The Breathing Book was one of the first books published by Mountain Peak Music and it remains one of our best-sellers today.
It came about from my realization that many, many musicians are under misconceptions about how breathing works. These misconceptions are usually created by the use of vague metaphors, rather than specific anatomical facts. The “metaphorical approach” can sometimes be helpful, but more often than not, it is confusing and creates aberrant movements, bad habits and (ironically) poor breathing!
“Breathe Low” is a good example. What exactly does this mean? I suspect it means different things to different people (which is, in and of itself, a problem…). I have met brass players who are convinced their lungs are way down in their bellies – about where their belly button is. Why is this a problem? Because to try to move the abdomen out in a misguided effort to draw air into the body is to add tension to one’s playing. I think we can all agree that tension is the enemy of good music-making.
The Breathing Book debunks this myth and more through the use of informative explanations, images and musical exercises designed to teach the truth about breathing. It provides a foundation for the genuine movement of breathing that will inform musicians’ technique. I have seen the information transform ability levels from beginners through professionals – nearly everyone has something new to learn from this book.
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