Sean, did you know that it takes less air to sing the high notes? When we were kids we enjoyed blowing up a balloon and then pulling the neck taught, letting air escape to create a whine. The tighter we pulled, the higher the pitch.

It's like your vocal chords. They draw tighter to make the higher "squeak". But you DON'T want to TIGHTEN UP YOUR THROAT! The secret is to tighten your diaphram and all the muscles around your torso.

For maximum air capacity, keep your ribcage up, and let your lungs expand downward. Hint: if your shoulders rise when you're taking a breath you're doing it "wrong". That is to say, you don't get as much air that way.

After drawing a good breath, set the muscles. You've got a good breath, tight muscles down below, yet relaxed in the shoulders, neck and throat.

When singing the high notes, you'll need lot's of muscle push from below; lot's of pressure pushing the air over the taught vocal chords. As you sing lower, you'll need to relax the muscles, and even let more air pass to cause those loose vocal chords to vibrate.

Singing teachers constantly try to describe the whole process with visual images, such as thinking of yourself as a big oak tree, so firm and strong in the trunk, but with branches freely swaying in the breeze.

It's a lot to think about, but after you practice breath control, it becomes second nature. I hope this is what you wanted!

Margarita