UNIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

KEATE ST, PORT-OF-SPAIN

Research Paper:
The Classical or Bel Canto style of singing provides a singer with essential technical
skills needed for healthy and safe vocal production.

An Assignment
Presented in Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the course
MUSC2010 – Independent Study in Music

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Leah Brown, DMA

By

Jason Lawrence

20 April, 2017

Approval………………….

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 Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………….3

Bel Canto Singing ………………………………………………………………….4

What Causes the Bel Canto Sound …………………………………………………5

A brief look at the history of vocal music ………………………………….………8

Vocal classification: The Fach …………………………………………….……….9

Anatomy and Physiology of the Vocal Mechanism ……………………………….18

Breath Support and Control: The Appoggio ………………………………………24

List of Common Words/Terms in Bel Canto Singing …………………………….30

Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………32

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 Introduction

The Classical or Bel Canto style of singing provides a singer with essential technical

skills needed for healthy and safe vocal production.

This paper will focus on the main points which follow:

- The vocal mechanism in relation to its use for singing

- The best practices for producing pleasing vocal sounds
- A brief look at the history of singing
- A brief exploration of various fach and their distinguishing qualities

In the discourse below, the main topic of Vocal Technique for Bel Canto Singing will be

broken down into parts and analyzed. The following sub-topics will be addressed; Bel Canto

Singing, Vocal Fach, Anatomy and Physiology of the vocal mechanisms, Breath Support and

Control: The Appogio.

The resources used for the completion of this paper were mostly found online through careful

selection. While there exist many variations to the truth, it simply means that one must be guided

accordingly through the neverending amounts of information located online.

The objective of this paper is to provide the reader, of any academic level, with the tools

necessary to become a better singer and to gain the ability to pass those tools unto others in the

safest way possible.

Bel Canto Singing

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 Sound is created using resonance. When a percussionist clashes the cymbals together,

along with the grand noise created, we can see the cymbals vibrating still. This vibration is the

creation of sound, and the sound therefore continues until the vibration stops. The same happens

in the human body.

When we speak, we can feel a tingling in the throat area and sometimes heading down to

the chest. This tingle is actually the sound that is being produced in the larynx (voice box)

resonating in the throat. There are some simple exercises that cann make one aware of the

different locations where resonance is experienced in the body based on the pitch created and the

vowel sound being produced. The “classical style” of singing, and its variations is based on the

manipulation of this ressonance.

- Chest – singing a low note on an open ‘ah’ sound

- Mouth – singing the word “egg” with stress on the vowel sound in the middle of the

vocal range
- Nasal – singing or speaking the word “hung” with an accent on the ‘ung’
- Facial/Mask – singing the word “bee” high in the vocal range
- Bones and skull – singing very high in the range, or in falsetto, on the word “who”,

imitating an owl’s sound at a high pitch

In ancient times, well before the power of microphones, even before the power of

electricity was harnessed, music existed. Since the first sensation of opera in the late 1500’s,

Opera represented the mecca of social activity for the elite. From the magnificent staging, to the

music, halls, acting; everything about Opera spoke to the elitest attitude of the higher classes in

society. However, as microphones were yet to be invented, musicians were expected to project

the sound of their instruments throughout the hall; singers being no exception. This tradition of

acoustic performance has remained one of the core values of opera, as it presents the quality and

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purity of the sound without the interference of technology. Because of this, the ability to project

ones’ voice above an orchestra, out into a large hall is paramount for an opera singer. From the

smallest halls that may seat two hundred (200) patrons at full capacity, to the grand halls such as

the Royal Albert Hall in England, which can hold up to six thousand (6,000), opera singers are

required to be heard clearly above the orchestra, with their only aid being years of dedicated

training and the acoustics of the hall.

Over time, various techniques were developed and employed to assist singers in this

arena, each being improved over time, all lending to the style of singing today commonly

referred to as “classical singing”, which, out of evolutionary necessity, is generally considered

proper or safe singing.

What causes the Bel Canto sound?

Because of the significant demands placed on singers in the classical arena, and due to

the fact that the instrument in question can never be replaced; trained performers must employ

scientifically sound techniques in their singing. The control of resonance is one of the key

factors. Singers must be able to move the resonance of the sound from around the larynx and into

a space where it can freely resonate.

The space frequently used for resonance, especially on higher notes, is the head, while

the space sound typically resonates in would be the chest, hence the terms head voice/register

and chest voice/register. It is important to note that sound is produced from neither the chest nor

head, its’ resonance is experienced there.

