Posted by Rick Denney on October 07, 2002 at 15:10:56:
In Reply to: Re: Long Distance Running and Tuba Playing posted by David on October 07, 2002 at 09:26:58:
I'm sure it's just a matter of semantics, but this doesn't seem right to me. Any time I try to forcefully exhale, my sound goes immediately to pot.
It seems to me that the natural elasticity of the tissues surrounding the lungs are all that are needed to allow the lungs to empty sufficiently to make any required sound on a tuba.
In full relaxation with open air passages and no breathing, the lungs seem only to hold about 10 or 15% of their air capacity. If that is what our lungs relax to, then all we need do is make sure we are using the other 85% for making sounds.
Now, it is useful to be able to take in lots of air in a hurry, but this is a fast-twitch muscle thing and not a strength issue. I've known too many top-flight tuba players with very little physical strength to believe that such strength is required. But developing fast-twitch muscles requires developing explosive strength, which is a quality rather than quantity issue. This is the sort of training runner do to improve their sprint.
Rick "saving his money" Denney