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:

THE TOP FIVE DAILY WARM-UPS FOR THE BEST SINGING VOICE

It’s American Idol season again and you may be glued to the TV wondering…

“How do they sing like that?!”

“Are good singers just born that way?”

and most importantly…

“Can I learn to sing …and sing well?”

You are not alone.  This is one of the most frequent questions asked.  The answer is (are you ready for this?)…

Yes and No

If you are like me you probably want the bad news first so we’ll start there.  (But keep scrolling, I guarantee you it will get better.)

Sadly, you cannot learn to sing if you answer yes to any of the following statements:

1. I want to sing like _____________ (you fill in the blanks).

Voices are like fingerprints – - no two are exactly alike. So if you’re goal is to be the next Michael Jackson, chances are the only thing you might accomplish is a very interesting wardrobe.

2. Forget years of training…I want to be an awesome singer TODAY!!!

Sadly, singing is not like oatmeal. The instant version does not exist. Learning to sing well entails the OLD-FASHIONED notions of time, practice, and determination. But wait…..

There’s Hope:

You CAN learn to sing well if you can do these FOUR things:

1. Breathe – - Apart from the the obvious requirement for life,  breathing is the foundation of  good singing. More on this later…

2. Hear- -In order to produce good sound, you must know what a good sound sounds like. Elementary, but true!

3. Talk – -From the very first time you uttered the words “DA DA,”  you were physically able to produce tone for singing.

4. Desire to Sing – -Before you go any further, ask yourself, “Do I really want to sing?” The answer to this question can save you much  time and frustration.

If you’ve met these four requirements, then  CONGRATULATIONS…

YOU CAN LEARN TO SING!

Be sure to leave any questions or  comments you have about today’s topic and don’t miss next week’s hot topic….

The Key to a Better Singing Voice