The Breath Mark Guide
The Breath Mark Guide
Breath marks indicate key places to take a breath as well as short pauses in music. Taking time to become aware of breath mark placements within a piece will increase interpretation and ability to perform technical passages effectively thus creating an intuitive result. Read along then download the FREE breath mark guide.
In a Rest
The easiest pause or place to insert a breath mark is during the duration of a rest.
Break a Tie
Often times, a tie is within a technical passage or sequence. Shave off the tied note and replace with a breath mark. Choose your placement with care - especially during a sequence. If there are three ties in a row, you certainly wouldn't want to breathe after every one. Choose one-two.
At the End of a Phrase
Consider a note equivalent to a letter. Therefore, a phrase is a musical sentence, most notably heard in the melody. Just like a sentence, a phrase has a beginning, middle, and end. The most common phrase structure is four measure (bar) phrases. Phrases can stand on their own. Adding a breath mark at the end of the phrase is a logical place to take a breath. For more information visit Hello Music Theory for detailed information.
After Beat 1
You're going to need to consult your teacher or band director here as it may depend on the passage and/ or repertoire. For the sake of continuity, taking a breath after beat 1 works well in the middle of a long phrase or technical passage.
Where your private instructor/ band director indicates
Yes, there are unique places to take a breath in a piece. Follow your private instructor and band director's recommendation. They know the tricks of the trade that you will learn in time. Always check interesting breath marks with a professional.
Where the composer indicates (Breath Marks)
Like articulation, dynamics, notes, become aware of all composer indicated breath marks. Don't bypass them! They were inserted for a reason. Refer to clean, Barenreiter versions. Different editions will include their own interpretations. Use the above guides AND consult your teacher for difficult passages.
Bonus!
Check your work through score study. Listen to 5-7 highly regarded versions of your piece, while following along with the score (or your part). Mark where the performer breathes.