First of all, I would like to point out that properly guided breathing is breathing that the listener doesn’t notice — it should be silent. Inhalation can be directed into three different areas: the diaphragm, the chest, and the collarbone area. From my own experience, I consider a combination of diaphragmatic and chest breathing to be ideal. Breathing into the collarbone area is generally not recommended for wind instrument playing, because it increases tension in the shoulders and chest.

Inhalation

We always inhale through the mouth, ideally through the corners of the lips. The inhale should be subtle and silent. I like to compare it to an invisible yawn — as if you were yawning but nobody could see it. Always remember the rule of breathing downward. Sometimes you may hear the term “breathing into the belly,” but we don’t actually inhale into the stomach — we always breathe into the lungs. In this case, we use the lower part of the lungs, the diaphragm moves downward, and the belly expands. This is called breath support. We ground the breath downward, activate the diaphragm muscles, and then the exhale follows.

Exhalation

The exhale is controlled and regulated, again with active diaphragm engagement. It is long and silent, similar to fogging up a bathroom mirror or warming your hands in winter — imagine an open and relaxed throat. At the same time, it is important to maintain strong diaphragmatic support so that you don’t push the air from the throat but rather let it originate from the lower lungs. The exhale itself can be compared to blowing out a candle in the opposite corner of the room or blowing on a dandelion at the far end of a meadow.

Breathing in a few key points:

Both inhalation and exhalation while playing a wind instrument are done through the mouth.
Inhale as if you were quietly yawning — without anyone noticing.
The exhale is controlled, long, and supported by diaphragmatic muscle engagement.
Direct the exhale into the distance, as if you wanted to blow out a candle across the room or a dandelion at the end of a field.
The exhale is strong and focused into a single point.
The airflow should pass through the entire instrument, resonate through the body, and still feel strong enough to reach that imaginary candle or dandelion.

Practical breathing exercise for everyone

This warm-up is a great helper at the beginning of every practice session. It’s suitable not only for wind instrument players but also as a daily relaxation exercise for anyone.

Sit comfortably on the edge of a chair, feet slightly apart, with your knees and ankles forming right angles. Rest your elbows on your knees.
Inhale so that you feel your belly touching your thighs. Breathe into the lower back — the lumbar area. You should feel your lower back expanding during inhalation. Place your hands on your lower back so you can feel the intercostal muscles working. Focus on and become aware of the specific area you are breathing into — it should be around the upper abdomen. Exhale as if you were blowing into your instrument. Repeat the inhale and exhale several times.
Sit upright slowly — especially at the beginning, if you are not used to breathing exercises, you may feel slightly lightheaded. This is normal; just remain seated until everything returns to normal, which should take only a few seconds.
Just as you inhaled while leaning forward, now inhale while sitting upright. Again, focus on the same area you breathed into before.
Stay seated and take your instrument into your hands. Try playing a few sustained tones with this conscious breathing. Keep feeling that one specific place you inhale into.

If you use this type of breathing with every tone you play, you will experience greater ease and your instrument will sound even more beautiful. And what about you? Do you practice breathing exercises before every session? Do you have your own routine? Share it in the comments.