There seems to be competing views on what are considered proper breathing techniques for singing. For example, we’ve seen some teachers say things like “sing from the diaphragm” and then other teachers say “you can’t actually sing from your diaphragm, that’s a myth”. So instead of taking sides and arguing about whether a technique is right or wrong, we’re going to simply share what has worked for us.
First, we do think breathing (often referred to as “breath support”) is important and should be addressed; however, we’ve found that it’s more effective to pay attention to the sensations around our vocal cords when first learning. That being said, here are a few breathing techniques for singing:
- Breathe using your stomach. On inhales, pretend that your are filling your stomach with air. This will have the effect of your navel (belly button) moving outward. On exhales, bring your stomach inward (think about bringing your navel in towards your spine). As you are singing, always keep your stomach moving in so that there is a constant flow or air to the vocal cords. If you stop or hold your breath, then you may inadvertently cause the outer muscles of your larynx (voice box) to tense up.
- Always breathe in a relaxed manner and keep your chest comfortably open. Poor posture or slouching makes it more difficult to move air in and out of the lungs.
- Breathe through your nose during when inhaling so there is less chance of your mouth and throat getting dry.
- Refrain from “getting louder” if you are having difficulty hitting higher notes in your range. You actually need less air as you get higher in pitch. Keeping this in mind will help you automatically regulate the amount of air you need.
Let us know if these tidbits are helpful or if you have some additional ones to add.
Related posts on better singing:
- Tips On How To Sing #3 – Breathe In Through Your Nose
- How To Sing With Vibrato
- Speech Level Singing Technique
- Tips On How To Sing #4 – Posture, Posture, Posture
- Tips On How To Sing #2 – Bend Forward On High Notes
