Proper Breathing Technique

In the past two weeks we have been focusing on proper breathing technique. Here's a bit of an elaboration on what I have been teaching. This information comes primarily from the Music 104 Group Vocal Instruction Course Packet/Songbook by Diana Johnson at BYU-Idaho.

PROPER BREATHING:

A. Why?

1. It's the foundation for proper singing (supports production of continuous, controlled singing tone).

2. It makes it possible to sing meaningful phrases and expressive nuances.

B. How?

1. Use LOWER ABDOMINAL BREATHING:

a. Inhale by allowing the lower abdominal muscles to relax and the ribcage to expand. Don't lift the chest and shoulders when taking in a breath.

b. You should feel a settled or low breath. If the inhalation was taken properly, the breath will feel settled, meaning no breath pressure in the upper part of the chest and against the throat. You're breath reservoir extends from the chest down to the hip bone.

c. Don't allow your chest or ribcage collapse or fall as you release air

2. Breath with an open and relaxed throat (you're breathing should be quiet).

3. Budget Breath

a. Release breath with proper retention. Don't release too much air with the tone (think about the balloon example).

b. Try not to go below have a tank of air (or you begin to lose rib cage expansion).

4. Breathe in correct places

a. At punctuation marks

b. Natural pauses (where you would naturally pause if you were speaking a phrase)

c. Never breathe in the middle of a word.

For the past couple of weeks each student should have been spending an extra five minutes doing their hissing, ha ha-ing, and shhhhhing exercises. The purpose of these exercises is to feel your lungs connection to the diaphragm. As you take in air, the diaphragm should lower to let air into the lungs, then it will slowly push the air up and out of the lungs at a constant rate. You can feel it a lot easier if you lay face down on the floor. The key is to stay relaxed and let your tummy expand. If everything is breathed in through the chest, you will have a very unsettled feeling.