There are as many approaches to playing low brass instruments as there are low brass players, but the one constant is the importance of the breath. As blood is the essence of life for man, so breath is the essence of life for the wind musician. Everything we are as brass players comes from how we breathe.
Ask yourself this question: What is the most important element of playing the horn? You'd better answer that tone is the most important element of playing the horn. After all it is what people hear. To paraphrase scripture, " Though I speak with the technique of Christian Lindberg, but have not tone, I am as a tinkling cymbal". What I mean to say is I would rather listen to someone play "Come to Jesus" in whole notes with a beautiful sound, than someone play "Flight of the Bumble Bee" with a sound like a bumble bee. Joe Alessi of the New York Philharmonic was asked at a recent master class what things he practiced. He answered "I work on three things; sound, sound, and sound".
O.K., so sound is the most important part of playing the horn. Where does this sound come from? Well it comes from a variety of things, for instance, open throat, open teeth, flexibility, any number of physical or "mechanical" musts, but behind it all is the air.
Proper breathing like anything else takes practice. Think about taking the air in and literally putting it right on the spot at the base of the sternum. In doing this you will fill the bottom of the lungs first causing the diaphragm to move downward. This is where the body has the capacity to store the most air. Keep breathing in until the chest moves up and out slightly, being careful not to shrug the shoulders or crimp the throat. Remember it is really hard to sip through a bent straw. Have your students do this slowly a few times until they get the feeling of expanding the mid section. When they put the air into the horn, point to the bottom of the cup of the mouthpiece (throat) and tell them to think of putting the air right in that spot. The tone comes in part from the vibration of the surface of the instrument. The more of the surface that vibrates, the greater the quality of sound.
A lot of people talk about blowing through the center of the horn. When we talk about the center of the horn we should be speaking of the core of the timbre, or how the instrument vibrates. Don't think of blowing the air through the "center" of the horn, think instead of coating every exposed inch of the inside of the instrument with the air. Sort of like painting the inside of the horn. This will create maximum vibration, and use the full resource of the timbre of the metal.
When teaching, it is important to demonstrate a good sound so your students can have something to copy. This gets them thinking conceptually. When practicing yourself, picture in your ear the most beautiful sound you've heard someone play on your particular instrument and duplicate it. Good breathing technique not only makes the sound better, but it also helps us stay focused on what we're doing, and it calms our nerves. Remember, everything we are as brass players comes off how we breathe.
About the Author— Norman Hanson is a Brass Specialist and Clinician on the Euphonium and Trombone. Norm's experience spans all instrumental ensembles and solo work - Orchestral, Wind Ensemble, Jazz & Traditional Concert Band. Norm has taught public school Instrumental Music in Indiana for over 10 years along with a full Private Brass Studio. He is available for clinics, master classes, conducting and as featured Euphonium/Trombone soloist with all instrumental ensembles.
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