Correct Breathing and "Support" for Singing

For an abridged version of this article, please read Breath Management (Quick Reference).

It seems as though everyone knows that breathing technique is important to singing. Even people who have never taken a voice lesson before have heard that there is a correct way for singers to breathe, although they may not know what that way is. They may have been told that 'diaphragmatic breathing' is essential to good singing, but they may not understand why.

Sadly, the proper mechanism of breathing largely remains a mystery to both the untrained singer and the singer-in-training alike. 'Breathe from the diaphragm' and 'support the tone' are phrases that often get thrown about carelessly within pedagogic circles. The assumption is that the student will instantly understand what these vague suggestions mean and be able to successfully apply them to his or her singing. An equally faulty assumption is that the vocal teacher himself understands these expressions and knows how to convey their meaning to his students. Unfortunately, not all teachers have a good grasp on what is involved in proper breath management, either, and they thus cannot help their students achieve mastery of their breath for singing, except by sheer coincidence.

Before going any further in this article, I would like to offer a warning for those singers who are trying to understand how to properly support their voices during singing: Not all teachers understand it themselves, and not all singing instructors teach good or safe methods. In this article, I will also describe some errant methods of managing the breath and explain why these techniques are unnatural to the body, unhealthy, and ineffective - why they violate the natural functioning of the body and do not produce desirable results.

Good breath management skills are imperative if a singer hopes to be able to sound great and to sing with skill. Understanding how breath management either positively or negatively impacts various elements of the voice's quality may help to make good breath support seem more logical and advantageous.

The results of proper breathing technique may include better control over the breath and thus the quality of the voice's tone, more efficient use of the breath resulting in less breathiness or 'airyness' in the tone, the ability to sustain notes for considerably longer and to sing longer phrases, increased lung capacity, a natural (unforced) increase in volume, improved overall stamina or endurance, minimized tension in the chest, shoulders, neck and face, less pressure on the vocal folds, and better oxygenation of the entire body.

THE PHYSIOLOGY OF BREATHING

Breathing is an action that is regulated by the autonomic nervous system, which works to maintain homeostasis, or balance, in the body. In the case of breathing, it helps to regulate the proper input of oxygen and balance of carbon dioxide.

The diaphragm - a shelf of muscle and tendon that extends across the bottom of the ribcage - responds to various signals from the nervous system. When we inhale, the diaphragmatic muscles contract - they shorten and tighten - and the diaphragm moves downward in the body. As the diaphragm depresses, it creates a vacuum in the lungs and air rushes in to fill that vacuum. During exhalation, the diaphragm relaxes and rises, and lung volume decreases, creating a positive pressure difference, and air rushes out. The air expelled from the lungs rises up through the trachea (wind pipe) and filters out through either the nose or the mouth. (When air meets resistance at the laryngeal level - that is, when the vocal folds are approximated - sound, or voice, is produced.)

Most of the actions of the autonomic nervous system, such as respiration rate, heart rate, digestion, salivation, perspiration, dilation of the pupils, urination and sexual arousal, are involuntary - performed without conscious control - but some, including breathing, work in tandem with the conscious mind. In other words, we can actively control our breathing, stopping it and starting it at will, choosing how much air we will inhale or exhale in a given breath or deciding how rapidly or how slowly we will perform each phase of the breath cycle, for instance. This makes it possible for us to actively develop our breathing skills and to enhance them for the extended duration and intensity of singing tasks (as compared with the duration and intensity of speaking tasks). The various dynamics and demands of singing make the development of breath management technique and skills absolutely necessary.

How is the physiological mechanism of breathing relevent to singers? Essentially, the breath fuels the voice. The breathing mechanism is the voice's 'motor', providing energy to the tone and the ability to sustain passages or notes. Without the diaphragm and the surrounding muscles that support its work - there are thirty-six muscles that are used in breathing for singing - air can neither enter nor leave the lungs. Without the expelling of air from the lungs that moves its way upward and out of the body via the system of tubes in our chest, neck and head, the vocal folds can't vibrate. (It is the air passing between the closed vocal folds that causes them to oscillate and buzz.) Without the vibration of the vocal folds, sound - or voice - isn't produced.

