Inhale & Exhale

All musicians need to breathe whether air makes their sound or not.  In fact, breathing is the key to movement coordination!

Efficient breathing moves every tissue in your torso.  There is a lot to understand about breathing, but for today I want you to tune into the movement of your ribs as you play.  On the inhale the ribs move up and out to the side.  On the exhale, the ribs move down and in on the sides.

Take a moment right now, place your hand on the side of your ribs as you breathe. Notice their continuous movement!

If you are using air to create sound, you can control the speed and volume of your air via rib movement.  If you don’t use your air directly to create sound, enjoy the continuous movement of the ribs as you play.

If you find that you lose awareness of the ribs movement as you play, periodically take a moment to tune in, then continue playing.  It will get easier to feel as you build awareness. What about being aware of rib movement as you watch TV, participate in a Zoom meeting, eat dinner.

Be curious!