Basic breathing techniques for singing.

The proper singing technique will make singing fun. Practicing until the technique becomes natural, is the perfect way to make singing well, easy, and free-ing.

Besides, who doesn't love to sing well, to enchant an audience and give life to their creativity?

On the one hand, singing well can give freedom to a creative mind, and on the other hand, poor technique can lead to discouragement and a disappointed audience.

A disappointed audience does not have to be your future though!

Breathing should be natural, easy, and sustaining.

When you are home and practicing it is important to practice in front of a full-length mirror.

There are a few things you want to be watching for while you are practicing your techniques.

To start, you want to get to understand your personal breathing space. You want to explore your diaphragm and lung capacity. Start by laying down, use a hard surface like the floor instead of your bed or couch. You can use a mat if you don't want to be directly on the floor, but be sure that the surface does not conform to your body.

While laying flat on your back, simply breathe naturally, in and out slowly. During this exercise, your goal is to visualize the space your body is using when filing with breath and what it feels like to release the air as well. You want to feel where the muscles stretch around your stomach and feel the pull when releasing all of the air.

Next, you will want to take this exercise to a seated position. Using a chair you will want to lean forward and place your elbows over your knees, and let your head dangle forward, in this position you want to take a deep breath. Here, it is expected to feel pressure on the intestine and kidneys, this is normal.

You will want to meditate on the spaces in your body that are expanding. This position restricts the airflow to your upper lungs, and you will fill the lower part of your lungs first and feel the decompression of your diaphragm at this point.

This is important because you will hear often the phrase, "fill your diaphragm" or "use your diaphragm" It is important to remember that this decompression of your diaphragm does not mean that you won't use the muscle. You will use this muscle, it is pivotal in your breathing technique. You will need it to develop a strong breath support system.

This is an important step. This understanding will help you as you move forward while learning to breathe for singing.

Once you have explored this interior muscle group you can move to the standing position.

Try to keep in mind the muscles you felt stretching throughout the first two steps. Now breathe in through your nose, and fill your lungs from the bottom first. If you place your hands on your sides between the lowest ribs and above your hips while breathing you will be able to feel the expansion of your breathing spaces while standing. This will be how you can feel with your hands, the lower breathing spaces while you are standing. The transition from the seated position to the standing position can be difficult to connect, but with practice, you will be able to feel the expansion of the lower breathing spaces and will feel the same stretch. Don't give up or give in to negative thoughts here, this will take time.

It will be easier to pair the exercises given to you in this blog with standing in the mirror to help you visualize better where the spaces you want to breathe into are. Do this exercise of standing and exploring your breathing spaces while standing in front of your full-length mirror. The key will be to watch your shoulders. If your shoulders and chest rise first you are not taking the proper breath. It will be easier to pair the exercises given to you in this blog with standing in the mirror to help remind you where the spaces you want to breathe into are.

When first trying this process be sure to take it slow, you want to learn to understand your body and get acquainted with this practice till it is second nature to breathe this way.

Keys to take with you;

Learn your body.

Learn to feel the spaces your body is using to breathe.

Take it slow.

Breathe into your lower lungs first.

Watch yourself in the mirror.

Till next time friends!

Miss Dee