Singing and speaking are little more than breathing out the noise made in the 'voice box', or larynx. (To learn more about the physiological mechanism of breathing, read Anatomy of the Voice.) However, how we approach breathing - the techniques that we use or apply - makes a significant difference in the quality and skillfullness of that voice.

At first, most vocal students view breath management as a difficult, unnatural activity that they must somehow attempt to do while trying to sing, as though the two are separate tasks that they must train themselves to do simultaneously, like rubbing their stomachs while patting their heads, rather than the very activity that enables them to produce quality sound and thus sing skillfully. For these students who don't tend to understand the important connection between the air that they use and the sound that they make, it requires a great deal of concentration to breathe correctly and effectively while vocalizing, and they may struggle for some time to understand how to achieve the desired results. In time, breath management will become more natural and automatic.

It is important to note that the difference between how we breathe for singing and how we breathe for other daily activities lies not in the mechanisms but in how we regulate our airflow, because the demands that our bodies have for air changes with different activities. Although it is still in accordance with the natural functioning of the body, 'natural breathing' as employed for speech is not adequate for intense singing demands. During normal demands, such as speaking or resting, we tend to inhale and exhale more shallowly and evenly because our bodies don't require as much oxygen. Air is exchanged in cycles of approximately four to six seconds; this differs slightly from person to person, of course. During singing, however, we need to inhale quickly and deeply, then exhale slowly and steadily, in a long breath, as we sing our phrases or notes.

Singing requires a higher rate of breath energy than speaking does, as well as the elongation of the breath cycle. (The rate of expiration has to be retarded beyond that appropriate to speech, especially during passages or notes of durations greater than the normal 'at rest' breath cycle.) This higher need for energy and stamina requires more muscle control and coordination in supporting the work of the diaphragm and the function of the larynx, and this is the part of breathing that needs to be developed through training. Learned controls must be mastered in order to extend breath management capabilities. Students of voice need to learn how to extend the normal breath cycle by remaining in the inspiratory position for as long as possible, maintaining a raised sternum (but not raised shoulders or clavicle), no (or minimal) chest displacement, allowing the muscles of the lateral abdominal wall to stay close to the position of inhalation and delaying early ribcage collapse. (More about this technique can be read in Appoggio, below.)

WHAT IS 'SUPPORT'?

While the applied method, means or approach to achieving 'breath support' may differ slightly from person to person depending on training, technique and genre or style, most teachers and singers seem to share a general concept or definition. 'Support' is a way of using other parts of the body (e.g., muscles) connected to the work of the lungs and larynx to produce the desired results, including better tone production and the ability to sing extended phrases and sustain notes for longer. The successful connection between the musculature of the body (the abdomen and back primarily) and the larynx (for sound and tone production) is often referred to as 'support', 'breath support' or 'supporting the tone'. Many teachers, including myself, prefer to call how a singer uses the lower body to regulate airflow based on his or her immediate vocal demands 'breath management', which suggests a deliberate and successful coordination or skillful directing of attention and energy toward the work of breathing.

There are two important aspects of breath management: 1) regulating the amount of air that is pushed past the vocal folds, including the pace at which the air is allowed out of the lungs, and 2) ensuring that the stream of air is steady. As I will explain below, in the section entitled Appoggio, the most efficient way of supporting the tone or managing the breath is by allowing the diaphragm to rise slowly, using the muscles of inhalation, so that a mininal and steady stream of air can be allowed past the vibrating folds.

Support works by contracting the abdominal muscles, creating higher pressure in the abdomen and thorax, allowing the diaphragm's relaxation (and upward rise) to be more carefully controlled. There is less control in relaxing a muscle than there is in contracting it, so support gives performers a means of controlling their sound, or phonation.

Today, there are two main schools of teaching about the breath, although there are many different approaches: (1) 'supporting' the breath by compressing the abdomen during phonation (i.e., on the exhalation), or (2) relaxing the abdominal muscles as much as possible during inhalation and phonation, allowing the diaphragm to work on the inhalation, and riding its relaxation on the outgoing breath (i.e., during phonation).

The extent to which action of the ribs is encouraged varies within most techniques, although most teachers, including myself, recommend that the upper torso, especially the shoulder girdle, be as relaxed as possible even during the most extreme vocal demands. Ultimately, a singer wants access to all the "breath resources" available without jeopardizing the ability to freely produce sound, that is without unnecessary tension.

