A Multi-Step Guide to Circular Breathing on the Clarinet

[@doodle2763]

I’m very glad you highlighted how it’s an extended technique. As a bassoonist, my teacher (a major symphony player that doesn’t circular breathe) was always telling me that circular breathing is not something to rely on, and learning how to optimize your breath and maintaining air support is much more integral.

[@QuickStartClarinet]

Yes, definitely!

[@NatFablife]

Now that’s fly the way you put your own style on it!

[@musicturtle6047]

Thanks this helped a lot. I’m not really that advanced but I needed to learn it. I have a song where I play the same note for a long time so I needed to learn this. Thanks it helped a lot.

[@QuickStartClarinet]

I’m glad it helped! It is alright to breathe in the middle of long notes, especially if it is a band piece and others are playing. Check out my video on where to breathe to come up with good breathing plans! kzbin.info/www/bejne/boSoiYFuj75msNU

[@Ilovetaytay13-e2f]

Great video. I’m come back to learning circular breathing from time to time and I always get stuck with not having enough air in my cheeks to make a sound. Any tips for that?

[@QuickStartClarinet]

I bet you have plenty of air in your cheeks because we only need enough air to make sound for a short time. I would suspect that what is actually happening is that as you put air in your cheeks, you are changing your embouchure so that the reed can't vibrate. Work on making an embouchure (on the clarinet without playing), then putting air in your cheeks while keeping the embouchure as stable and steady as possible. Hopefully that helps!

[@Clarinetofflimits]

Circular breathing is a must when you play Bumble bee flight, Rigoletto or Carneval of Venice coz that's the way to show you are fully in charge of your Clarinet from start to finish to keep audience on the edge of their seats 👌

[@QuickStartClarinet]

It definitely adds to the virtuosity and showiness of those pieces for sure!

[@sherresturm819]

LOVE THE SOFA

[@QuickStartClarinet]

Thanks!

[@laurielyon7740]

Very informative. There are a couple of good KZbin clips on circular breathing but as you mentioned, applying the technique to the instrument is not discussed. I’m 74 and have asthma and COPD. Not great when you’re a clarinet player, or any wind instrument for that matter. Ok………bagpipes excepted. I’m challenged playing things like jazz standards but I can make it through via phrasing opportunities for grabbing a breath. But on long passage technical studies, I’m really up against it. So I think this old dog might try to learn this new trick. Thanks again!

[@QuickStartClarinet]

It could be worth trying! I do think it’s important to know that circular breathing even amongst professionals is seen more as an extended technique, so it is important to be able to play most music as well as you can without circular breathing first. I find that some technical etudes (especially the Rose 32 technical ones) are not well designed for breathing considerations. However, if you are using them as an exercise then I think it is ok to just add room to breathe as needed (especially if it isn’t an audition or performance). Basically what I am saying is don’t rely too heavily on circular breathing, but it is useful to be comfortable doing especially if you are a more advanced player!

[@lyndafoster9437]

I know it’s great for a long passage. And I watch Martin Frost who does it all the time. It looks a little funny 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@QuickStartClarinet]

Absolutely, and I think it really should only be used for special circumstances. There are many really great players who never use it.

[@ChikenNuggetKingdom]

Me who wants to still learn it as a complete beginner on clairenet

[@QuickStartClarinet]

I know it's so tempting! Leave it as something to look forward to once you can make a good consistent sound and know all of your scales 😉