Tips and Pieces: Remember to Breathe!
Breathing is one of the most important things that our bodies do. We need oxygen to live, and taking a breath is how we deliver that oxygen to our body. While breathing is essential, we do not usually think very much about it because we do it so automatically. Athletes and musicians quickly learn that understanding and controlling their breathing can make a big difference in how they perform.
Many musicians play instruments for which focusing on breathing is essential. Woodwind and brass instrument players and singers all use air to produce sound, so breathing comes up in their earliest lessons. Without thinking about when and how to breathe, they cannot play their instrument.
Breathing might not seem very important for pianists. After all, you use your hands and not your breath to make a sound on the piano. While this is true, breathing is an important element of making music on the piano (and for string and percussion players too). There are physical and musical reasons why you should think about breathing while playing.
Physical Benefits of Good Breathing
Taking a breath relaxes and calms your mind. This helps you focus, learn, and memorize. It also helps keep stress away, so it is essential before performances or other times when you might be nervous. When you breathe, your muscles get more blood flow, and they release tension, which makes them work more smoothly and without tightness. With proper breathing, your body gets more energy, so you have more to put into your playing.
Musical Benefits of Good Breathing
Breathing is also essential for music playing. Vocalists and wind instrument players must breathe before starting a new phrase. This makes for clear beginnings and ends of phrases. Without clear starts and stops, the music can sound confusing. Breathing at the right places makes music sound more organized, natural, and effortless - almost like the performer is speaking or singing through the instruments. When you breathe between phrases, musical ideas are clear, and listeners feel a sense of ease and order.
If you are not sure where to breathe, try singing your piano music. This will help you feel the natural flow of the melody. Notice where you take a breath. You can even write a small notation in the music as a reminder. Breathing also helps you put space in your playing, so the music sounds relaxed and not rushed.
Forgetting to Breathe
If you don't breathe well while playing, your mind might not be able to focus on all the details, and you might be more nervous. Your muscles can get tense, making the sound less full or resonant because it will be harder to move around the keys with ease. The music might sound uneven, tight, and uneasy or even rushed and chaotic if you are not taking enough time between the phrases.
Remembering to Breathe
Because breathing is not something pianists must do to make a sound, they have to make a little extra effort to pay attention to it.
1. Start by taking a deep breath - feel it all the way to your stomach before each practice session and before each piece that you practice. Do this with lots of attention to make it a habit.
2. Find good breathing spots in your music, mark them. Practice playing through your piece a few times just with the goal of remembering to take breaths where you marked them.
3. Listen carefully as you play. When you know a piece well and can relax into just playing it, your body will feel the flow of the music and know exactly when to breathe.
