Masters as well as learners of the saxophone spend a lot of time doing breathing exercises and practicing various breathing techniques. This helps them produce a better sound quality and regulate their breathing so that it doesn't interfere with continuity. Essentially, it is this breathing regulation that allows you to hold your breath for long periods while playing. It involves a complex technique known as circular breathing, in which the artist holds reserves of air in his cheeks and blows out while breathing in through the nose. When this is repeated every breath, a saxophonist can play without pauses for a long time. Read on to find out how you can acquire the unnatural skill of circular breathing.
Instructions
Breathing Warm-up
1. Prepare for your practice with a few minutes of deep abdominal breathing. Breathe in and out deeply, and feel your stomach wall expand and contract as you do this. This is an excellent exercise to release pressure and relax your body.
You need to practice this skill before you can apply circular breathing to the alto sax.
2. Fill your mouth completely with water, so that your cheeks are puffed up. Breathe through your nose a few times.
3. Without stopping your regular breathing, purse your lips and begin squirting out the water very slowly in a thin stream. Do not pause your breathing at any stage.
4. Try to do circular breathing without water after you have practiced with it a few times. Empty your lungs, fill your cheeks with air and force the air out of your mouth while you breathe in. It may take many days for you to perfect this technique before you can actually apply it to your alto sax.
On the Saxophone
5. Fill your cheeks with air and release it by blowing the saxophone. As you do this, seal your mouth from your throat by touching the back part of your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
6. Inhale through your nose, concentrating on sustaining the note as you do so. In order to sustain the note, you will need to use the accumulated air in your cheeks.
7. Release your tongue and refill your cheeks as soon as they get empty. Try to keep the note going as you do this.
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