'BREATHING FROM THE DIAPHRAGM'

Probably the most commonly used term in vocal pedagogy and amateur singing circles is 'breathing from the diaphragm'. The implication is that the diaphragm itself controls airflow and supports the tone of the singing voice, and the assumption is that we can learn to actively control the diaphragm's movements.

Take note, however, that during singing, the diaphragm is not consciously engaged as a means for pulling in new breath, nor is it used to drive air upward for the expulsion of breath. Also, the diaphragm itself is actually passive during singing, which occurs during the exhalation phase of breathing, and we do not exert active control over its movements. (In breath management for singing, we learn to actively control the muscles that interact with the diaphragm and that support its actions.)

These anatomical truths make the term 'diaphragmatic breathing' a little bit misleading, or at the very least, a misnomer. The expression may allow too much emphasis to be placed on the diaphragm, an organ that we cannot consciously control, when it is really the muscles of the torso that we must develop and learn to control during singing. (However, if we were to use the term 'muscular breathing' instead, we would probably find many singers attempting to push their voices out of their bodies with too much muscular force, as is taught and practiced in 'belly breathing'.)

Also, the diaphragm is involved in all breathing, whether correct, efficient and effectively regulated or not, again making use of the expression 'diaphragmatic breathing' almost superfluous. For these reasons, singers and teachers might be better served by using the terms 'breath management' or 'appoggio', (which is a technique whereby singers slow the rise of the diaphragm by actively controlling the back and abdominal muscles that act upon it), instead.

In any case, the diaphragm, in cooperation with the intercostals (back) and abdominal muscles, is generally considered to be the chief organ of breathing. The movement of the diaphragm sets off a chain of reactions that occur in the lungs, larynx and mouth or nose. Again, it is really the muscles that support the diaphragm's work - the intercostals being involved primarily in inhalation and the abdominal muscles in exhalation - that are the focus of a singer's training in effective breath management. Therefore, 'diaphragmatic breathing', although a vague term, should not be completely dismissed.

In most cases when someone is using the expression 'breathe from the diaphragm', it seems to be understood that expansion of the area just beneath the diaphragm and using the abdominal muscles is what is necessary in order to support the singing voice.

Many people tend to think of diaphragmatic breathing as something unique to singing; as a special skill that must be taught to them, rather than the body's natural way of working. However, the fact of the matter is that we are born knowing how to breathe properly, and no one has to teach us how to do it when we come out of the womb. The tummies of sleeping babies rise and fall effortlessly, without any tension or movement in their chests and shoulders. The parts of their bodies that support their breathing work in effortless coordination and synchronicity. Even the breathing of adults is correct when they are relaxed or asleep and not actively trying to control it. The body naturally knows what to do and how to do it, even when our need for oxygen is greater due to increased physical activity or in response to boosts of adrenaline (as when we are frightened).

The fact that 'diaphragmatic breathing' is both natural and ideal is why so much emphasis is placed on 'breathing from the diaphragm' while singing. Breathing in this natural way - or at least using this natural mechanism as a starting point then learning to enhance it for the extended demands of singing - enables us to regulate our airflow, and is correct whether we are singing, exercising, speaking or watching television. Proper breathing for singing is not just a trick or a specialized skill that singers must learn. It is a product of the natural functioning of the human body. In other words, it is how our bodies have been designed to take in and expel air. In breathing for singing, the mechanism of breathing is not an abberation from that of the breathing technique used by the body during other acitivities.

It is also important to note that, in voice pedagogy, 'breathing from the diaphragm' and 'breathing from the belly' are not viewed as being synonymous. The breath support technique that is widely referred to as 'diaphragmatic breathing', (when correctly executed), should not be confused with 'belly breathing'. Unlike 'belly breathing', 'breathing from the diaphragm' involves no pushing or forceful expulsion of air, and is the natural, correct, safe, gentle, internationally accepted method of supporting the singing tone. In diaphragmatic breathing, the tone rides on a minimal and steady stream of air, which brings stability and consistency to the tone.