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 With relation to registers and resonators, there are three (3) main bodies of thought, each

supported by various technical styles. The first says that there exists one (1) continuous register

in the human voice. The second says that there exists two (2) registers in the human voice; chest

register and the head register. The third says that there are three (3) registers in the voice; for men

the chest, head and falsetto registers, for women the chest, middle and head registers, the middle

register in women being a well-controlled mix of chest and head resonance.

Singers also employ the use of oral ressonance. This factor greatly contributed to the

famed beauty of tone possessed by the castrati. With their delicate child sized vocal folds

resonating in the oral cavity of a full grown man, this acoustic experience cannot be replicated by

kosher methods. Oral resonance is still employed and encouraged today, as it not only helps to

move sound forward and outwards, but it can give a rounded sound to the singing tone.

When shouting across a large space, cupping ones’ hands around the mouth helps the

voice project with improved clarity. This is because the sound, after exiting the mouth, bounces

around the space created by the hands before it heads outwatd, its sound waves being amplified

in the process. The same principle can be attained in the mouth if the oral cavity is opened

properly. The soft palate (velum), is the soft tissue located at the upper back of the oral cavity. It

must be raised while the tongue should be dropped. This action happens on its own at the

beginning of a yawn, and can be easily repeated once an individual in conscious of this sensation

and how it feels.

In addition to the raised soft palate, the flow of the breath is controlled creating a smooth

even tone. Maximum control is achieved by the concious or uncoscious regulation/manipulation

of the muscles directly involved in breathing, as well as those which articulate them. While the

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muscles directly surrounding the lungs are closely responsible for inspiration and expiration, the

human body is connected to itself thoroughly. Meaning there are other muscles connected to the

muscles directly surrounding the lungs. These muscles must be engaged in order to effectively

control the flow of the breath without placing strain/tension on those connected to the lungs.

When considering breath support and control, it can be useful to think of breath support

for the voice as one would gas in a car; where breath control is the accelerator that engages the

gas. One should not exist without the other, as they both play an equally important role in the

production of vocal sound.

If one were to list the factors that make the “operatic” sound, it would be as follows:

- Resonance is focused forward into the head/mask

- Additional breath support/control is engaged
- The oral cavity is opened to its maximum capacity to allow for oral ressonance.

In contemporary styled, or pop singing, the sound is produced similarly to how we speak,

specifically considering the physical apparatus involved in producing the sound. A similar

involvement of the breath mechanisms is used, however, the resonance remains where it is

during singing, which tends to be on the voice box, or larynx. Because of this additional tension

on the delicate vocal folds , it is easier for the voice to get worn out, and over time, damaged;

hence the brevity of many pop careers. In contrast, a well trained opera singer may continue to

sing well into their old age without a substantial loss of quality or loss of resonance and

penetrating power in a concert hall.

A brief look at the history of vocal music

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 Music for singers, in ancient times, was written in a way that made it intrinsically

expressive. As such, little if any additional melodic, artistic changes were required from the

singer as the music itself contained enough harmonic manipulation and artistic notations to tell

the story. Coming toward the end of the classical period of music history, however, composers

began to write music that required singers to be a lot more involved in the storytelling, and, more

importantly, music was written to show off the beauty of the voice and all that it can do. This

began the period known as the Bel Canto period, which lasted from the 18 th century to the early

19th century.

Bel Canto translates from Italian ‘beautiful singing’, and the music of this style

represented this name. As singers were now involved in the story, as opposed to simply reciting

their passages, composers now had to develop ways to help singers in this area. As music was

now written to display beauty of the voice rather than the beauty of the music itself, each

individual voice would now need to get music written specifically for them. Due to this a system

of classifying these voices was created, to ensure each voice was best able to showcase its

strengths without displaying its weaknesses.

Generally speaking, each voice differs in may ways from others, and each voice has its

strenghts and weaknesses, especially where opera is concerned. For example, one cannot

rationally expect a man with a rich low voice that is both powerful and arresting to effectively

convey the role of a young love stuck man. Likewise, a female with a large dramatic sound

would not be able to play the role of an innocent maiden as easily as a woman with a softer, more

gentle sound; but it would be much easier for her to play the role of a person of power such as a

queen or a warrior. This is where the Fach system for categorizing singing voices plays a vital

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role. This way singers in each category would simply select repertoire written to best showcase

the abilities of their voice.

