The Importance of Breath Control in Academic Singing

Proper breathing technique is essential to classical singing. It is what enables you to sustain long phrases and sing louder or softer. If you can’t control your breathing, you will strain your voice. Classical breathing technique involves your diaphragm, so that you’re able to control the way you inhale and exhale, and even use breathing to give you a more pleasing sound. Understanding your breathing technique will also prevent you from straining your throat and chest, which will result in better singing and a better voice.

To delve deeper into the technique: managing the breath requires the coordination of the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and abdominal core to achieve equilibrium of pressure, which in turn allows the vocal cords to be supported but not pushed, giving the singer a free, ringing quality. The older pedagogues stressed practice of sustained tones on single vowels to develop this ability, eventually being applied to songs and arias. Through practice, singers begin to realize how using a full breath can make a legato sound warm or give them the ability to tackle a dramatic high note. With further practice, this ability becomes automatic and the singer can pay more attention to the performance and communication.

Good breathing technique helps the singer produce sound with less strain and discomfort and is also associated with the singer’s longevity. For example, a singer’s vocal and bodily health is affected in a bad way if they are consistently singing using shallow chest breathing, they can strain themselves. The proper technique of breathing is also necessary for breath control in performing an athletic piece. It helps a singer stay calm, for the best breath control is also related with an accurate breathing. Moreover, in a choral and operatic music, breathing in unison is essential because they are singing a harmony or homophony. Hence, breathing well is the first and most important element of singing, because breathing well is the ultimate rule of a good performance. It gives the singer a better posture and the correct breath and pitch. This helps the singer to be able to sing any type of music, whether it be in the Baroque period or Romantic period, with ornamentation and a much broader range.

Everyone has some difficulty with the development of breath control and most problems can be overcome with consistent visualization. For example, a beginning student may have trouble with a steady flow of air causing pauses between phrases or inequality of tone. The instructor can help the student by suggesting visualizations such as breathing in a wave-like pattern. A more advanced student might develop further techniques such as practicing appoggio, which is described as a feeling of leaning against the air as it presses back against the body. Whatever techniques the student chooses, he or she must practice and see what works best with their body. Every body is different, but that does not mean any one person has it right or wrong, as long as the voice is comfortable and healthy.

Ultimately, in an academic singing context, breathing can take you to the next level. If you take your time to truly master this technique, you will be able to freely express your interpretation of a song, your thoughts, and your feelings. You can sing with happiness, sadness, and victory. You will be able to preserve the legacy of classical singers, and, in turn, motivate those in the future to do the same. You will find a way to unite your soul with the music.