On 04 Dec 2003, at 08:29 AM, Christopher BJ Smith wrote:
At 6:26 PM -0500 12/03/03, Darcy James Argue wrote:I don't mean to pile on, but this struck me as odd as well. While I know a number of people who are able to circular breathe on woodwinds, my impression is that it is considerably more difficult to do on brass instruments, especially trumpet. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard anyone circular breathe on trumpet.
But of course, if the piece is being written with a specific performer in mind, then it isn't an issue.
Circular breathing IS a virtuoso technique, and requires a specialist. James Ranti, former first trumpet of the Montreal Symphony could do it, as could Ellis Wean (now tubist in the Vancouver Symphony), and I heard most of the French horn section in the Montreal orchestra fifteen years ago could do it as well. I was able to do it when I was in university on bass trombone, but discovered recently that somewhere along the way I lost it from lack of practice. My brother sent me a digeridoo from Australia, and circular breathing is pretty much essential for that instrument, and it is WAY harder than on trombone, let me tell you!
Hmm... I always expected that circular breathing would be easier on a digeridoo -- maybe because the bore is so much wider than a brass mouthpiece?
In general, the difficulty of circular breathing is directly proportional to the volume of air required. It is easiest on the reeds. On most of the reeds, you can play a measure or two with the air stored in the cheeks, so you can take a leisurely breath with CB.
On brass, high trombone is probably the easiest, but trumpet is manageable too. The difficulty with trumpet is that you really need a very stable embouchure all the way through the cheeks, and the CB technique disrupts the stability. But from an air management standpoint, CB on trumpet is considerably easier than trombone.
As far as I can tell, it is a near impossibility on bass trombone anywhere below the bass clef. You can only play about a millisecond on the air in trapped in the mouth. You have to hit it perfectly to grab that circular breath. I can do it a little, but I've never gotten that working reliably in the low register.
The didge is a whole other thing. I find CB easier to accomplish on didge because, by definition, you are NOT trying to produce a steady tone. The didge drone is all about color variation, and it is pretty easy to sneak circular breaths in the process of varying the tone color. Moreover, CB is about 70% of playing the didge. If you can't circular breathe, you can't drone. If you can't drone, you might as well hang the thing on the wall.
I wouldn't describe CB as a virtuoso technique. There are many folks who are not virtuosos but who can catch a circular breath in order to hold a long note to its full value. You don't have. to be a black belt in circular breathing to get good use out of the technique. I might use it 3 times in an hour-long concert, for example.
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