There are many singers who have a great sound without ever taking a singing lesson. But think of how even more amazing they could sound if they did. If you are going to do just one thing to improve your singing, learn proper breathing technique. Taking just a few lessons in breath support can revolutionize your singing in so many ways:
- Vocal Power & Projection
- Proper breath support allows you to project your voice and put power behind it.
- Vocal Control
- Proper breath support helps you to manipulate your voice without cracks or wavers.
- Vocal Range
- Breathing properly gives you the support you need to increase your range in the upper register. It also allows you to project from both chest & head voice and helps prevent vocal strain from singing in the throat.
- Sustained Notes
- Breath support is what helps you to perform those long, sustained notes without "dropping off" at the end.
The Truth About the Diaphragm
Finally, I'd like to clarify something if I may.
I'm afraid the word "diaphragm" has become a bit of a buzz-word in the performance world. Many people use it, and talk about singing and talking "from the diaphragm" but I wonder how many of us actually understand what that really means.
We breathe using our lungs. When we breathe properly, our lungs expand outward and downwards. A system of muscles, including the diaphragm, surround the lungs. They expand and contract as our lungs do. So when we breathe in, the diaphragm drops down out of the way to allow our lungs to expand. When we breath out, it contracts again as the lungs contract. We control how quickly our breath exhales by contracting our abdomen muscles.
The diaphragm is NOT a voluntary muscle. It moves automatically, the way our lungs do as we breathe. We cannot see or feel the diaphragm moving. So when singers hear that they are supposed to "sing from the diaphragm" how does this really help them? (In my opinion, it doesn't, especially since that isn't where the air or the sound is coming from).
The only way to explain the technique of breathing is through exercises that demonstrate the difference between efficient and inefficient breathing.
