Bourgue: Respiration

from Daniel Borgue: Technicor

Daniel Bourgue (1937-2023) was solo horn of the Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra de Paris from 1964 to 1989.

It is through respiration that we absorb our vital energy - the energy needed to preserve life and health through complete regeneration of every cell in the body (absorption of oxygen and elimination of carbon dioxide), and also the energy needed for an sustained effort. This is why horn players must, before all else, learn to control and improve our breathing.

The total lung capacity of an average individual is about 5 liters of air. The residual air, i.e. that which remains permanently in the lungs, is about 1.5 liters, leaving us a useful volume of about 3.5. In normal breathing, however, the average person uses only 1/10 of their lung capacity at each breath. This is quite insufficient when playing an instrument such as the horn.

In playing, the rhythm of breathing is completely different - the performer breathes in more quickly and out more slowly. In addition, the volume of air used and lung pressure when breathing out are much higher than they are normally. The respiratory muscles must therefore adapt so that pressure is sustained throughout playing.

The diaphragm,  in addition to its respiratory function (similar to that of a pump), compresses the viscera when it is lowered to promote venous circulation from the abdomen towards the thorax.

There are three levels of respiration:

1) Deep respiration (diaphragmatic)
2) Medium respiration (thoracic)
3) Superficial respiration (clavicular)

We generally use only thoracic breathing when we are awake. However, diaphragmatic (or abdominal respiration) is the most natural way of breathing and can be observed in animals and young children. This is also how we breathe when we are asleep.

The diaphragm is a muscle separating the abdomen from the thorax. Its function is purely respiratory and it moves vertically. When it is lowered, air fills the lower part of the lungs (increasing the volume of air absorbed). When it is raised, it drives the air out. Its action is thus similar to that of the piston of a bicycle pump or a syringe.

Ideally, the first warming-up exercise every day should be a breathing exercise. Here is a very simple one that's purpose is to make the player aware of the different types of respiration as well as regulate anxiety.

Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth preferably while lying down. To aid concentration and obtain the most benefit, do this exercise with a metronome set at ♩= 60 or at the rate of your heartbeat.

1) Empty your lungs to the maximum.
2) Breathe in deeply for 3 counts, starting with the bottom of the lungs. The abdomen will become slightly distended. Continue breathing in, expanding the thorax. Raise the shoulders slightly to fill the lop of the lungs.
3) Hold your breath for 12 seconds to increase gaseous exchanges.
4) Breath out for 6 counts, starting with the top (lower the shoulders), then the middle and finally the abdomen.

Repeat the cycle several times. With a little training you will easily be able to multiply the counts by two, four or more. This should be effortless. Do not strain, particularly at the beginning. 

ABDOMINAL RESPIRATION

Breathing in

Breathe in as much air as possible through the mouth as quickly as possible and hold it in the lower part of the lungs. The throat must be wide open. To do this, think of the sound "Ho". Concentrate on the sound made by the air as enters the windpipe. It must not be a high whistling sound (a sign that throat is contracted), but deep. If it makes you yawn, it shows that you are breathing deeply.

Feel your abdominal muscles below the navel and notice if the are tensed (but not contracted) while you are breathing in. The abdomen above the navel expands slightly during breathing in.

It is very important for the muscles lying beneath the navel, known as the abdominal belt, are tensed, because they will form the starting point for correct breathing out. This will increase pressure inside the abdomen, and this pressure will be very useful, particularly in the high register.

Be careful not to raise the shoulders while breathing in, as air held in the upper and central parts of the lungs is useless for breathing out while playing. On the contrary, it is harmful, because it causes tension in the throat and face.

Breathing out

To prevent contraction and jerkiness, there must be no break between breathing in and breathing out. (This smoothness is absolutely essential for rapid breathing in which the musical phrase is not interrupted). Push forwards, maintaining constant pressure of the abdominal muscles and constant tension of the diaphragm.