Vocal Classification: The Fach

Voices are classified based on the range of notes they can sing (vocal range), how the

voice sounds (vocal weight, colour/timbre etc.) and most importantly, what it does comfortably.

The formal classification of voices used is called the Fach, and was developed by the Germans.

The word Fach is German in origin comes from the German word fächer, which loosely

translates to “subject of study”.

The Fach is a German system for classifying voices. Roles in opera are also assigned a

Fach making it easier to choose which roles one can do based on their Fach. The purpose of the

Fach system, is to allow each voice to do what it can do best; i.e. dramatic voices to dramatic

arias etc. One must remember, however, that the Fach of a singer may not always be obvious,

and the singer should allow for the voice to reveal its own Fach. This is achieved through the

gradual work using safe techniques, with the teacher/coach carefully monitoring development

while observing the various characteristics of the voice in question and in which Fach these

characteristics are most prevalent. These characteristics are based on things such as colour,

agility, size or volume.

The main categories for female voices are:

Soprano (ranges between C4 and C6 with a high tessiatura)

Mezzo-soprano (ranges between C4 and C6 with a low tessiatura)
Contralto (operates between F3 and F5)

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The main categories for male voices are:

Countertenor (would maintain a tessiatura similar to a soprano or mezzo-soprano)

Tenor (operates between C3 and C5)
Baritone (voice ranges between G2 and G4)
Bass (voice range between E2 and G4)

It is important to note that the ranges listed are the ‘textbook’ ranges for these voice types, it

therefore is the expected range for a role written for these voice type. However, there are some

voices and roles that extend past these ranges in opera eg. the role of Königin der Nacht (the

Queen of the Night) from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) calls for the singer to

repeatedly sing a F6, and entire fourth above the ‘textbook’ soprano range. It is not uncommon

for a singer to be able to sing past the above listed notes, but this should only be done after the

vocal tone and technique have been solidified to prevent injury.

The above mentioned categories for male and female voices can be broken down further

into the following categories:

Coloratura Soprano – Lyrischer Koloratursopran / Koloratursoubrette

Usually (but not always) a light soprano with a high tessiatura. Often described as bright

and agile, what this voice lacks in beauty and richness of tone it makes up for in vocal acrobatics

and a high extension. It is not uncommon for a Coloratura soprano to sing up to an F6. As such

there exist roles in opera requiring a singer to operate at those heights.

Suitable Roles: Olympia, Les contes d’Hoffoman (Jacques Offenbach)

Maria, La fille du rѐѐgiment (Gaetano Donizetti)

Dramatic Coloratura – Soprano Dramatischer Koloratursopran

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 A soprano with the range and tessiatura of a Coloratura soprano, but with a heavier tone

and richer voice. Able to achieve dramatic heights with her voice, which is often darker and more

lyrical than coloratura. However, this voice is still maintains the ability to do the vocal acrobatics

the Coloratrua voice has.

Suitable Roles: Queen of the Night, Die Zauberflöte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Violetta, La traviata (Giuseppe Verdi)

Soubrette Soprano – Deutsche Soubrette / Charaktersopran

A soprano voice that can be described as “largely flirtatous and somewhat tweety”. She

posses a lyrical voice with enough agility to complete coloratura roles with relative ease.

Generally considered to be inbetween a lyric and coloratura voice, this is the Fach most sopranos

are classified as before the voice fully matures.

Suitable Roles: Papagena, La nozze di Figaro (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Zerlina, Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Lyric Soprano – Lyrischer Sopran

A soprano voice not known for any unique vocal attributes the other Fach are. This Fach

is considered to be common, meaning that a solidified tone and secure technique is absolutely

necessary. The voice deals well with legato, portamento and light coloratura passages. While it is

not not uncommon for a Lyric Soprano to posses some of the vocal attributes associated with

other Fach, the Full Lyric voice, and the roles written for it, embody simplicity, innocence and

vunerability, and the characters are often young damsels in distress.

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Suitable Roles: Liu, Turandot (Giacomo Puccini)

Pamina, Die Zauberflöte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Spinto Soprano – Jugendlich dramatischer Sopran

Also referred to as a young dramatic or a lyric dramatic soprano, the Spinto is just that.

The word “spinto” literally translates from Italian to pushed. The Spinto is a Full Lyric Soprano

who has the ability to push her voice to achieve dramatic heights. This voice tends to be

versatile, and a well trained Spinto may be able to sing light roles written for the Coloratura,

Dramatic and even Mezzo Fach.

