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...
Making you a better singer: the process.
I've been teaching singing and vocal technique for many years, yet it still surprises me (in a good way) just how much repetition there needs to be, addressing the same old pain points for so many different people no matter where they are on their learning journey.
The easiest and most rewarding teaching experience is undoubtedly with those open souls who are driven by the JOY of the whole thing and who never expect the learning curve to finish. It's an exciting and often unexpected ride!
The hardest students to reach are without fail those who imagine they have their goal in sight and once it is achieved, it's a given that they've mastered the skill. That's a tough nut to crack.
Their journey to the OK Plateau will only be a short one.
To learn well, we must surrender to the vulnerability of it all and forgive vocal imperfections BUT also be inquisitive, and questioning about the WHY.
Singers are, of course, buoyed along by the love of music, the quest to express and the innate ...
Technique Tuesday Revised: Breathing - no need to push!
I first shared this infographic in May 2017 - inspired by a quote from The Voice Gym that I had seen on Twitter. Its message has to be one of the most golden statements when it comes to learning how to sing well.
But, what does it mean?
Misconceptions
When we think about breathing, everyone is usually very stressed about it as they get into their singing. It becomes a primary concern ie, will I have enough to get me through that phrase?
Will it last…?
There’s the fear that since breath is always escaping, it needs to be controlled by
- a) getting masses of it IN, and then
- b) to hold on to it, to control it for as long as possible, to nail that 4-bar phrase/that high note/the last note…
If we imagine gaining greater volume when we sing, there’s a psychological trigger that suggests to us that we must push more air to make it happen. But a greater volume achieved by pushing more air simply puts more stress on those little vocal folds (only 3-6 cells thick each) and leads to a...
Technique Tuesday: Did you know ... about vocal support?
One of the trickiest concepts of vocal technique (spoken or sung) to grasp is the delicate question of ‘support’.
What is it? I’m not fond of using that word when teaching actually, because of the picture or feeling that it can evoke.
Usually, that word physically translates to actions like ‘grip’, ‘tense’, and ‘block’ rather than ‘release’, ‘allow’ and ‘enable’.
When you’ve got it, you’ve GOT it, and that word becomes part of the skillset, a component that is so hard to explain. Unlocking the puzzle initially, finding new ways to nudge students along the path of learning is a challenge because different ideas both mean and feel differently to each person.
The infographic below focusses on ‘Expiration’ or the ‘outbreath’.
All singers worry about how long their breath will last, often running out at peak moments of the phrase despite best efforts. Why is this? It’s because their postural alignment and understanding in relation to different abdominal muscle groups is slightl...
Singer's Learning Tip: Trust the wait
A short video note dedicated to a few good singing souls out there: you know who you are!
(Confession: I found this blog post lurking in my unpublished folder. Too good to pass up! It's a year old, but honestly, the advice is timeless. Pertinent to the same degree, right now.)
I have witnessed frustration and even disappointment in students when I am teaching and it's important to give it the space it needs. Every singer is different. Learning how to sing well takes time, you can't rush it. Persistence is key, and it's my job to pave the way for experimentation and experience.
I like to create a working environment where everyone feels at ease - freedom to bring true voices to the fore. Mistakes will happen, odd sounds will be heard but always there must be a feeling of creation, happy trial and error, with true learning at its core. It's a journey and it takes persistence, as do most things of true worth.
American baritone, Thomas Hampson says it all here ... No more words requi...
A 2020 note to self: learn to get uncomfortable. NOTICE.
Singing imperfections and the OK Plateau.
It is Technique Tuesday. As a professional musician with a lifetime of technical vocal learning behind me and a trusty ongoing pursuit of future perfection in front of me, I regularly invest in telling my students to be at ease with where they are on their vocal journey. At ease, but not too comfy. To forgive their vocal imperfections BUT also be inquisitive, and questioning about the WHY. Be precise with how they invest their learning time when winkling out precious moments to focus on what they hope to achieve in their learning.
In 2013, I blogged a link to Joshua Foer’s wise words above and thereby also to a fabulous Brain Pickings post, by Maria Popova. It was called: The Psychology of Getting Unstuck: How to Overcome the “OK Plateau” of Performance & Personal Growth. In a nutshell, it seemed to set out everything so clearly and I at once recognised my own vocal-learning journey in there, one which I built over the years around ‘
...Technique Tuesday Quotables
A new feature for Technique Tuesday, giving a little bit of insight into how students learn to grapple with learning about and perfecting their vocal technique.
This week's 'quotable' is simply stunning; it's the sort of thing that teachers dream about.
In VV (Virtually Vocalise) we had been talking about technically tricky things - the relationship between the tongue, the jaw and the larynx. Easy to dive off down 'rabbit holes' with too much information. Here's how the conversation went:
It brought JOY to my heart; I fairly floated off my seat! Teaching singers how to become vocally free has to be my number ONE goal as a vocal coach.
Golden. Wonderful stuff; rinse and repeat.
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Voice-works Study: July 2025
A study weekend is ideal for singers who enjoy a hands-on, exploratory approach to learning. With a maximum of six participants, everyone will receive focused guidance and the space to experiment freely. Click the button for all the lovely details!
Singing Basics Guide
Getting to grips with or making improvements to your singing and the methods to achieve progress are all far easier and more accessible than you think.
