Breathing exercise #1
With
John O'NeillJohn O'Neill leads the first breathing exercise - lying down with a book on your stomach to feel natural, relaxed breath movement for the saxophone.
What's in the course
25 lessons (2h 10m) · 1 free
01. Posture
13:20
02. Fingering
4:10
03. The breath
4:12
04. Breathing exercise #1
You are here3:24
05. Breathing exercise #2
4:34
06. Breathing exercise #3
2:29
07. Breathing exercise #4
1:27
08. Breathing exercise #5
2:27
09. Embouchure & your first note
9:46
10. Troubleshooting your first note
9:34
11. Developing your sound
3:43
12. Tonguing exercise #1
4:36
13. Tonguing exercise #2
6:49
14. Final thoughts & practising
1:57
Lesson transcript
Breathing Exercises for Music Students
Introduction
In this lesson, we will go through a sequence of breathing exercises designed to enhance breath control and awareness.
Exercise 1: Lying Down
-
Get Comfortable
- Lie on your back on the floor.
-
Prepare Your Equipment
- Take a book, preferably a hardback book. This could be a dictionary or something similar.
- Make sure it is heavy enough for you to feel its weight.
-
Begin the Exercise
- Shut your eyes, relax, and observe your breathing.
- Important: Don't try to breathe in a special way.
-
Observe the Movement
- Notice that as you breathe in, the book rises; as you breathe out, it descends.
- Remember:
- Expansion on the inhalation
- Contraction on the exhalation
-
Key Point
- While observing the book's movement, ensure there is no movement of your shoulders.
- Your shoulders should not rise towards your ears.
Controlled Breathing
-
Next Steps
- Breathe in and hold the book in the up position for a few moments, then relax.
-
Breathing Technique
- Notice that I am breathing in through my mouth.
- Always breathe in through your mouth.
-
Adding Sound
- After holding the book, breathe out while making a loud whispered "R" sound.
- This "R" sound acts as your note.
-
Focus on Stability
- Aim to hold that sound steady at about the same volume, without too much shaking.
- This indicates good breath control.
Conclusion
Once you feel comfortable with this exercise while lying down, it's time to stand up and try doing something similar on your feet.
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Meet your guru
Meet your guru
John O'Neill is the saxophonist behind The Jazz Method for Saxophone - the Schott series that has taught a generation of players around the world to improvise. First published in 1991, it remains one of the best-selling jazz tutors ever written, alongside his companion methods for clarinet and flute.
He came to the saxophone at twenty, while reading French and German at Trinity College, Oxford, after hearing John Coltrane. He went on to study with British tenor great Don Rendell, and took improvisation from Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh and Peter Ind - direct heirs of the legendary teacher Lennie Tristano. A professional musician since 1979, he specialises in jazz and bossa nova and has played London's leading venues, including Ronnie Scott's, while also writing music for film, television, theatre and dance.
A qualified teacher with decades of experience, John has taught saxophone, clarinet and flute privately and in schools, on the jazz course at Trinity College of Music in London, and at summer schools in Spain and the Czech Republic. He still performs and teaches from his home in North London.
