My friend Jane Ingalls emailed me a link to an excellent article on breathing at eHow. Jane and I share a common background in musical training, though she’s done far more with hers than I have with mine.
Vocal training and breathing
My friend Jane Ingalls emailed me a link to an excellent article on breathing at eHow. Jane and I share a common background in musical training, though she’s done far more with hers than I have with mine.
As a reminder about good breathing habits, this article is good, if a little misleading only due to its simplicity. Of course, the breath doesn’t enter the abdomen. The abdomen moves outward because of the displacement of viscera and movement of the diaphragm (which, surprisingly, doesn’t move as much as people think it does), other muscles, and ribs. Also, my newer singing students are forever confused about what ‘lower abdomen’ means, and which muscles are involved in supporting breath and tone. Basic correct intake of air and control of the release of the breath are two different animals. They are forever clumped into one item. There are a long list of muscles involved in the intake of air, and an equally long list of different muscles that are involved in the measured release of the breath. Also, a huge amount of air isn’t required for even a very long spoken or sung phrase. It’s how you use the air and coordinate it with the muscles of the larynx — ‘how’ it crosses the cords — that makes for efficient, effective sound.
Patricia,
Thank you for the excellent and insightful comments.
Be well,
Bob
These are such great tips and techniques. It really highlights how much this trade is an art that requires years of practice to master. I’m all for new guys doing what they can to give the world of voice overs ago but it should be mandatory for them to read these blogs and go through the paces of experienced training. Impressive as always!