In the published and distributed cucurbit flute teaching materials and the cucurbit flute teaching videos spread on the Internet, the descriptions, explanations and demonstrations of cucurbit flute playing and breathing are involved, and the following phenomena can be found:

A. It is generally believed that there are three types of breathing in cucurbit flute, thoracic breathing, abdominal breathing, and combined thoracic and abdominal breathing. Of course, there are also circulatory breathing (not included for the time being).

B. All have generally "criticized" and "denied" chest breathing

C. It is generally believed that chest-abdominal breathing is the best choice for cucurbit flute breathing

D. Some believe that abdominal breathing is the best choice for cucurbit flute breathing

question

The above four phenomena are the current views on the cucurbit flute playing and breathing, so this creates the following problems:

A. How to correctly understand the three cucurbit flute breathing methods, and what are their characteristics?

B. Many players learn both from their teachers and from the Internet. In the end, they are confused. Which breathing method is the best choice?

C. In the explanation of the cucurbit flute playing and breathing, it is basically explained from the perspective of inhalation, breath holding, and exhalation, and the terms involved are such as puffing up, holding, relaxing, and retracting the abdomen, etc., but the key issues are not covered. So, that is the problem of using the mouth and nose when inhaling. Is it mouth inhalation, nose inhalation, or both mouth and nose inhalation?

D. Is there only one way of breathing when playing the cucurbit flute? Abdominal breathing or thoracic breathing?

point of view

Only when the above four problems are solved can we "pull out the clouds and see the moonlight". Now, starting from these four problems, I will talk about the author's views and opinions.

(1) Commonality and individuality of thoracic breathing, abdominal breathing, and combined thoracic and abdominal breathing

1. Commonalities: In natural breathing, the above three forms can be achieved by using the mouth or nose alone, or by inhaling through the mouth and nose at the same time. Of course, breathing can also be done only through the mouth or the nose, or the mouth and nose can be synchronized.

2. Personality:

(1) Chest breathing - shallow inhalation and small volume; in the state of playing, the exhalation lacks strength, is not concentrated, and diverges.

(2) Abdominal breathing - deep inhalation and large volume; in the playing state, the psoas, abdominal muscles, and diaphragm muscles are involved, with sufficient strength, concentration, and organic coordination with the mouth shape.

(3) Combined chest-abdominal breathing - deep inhalation and large volume; in the playing state, the psoas, abdominal muscles, diaphragm, and pectoral muscles are involved, with sufficient strength, concentration, and organic coordination with the mouth shape.

From the above analysis of the personalities of the three breathing forms, it can be seen that abdominal breathing has advantages over thoracic and abdominal breathing, while chest breathing has many "disadvantages", which is why people do not choose chest breathing.

However, many people have overlooked a key issue, which is the sensitivity of breathing, because in the cucurbit flute, due to the diversification of musical forms, in practice, the selected breathing method is not the only one. The second is to do to diversified use.

(2) Musical form and reflection sensitivity

Regarding the form of music, it should be very easy for everyone to understand, mainly involving the use of musical elements, such as speed, compact and loose rhythm, strength, volume, etc. That is to say, in a piece of cucurbit flute, it is impossible to express with the same speed, strength, pitch, volume, etc., but a combination of various elements and changes, which is the so-called musical form.

From the point of view of the sensitivity of breathing reflection, chest breathing is higher than abdominal breathing and chest-abdominal breathing. Therefore, combining the three breathing methods, we can summarize the advantages and disadvantages of each:

1. Chest breathing: high sensitivity; small air volume; not suitable for long-term control

2. Abdominal breathing: slightly higher sensitivity; larger air volume; less lung involvement; can be controlled for a longer time

3. Chest-abdominal breathing: Inhalation sensitivity is not high; the breath volume is the largest; the abdomen and lungs are highly involved; it can be controlled for a long time.

Combining the advantages and disadvantages of the above, it can be seen that the choice of the breathing method of cucurbit flute cannot be unique, but must be selected, and the standard of selection is based on the characteristics of the music form.

Choose the breathing form according to the music form

(1) Loose boards and slow boards

There are obvious sentence teases, the duration of falling sounds is longer, and there is sufficient ventilation time. The chest and abdomen are used to breathe, and the mouth and nose are inhaled at the same time. If the rhythm is tight and the ventilation time is short in the adagio, abdominal breathing is used, and mouth inhalation is the main method.

(2) Allegro:

The phrases are square with obvious amusing, tight rhythm and moderate relaxation, long fall time, and sufficient ventilation time. Use abdominal breathing and inhale through your mouth. For three beats, four beats and above, use chest-abdominal breathing, inhale through the mouth and nose at the same time or focus on the mouth; in allegro, the rhythm of the phrases is compact, dense, with weak rises or breaks, and chest-style breathing is used, which is the so-called "stealing breath". ”, and some are called “grabbing air” (not rushing to shoot), inhaling through the mouth.