Suitable Roles: Giulietta, Les contes d’Hoffman (Jacques Offenbach)

Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Dramatic Soprano – Dramatischer Sopran

As the name may suggest, singers of the Dramatic Soprano Fach will project over the

orchestra relying mainly on their volume. This Fach is associated with large vocal projection and

endurance and therefore lacks the flexibility of the lighter Fach. While most Dramatic Sopranos

produce a rich, dark tone, it is not a requirement as it is not umcommon for some to have a

lighter lyrical tone, all the while maintaining maximun power and volume. Some Dramatic

Sopranos are misclassified as Mezzos as their tessiatura is generally not as high as the lighter

Fach.

Suitable Roles

Turandot, Turandot (Giacomo Puccini)

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Leonore, Fidelio (Ludwig van Beethoven)

Wagnerian Soprano – Hochdramatischer Sopran

As the name suggests, this is “a voice capable of answering the deamns of operas of

Wagner’s maturity.” It is a Dramatic voice that is full, thunderous and even across the various

registers. The top of the register must be powerful, clear and bright, and the voice must be

capable of functioning with great stamina, volume and consistency.

Coloratura Mezzo-Soprano – Koloratur-Mezzosopran

Simlarly to its soprano counterpart, voices of this Fach are light, bright and agile with

security at their top notes. Roles written for this voice can be found most popularly in Rossini,

and can sometiems be sung by a well trained Full Lyric.

Cenerentola, La Cenerentola (Gioachino Rossini)

Rosina, Il barbiere di Siviglia (Gioacchino Rossini)

Lyric Mezzo-Soprano – Lyrischer Mezzosopran / Spielalt

A mezzo-soprano with similarity to a soprano voice, one that is considered to be a ‘short

soprano’ or a ‘half soprano’, with “mezzo” meaning half. Due to the similarity to the Soprano

Fach, a Lyric Mezzo with strong upper extensions in the vocal register may be able to sing

Soprano roles after the voice has matured in the career. Lyric Mezzo-Sopranos are often cast to

sing high voiced male roles,expecially in Baroque Operas, also known as Breeches Roles.

Suitable Roles: Dorabella, Cosi fan tutte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

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 Suzuki, Madama Butterfly (Giacomo Puccini)

Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano – Dramatischer Mezzosopran

With a range and timbre very similar to its Soprano sister, the Dramatic

Mezzo-Soprano would generally possess the same range with the difference

being tessiatura. Where a Dramatic Soprano would operate at the top of her

register with great stability, the Mezzo equivalent only climbs up there for a

dramatic climax. She may find success singing roles of a low tessiatura

written for her sister voice.

Suitable Roles: Orturud, Lohengrin (Richard Wagner)

Eboli, Don Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi)

Dramatic Contralto – Dramatischer Alt

A voice that is considered to be deep and penetrating, with

characteristics very similar to te Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano, simply operating

at a lower register with a lower tessiatura. This voice is considered very rare

and as such roles written for this Fach are frequently sung by Lyric Mezzos.

Lyric Tenor – Lyrischer Tenor

This is a tenor who possess a sweetness of tone comparable to that of

a Lyric Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano. A smooth even tone across the registers

best presents this voice, and crossover pieces for the male voice such as The

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Prayer and You’ll Never Walk Alone (in the style of Josh Groban) are best

sung by this Fach.

Suitable Roles: Tamino, Die Zauberflote (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Alfredo, La traviata (Giuseppe Verdi)

Comic Tenor – Spieltenor / Tenor buffo

With its German name being derived from the word “spielen”, which

means to play, this Tenor must have impeccable acting ability, superior even

to that necessary for opera. A young singer of this Fach may be able to

transfer to the lighter Fach of Lyric Tenor if the voice can maintain a beautiful

tone.

Suitable Roles: Monostatos, Die Zauberflote (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Pedrillo, Die Entfuhrung as dem Serail (Wolfgang Amadeus

Mozart)

Spinto Tenor – Jugendlicher Heldentenor

A tenor with a dramatic upper register that maintains the necessary

brightness and squillo to cut through the orchestra’s texture. Similarly to its

sister voice, the Spinto tenor is considered to be a lyric voice that can be

pushed to dramatic climaxes.

Suitable Roles: Calaf, Turanodt (Giacomo Puccini)

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 Don Jose, Carmen (Georges Bizet)

Heroic Tenor – Heldentenor

A tenor with a baritonal quality in the middle tenor and a full bright upper register

capable of piercing through the texture of an orchestra. This type of voice may easily be

classified as a baritone with an upper extension, as an untrained Heldentenor may sound as such.

