Breathe Properly!

[JohnnyNacho]

I discovered a good bit of rarely mentioned technique from the infinitely wise Glenn Letsch, and his book: Stuff Good Bass Players Should Know today that I though I would pass on to all of you nice people. In short, make sure that you're not holding your breath as you play a difficult passage, because when you do, your diaphragm will tighten up, soon followed by your upper body, arms, hands, and fingers. This can make things difficult, obviously. I have started monitoring this, and I'm definitely noticing a difference, especially while playing Jaco's stuff, and other technical, fusioney basslines. Anyways, I just thought that might be interesting to a few of you, and I hope you can get something out of it.

[J. Crawford]

Hm.. Ill have to try this. Thanks for the tip!

And I dont know if your sig is from a movie or anything, but when I was "learning" to take pills as a kid I put the water in first.. it never ended well..

[bassteban]

Interesting- makes sense. I've read a few items of his & always dug it. On a related note, if you can consciously relax your forehead muscles you can usually relax the rest of yourself, IME. Try it next time you're stressed.

Edit: I was also going to comment on the sig- it's brilliant.

[JohnnyNacho]

No, this sigs not from a movie, I was just a bit delirious after a jaw surgery a few months ago. It was late at night, and I thought it would be easier for some reason...

thanks for the tip as well, bassteban, I'm definitely going to give that a try.

[kingquasar]

I blew a horn for many years before I picked up the bass. Eventually the horn got shelved and I played bass pretty much exclusively.

Years passed and I was doing some studio work, overdubbing a bass part with headphones on, bass direct. Some other musicians were in the live room with me and couldn't hear the playback. When the take was done they all started laughing at me because I would take these deep breaths before every "phrase" and exhale all the way through it, just as I would if I were still blowing the horn. The muscle memory of breathing with the phrase had never been "unlearned".

Whether this is good physiologically or not, I don't know. But I do believe it subconciously made me play the parts a little more "musically".

I guess my little anecdote is a round about way of agreeing with you that everything your body is doing when your playing effects the sounds you are producing. I've just started reading these forums the past couple of nights, and I'm taken aback by how much time is devoted to gear and hand technique. Not that it isn't important, but it's only part of the picture.

Thanks for your post.

-kQ

[SpawnofHastur]

Not much to say about breathing while playing, other than that I was also a horn player and probably breathe like kingquasar.

However, I ALWAYS put the water in my mouth before the pill, and definitely find it easier.