"We're LOSING Him! BREATHE, Dagnabbit!"

Well to be honest this has nothing to do with music Theory so I am sending this jewel to the chat forum

I had never thought of doing breathing exercises. I think they would benefit my singing and harp playing.

I have noticed over the years that I don't have the lung capacity I used to...along with the hair turning gray and falling out, hearing and eye sight diminishing and other things I can't think of..oh yeah memory.

Thanks for the tip buddy.

Always welcome, Rick.

Re: Lung Capacity (Tidal Volume too). Same here, and I've never smoked. I find myself speaking like John Wayne (favorite movie star - note I did not say actor). Listen to him sometime. You'll hear him running out of air during his speaking. I used to think it sounded cool, until I learned it was short-timed air hunger.

Let me/us know how you do, my friend.

Bill

You're right BGD (about all of it - especially the satire. I sometimes used to poke fun at myself to teach the asthmatic kids their techniques.

Good point Bill.  I have a real problem with this.  Being fit helps a lot.  I am not fit.  Not even a little bit.  Being sober when singing helps too.  Sometimes I am.  Not so much at Chordiestocks though.  When I watched some of the videos, I was embarrassed by how sloppy and mumbly my singing was.  Not enough to lay off Topdown's enormous stock of bourbon, but you know... some.

Haha! Of course, Peter, I understand. But please don't ever stop singing and playing. I look forward to the times when I get that notification - "Peter Benson has just added......." or however that goes. I did tell you I have you on my bedroom tv's YouTube wifi system, right?

That means all I have to do is bring up YouTube, hit "subscriptions" and there you are, all my friends on the tube; you, Amy, Russell, etc. - can't remember right now who else. And i have them all on auto repeat.

It's great and you be just who you wanna be, my friend!

Bill

Funny thing, UJB and I were talking about this very thing during the Paarrrrr-tay the other day.  I took vocal lessons once upon a time, and know how to breathe properly... however... when sitting down hunched over the guitar, it's not as easy to do as it is while standing up straight with proper posture (which goes a LONG way to assisting with breathing).  I suppose I COULD sit up straighter while playing though!

I should also say, I disagree with the whole "stomach breathing" - I wasn't taught that way.  I had heard about that method, and when I've tried to compare it to how I was taught, it doesn't really work for me.  I was taught to expand my rib cage outward to the sides and ensure I'm not raising my chest up.  One hand on the chest to make sure it's stable, and one hand on the rib cage (like a hand on the hip but up higher on the ribs) to ensure it is expanding and contracting with breaths. 

--- I'm curious what BGD was taught ???? Stomach breathing, or chest breathing? ---

I have to tell y'all this true story which I turned into a "visual" joke......

My German Mom only went to about the 5th grade before WWII started and she had to go to work to help support the family, so she never got taught much human anatomy about where everything is, but whenever I'd get sick with a sore throat or cough, she knew Vicks Vapo Rub would help. However, instead of rubbing it on my chest, she decided to go straight to the *cough* heart of the matter, rubbed some between two slices of bread and made me eat it, not knowing that the trachea and esophagus went to different places.

But here's the punchline (and you'll have to suspend disbelief to get it).

When that stuff finally got to where it was supposed to go, I could breathe out of either end.

[points to butt and then to mouth, bending over back and forth]

Lord have mercy! There were some days I felt realy bad, but lied about it, so I wouldn't have to eat that awful stuff. God bless my Mama. She only wanted to make me feel better.

Bill

It's "diaphragmatic breathing".

Bill