It’s all placement and instruction. I can hear breaths sounds barreling down the road in an ambulance if I take my time. Here’s my advice: .Always place the steth on the skin, no listening through clothing. .Know the basic six points of posterior auscultation. . Remember the lungs are larger than most people think from top to bottom, sometimes moving higher or lower than you think helps . Instruct the pt to breathe in deeply after you move your steth . Adjust the earpieces if you aren’t hearing much by pulling them out of your ears and putting them back in again . Sometimes you will have to move the diaphragm/bell a few cm to find the sweet sound of swooshing air . Keep at it, it takes a little time