I'm a bassoonist who has had some interesting breathing problems. I'm 15 and don't have particularly large lungs, especially for the low bass notes
I've been trying to work on my breathing, really focus and concentrate, because I have this subconcious habit of not breathing often aka. trying to use my breath for as long as possible. I take a big breath and keep it going for as many bars as possible, which pretty soon turns into very irregular, erratic breathing. I get short of breath quickly while playing, and air pressure also does crazy things to my nose. I also find myself (when not playing bassoon, just walking around the house, etc.) subconciously holding my breath.
Another problem I have is that blowing low bass notes requires a large amount of breath. In some pieces I play, I do 2 tied semibreves at a very very slow pace very very soft. As you can imagine, I need to take a huge breath to sustain the duration of the notes and to acutally ensure I can have enough air to make the note (B flat, lowest note on bassoon) but I can't put all of it through at once and take another breath because I have to allow only a little air for it has to be played piano. Quite contraditory playing, really.
Anyway, this has developed extreme air pressure in my nose with all this holding-of-breath-only-letting-a-little-bit-go-ness and what I've found it does is that air pressure actually forces (for those who are a bit squirmy you may not like to read on) mucus back through the tubes and out to my mouth and nose, where I can feel it running down my throat. Trust me, it's not a very nice situation. It went very extreme the other day, I had so much air pressure that I could hear all this loud loud crackling inside my head and the hissing of air escaping from somewhere (pressure too great) and I felt all faint and let my breath out and kept trying to play, but no matter how many times I tried to hold my breath it just kept escaping out of my nose (quite scary, I couldnt stop it) which led to me slipping off the reed. This was particularly bad as I was actually playing carols at a shopping mall, which was very un-professional. Luckily, my awesome awesome lovely friend on clarinet (member name Luigi) picked up on this, and played my solo lead into the next phrase which I am indebted to her for.
Does anyone else have any weird, strange problems like me? I'd appreciate any feedback.
Perhaps I just have to work on my breathing....