Suitable Roles: Otello, Otello (Giusseppe Verdi)

Tannhauser, Tannhauser (Richard Wagner)

Light Baritone – Bariton/Baryton-Martin

A baritone who lacks vocal weight on the lower end of the range and has an light, tenor-

like quality at the top of the register, usually with an upper extension close to a tenor.

Suitable Roles:Orfeo, L’Orfeo (Claudio Monteverdi)

Anaies, Dido and Aeneas (Henry Purcell)

Lyric Baritone – Lyricher Bariton/Speilbariton

A baritone who’s vocal tone is sweet sounding and generally capable of navigating light

coloratura passages while maintaing legato and vocal charisma. Roles in this Fach are frequently

comic roles.

Suitable Roles: Papageno, Die Zauberflöte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia (Gioachino Rossini)

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Kavalierbariton

Categorized by a rich baritonal sound and a metallic voice, this Fach is able to sing both

lyric and dramatic phrases and can be compared to the Spinto Tenor.

Suitable Roles: Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Zurga, Les pêcheurs de perles (Georges Bizet)

Dramatic Baritone

A rich voice with a mild harshness that maintains a dark quality across its range, with a

tessitura that lies slightly lower than other Baritone Fach.

Suitable Roles: Scarpia, Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)

Nabucco, Nabucco (Giuseppe Verdi)

Verdi Baritone

A sub-category of the Dramatic Baritone Fach, with the main difference being that it can

sing up to the top of the baritone register for prolonged periods of time at full volume. As the

name suggests, this voice is best suited for the demands of Verdi’s operas.

Suitable Roles: Count di Luna, Il trovatore (Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi)

Rigoletto, Rigoletto (Giuseppe Fortunino Francesc Verdi)

Bass-baritone – Heldenbariton

The bass-baritone, as the name suggests, can be considered to be a merge of the Bass and

the Baritone Fach. This is a baritone voice that has the vocal colour and richness of a bass.

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Singers of this Fach generally sing one tone lower that average baritone, and may have either a

high tessiatura (Lyric bass-baritone) of a low tessiatura (Dramaic bass-baritone), with the vocal

colour being maintained.

Suitable Roles: Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Dutchman, The Flying Dutchman (Richard Wagner)

Basso buffo/Lyric Buffo

A lyrical bass voice that is ideal for comic roles and patter singing when paired with a

solid coloratura technique.

Suitable Roles: Don Magnifico, La Cenerentola (Gioachino Rossini)

Leporello, Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Basso profondo – Low Bass

As the lowest Fach, this voice is considered to have “a powerful, wall-like front” with a

quick vibrato. Voices in this Fach may either be lyric or dramatic, categorized by the amount of

power the voice has.

Suitable Roles: Sarastro, Die Zauberflöte (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

The Grand Inquisitor, Don Carlo (Giuseppe Fortunino Francesc Verdi)

Anatomy and Physiology of the Vocal Mechanism

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 As mentioned earlier, the act of singing involves not only the larynx or voice box, but it

uses various physiological processes, some learnt, some natural, to produce sounds. This portion

of the paper explains these processes and how to use them to one’s advantage. In addition to this,

this section of the paper will describe two organs involved in the sound production; the larynx,

lungs.

Firstly, the larynx. According to midicinenet.com, the larynx is “a tube-shaped organ in

the neck that contains the vocal cords.” From this we can discern that the larynx is what we

know as the voice box and it houses a very important tool in vocal production i.e. the vocal

cords.

The larynx is located between the pharynx and the trachea. The space we commonly refer

to as the throat is actually named the pharynx. It exists behind the nose and mouth and connects

them to the esophagus and larynx and allows the passage of either air or food to move toward

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either the stomach or the lungs. The trachea, colloquially known as the windpipe, is the tube

through which air passes in and out of the lungs. It is circular in shape and is constantly held

open by rings of cartilage or soft bone.

Since the larynx is located in close proximity to the oesophagus where food, drink and

salvia are frequently passing by, it is protected by “a leaf-shaped flap of cartilage located behind

the tongue” called the epiglottis. The epiglottis closes to seal off the larynx to prevent pulmonary

aspiration, the entry of food, drink or stomach contents into the larynx i.e. it stops us from

“inhaling” food. The epiglottis is also used to produce epiglottal consonant speech sounds in

some languages, thought this is not a very common occurrence.

