Watch the Video: Rebreathing Bag Demo

The Rebreathing Bag is a latex bag originally intended for use in anesthesia. Use of the Rebreathing Bag as a self-teaching device for musicians was initiated by Arnold Jacobs, the famous tubist/teacher from the Chicago Symphony.

BENEFITS OF THE REBREATHING BAG
The Rebreathing Bag is both an aural and a visual aid. You can evaluate your efficiency, ease, and breath capacity as you as you release, exchange and take in air using the bag.

GETTING STARTED WITH THE REBREATHING BAG

Place your lips around the tube. 

Release your breath into the bag, blowing silently from your mouth.

If there is noise from your throat when you blow into the bag, try relaxing your tongue and throat while lifting your soft palate.

Blow evenly from your mouth throughout each exhalation.

Allow the air to exchange easily and silently at either end of each breath without stopped motion. The air either moves in or out of the bag at all times.

Suck back all the air from the bag into your mouth with each inhalation, feeling tall as you inhale.


PRACTICE SUGGESTIONS

After releasing your breath into the bag, suck the air back from the bag and use this air to play or sing a phrase. Notice how far one visibly measurable breath will easily take you.

Play a phrase into the bag, watching your breath fill the bag. Then suck the air back from the bag and play or sing the phrase, duplicating the feeling of the release of your breath into the bag.

Use the bag to teach yourself to inhale quickly and deeply or in a particular rhythm. Measure your improvement by watching a full bag empty as you inhale.

Practice music on the bag, watching to be sure breath continues to release, filling the bag, through articulations. Allow your spine to elongate as you exhale. If the bag does not move while you are tonguing, your air is not properly supporting the articulations and the tongue is likely more tense than necessary.