Consider for a moment two singers: Singer A and Singer B

Singer A sounds weak, soft, and pitchy. You can tell that she loves to sing, but something’s missing…

Singer B sounds alive, dynamic, pure, rich and dramatic. He’s been singing for only 2 minutes, but you are hoping the song never ends…

The difference – - breath control!

Yes, the key to developing your voice is good breath control.

Breath Mint, Anyone?

Before you are tempted to reach for the closest mouthwash, let’s piece together what is meant by the term “breath control” for singers.

Breath control is a relaxed, but controlled process of allowing the voice to be supported by the breath. We call this diaphragmatic breathing. (For more in-depth knowledge of how the diaphragm works read “How to Train Singers” by Larra Browning Henderson).

The breathing process is a three-step process:
1. Inhalation (breathing in) – -Standing before a mirror, place an index finger below your nose and breathe in deeply, as if you were smelling a rose. You probably hear the air rushing into your lungs and feel the back and abdomen expand. If you don’t, try repeating this lying on your back. Ahh… you’ve got it now. What you probably did not see is your diaphragm (the lining below your lungs) move downwards, allowing your lungs to fill up with air. This downward motion (not last night’s pizza) is what gently urges your stomach to protrude a bit.

2. Suspension (expanding) – - Ever watched The Matrix? One of my favorite scenes is the one in which Keanu Reeves bends over backwards and time itself seems to stand still. That’s what suspension is like. It is a very brief point in time, after inhaling, in which the body expands and gets ready to sing. There is no need to practice suspending the breath because:

a.    It is so brief.
b.    We do it naturally
c.    Any attempt to control suspension may lead to tension and holding the breath in.

3. Exhalation (breathing out)  – - Ahhhh! The release! In this phase we finally allow the breath to escape from the body using a hissing sound. Simply part the lips, and slowly allow the air to exit through closed teeth on a “sss” sound. The key here is to “control” the rate at which air leaves the body. Too fast, and you will run out of air as you sing.  Here’s a neat trick – - Although you are breathing out, pretend that you are still breathing in and you will be amazed at how long your breath lasts. Go ahead, give it a try! Each day, try timing yourself to see how long you can “hiss” and slowly increase this time as you are able.

Breath control IS the KEY to the BEST singing voice. It is the difference between a strong, vibrant voice and a weak, pitchy one. Please feel free to leave any comments you have on today’s topic and don’t forget to weigh in on our next one:

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