# Are Wind Instruments (Musical) as Physically Taxing As They Appear To Be?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wind-instruments-musical-as-physically-taxing-as-they-appear-to-be/779392>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 9, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wind-instruments-musical-as-physically-taxing-as-they-appear-to-be/779392 "2017-02-09T14:47:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wind-instruments-musical-as-physically-taxing-as-they-appear-to-be/779392/21 "2017-02-10T11:44:56Z")

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I don’t know much about brass. I do know that I found I could hold a note on a clarinet much longer than I could hold a note singing, without circle breathing (which I never learned). With actual resistance, it’s much easier to control your breathing. That’s why untrained singers often pinch off the sound, adding resistance.

What I do know about brass is that it’s a bad idea to play when you have a headache, which suggests to me that it requires more abdominal pressure. I’ve seen faces turn red on particularly high notes, which also suggests this. (Though I do know there’s some sort of cheat for playing high but shrill notes–though I don’t know how it works.) High notes on a clarinet don’t require nearly as much effort, though you do have to work on tuning and tone more the higher you go.

Oh, and puffing your cheeks out is essential to circle breathing, or so I’m told. What you do is use the air in your cheeks to power the instrument while you’re breathing in.

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**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wind-instruments-musical-as-physically-taxing-as-they-appear-to-be/779392/22 "2017-02-10T12:54:38Z")

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For that matter, choral singing is far more physically taxing than most people realize. The _Carmina Burana_ is exhausting, as is the \*Verdi Requiem, \*and many less dramatic works can be physically challenging.

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wind-instruments-musical-as-physically-taxing-as-they-appear-to-be/779392/23 "2017-02-10T15:07:43Z")

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In addition to trombone and bagpipe, I play the fife. Again, no problems breathing, but regular practice is needed to keep the muscles around your mouth firm. And it takes **a lot** of practice to play and march simultaneously.

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