Circular breathing

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For the Kate Miller-Heidke album, see Circular Breathing.
Davul and zurna players. Wind players use circular breathing.

Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. This is accomplished by breathing in through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks.

History

The technique was developed independently by several cultures, and is used for many traditional wind instruments.[1]

In the 13th century, Asian metalsmiths who specialized in gold and silver used circular breathing techniques for crafting various decorative and ornamental items. In crafting such items, craftsmen were required to blow continuously to the flame through a pipe with a needle-like hole, in order to make the hard metal melt or soften. From such necessity, craftsmen mastered a circular-like cycle of breathing, simultaneously inhaling through their nose while blowing without any pauses. The introduction of the circular breathing technique in the art of ancient windplayers was a productive invention in its performing technique.[2]

Uses

It is used extensively in playing the Eastern zurna, the Mongolian limbe, the Sardinian launeddas, the Egyptian arghul, the Australian didgeridoo, as well as many traditional oboes and flutes of Asia and the Middle East. A few jazz and classical wind and brass players also use some form of circular breathing.

Although many professional wind players find circular breathing highly useful, few pieces of European orchestral music composed before the 20th century actually require its use. However, the advent of circular breathing among professional wind players has allowed for the transcription of pieces originally composed for string instruments which would be unperformable on a wind instrument without the aid of circular breathing. A notable example of this phenomenon is "Moto Perpetuo", transcribed for trumpet by Rafael Méndez from the original work for violin by Paganini.

In 1997, a Guinness World Record was set for longest held musical note. Kenny G used circular breathing to sustain an E-flat on a saxophone for 45 minutes and 47 seconds.[3] On February 2000, Vann Burchfield set a new Guinness world record for circular breathing, holding one continuous note for 47 minutes, 6 seconds, surpassing Kenny G’s record.[4] Mark Atkins on Didgeridoo Concerto (1994) plays for over 50 minutes continuously.

Method

The musician inhales fully and begins to exhale and blow. When the lungs are nearly empty, the last volume of air is blown into the mouth, and the cheeks are inflated with this air. Then, while still blowing this last bit of air out by squeezing the cheeks, the musician must very quickly fill the lungs by inhaling through the nose prior to running out of the air in the mouth. If done correctly, by the time the air in the mouth is nearly exhausted the musician can begin to exhale from the lungs once more, ready to repeat the process again. Essentially, circular breathing bridges the gap between exhalations. The air stored in the person's cheeks is used as an extra air reserve to play with while they sneak in a breath through their nose.

Instruments with circular breathing integral to technique

Musicians known for circular breathing

  • Clark Terry - Jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player and educator. Author of Clark Terry's System of Circular Breathing (1976).
  • Trombone Shorty (Troy Andrews) - Trombonist and trumpeter[23]
  • Amy Dickson - Saxophonist from Australia [24]
  • Jonah Parzen-Johnson - Baritone Saxophonist and composer.[25]
  • Courtney Pine - Jazz Saxophonist e.g. on "Modern Day Jazz Stories" album.
  • John Surman - Jazz multiinstrumentalist, mostly on saxes and clarinets, on "Cloud Line Blue" and other albums.
  • John Zorn - American avant-garde composer, arranger, producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.[26]
  • Wynton Marsalis – American jazz and classical trumpeter[27]
  • Idrees Sulieman - Jazz Trumpeter e.g. on "Hawk Flies High" album.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-circular-breathing.htm Circular breathing at wisegeek
  2. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh73S0piXyA
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ University of Chicago
  6. ↑ Laing, Dave. "Circular Breathing: The Cultural Politics Of Jazz In Britain." Popular Music History 1.2 (2006): 227-231. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  7. ↑ Ratliff, Ben. "Music Talks to Itself and Glimpses Infinity." New York Times 11 Jan. 1997: 26. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ BBC Radio 3 profile
  10. ↑ CD sleevenote "Barocking Together" BIS catalogue number BIS-CD-1689 released 2008
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Hilary, Finch. "CBSO/Gardner." The Times (United Kingdom) (2011): 13. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  13. ↑ Ratliff, Ben. "Upholding the Standards Of Smooth Jazz Purists." New York Times 14 Feb. 2008: 5. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Applebome, Peter. "Our Towns; It's the Old Standards for a New Bayonne." New York Times 26 May 2004: 5. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Stewart, Lee. "Evan Parker,Barry Guy,Paul Lytton." Sunday Times, The n.d.: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  19. ↑ Reviewed by John, Shand. "Bend and stretch of morphing genres." Sydney Morning Herald, The 15 July 2008: 18. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  20. ↑ Eugene Rousseau
  21. ↑ Watson, Chad. "Powered by Good Spirit." Newcastle Herald, The (includes the Central Coast Herald) 29 Oct. 2005: 22. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Conan, Neal. "Trombone Shorty Melds Jazz Old And New." Talk Of The Nation (NPR) (n.d.): Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 17 Sept. 2012.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

External links

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