“Why do i have to work on breathing, I breathe everyday?” Believe it or not, this question is asked a lot. It’s a legit question! Let me shed a little light on the subject for you. If a pregnant mom to be didn’t practice breathing so they can push the baby out, there would be major problems. If a scuba diver didn’t work on holding his breath for long periods of time, there definitely would be major problems, right? For singers, without a firm foundation created through breathing properly, the voice would never teach its full potential. Here’s what i mean. How can a singer hooks a note that lasts for almost 20-25 sec if they didn’t work on their breathing? What about a singer who wants to do “vocal acrobatics” with their voice, but doesn’t have the breath support needed to make it to the end of the run? You see, breathing is the foundation of the voice and without it, its pretty difficult to execute, in excellence, all you want to do with the voice. So, take the time and build up your foundation and you’ll see that singing will get a lot easier as you go on. Here are a few tips to help build your foundation:
1. Always breathe deep and wide from your diaphragm. Pretend that air is really heavy as you inhale, and visualize it weighing about 50lbs, then let it fall low into your body. Another way to breathe deep and wide is to lay flat on your back (on your bed), place a book on your abdomen and inhale slowly, focusing on lifting the book, and lowering the book when you exhale. The rest of your body should remain relaxed.
2. Get on your hands and knees. Sounds crazy right? Well, us vocalists must do some pretty radical things to get the results were looking for. You see, gravity is a friend to those with right tense abdomens. You can use this to your advantage; get on your hands and knees and breathe deeply.
3. Pretend to suck through a straw. This helps with gradually breathing in. Purse your lips as if you have a straw between them. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your mouth. Exhale and repeat.
4. Breathe deeply while you wait in line, our any chance you get. Your goal is to make breathing deeply comfortable and natural. Practice doing this throughout the day, everyday.
5. Hold two heavy objects, one in each hand. Make sure you are standing with a good singing posture. Lift these objects in your hand. Your arena should be level to your shoulders. While you lift, breathe deeply. You will find it impossible to lift your shoulders, forcing you to breathe deep and wide. If you are unable to hold an object inn each hand, just use your arms. These are just a few tips on breathing correctly and building a firm foundation for the voice to be free. The most important part about learning how to breathe freely is to notice how you naturally breathe without manipulation. I feel the more you recognize about your breathing habits, the easier it will be to achieve a free flow while breathing. Remember, the best way to approach breathing is to keep learning. The moment you think you have arrived, you stopped learning, so keep going!
#BreathControl #BreathingCorrectly #Strengthrningmybreath #Breathingright #Vocalfreedom
