How to cycle breathe?

Question

I think it's called cycle breathing, but I know singers and brass musicians use it. They blow out through their mouth as they breathe in through their nose. So they can sing or blow until they're actually tired. How is this possible and how can I do it?

Answer 1

Singers DO NOT use this method. This only works for instrumentalists, wind particularly. If singers could use this method, we would be singing without taking a breath EVER. No one would have problems singing Handel, Bach, Bel canto, etc if this were the case.

Its not possible because of how the air is processed. Since singers can't "recycle" air because the air they sing out goes into the atmosphere (circular breathing needs an instrument to work), there's no way for it to "circle" back, nor can the singer keep air in the cheeks, if that makes sense.

Here's a better description than I can give. http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Study/C...

I had friends in college who could do this. Too bad the method can't be used by vocalists. It wouldn't take so long for us to get to certain levels  technically for specific works if that were the case.  

Answer 2

There is a link about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_br...

It's such a clever thing to be able to do... I wish I had that skill.

:)