HOW TO SING LIKE A PRO: Just Breathe

-Mary Ungrangsee

This sounds painfully obvious, but you absolutely must breathe while
singing. Properly. The truth is, breathing incorrectly is the most
common mistake most singers make.
When I was 19, the group I was singing with decided to invest in some
singing lessons. We went to the top vocal coach at the local university
and took a series of group and private lessons. Much to my chagrin,
during my private lesson, the first thing the teacher told me was that I
was breathing backwards. I thought I was such a great singer, and yet
I was breathing wrong? How could that be?
Over the years, I had developed the bad habit of using my chest and
shoulders to inhale. I was contracting my diaphragm and expanding
my chest when inhaling, which is precisely the opposite of the natural
and correct way to breathe.
The teacher explained that it was actually quite a common error, but
that with some practice I could retrain my muscles to breathe in the
natural and correct way. He suggested watching the way babies
breathe while they sleep. Their abdomens rise and fall, not their chest
or shoulders.
I had to re-learn how to breathe! I concentrated on expanding my
diaphragm down and keeping my shoulders relaxed and level with
each inhale. During each exhale I would contract my diaphragm and
keep my chest and shoulders relaxed. While it was difficult and
unnatural at first, I kept at it and very soon it became second nature. I
could hold phrases longer without needing a breath and I could sing
for longer periods without getting tired.

Frank Sinatra is an example of a singer who understood how to make

the most of breathing and breath control. He found that the longer he
could go without taking a breath the more natural his singing would
become. He took up jogging and swimming laps underwater to
increase his lung capacity. Even today, Sinatra is revered for his long,
beautifully shaped and nuanced phrases, all fashioned with a single
breath.
So, stay calm and keep breathing. Next post will review the basics...

19

teacher

with a good

( ;)

Frank Sinatra

Sinatra

The most important part of singing is something you already know

how to do. You've been doing this since birth. And what is this
amazing key to singing that you have definitely already mastered?
Breathing.
A very common problem among singers is incorrect breathing
technique. A lot of singers overlook the importance of proper breathing
(including me, as I've written about before). Or they overthink their
breathing and make it more complicated than it really needs to be.
You've been breathing since you were a baby. And you should breathe
as naturally and simply as a baby does.
So here we go: The Basics of Breathing.
HOW TO BREATHE

1. Stand up straight, arms relaxed at your sides. Your back should

be straight with your shoulders relaxed.
2. As you inhale, drop your diaphragm and allow the air to slowly fill
your lungs all the way down to your abdomen.
3. Allow your abdomen and lower rib cage to expand, without moving
your shoulders or raising your chest. (But dont breathe with
your belly! It is your diaphragm that moves, not your stomach.)
4. Exhale slowly and with control, contracting your diaphragm.
5. Keep your chest and shoulders relaxed and open.
6. Never force the breath out, allow it to escape.
If you aren't sure where your diaphragm is place your fingers just
below your rib cage and laugh. That muscle you feel moving up and
down is your diaphragm. Check out this helpful picture:
Drawn by Theresa Knott

My next post will outline some exercises that can help you practice
good breathing technique.

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