Circular Breathing

Circular breathing is a technique used by some musicians in order to produce a continuous tone without interruption. This is a technique that is very difficult to master, but once mastered, it is easily to be remembered and carried out.

These are the steps to carry out circular breathing:

1) Inhale fully

2) Exhale

3) When lungs are nearly empty, blow the last bit of air into your mouth (then your cheeks will inflate)

4) Blow out the air from your mouth (now your cheek's deflated)

5) Now very quickly, inhale through your nose while you blow the air out from your mouth

6) If you are good enough to do it, the process repeats and you can blow all the way!

Circular breathing is a really useful technique as it enables the melody to be continuously played. This can bring out the feelings of the listeners. For example, if the melody is really sad, it would not be appropriate if you take abrupt pauses here and there. With such a technique, you can enhance the feeling greatly.

Some musicians known to used Circular Breathing:

1. Evan Parker (a saxophonist)

2. David Murray ( tenor saxophonist and bass clarinet player)

3. Irvin Mayfield ( jazz trumpeter and composer)

Apart from using circular breathing to blow woodwind instruments, it can be used to sing as well. The steps are the same, but it is more difficult to perform circular breathing while singing as compared to blowing woodwind instruments.

So now i know, how those amazing singing legends are able to carry out such lengthy vocal performances without having to spoil the atmosphere.

Signing off,

Xinyi :)