2. your breath intake should be like a quick, silent yawn

3. be sure to use (relax) your lower diaphram/belly muscles to get a comeplete breath.

4. practice breathing in front of a mirror-you should fog the mirror on your exhale

Answer 7

First of all, with all due respect, I don't believe circle breathing is possible on the flute, while maintaining a good, smooth line.  But I would like to suggest what is called belly breathing.  It has already been referred to in an answer, and it is the inhaling of air way down low, to where your tummy pokes out.  You can do it without your shoulders moving at all, or your chest rising either.  Really quite an impressive thing to see!  People will ask you, "When did you breath?  I never saw you take a breath!"  That's because they're not looking in the right place . . .

Practice filling the lower stomache area with air, and work on doing it INSTANTLY.  In 1/2 a second, you can completely fill it up with air.  This is a technique I did not learn until I studied voice, but I can use it with flute, oboe, etc.  Works beautifully.

Just practice taking air in from down low, and making sure your shoulders don't rise or move at all during the breath.  As to hearing the breath being taken, I find that this is just a part of flute playing.  I actually took note of a professional floutist who travels the world over (from Germany), and who just made a wonderful CD of flute sonatas.  You can ABSOLUTELY HEAR HER BREATH.  It is not loud nor obnoxious, but it is audible.  I think this is just part of it.

Bless you as you play for the wedding!  One very dear and sweet thing to do while doing a wedding is, at one point in the piece, to look sweetly over at your sister.  If you can do this without tearing up, it will be most meaningful to her.  Makes a connection between you and the person for whom you are especially playing.  Enjoy your talent!  You are gving her a gift.

Answer 8

Humans don't breath as deeply as they should, you can fill your whole stomach with air. That allows you to take in more air and play for longer stretches of time. Hope this helps. Flutes are the best!