The larynx is made up of three (3) main cartilages, one (1) bone, and five (5) groups of

muscle. The vocal chords, or folds, are attached to the cartilages and two (2) of these cartilages

move to change the shape of the vocal folds. The muscles help the vocal folds open and close, a

function whose importance will be analyzed shortly. The muscles in the larynx, however, do not

move the vocal folds themselves, but rather put them into position to vibrate.

The vocal folds are opened and closed to:

- Phonate – to create sound, i.e. speaking and singing

- Stop the flow of air
- Keep unwanted air and dust particles out of the lungs
- Allow for inspiration and expiration – i.e. inhalation and exhalation
- For tasks such as heavy lifting, child birth and defecating

When the vocal folds are completely opened, no sound can be produced from the cords.

This is experienced during inspiration and expiration. To produce sound, the cords are pushed

together and air passes from the lungs and to the trachea where it is forced through. The force of

the air pushing through a space so much narrower than where it’s coming from causes the folds

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to be pulled together, something we call the Bernoulli Effect. Bernoulli’s principle states that “as

the velocity of a fluid increases, the pressure exerted by that fluid decreases”(encyclopedia.com),

meaning that as the air passing through the vocal folds moves faster, the pressure they put on the

folds themselves becomes less and less until the folds are once again closed. They folds remain

closed until the air forces through them again and the process is repeated.

Each time the fold meet, they momentarily cut off the air supply, creating little ‘puffs’ of

air. These “air puffs” are heard as sound. This process happens anywhere between sixty (60) to

two thousand (2,000) times per second, depending on the frequency and pitch. The faster they

vibrate is the higher the pitch, and they slower the vibration equates the lower the pitch.

Therefore controlling the vibration of the folds is synonymous with controlling the pitch. The

muscles of the larynx move the vocal folds around to create pitch. If the folds are stretched thin

the produce a high pitch, whereas if they are thickened then create a lower, heavier sound. The

same effect can be seen when stretching a rubber band. The longer it is stretched is the higher the

sound created from strumming it.

However, as essential as the vocal folds are, they would be unable to produce sound

without the movement of air through them. Since air doesn’t move on its own, our bodies play a

part in assisting the movement. The main part of the body responsible for breathing is the lungs.

However the lungs do not operate on their own. They are assisted by various muscles located

around and connected to it.

Situated around and in front of the lungs are the ribs, joined together at the back onto the

spinal column, and most of them to the front to the sternum. The sternum is the hard bone felt in

the upper and front most part of the chest between the breasts. Located in the space between the

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ribs are muscles called the intercostal muscles. The intercostal muscles on the inside of the rib

cage closer to the lungs are called the internal intercostal muscles and those on the other side of

the ribs are called the external intercostal muscles.

Located directly beneath the lungs is the

diaphragm. The diaphragm is

dome shaped muscle located

directly beneath the lungs that

separates the thoracic (chest) and

abdominal (stomach) regions. It is

considered to be shaped like a

dome or parachute, with the

uppermost part in direct contact

with the lungs. In a deep breath,

the diaphragm can be felt

stiffening or contracting at the top of the stomach and beneath the center of the lungs.

In order to allow air to fill the lungs, the diaphragm loses its dome shape and begins to flatten,

pulling the lungs down. The internal intercostal muscles expand and the external intercostal

muscles contract, causing the rib cage to move outwards and away from the body, pulling the

lungs open. The result is more space being created on the inside of the lungs, which in turn

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causes air to be sucked down into the lungs. These processes are all engaged every time we take

a breath in or inspire, especially a deep breath. For expiration, or breathing out, the opposite

occurs. The diaphragm returns to its dome shape, pushing the lungs upward, the internal

intercostal muscles expand while the external intercostal muscle contracts pushing and pulling

the rib cage back in once again lessening the size of the lungs and forcing air out. It is important

to note that only through death can the lungs be completely emptied of air. After we are born and

take our first breath of air, our lungs always retain a small amount of air, referred to as the

residual volume (RV) even after maximum exhalation is achieved.

Breath Support and Control: The Appoggio

In addition to the importance of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, one cannot

overstress the importance of breath support from the lower muscles. The control of these muscles

free up the intercostal muscles and diaphragm to do their job in inspiration and expiration

without additional strain or tension. When the breath is not properly supported by the lower

muscles, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles are restricted during expiration, leading to an

uneven, strained tone. While it may be difficult, and nearly impossible to effectively engage

these muscles while singing with correct placement, cover, diction, pitching etc. over time it

becomes easier, almost second nature, once the singer continues doing the right thing.