It is important not to pull in the abdomen because, contrary to what is widely believed, the thrust of the diaphragm is vertical, not horizontal. Pulling in the abdomen while breathing out inevitably causes slackening of the diaphragm and loss of pressure. This means a large proportion of the air breathed in can't be used, and the player will have to expel this stale residual air before he breathes in again.

Blow into the mouthpiece in the playing position, but with the lips apart so that no sound is produced. The throat and in particular the opening between the vocal cords (the glottis) must be relaxed. To do this, think of the sound "HA" all the time you are breathing out. The H will also create slight pressure in the diaphragm as soon as the note starts to be produced. The sound held will be
more stable and even from the beginning.

To start with, repeat this exercise several times concentrating only on breath production, the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm. Be conscious of every movement of you body. The facial muscles should not move during breathing out, nor must the lips, which must remain motionless, in the playing position.

Then continue the same exercise, vibrating the lips in the mouthpiece with the breath alone, without attacking or tonguing, always thinking of the sound "HA" and breathing out gently.

BREATH CONTROL

Just as the quality and stability of the sound of a string instrument depend on the bow, a wind instrument's sound is directly related to the breath. This air column also has a vital function in brass instruments. It is by adjusting its intensity and pressure that we change from one register to another, and play smooth legato and light, flexible staccato.

How do we adjust this air column? It is done neither with the lips, whose sole function is to vibrate like a double reed, nor with the diaphragm, which only maintains constant pressure. We are going to use the phonatory organs, principally the tongue and glottis (the opening between the vocal cords). It may seem difficult to control the opening of the glottis. In fact this can be done very easily by using vowels, as in speaking or singing. We shall do it essentially with the tongue, the most flexible and mobile of all organs. Its importance in producing sounds is so obvious that the word is also used to mean language.

The vowels can be roughly grouped in three categories :

Low: "ah" (as in awe)
Middle: "eh" (as in bed)
High: "ee" (as in machine).

Each of these vowels (ah, eh, ee) is produced by a particular position of the tongue in the buccal cavity. If we take the vowel "ah" as a starting point, the tongue is almost flat in the mouth. In this position, the two resonators formed by the mouth and pharynx have the same volume.

When we proceed from "ah" and then from "eh" to "ee",  the tongue gradually rises towards the palate, reducing the volume of the mouth and increasing that of the pharynx. The use of vowels in playing serves two purposes - it increases pressure in the high register and at the same time it opens the pharynx more widely.

The different positions of the tongue in pronouncing vowels and the volumes of the resonators in each position.  We shall therefore use these vowels with these exercises in flexibility in all the registers, taking "ah" as a starting point for the low register and "ee" for the high. The change from one vowel to the other will be made gradually and imperceptibly via the mid-vowel "eh".

In the high register it is also essential to think of these vowels as though they were being sung falsetto. This has the effect of contracting the uvula and thus closing the nasal fossae. It saves energy and gives the air column extra pressure. In addition, in this action, the soft palate lifts, increasing the volume of the pharynx.

The tongue should be behind the teeth. It acts as a valve, releasing the air at each emission. The movement must be quick and flexible, particularly for staccato. This movement of the tip of the tongue must therefore be a downward one, and not from front to back.

In the pronunciation of vowels, the tongue is raised towards the palate, but the lip remains motionless behind the teeth. In falsetto singing, the uvula prevents the air from entering the nasal fossae. Start each of these exercises by singing. This will give you experience of faster and clearer performance by vowel change, particularly for trills and wide intervals.

Continue the exercises with the mouthpiece alone, observing yourself in a mirror. Find the ideal angle between the mouthpiece and your lips, giving the greatest vibration. The facial expression shows what the performer feel when he plays. A frown, and looking upwards during a rising phrase often show a contracted throat (this can be remedied by changing to falsetto). It is by concentrating on yourself that, through breath control, you will gradually achieve more relaxed, flexible, precise playing, opening the way to a more expressive performance.