Breathing is complicated.  Aside from the biological and neurological processes required to perform the physical act of breathing, wind and brass players toss in an added stimulus requiring careful pacing and manipulations of air to successfully perform on their instrument of choice.  The seemingly simple act of taking a breath is compromised further by the obstruction of the tongue, a…

January typically marks the time each year when we force ourselves to ponder over questions such as, “What do I need to change about myself?  What goals do I wish to achieve within the next 12 months?  Which bad habits do I need to conquer and which ones do I need to cultivate?”  Among our…

Sometimes I use stick figures to explain posture to beginning flute students.  Simple yet highly effective.  Improves sound, breathing and confidence. Do you use stick figures in your teaching?  Please comment below.

“..thanks to faulty sensory awareness, what singers (and others) think that they do is often different from what they actually do.” -Pedro de Alcantara   What in the world is a breathing bag? The breathing bag is a tool used by performers to strengthen physical performance capabilities, such as breath control and articulation, away from…

Several months ago and I posted a blog on marching and playing as an effective way to establish a reliable sense of internal rhythm.  Another great way to work on complicated rhythms away from the instrument is through the use of egg shakers. Rather than developing a steady larger beat as we did in the marching exercise, egg…