by Teresa Ringholz

Created on: August 18, 2009

Singing should be free and easy. There are many factors which have to be in-sync in order for this to happen. When one is singing correctly, it feels very natural with no tension in the throat or the body. A lot of this is depends upon the correct use of the breath which often presents a problem to singers.

One major misconception is that one has to take in a large amount of air for a musical phrase. Air should be taken in for a phrase, expelled through the phrase and then next breath taken in. If the total amount of air is not used for a phrase and additional air is taken in for the next phase, a build-up occurs and one experiences sub-glottal pressure. In this case, the sensation of suffocating comes not from too little air, but from too much. Singers often feel they have to take in large amounts of air or else they will not have enough, but sometimes less is more.

Another mistake that singers make in regards to breathing is breathing too high in the thoracic region of the body. This again creates too much tension around the larynx and consequently the vocal chords. Raising the shoulders to breathe also causes the same problem.

The correct breathing is called diaphragmatic breathing, with a breath which is taken from the bottom of the lungs. Yoga and Pilates also use this form of breathing which not only strengthens the inner core muscles, but calms the body as well.

Some people find diaphragmatic breathing difficult to do. To understand the sensation, one could lay on the back and observe the way the belly rises and falls with the breath, then stand up and breathe in the same manner. Another way to experience diaphragmatic breathing is to put the hand where the ribs come together and direct the in-take of air to that area, again, not raising the chest or shoulders. This breathing strengthens the voice, takes tension and pressure away from the throat and builds lung capacity for longer phrases.

But unfortunately the mistake that many singers make is not using the breath to carry the voice along on a phrase. This results in "holding" the breath and using the muscles to force the sound out, instead of allowing the voice to flow on the breath. Doing this over a long period of time can strain the vocal cords and eventually do permanent damage to them. It is very natural to utilize the breath when speaking, so sometimes speaking the words of a song in a long phrase will indicate how the breath carries the words on the voice when singing.

Through eliminating these common breathing mistakes, singers can find the way to a natural, instinctive way of singing for a free, healthy and expressive voice.

Learn more about this author, Teresa Ringholz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.