Breathing is the most important component in Singing ? (Chapter 1)
Many people feel that the most important thing for singing is to learn how to breath as they cannot keep on singing when they are out of breath. Therefore, people are always struggling on how to breathe when they are singing 🙄
Worrying .......
We cannot deny that breathing is "one" of the important components in singing. However, we still need to take the other 2 components into account, i.e. "Phonation" and "Resonance".
Now we consider the 3 components of singing:
Phonation Sytem
Resonance System
Respiration System
The combinations of them are similar to a "Tripod", they are all indispensable. If we miss any one of them, the tripod will fall over.
《Breathing during singing VS Normal Breathing》
The above two are really different. For normal breathing, we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide to maintain our daily lives. This is a very natural thing. We all know how to breathe when we were born.
Inhalation during singing：
<Brain signal>
Your brain signals your breathing muscles that you need a supply of air to make sound.
<Action>
Same as normal inhalation, you regulate how much air you need and at what rate you will take it in. In general, you need not think too complicated, just focus on your standing posture during singing:
1) Shoulders should not be moved upward and forward
2) Shoulders should be in a bit backward position with a straight back
3) Chest remains comfortably high (not collapse)
4) Normal breathe in through the nose
5) Chest should not be suddenly moved upward when you sing（that is a result of shallow breathing) 。If you do not how to breathe deeply, you can try the posture of the above "Worrying" picture. Elbows on the table, hands holding your head, this posture makes you unable to breathe in too shallow.
<Result>
The diaphragm contracts, flattens and moves downward. This makes our lungs to have more storage space of air for singing purpose. Our rib cage and belly will expand as a result.
Exhalation during singing：
<Brain signal>
Your brain signals your breathing muscles that you need to send air to your vocal folds.
<Action>
Not the same as normal exhalation, as you need to regulate the amount of air you send to your vocal folds, you must be able to control your rate of exhalation. Your abdominal muscles take over the control which push your diaphragm (in a state of flexible tension) up steadily. As long as you sing each phrase, your diaphragm relaxes and returns to its original dome-shaped position and slowly against your lungs.
<Result>
Air is released to your vocal folds, making them to vibrate as needed when you sing.
Why do I still feeling out of breath when I have "inhaled deeply" ?
I will explain in the next Blog post.
(To be continued... ）
