Breath(take)ing Flutes

Emotional states such as anxiety and stress considerably affect the quality of a performance and, more generally, the life of a musician. Anxiety and stress particularly affect the practice of a wind instrument, not only because of the exercise of body movement, but also on respiration. The purpose of this study is the analysis, comparison and interpretation of possible relationships between emotional states and breathing control.

Methods

The research is based on the detection of different respiratory rates, and features observations of a number of flute players during rehearsal (as normal) and performance (as stress).

Results

The results of this survey will have great implications for performers in the application to practice; useful information can be provided for musicians so they can learn and maintain their body in stressful situations which accompany the musical activity.