Harmonica Lessons › Community Forum › Audio & Progress Updates › Breathing
Tagged: Breath
Mitch:
I find myself running out of breath in She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain, when there is a series of notes that go out and then go back in, for instance.
If I go slower, sometimes it is easier.
Should I go really slow, or?
:Susan
Hi Susan,
Great question. This is something that happens to most people when they’re first starting out on harmonica.
Behind the scenes, we’re gradually building better control of our breathing and learning to use the diaphragm more efficiently. That will improve naturally the more you play, but exercises like the train exercise are great for speeding up the process.
In the meantime, yes, slowing it down is absolutely the right thing to do. Play it at a speed where you can stay relaxed and get through the phrase comfortably, then gradually bring the tempo up.
Interestingly, once you have the notes under control, playing a little faster can sometimes actually make the breathing easier because you’re spending less time (and breath) on each note.
The main thing is not to force it. Stay relaxed, keep practicing the phrase, and your breath control will improve surprisingly quickly.
~ Mitch
