hey all! During practice, I’ve stumbled across another bit of “experience points” that I’d like to share:
It’s NOT just about posture.
I’ve noticed, that after practicing for a while, I’d begin to sound like crap. Initially, I thought it was my lungs getting “tired”, and while it’s partially that, there’s more to it:
First off, yes, make sure your posture is good. But also, remember your internal respiratory system is just like bagpipes - I’ve noticed, after playing for a while, if I really paid attention, that my lungs got shriveled up/contracted. The “trick” is to keep conscious track of this and make sure your lungs / respiratory system is “expanded”.
= take a deep breath of air when in a good posture, then “remember” the shape your throat/lungs/chest takes when you do this, and even if your lungs aren’t full, try to keep that general shape.
=I’ve found, “bad notes” / “bend misfires” /etc happen my lungs are contracted and I still try to play/bend when “running on empty”, so to speak
=This isn’t the same as “using lots of air to blow notes / blowing too hard.” Rather, it’s having access to that “volume of air”, so to speak.
Good advice @yuriythebest
Relaxed jaw, good posture and diaphragmatic breathing makes for good jams for sure
Best
Mike
Good post, I’ve been though the same learning but couldn’t put it into words.
I sit when I play as two knife fights with two spine surgeons “behind” me result in lower back pain if standing for a long period. I feel what you are experiencing as I do is because sitting makes your diaphragm less able to file with the volume needed and seems to restrict air flow. It seems that a 90 degree position puts a restriction in your air flow to and from the diaphragm, which is critical in how long you can play without breathing problems. If I lay back it helps tremendously. The diaphragm is very critical in playing well and any restriction in the air flow to and from it will result in the lungs having too much demand on them. Good posture is important as is holding the harp parallel. practice will help but help. A full diaphragm goes a long way and takes a large load off your lungs, which alone do not have the capacity to provide to continuous supply of oxygen needed. Keeping the posture enables you to fill your diaphragm and the air flow good. Lungs alone just are not able to hold the air needed. If you watch a good trumpet player they move very little but can play and make it look easy. They are masters in using their diaphragm well.
Yes, you want to be working from the bottom half of your lungs, not from the top half! 
Is your belly going out when you inhale? (That’s the foundation of the good breathing.)
Some good comments Yuri. My breathing has improved enormously since I started playing. I mainly play melodies, lots that I would call ballads, so that makes it easier. I reckon I play better, the longer I play, I don’t seem to get out of breath at all, after an hour or more.
My breathing practice is a bit of an amalgam of advice that I’ve read on this forum. I use my low tuned harp and sit up straight, in front of my computer with a stopwatch on screen. Harmonica in my left hand and my right-hand palm on my belly. I draw slowly for as long as I can through holes 1,2 &3 together, then blow slowly as long as I can. The stopwatch motivates me to keep going and keeps track of my progress. My hand on my belly checks that I’m breathing as Luke suggests. That’s the way I breathe all the time now and I feel better for it.
Luke
I am playing El Pasa Condor and have reached the “clean up” phase. No tabs but it has nine lines and about 65% of them are draws. A? When you play something like this do you modify your breathing to avoid running out of air . Do you play the high draws a bit lighter? I use my diaphragm and at times play it well. Other times it is a tough one to get through without any breathing issues. I am getting better but this one is a must to practice and play the high draws well.
On a separate issue are you familiar with a player name Haipoli. SP? I think he lives in Switzerland and is very good. I never hear his name come up but he can play anything he wants and play it well.
Scott
I totally get what you are saying - before I learnt about “breath economy” (my own trademark-pending term), I noticed I’d get super winded in some songs, so much that my lungs were strained and I was sweaty - I had no idea there was a “reverse out of breath” where you in fact can have “too much”
I think, you can “cheat” a bit and pull away from the harmonica to inhale/exhale when needed: notice in the video at 1:00, 1:11, 1:36,etc he subtly moves the harmonica away from his face - I’m willing to bet in a lot of those times he exhales the extra air.
I discharge air through my nose well while playing if the air is building up. Its the situation having so many draws and not enough time to inhale. The tune is long and given the percentage of draw notes air deficits build up and there is little time to inhale. I have heard this guy playing the song but if you play it as written it is much longer and taxing on the lungs. I play the tune in C and it has nine long lines that should be played. He is a good harp player but an abbreviated song is not what I play. If the air is dry and cool the O level in air as an percentage is higher and I can get through it right. Growing up on the coast has made humidity a bad word for me. On hot, humid day getting a full breath of air is much harder. Moisture reduces the amount of oxygen in the air. Six summer jobs doing construction is where I learned about hard labor on a hot, humid Texas day. Hydration is a must now as I live inland and many days the humidity level is close to a single digit. Hydration is constant. Not a perfect world and I’ll just play a bit softer and slower. many times playing a little fast is a problem.