Breathing for singers: the ins and outs of it.

One of my teachers, Ilse Wolf, would always talk about ‘singing on the breath’. 

Back then, I really didn’t have a clue what she actually meant. I would quietly listen while she explained, while she showed me diagrams in books that had pretty much been worn out by her fingertips over the years, as she pointed out the movement of AIRFLOW in the body as we breathe in and sing OUT.

But that was more than 30 years ago - and now I so GET everything she was sharing with me.

She meant: focus on the out-breath.

I didn’t understand then, but I’ve pursued my learning journey to the point where I now teach the same principles, just as she did then, to all my own singing students.

This infographic is a favourite of mine because it provokes thought. It also gives a hint of what is truly involved in the rather paradoxical ‘breathing mindset’.

But, in truth? It’s the tip of the iceberg.

There’s the fear that since breath is always escaping, it needs to be controlled by

• getting masses of it IN, and then
• holding on to it, to control it for as long as possible, to nail that 4-bar phrase/that high note/the last note…

As I mention in the Technique Truths video, I like to encourage singers to think more about the way they use the outgoing breath - rather than fixate on how much air they can get in during the gaps in the music!

Sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?

Breathing is indeed a natural reflex and yes, we hope it does work on its own (24/7 would be good) but somehow when it comes to singing, our focus shifts (especially in the early days) and we fear ‘not having enough’ and ‘running out’.

Here's the hard part: it takes time and it takes practice and persistence to get the hang of it.

It is about trust. It is about allowing our bodies to respond to triggers from the inside out. Great breathing technique, learned patiently over time has a few essential pointers:

• knowing and understanding postural alignment
• focusing on what happens during exhalation, feeling it
• trusting the body’s own reflex to refill the lung space
• releasing to create a new intake, a natural vacuum of air
• knowing that breath retention is bad news, not control
• accepting that it’s a complex issue, ongoing

If you're looking for more hands-on information and practical examples /help on how you can improve your vocal technique, especially if you're a beginner, check out my most recent YouTube vocal technique playlists:

Vocal Basics Knowhow

Singers Vocal Warm-up (basics)

Stay curious and enjoy!!