Summary of Contents for Dallas Brass WindMaster
- Page 1 DALLAS BRASS Breathing Apparatus and Method Version 3.0 Michael Levine, WindMaster creator...
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Inhale to Exhale..............8 SECTION 3: How the WindMaster Works........9 WindMaster Procedure............9 The Design ................10 Four Important Benefits of the WindMaster ......10 SECTION 4: To the Users............11 Professionals… ..............11 Students… ................11 Directors… ................12 SECTION 5: Exercises/Games.......... -
Page 4: Section 1: Introduction
The visual image helps motivate the student to take a good breath. Once, in a Dallas Brass clinic in Evansville, IN, we actually brought out a cake with lit candles and invited a student to blow them out. It was very effective. -
Page 5: Section 2: Breathing To Play (Sing)
As you inhale, keep your lips positioned so that you are ready to instantly play. 5. Make deep breathing exercises part of your practice (the WindMaster will help). 6. Be breath-conscious as you play, so that you make the most of every breath. -
Page 6: The Instrument
The Instrument What we often think of as the “instrument” (the clarinet, trombone, etc.), is really only half the instrument – the second half. You are the first half. Simply put, you produce the air, it goes through a converter (lips, reed) – creating the vibration, and is then amplified by the physical instrument. -
Page 7: Why Kids Don't Take A Full Breath
– for quality tone, phrasing, technique, flexibility, dynamics, range, articulations, and endurance. The fact is, we can only blow out what we take in. Developing the inhalation is the primary intention of the WindMaster. -
Page 8: The Good News: We Already Breathe Correctly
Doing this exercise for even one minute every day, will be most rewarding. Ideally, this should be done before working with the WindMaster. In other words, bring this breath to the WindMaster, and then to the instrument. Staying Relaxed In sports, it’s common knowledge that staying relaxed is a key to... -
Page 9: Being Ready To Breathe And Play
result in even more tension, not less. So the first priority is to stay relaxed. Relaxation is both physical and mental. Even if you are nervous, you must keep the body free of unneeded tension. And, even if you feel emotionally relaxed, the body may still be tense. Suggestions: Stretch a little before you play. -
Page 10: Section 3: How The Windmaster Works
SECTION 3: How the WindMaster Works WindMaster Procedure 1. Position WindMaster in front of mouth. Hold it as close as you like, but without touching the pegs to your lips. Be sure pegs are directly in front of mouth so the head will not tilt up or down when blowing. -
Page 11: The Design
The Design The large WindMaster has 25 pegs; the small WindMaster has 15 pegs. The color groups make it easy to measure the results on each breath. This measurement is by no means scientific, but it can certainly give you a sense of your air capacity and flow. -
Page 12: Section 4: To The Users
• something to be used on a daily basis. I’ve seen some students pick up the WindMaster, take a breath, blow over a few pegs and put it down. That’s like picking up a basketball and tossing it at the hoop – once. It may or may not go in, but either way, that’s not exactly a workout, nor is it doing a whole lot to really... -
Page 13: Directors
Directors… Even though the WindMaster will help young players to • become more breath-conscious and take in more air, it can’t dictate how they take the breath. It is only a tool for teaching proper breathing. I’ve watched students with the WindMaster –... -
Page 14: Section 5: Exercises/Games
• Focus On You, Not the Pegs. As you work with the WindMaster, focus on your body as it fills up in with air and as it releases the air. Feel the expansion. Feel the muscles working. - Page 15 While blowing over all the pegs may be the eventual goal, the act of exercising the lungs is what really matters. That can occur regardless of the number of pegs blown over in any one breath. The WindMaster is not about the pegs, it’s about exercising your lungs.
- Page 16 Ex. #8 – Playing the Instrument As you come to the instrument, after warming up with the WindMaster, it is recommended to begin with long tones, listening for a full, clear, steady sound. Play a scale, taking one breath per note (as if you were going to blow over the pegs), holding each note as long as possible.
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Page 17: Section 6: Windmaster Challenges
– whatever works best for you. At first, a number of students may feel embarrased to do the WindMaster in front of their peers. For this reason, it may be best to not do this in front of the whole band. -
Page 18: Special Thanks
Dallas Brass DEBUT CD), and presently band director in Wylie, TX, for informing me that, “you can’t light candles in the schools”. Deanna Swoboda, Dallas Brass tubist, for dreaming up an awesome name…WindMaster (the next choice was ‘Blow Hard’). Norman Bolter (Boston Symphony), Charlie Vernon (Chicago Symphony), Sam Pilafian (Arizona State University;... -
Page 19: About The Dallas Brass
About the Dallas Brass… Since its founding in 1983, by Michael Levine, the Dallas Brass has become one of America’s foremost musical ensembles. The group has established a unique blend of traditional brass instruments with a full complement of drums and percussion, which creates a performing entity of extraordinary range and musical challenges.