The reason why diaphragmatic breathing is sometimes, though inaccurately, called 'breathing from the belly' is because the bulk of the movement that is seen while someone is breathing naturally occurs in the abdominal and lower rib area. When the diaphragm moves downward, it creates a little less room in the abdomen for the internal organs, which forces them to move outwards a little and the belly to distend or 'swell'. (This action is aided by the muscles of inhalation.) This movement is so noticeable because of the absence of ribs in this area, which would otherwise hold the belly in like a girdle of bone, restricting the diaphragm's movement. Allowing the movement of our bodies during breathing to be focused in the soft, fleshy area below the diaphragm encourages the more efficient and complete filling of the lungs and allows for a good connection to be made between the diaphragm and the 'support muscles'. (Again, the actual decent of the diaphragm is minimal - two inches or less - and this abdominal distension need not be exaggerated.)

Understand, though, that the belly itself doesn't actually breathe, as the lungs are located above the belly and the diaphragm. It merely moves in response to the diaphragm's downward and upward movements and to the expansion and contraction of the support muscles.

There is one particular self-professed 'vocal release method' expert who criticizes the diaphragmatic breathing technique, telling those who read his website and purchase his singing course that diaphragmatic breathing was created by a failed opera singer who later became a teacher and passed on his "dangerous" breathing technique to others. He explains that this erroneous teaching has infiltrated the entire classical singing world, and has caused a great deal of damage to singers, utterly destroying their vocal health and careers.

Unfortunately, this vocal coach has had some bad teachers of his own in the past - he openly writes about his experiences with unsuccessful vocal training on his website - and was never given any solid instruction in what diaphragmatic breathing really is, nor what appoggio technique is. He, like many others, has confused it with pushing or 'belly breathing', which involves excessive muscular involvement deep and too low in the body during the exhalation phase of breathing. This pushing technique forces too much air pressure to blow past the vocal folds at once, which can indeed injure the vocal instrument.

While useful for some vocal tasks, and always correct and safe, this 'natural' breathing is somewhat limiting when it comes to more demanding singing tasks. Although it may suffice for short phrases that allow for frequent breath renewals between them, (as is common in contemporary genres and styles of music), it is not necessarily adequate for more intense vocal tasks, (as in the longer phrases or passages, sustained notes, or high lying tessituras that are more common in classical vocal literature). Without violating the same natural functioning of the body's breathing mechanism, elite singers must learn to enhance their breath management techniques beyond 'diaphragmatic breathing' in order to skillfully execute challenging vocal lines. This is why appoggio was developed, and why so many elite singers use it today to help support their breath.

'BELLY BREATHING'

Oftentimes, the terms 'diaphragmatic breathing' and 'breathing from the belly' are used interchangeably by those who are unfamiliar with singing pedagogy terms or who use them very loosely. However, diaphragmatic breathing should not be confused with the dangerous technique known as 'belly breathing', in which singers expand all areas of the torso, right down to the pelvis, and then use excessive muscular force as they exahale.

This faulty technique may be reinforced by teachers who instruct their students to expand their entire abdominal area through to the hypogastric (pelvic and lower abdominal) region rather than just the epigastric area - the area between the bottom of the sternum and the navel and extending outward to the lower part of the ribs on each side. This particular technique, called Bauchaussenst�tz, has its origins in the German school of singing.

Some misguided and ill-informed teachers will have their students place their hands below their navel when practicing their breathing exercises or singing. The incorrect assumption is often made that greater expansion of the lower torso means a lower diaphragm, which creates more room in the lungs and thus more capacity for air. Then, the student is led to believe that pushing upward and inward with the abdominal muscles upon exhalation (i.e., during phonation, or singing) allows more air out of the lungs, thus creating more singing volume or vocal 'power'.

Of course, these assumptions are not based on either logic or scientific fact. The diaphragm is not located in the umbilical and hypogastric regions of the body, and it is the area above, not below, the navel that should be seen to expand and contract during inhalation and exhalation. Also forcing air out rapidly more often than not leads to pressed or breathy tones, which are lacking in resonance balance, are limited in volume and dynamic variation, are potentially damaging to the vocal folds, and do not regulate the airflow efficiently.

