Breathing and Support

Try to keep the rib cage expanded and elevated preventing it from collapse. Think of it as weightless but with the heavy yoke of the shoulders stopping it from floating up to the ceiling. Trust in the ‘support muscles’ (diaphragm, intercostals, abs and lower back) to do their job. Just keep the breath in the lower abdomen so that they can access and support the breath/sound (and ensure that you use the minimum amount of air!) Feel the ribs expand to the back and the sides of your mid to lower torso. This just happens naturally. Do not deliberately push the muscles outward or stiffen your tummy thinking this will provide more support. Breath control is about 2 things 1. Controlling the escape of air (using as little as possible) and 2. Supporting its pressure of escape (a sensation like sucking air evenly inwards) Slow release ‘sssss’ Exercise Slow release ‘ssssss’ as quietly as possible and using as little air as possible. Use this as a meditation exercise. Try to get quieter and use less and less air to remind you how little you require. When panic about the need to inhale starts to set in, keep going. Imagine you have a reserve tank of air or that the air is a very slow burning fuse. As you exhale: imagine you are holding two buckets of water one in each hand to prevent shoulders from getting too high. Imagine that you are very slowly inflating or expanding your chest as you exhale. Feel the assistance of the support muscles kick in at the end of the exhale. They will automatically come to your rescue in helping extract the amount of air that you ‘didn’t even know you had’. You can then translate this breathing exercise onto sound by singing a soft, even ‘ng’ on one pitch for as long as possible. In the bath, the acoustics of hard surfaces and the water amplifies the fundamental pitch so that you get a feeling of balance and ease, like the sound ‘sings itself’ if it’s placed right in the head. Like when you’re learning to ride a bike and its “Look Ma – no hands!” A step up from this is lasting as long and evenly as possible on one pitch singing ‘eeeee’. There is no need for loudness. Using an open throat will extend the length of time sitting on the note. Breath of Fire Very loud panting on the word ‘Sh!!!” Don’t worry about the inhales that happen between each ‘Sh!’ as they will do their job. Just keep shoulders heavy. Notice the next time you blow up a balloon that the abdominal muscles (support muscles) kick in to get the big breath needed to fill it fully Singers do not blow out the note – air is only under pressure as far as the vocal chords – it’s all about keeping the air pressure even and under control. It feels like the air is make still and suspended.