I've been playing the flute for almost two years and I'm having real trouble on long notes. I cannot hold any note for more than 8 seconds. Is there any breathing technique or ways that can make my breath last longer? Thanks for helping.

i am not to good on this subject lol ( read Help i get dizzy when playing) but there is an exirsize i have tried befor.... it helps you train to blow out air longer. WHat you do is breath in for 10 sec. out for 10 in for 9 out for 10 in for 8 out for 10 and so on intill you get to in for 1 out for 10. i hope that this helps

Some people swear by the Power Lung to help increase lung capacity.

http://www.powerlung.us/en/index.htm

You may want to see your physician, however, and make sure that you are healthy and everything is fine. Do you asthma or other kinds of breathing problems?

Thank you to both of you. And no, I don't have asthma(at least not that I know of).

One reason for shortness of breath I know of is simply bad breathing, specially in woman (sorry, no sexism here).

Men tend to breath using more the diaphram and the air capacity is therefore greater than would be the case if using only upper breathing (expanding the chest). Check if you breath correctly (there are books around on this subject) or ask your flute teacher or, if you can, a liric singing teacher (singing is heavily based on a good breathing technique).

Good luck.

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sorry, diaphram = diaphragm

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Ok , I'm not convinced myself about the non-sexist disclaimer.

I based mmy comment on an actual experience. One of my singing class student coleague(a girl), has this problem of running out of air. The teacher told her she was not breathing correctly and that she was not using her diapragmatic muscle properly. In fact she could not do it and she has been working (and improving).

Also, try to wear loose clothing when playing, as you must be able to quickly inhale air to the abdomen; a tight belt, for example, does not help!

WOW..the powerlung thing is cool! i wonder if it REAlly works. i would LOVe to try that. Hhmmm...? have anyone tried it?

joe luis, I actually agree with your opinion about men's breathing technique is generally better than women's. Most male friends of mine do have a grater lung capacity and therefore, can play longer notes on whichever woodwind/brass instrucment they are playing on.

Yes indeed. But perhaps this is not inherent to being male or female.

I believe that for some unknown reason, men breath mostly diaphragmatic and women normally use more the upper chest muscles and therefore their air capacity is lesser.

But I do not see any physical reason for that, it is probably a social habit and it can be changed, at least while studying and performing. Yoga and other similar technics teach how to improve it.

Regular training in swimming is also quite effective, according to my own experience. I train half an hour thrice a week, for the third year now.

Not much, but enough to have increased my air capacity and air flow to a high mark.

By chance, I had it tested recently (for my open water diver certificate) and it measured to "650" (I think it means 650 liters/second, as measured with tester with a small propeller, but not sure). My pulse rate was also surprisingly low, at 54 beats per minute. Now I am over 60 and those results really surprised me. I used to have 60-62 bpm, not bad, but much higher.

I tend to believe these improvements are basically due to the swimming, as I have no sport-like body and I had never trained in other sports before.

It could also be that studying flute and singing for 3 years has improved my physical condition, that would be a nice and welcome added value!!!

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I must apologize (again...)

I have re-read my previous post about air flow capacity. I am not sure of the units used by the tester. The doctor said it amounted to 6.5 liters capacity, but I'm sure it was a flowmeter and not a volume meter.
I saw the value in the scale and was effectively 650. My wife's was 400.
But the units I supposed above must be completely wrong; 650 should be liters/minute, not liters/seconds. This amounts to 10.83 liters/sec. Otherwise it would be a hurricane and would have put the small propeller thing into orbit. Sorry..

jose luis;
That is SO impressive!! Really (I'm not being sarcastic, I am serious). You should be very proud. Your doctor must be thrilled with you. My pulmonologist would probably do cartwheels from here to Flagstaff if my numbers came anywhere close to yours!!

Thanks kippsix.

I was much surprised when I got that measure. In fact, I expected quite the opposite: I had recent three Xrays of my chest (due to surgery I underwent last year and complications) and all three showed signs of pulmonary obstructions. I have never smoked (first hand, at least) but the radiologists diagnosed them as varied as I can think of: calcifications, Emphysema, Pulmonary obstruction.

Of course I got terrorized after the first diagnose and went to the Neumologist (the lungs specialist here).

He said that there was nothing wrong and those signs were Xray artifacts caused by blood veins and arteries (??)...

So I started to believe that those radiologist had missed a few important lessons while making their careers. But of course I did not feel very assured.

So, when I had this measurement (it's part of the medical check that is mandatory to start the training as a diver), I had that very sweet surprise.

Now it's true that my body responds well to the infrequent care I give to it. It did concerning swimming, but I think this is very good for everybody.

Another surprising effect was the lowering of my blood cholesterol from a dangerous 270 to a much better 180..... In just one month and without any medication.

Only thing I did is to stop eating cheese and red meat, but Taliban style (I mean, not a molecule of cheese or milk fat for a whole month).

This was a big sacrifice for me, as I love cheese, the greaser the better. But it worked. And it has worked since then it stays at about 175, more that 3 years now.

It is not something I can really be proud of, I have no personal merit, maybe the genes have, I don't know. Not all my genes, for certain, as my father died from heart attack at 62.

Sorry, I think I have won the prize of drifting most away from the original subject this time!

I agree with micron, I notice that flute players with an airy tone run out of breath faster than those with a nice, pure focused tone

I must apologize (again...)

I have re-read my previous post about air flow capacity. I am not sure of the units used by the tester. The doctor said it amounted to 6.5 liters capacity, but I'm sure it was a flowmeter and not a volume meter.
I saw the value in the scale and was effectively 650. My wife's was 400.
But the units I supposed above must be completely wrong; 650 should be liters/minute, not liters/seconds. This amounts to 10.83 liters/sec. Otherwise it would be a hurricane and would have put the small propeller thing into orbit. Sorry..

jaz like what patrick said,

players with an airy tone run out of breath faster than those with a nice, pure focused tone

i think it's true,

i started singing at a young age and my main problem was shortness of breath.
my dad heard me sing and he figured out what was wrong with my singing..

my stlye was too "airy".

i was releasing too much air, and i needed to learn how to conserve my breath release.
he taught me how to properly use my diaphragm instead throat.
it helps,
even in flute.
the balance of diaphragm and throat really helps to extend the release of breath

Jose Louis, I'm amazed at how much air capacity you've got! I've measured mine recently and it read about 450.
Maybe I do need more practice on the way I blow the air in. Thanks everyone.

I think 450 is not bad. In my case, with 650, I was the most surprised, considering the radiologists diagnoses. I am sure of the value and the apparatus, as I tried thre times with the same result and my wife used the same meter.

She also has about 400 though she trains in swimming one full hour twice a week...

Contrary to me, she used to smoke and quitted some 25 years ago, but that could have had an irreversible impact, I do not know.

I have not asked you this question, it could be too personal and you are free not to answer:
do you smoke or have smoked in the past?