The Circular Breathing is a technique used by woodwind players which allows them to play and, at the same time, breath in without interrupting the air stream. Consequently this technique allows the player to sustain the sound indefinitely and provides a valuable means of playing long phrases which cannot be sustained by conventional breathing. Circular Breathing can also help woodwind players to control, and eventually eliminate, all tension which often afflicts a performance and which prevents the woodwind player from using normal breathing in a healthy, relaxed manner. Through exercises used specifically to develop a reliable circular breathing technique, the player can learn to us the abdominal muscles much more effectively. This, combined with a special movement of the tongue allows the player to play a phrase of any length, regardless of the conventional requirement to interrupt the music with a breath.

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