Help: Breathing.

Subject: Breathing.
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 12:46 PM

Sometimes I find when I am singing, I feel like I don't let all my air out, but I keep on breathing, then I feel like my lungs are too full, then my voice cracks. I thought I knew how to breathe! Anybody got any ideas?

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 12:54 PM

Kim,

From the diaphragm, the midriff, the gut: lower than the lungs. Sing from there, too. Breathe in, trying to get the air down there; the lungs will fill by themselves (an old habit they have). Much more control, methinks. It helps if you stand up to do this, but you may find that it changes "your key" somewhat, usually lowering it.

My high school choir teacher was a class A jerk, but at least he gave me that.

Sarah

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Stewart
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 01:01 PM

Kim, you have to learn to breath (deeply) from the diaphragm. Hold you hand over your stomach and feel it extend outward as your diaphragm muscles tighten and your lungs fill with air. Practice that as an exercise. Good luck!

S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Jeri
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 01:05 PM

Wow! Someone else has the same problem! When I get nervous, I sometimes forget to exhale. I breathe in as much air as I can out of fear I'll run out, I think. I have managed at least once to stop it by reminding myself how to breathe.

My friend, who has been "trained" and who's been giving me advice, told me to breath with my lower abdomen. He said my shoulders shouldn't move up, or my chest visibly expand when I breathed, but my belly should pooch out. I thought this sounded like a load of crap, until I tried it, and figured out what it really did.

What it does is allow you to not overfill your lungs, thereby taking the pressure off your upper chest, throat and vocal cords. It sounds weird, but try it.

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 01:08 PM

And when you get to the end of a phrase, relax the diaphragm and release the rest of the breath- let it flow naturally and it will come flowing back in. I do a lot of visualization: Let the song start from your solar plexus and ring in your head, ignoring your throat entirely (it works better if you don't try to help the vocal chords!).

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 01:35 PM

Kim C, I have noticed that when I sing the only time breathing becomes a problem is when I am nervous. The technical advice you are getting is excellent, but with me it is not a problem with mechanics. Like you, I know how to breath. After singing for years, nervousness is rarely an issue with me. When it occasionally happens I have to remember my "calming" tricks, not my breathing mechanics.

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Matt_R
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 01:41 PM

Breathe with me! Coooooooooome plaaaaaaaay myyyyyy gaaaaaaaaaaaame!

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 02:03 PM

I learned deep breathing years ago when I started meditating on a regular basis. I also used it when I worked in hospital to calm patients down. It's a great trick for when someone is hyperventilating.

It was easier for me to practice lying down at first and actually watch and feel my belly go *up*/out with each deep breath, knowing I was filling my lungs up fully; then I would relax and blow out all of the air, until it felt as though there was none left, yet a bit more always made it out.

This has stood me in good stead. When I had to go on O2 for my heart, the docs couldn't believe how deep my breaths were and how long I could "blow out" on their test machines. It is also the only way I can be sure I have enough air to sing.

Just takes practice.

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:20 PM

I do breathe from the lower abdomen. It's just that not all the air seems to get out and this is usually with songs where I have to project more. I don't know if it's nervousness - sometimes I do get nervous but that's not usually an issue. I have tried to not breathe but that doesn't seem to help either.

Matt, what sort of game are you playing?

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Matt_R
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 03:53 PM

I'm a firestarter!

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 05:00 PM

I like a good fire, Matt, but the smoke don't help my breathing any! ;)

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Bernard
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 05:20 PM

My grandad used to have trouble breathing, until we got a Feng Shui expert in.

She suggested moving his bed to the other side of the room.

After that, he was able to breathe more easily.

Was it the Feng Shui?

Or was it the fact that the lead for his iron lung would now reach the mains socket??

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Kim C
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 05:43 PM

Haw haw haw. ;) Although there probably is something to that there fungshway.......

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Bernard
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 05:50 PM

And I thought it meant mushrooms...

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 06:18 PM

Kim, maybe it is when you are taking the breath that is causing the problem. Watch your phrasing, when you need the extra power, etc. and watch closely when you breaht in and out, try to breath in just before, then let it out in a controlled way. Don't know if that makes sense or will help, but it works for me. It sounds as though you are holding your breath instead of letting the air out, which in turn can give you more volume.

Hope that helps,

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: CamiSu
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 06:32 PM

My HS Choir director told us to lie down to learn to breathe, as you canNOT do it wrong when on your back. One of the vocal teachers in town says that when you are 'out' of air, to give a little push from your abdomen to get to the rest. It works if you can remember to do it! I find, however that I run out because I do forget to breathe in the right places. If I'm using music I write BIG BREATH! where I'm forgetting, and then it's better...

CamiSu

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: bflat
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 06:52 PM

Kim, My singing teacher taught me to expand my diaphragm without my stomach (lower abdominals) puffing out. It is also a more attractive style. Watch the classical performers, most use this technique. Basically, if you put your hands behind you about your waist, thumbs on your sides, as thought you were holding your kidneys, you should be in the area that you want to expand. As you inhale using these muscles, you may notice that your lower abdominals are pulling inward and tightening. Incidentially, you shoulders will not bounce up or down with this technique either. Your chest also stays in about the same place and may or may not be something you want. I personally don't like bouncing boobs. Give it a try since you are training yourself.

bflat

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Margo
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 07:41 PM

Kim, if I understand correctly, you are complaining of "overfilling" your lungs. So are you talking about singing a phrase that's too long to be sung comfortably in one breath? If so, you probably just need a little "catch" breath. You can determine an appropriate spot to do that in the phrase, then practice it that way.

Did I address your question? Margo

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Alice
Date: 11 Dec 00 - 09:21 PM

Kim, be aware that what you need to do is create as much space as possible for you lungs to expand. In good singing technique, breath support means many things happening at once that you learn to do until it is automatic, and you don't have to "think" technique. Being able to relax during the breathing in and singing out is part of it, too. So, all these things take consistent practice while you are singing. We breathe from our lungs, not our diaphragm, so that old phrase of "breathing from your diaphragm" confuses alot of people. Just think of it this way. The floor of your abdomen holds up your internal organs. When you learn to hold those muscles down, you create more space for you lungs to fill with air. If you are really breathing deeply enough, your bottom ribs will exapand and your diaphragm will go down, because you are pulling your "guts" out of the way. Again, your shoulders should not move up. Your air should be a smooth flow in and out, and that takes practice.

Kim, my voice teacher called while I was typing this, and I read your comments to her. She said that you may be gasping air in (grabbing it) with your throat muscles, and your voice will tend to crack because the air is not an even unobstructed flow. If you are trying to bring the air in too hard and fast, you will gasp and create this problem. It will solve the problem if you breathe through your nose instead of your mouth. It could be something else causing that feeling you describe, but this is the most common reason. She says it sounds like you are grasping at air with your throat muscles. You need to develop more smooth breathing. Breathe through your nose, and you will have no danger of getting the neck muscles involved.

Relax!!! Breathing through your nose also helps filter out dust and other stuff in the air. Using those muscles to pull your guts down when you breath in will provide enough air for volume and sustaining a long phrase.

Alice

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Kim C
Date: 12 Dec 00 - 11:28 AM

Thanks, everybody! I remember the ol' lie down in the floor trick from a drama coach. I'll try it. Great advice here. I really appreciate it!

Subject: RE: Help: Breathing.
From: Hamish
Date: 12 Dec 00 - 12:32 PM

Relax! and join in on all the other people's choruses before you go on.

Hamish http://www.lombardy.clara.net