A reading from the Madison Scouts 2012 Brass Manual –

Stagger Breathing

When listening to long sustained chords from a brass ensemble, you will notice that the best ensembles sustain these chords without holes in the sound. The “wall of sound” is created by utilizing a technique called stagger breathing. Essentially the wall of sound is created by each performer in the brass ensemble following this simple process:

1. Know when you are going to breathe & commit to the breathing

• You must commit to the breath even if you are not running out of air

2. Don’t breathe at the same time as the person(s) next to you

• 2 or more people in the same proximity breathing at the same time creates holes in the sound

3. Fade out

• A rapid, one beat decrescendo
• Don’t allow the pitch to drift out of tune
• Don’t allow your tone to change

4. Breathe

• One beat to take in a full breath
• The breath should immediately follow the decrescendo; no gaps between the end of the decrescendo and the full breath in

5. Fade back in

• A rapid, one beat crescendo from a niente – no gaps between the end of the breath and the beginning of the crescendo
• Do not rearticulate the front of the note – “ah” articulation
• Be in-tune and in-tone all the way through the crescendo

“ALWAYS SOUND GOOD”

“ALWAYS LOOK GOOD”

“IT ONLY COUNTS ON THE MOVE”