David Grogan wrote:
> Vocalisters, > > Many years ago, I had a friend who played the trumpet. She showed me a > device that helps you build up the muscles involved in breathing. As I > recall, as you inhaled, a small ball began floating in a tube connected to > what you were breathing into. As you exhaled, the ball would also float up. > The goal was to keep the ball floating as high as you could for as long as > you could. It is most likely way too much breath pressure for singing, but > I was interested in getting one for myself and trying it again, with the > possibility of using it for my students who don't use nearly enough breath > energy. Is this ringing a bell with anyone out there? If you know what it > is that I am talking about, please e-mail with the name of this device. > Thanks much!
Sorry I am so late in replying to this message. I have two of the gizmos you are describing. The name of the instrument is "Incentive Deep Breathing Exerciser" and the brand I have is Triflo II. This device was given to my mother years ago during a hospital stay, and I confiscated it for use in my voice studio. There are three balls in plastic tubes. One requires 600 cc per sec to keep the ball afloat. The second requires 900 cc, the third 1200. This device is used to help people in bed breathe more deeply so they don't contract pneumonia.
The benefit to the singer is simply that it encourages one to breathe more deeply and fully. However, since the device is used while inhaling, it does not have any relationship to the breath pressure used in phonation (exhaling).
> > > David Grogan > ETBU Music > Marshall, Texas > >
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