Learning how to control your breath is an essential part of training your voice for singing. Breathing from your diaphragm helps control the flow and force of your breath pushing through your vocal cords, which create sounds, according to Vocalist.org. Learning to control your breath requires awareness and strength from your core, consisting of your stomach, back, hip and pelvic muscles, and posture control. Standing with correct upright posture and lengthening your spine while singing will enable you to take full breaths to help control your vocal pitch, tone and exertion.
Deep Belly Breathing
Deep belly breathing teaches you how to focus your breath to generate from your diaphragm. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and relax your shoulders, neck and head. Place your hands on your stomach slightly under your ribcage with your fingers are pointing toward your belly button. Inhale a slow deep breath through your nose, visualizing your stomach filling up with air from your bellybutton up to your chest. Feel the air expand your stomach, back and sides and hold for five to eight counts. Slowly release your breath out through your mouth for five to 10 counts. Practice releasing and stopping your breath every second or third count to strengthen the diaphragm and gain breath control.
Roll and Breath
The roll and breath exercise lengthens the spine by releasing the vertebras in the back. This stretch increases flexibility in your torso and strengthens your core. Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart in upright posture, relaxing your shoulders, neck and head. Let your arms hand comfortably at your sides, inhale and drop your chin toward your chest. Exhale and slowly roll down from your head to your hips, one vertebrae at a time, rolling through your head, neck, shoulders, upper back, middle back and lower back. Keep a slight bend in your knees and place your hands on your upper-thighs for lower back support. If you are a bit more flexible reach your hands toward the floor to increase the stretch. Holding the stretch take two big deep breaths and then slowly roll up one vertebrae at a time, beginning with the lower back up to your head. Repeat this exercise two to three times.
Ha-Has
The ha-ha exercise is a theater vocal exercise that strengthens the diaphragm and teaches sound control through breath. Begin standing in upright posture with your feet shoulder-width apart. Relax your shoulders, neck and head and place one hand on your diaphragm, slightly belly your ribcage and above your bellybutton. Open your mouth to a comfortable "O" shape, not too big, and inhale deeply through your nose. Exhale and push a little bit of breath out through your mouth making a "ha" sound. Feel your belly expand as the air pushes up through your diaphragm. Keep saying "ha" as you push all the air out. Change the volume of the sound by beginning soft and making every following sound louder. Repeat this exercise two to three times.
References
- Vocalist: Breathing Exercises for Singers
- Vocal Focus: Basic Breathing Exercises
- Playbooks: Breathing Correctly to Improve Vocal Volume
- "Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer"; Anne Peckham; 2005
