Stop Choking Your Air! Try This Nose & Mouth Breathing Trick Instead

In this Trumpet Thoughts video, I dive into two key breathing techniques that have significantly improved my playing: the "Hut" breath and Walt Johnson's "smelling a rose backwards" exhale.

The Hut breath, a trick I picked up from Steve Patrick, helps eliminate hesitation in the air column before an attack. By engaging the air forward before playing, it prevents the common issue of feeling "stuck" or clamping down at the throat, especially on tricky entrances or high notes. I personally use it when I need that extra confidence on exposed notes, like starting on a high C in a Star Wars arrangement I'm currently playing.

The second technique comes from Walt Johnson, a legendary Las Vegas session trumpeter. He described exhaling as if smelling a rose in reverse, a concept that keeps the air open, relaxed, and ready to play. By breathing through both the nose and mouth, the air feels naturally in place and prepped for release, eliminating the need for excessive tension or clamping down. When I forget to do this, I immediately notice my playing feeling tight and restricted.

I struggled for years with air restriction, and no amount of being told to "relax" ever fixed it. But understanding how I was breathing—and implementing these small shifts—made all the difference. If you feel like you’re putting the brakes on your air, getting tense, or falling into Valsalva habits, try these approaches and see if they help.

Let me know in the comments if these tips work for you! Take care, friends.

Donovan

Wanna support the channel?
Buy your music gear from my store!
http://www.erniewilliamson.com