Take a horn and a timer; if you are new to working on long tones with a timer, set it for something like 3 to 5 minutes. If you have a developed practice, try a little longer—ten minutes is amazing, 15 is epic. I like 11 minutes. On days when I’m feeling good. I will do 11 minutes on each horn, which truly causes some kind of magical transformation to happen.
Start your timer, and begin to play. Today, however, I am asking you to focus on your inhalations. The tones/ the exhalations, the ones who usually get all of the attention, can take care of themselves today. Really dive into the detail of your inhalation, think about how the air you are taking in will become the sound; what shape is it, how relaxed are you when you are inhaling, can you change the sound quality of the tone by changing the way you inhale? How does this change how you work, is it altering the way the practice time is passing? How are you feeling while doing this work? Are you breathing better, getting more air, opening up your airways simply by placing your attention at the breath entering your body?
Stay here, stick with this until the timer goes. Tell me if something changed for you.
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Catherine Sikora 