Proper breath support engages muscles from two (2) main regions in the lower body; the

abdominal muscles and the muscles of the lower back. There are two (2) main schools of thought

regarding to breath support and their utilization is based on the technique style. The first engages

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the abdominal muscles and allows the diaphragm to freely move, while the other engages the

diaphragm while relaxing the abdominal muscles.

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 Muscles of the Lower Abdominal Region involved in Breath Support

The transversus abdominis (TVA) is a muscle that runs horizontally from front to back,

layered directly beneath the internal oblique muscle. It is considered to be an integral part of the

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core by fitness instructors. This muscles helps the intercostal muscles to compress, and provides

stability to both the chest (thoracic) and pelvic regions. These muscles are also an integral part of

childbirth. It also naturally contracts during heavy lifting, causing a restriction to the breath. The

transversus abdominis can be strengthened by drawing the belly button toward the spine and

reaching over the head with the hands straight upward, and then slowly moving forward until

bending over.

The external abdominal oblique muscle (or simply external oblique muscle) is the

greatest of the abdominal muscles in size and the closest to the skin. It is broad and thin, and runs

downward and inward, starting from the lower ribs and running around the side of the abdominal

region toward the front slanting downward. In females, this muscle is usually covered by a layer

of fat, colloquially known as the ‘love handles’. When these muscles are relaxed, it is easier to

feel the diaphragm’s movement. This muscle is responsible for twisting the vertebral column

(spine) as well as aiding in the compression of the stomach and chest region.

The internal oblique muscle is located beneath the external oblique muscle and above the

transverse abdominal muscles. The muscles run in the opposite direction of the external oblique

muscle, beginning in the lower back and the upper portion of the hip bone and running around

the body to the two (2) lowest ribs. While the diaphragm pulls air inward, this muscles pushes it

outward, aiding directly in expiration. Paired with its brother, the external oblique muscle, the

internal oblique muscle is engaged in the turning and twisting of the upper torso.

Muscles of the Lower Back involved in Breath Support

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 The quadratus lumborum is a muscle located on the close to the spine at the innermost

part of the lower abdomen, and is at the back of the body. This muscle is best felt when the

abdominal muscles in the front are contracted, and a deep breath is taken, hence the term

“breathing from the lower back.” This creates more space for the diaphragm to push the internal

organs which in turn creates more space for the lungs to expand. This muscle also holds the

lowest part of the rib cage open allowing for even expiration. When the quadratus lumborum is

engaged, the breath can therefore be deeper and held longer. This muscle can spasm during

menstruation, causing abdominal cramps for some females.

The psoas major is a long, spindle shapes muscle located at the side of the lower spine

and runs downward into the pelvic region stopping at the top of the joint where the thighs meet

the hips. This muscle contributes to the movement of the hip joint, and aids in lifting the legs to

the body when the body is stationary and vice versa.

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 How to engage proper breath support

There are simple steps that can be taken to ensure that breathing occurs effectively.

Before any of them can occur, the body must be properly aligned. The hips must be aligned with

the knees, which are relaxed not bent, and the knees must be aligned with the ankle. The upper

body is the balanced above this. The upper body must be kept upright, as if being held up by two

strings, one from the top of the head and one from the sternum. To raise the sternum properly,

simply raise the arms above the head and bring them back down, keeping the center of the chest

(the sternum) in the same position. The neck and chin are relaxed and the head facing forward.

This is considered a suitable stance for singing, and the singer can now move on to proper

breathing technique.

Firstly, comes proper inspiration. The singer must think of the breath as going backward

more than forward. The lungs are closer to the back than they are to the front, so they would be

easier felt from the back. Once the singer is aware of the sensation it is easy to reproduce, but

difficult (at first) to remain mindful of it. The singer must also be mindful of the expansion of the

rib cage on the sides, beneath the arms. These two factors are felt only during a full breath when

the lungs are opened to their maximum capacity. It is important to note that the body makes all

the correct changes in proper inspiration and the object at this point is not to control anything,

but rather to become aware of the sensation.

The next step is to add the lower back muscles to the breath. The singer must now stand

upright and slowly begin bending forward and then drop the upper body into a relaxed,

downward position. The knees are slightly bent and the arms and neck are as free and relaxed as

possible. The singer then inhales slowly and positively and observes what happens. At this point

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slight tension should be felt in the lower back. The singer now must stand and attempt to recreate

this feeling, taking time to become accustomed to the sensation and engaging the lower back

muscles. It must be noted that the majority of support for singing comes from the lower back

muscles, with the lower abdominal muscles gradually being added.

