Circular Breathing

A brief explanation of how to circular breath on the oboe.

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• oboe
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• circular
• breathing
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• master
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• technique
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[crazycellist973]

My air is still getting stale if I do it for more than three breaths - is there any easy solution to this?

[klbtree]

@crazycellist973 It will get better the more you do it, but I still only use it as a supplement to real full breaths. The full breaths also allow you to get your chops off the reed for a second which really helps with endurance.

[Starbirdy9999]

I can do all the steps in circular breathing except getting the air into my cheeks. I can blow air out of my mouth with my cheeks while breathing in, and while doing all this, I can even get it out of my lungs. The problem is, when it gets out of lungs, I can't get it into my mouth, because it always goes out of my nose. Any suggestions or tips to fix this problem?

[klbtree]

@Starbirdy9999 BTW- If I'm not quite reading your description right, send me a video to show me what you mean ad I'll see if I can offer any better suggestions. Thanks!

[Starbirdy9999]

@klbtree Srry but my description was a little vague...I meant that when I was blowing air out of my mouth with my cheeks, I couldn't get any more air into my cheeks afterwards, but that problem is solved, and now I can circular breathe (of course I still need practice). Thanks for ur help!

[klbtree]

@Starbirdy9999 No worries, now I know what you mean and that does take a little patience to figure out. Sounds like you're on the right track!

[klbtree]

@Xternium There's nothing like a complete lack of rests to motivate you to learn the technique! Who writes 37 bars of the same note? Eek! ; )

[Xternium]

My friends are amazed at my ability to circular breathe on my oboe. No one ever taught me how, i taught myself in 7th grade when i had to hold out the same note for 37 measures and i didn't want to stop lol.

[bluePedal2]

I play clarinet and im trying to learn oboe but these low and high notes are annoying can u do a video to help ?!

[crazycellist973]

@klbtree Thanks for the advice!

[23smilieface]

......so I decided to work on my diaphragm and the next time we performed in March, I was able go the allotted time without sneaking in a breath or stagger breathing, and I didn't get nearly as exhausted. I sing first soprano so I use a lot of air when I sing, oh and I have asthma, but the song was like running a marathon for everyone. Choir is why I temporarily dropped clarinet, Orchestra practice was right after choir practice, and it was all before school even started. Too exhausting!

[23smilieface]

I played clarinet 5th-8th grade and did choir throughout grade school and HS. Isn't it easier to just strengthen and train your diaphragm to take deep enough breaths and to use the air properly to sustain the sound? I mean, I remember this one song we sang in HS that was like running a marathon. We performed it once in Dec and on the long notes I was doing a lot of stagger breathing, and between the constant short hard breaths in and the heat from stage I felt like I was going to pass out.....

[klbtree]

@Starbirdy9999 From your description, it seems that you're missing one step. When you are pushing the air out of your cheeks, the lungs should be pulling air IN through the nose. Try puffing out your cheeks and breathing in and out your nose just to get the feel for it. Then work to breath in through the nose while expelling air from the cheeks. It takes a little time to get the feel for this coordination. it's not a normal way to breath, but it's a great tool.