The third step would be to slowly add the lower abdominal muscles. The singer must now

think of a tire running around the lower abdominal region, right above the hips. A slow deep

breath using all the steps just learnt is now taking, while the singer “open” up the area where the

tire lies. This engages the oblique muscles to the already active lower back muscles.

The breathing process at this point follows the shape of a triangle, with the peak at the

top. Inspiration goes to the base of the triangle and support comes from there, while the air

passes out at the peak of the triangle.

The final step would be to engage the lowest muscles of both the abdominal and lower

back regions. With the back propped against a wall or other sturdy surface, the singer must bend

the knees until the thighs are tensed, while keeping the back against the solid surface and the legs

from the knees down at a ninety degree angle to the floor i.e. parallel to the surface the back is

against. All the steps mentioned above are then followed with a push down from the singer who

then sings, as well projected and evenly as possible. At this point the tension is felt so low that it

would be borderline inappropriate for an instructor to touch without permission.

It is now the task of the singer to attempt to add all the lower levels of support to a full,

deep breath and become accustomed to this feeling. Any push for a high and/or loud note must

originate from the lower levels of support and any long note is assisted by the tensing and

pushing against the lower levels of support.

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 One must also be aware that not all of these steps can be learnt in one lesson, or even one

day. One may not even be able to complete all the steps mentioned above right away. However,

with consistent and diligent practice, the singer will be able to combine all the above steps

quickly enough to include into singing. These steps must slowly be controlled against the action

of the diaphragm to control expiration. This act of balancing the control of the upper muscles

(diaphragm, intercostal muscles) against the lower muscles (lower abdominal and back muscles)

is called The Appoggio, and is a crucial skill for singers.

List of Common Words/Terms in Bel Canto Singing

- Abdominal breathing – the act of engaging the stomach/abdominal region in breathing

- Coloratura – elaborate ornaments and fast passages of music existing in a vocal melody,

often confused with fioratura

- Cover – a rounded effect that can be added to a pitch that smoothes out the tone
- Diaphragm – a dome shaped muscle located beneath the lungs and above the internal

organs
- Diaphragmatic breathing – breathing that heavily engages the diaphragm
- Epigastric – of or relating to the abdominal region
- Fach – a system created by the German that classifies voices based on the various

qualities they possess. Derived from the German word fӓcher, that loosely translates to

subject of study
- Fioriatura – the flowery, embellished vocal line in music, often confused with coloratura
- Hard palate – the hard, bony tissue at the top of the oral cavity, directly above the tongue
- Intercostal muscles – the muscles located in between the ribs
- Larynx – the part of the throat housing the vocal folds, commonly referred to as the voice

box and Adam’s apple

- Passaggio – the transition area between vocal registers
- Pharynx – the passage leading from the mouth and nose to the throat
- Placement – the act of focusing resonance in the body
- Resonance – the vibration of an object caused by sound

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 - Squillo – derived from the Italian word for ringing, it is a resonant, bright, trumpet-like

ring added to the voices to aid in projecting thought the orchestra

- Sterno-costal – of or relating to the sternum and ribs
- Tessitura – the range of notes within the vocal range where a singer feels the most

comfort while singing and produces the highest quality of sound

- Timbre – the distinctive quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the

same pitch
- Trachea – the medical name of the throat
- Vocal colour – see timbre
- Vocal Folds – commonly referred to as the vocal cords, responsible for creating

pitches/frequencies in the human voice

- Vocal range – the full range of notes available to a particular voice
- Vocal weight – refers to the ‘lightness’ or ‘heaviness’ in the singing voice and how full it

sounds

Bibliography

Online Resources

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http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6224

http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/epiglottis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eANZijJUOXw&feature=youtu.be

http://choirly.com/voice-types-fach-system/

https://www.ipasource.com/the-fach-system

http://www.scena.org.lsm/sm16-6/sm16-6_fach_en.html

http://www.singwise.com/cgi-bin/main.pl?section=articles&doc=AnatomyOfVoice

http://www.encyclopedia.com/science-and-technology/physics/physics/bernoullis-principle

Textbook Resources

Vocal Development Through Organic Imagery by WIllaim D. Leyerle

Principles of Anatomy & Physiology by Tortora Grabowski 9th Edition

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