This tendency of many singers to breathe 'too low' into their abdomens, unnecessarily expanding the entire area below the ribs is illogical. The central tendon of the diaphragm lies relatively high in the torso - approximately at the fifth rib - and is attached to the paracardium, in which the heart is housed. The diaphragm itself follows the lateral anterior contour of the rib cage. It does not extend very low - during inhalation, its descent is often less than two inches - and air does not occupy spaces below the lungs. The breath process cannot be controlled by the belly - there is no air below the lungs that needs to be moved upwards by the muscles of the pelvic region - yet because of what it connotes, using the subjective expression 'breathing from the belly' in place of 'breathing from the diaphragm' or 'appoggio' may produce flawed thinking and thus faulty and potentially injurious breath managment techniques in misled vocal students who lack correct scientific information.

Stretching or thrusting the lower stomach outward causes lower trunk and laryngeal tensions, as well as rising subglottic pressure by inducing excessive resistance to the exiting air, and may result in pressed phonation (forcing). Furthermore, pushing down on the abdomen causes the ribs to move inward and the sternum to fall. Lung volume will be diminished because contact of the abdominal musculature with the lower ribs is reduced. Belly breathing is, therefore, an inefficient and unhealthy way to approach breathing for singing, and should not be considered a viable method of achieving good support.

"CLAVICULAR (CHEST) BREATHING" AND "UPPER DORSAL BREATHING"

There are many singers who allow their shoulder girdles and clavicles to rise as they breathe. This is the kind of breathing that we tend to resort to when we are sighing or when we are winded and wish to rapidly fill our lungs with more air, something that has been termed "the breath of exhaustion".

This method of breathing causes chest displacement, collapsing of the sternum, and a loss of contact between upper and lower torso muscle groups. (Allowing only the ribs to expand and the lungs to remain high as they inflate not only prevents the lower lobes of the lungs from filling and moving downward, but it also makes it more difficult for the muscles that support breathing to do their jobs. The muscles that help pull the diaphragm downward during inhalation and those that move it upwards during exhalation need to work in conjunction with the diaphragm to promote optimal intake and expiration of air. These muscles are not as efficient on their own.) It is also noisy and laboured, and results in high rates of breath emission.

There should be minimal displacement of the chest during inhalation (including breath renewal) and during phonation. The rib cage should not collapse at the end of every phrase. Though the upper body should not remain rigid, it should retain its 'noble' position throughout the breath cycle.

'TANKING UP' OR INHALING TOO DEEPLY

In a preemptive maneouvre to avoid running out of breath, many singers will inhale as much air as possible, without giving consideration to the length or the dynamics of the phrase or note that will follow the breath renewal. This kind of breathing often leads to an 'overcrowding' of the lungs and to rapid breath expulsion. (These same singers are often 'clavicular' breathers, who gasp for air between phrases in order to expel the remaining 'stale' air and inhale 'fresh' air, as though they've been holding their breath under water for a long time and are coming up to the surface.)

There is no need for a singer to inhale any more deeply than is necessary for the vocal task that will immediately follow the breath renewal. 'Tanking up' for long phrases leads to problems such as tensions throughout the body due to displacement of the chest and collapsing of the rib cage, forcing, noisy breathing, grabbing or holding the breath in advance of the next phrase. The gasping and rapid intake of air between phrases may also lead to hyperventilation, lightheadedness and dizziness.

Silent breath renewals, breathing slowly and quietly through the nose, are often helpful because they induce relaxation of the vocal tract and teach the student to pace the inspiratory gesture, as it takes longer to fill the lungs to capacity when inhaling through the nose. Furthermore, they help to minimize chest displacement. The same kind of noiseless and relaxed breath renewal can then be learned when breathing through the mouth, either fast or slow. (More about developing good breath pacing can be found in the Breathing Exercises section on the second page of this article.)

APPOGGIO

Appoggio - from the Italian verb appoggiare, meaning 'to lean on', 'to be in contact with' or 'to support' - is a learned breathing technique that involves slowing down the ascent of the diaphragm for better breath management, resulting in the elongation of the breath cycle during singing. It involves a concerted action on diaphragmatic movement by the muscles of the thorax (chest) and the abdominal wall (the transverse abdominis, the internal oblique, the external oblique, and the rectus abdominis, although to a lesser extent), and involves gaining better control over the breathing mechanism through training the muscles, and enables the singer to pace the breath more efficiently.

It's important to note that appoggio, while requiring a great deal more control than is needed during normal activities and requiring some additional coordination and training, is an extension of the natural breath process, not a substitute for it. It is considered to be the main route for breath management within the international classical singing community.

During normal speaking, the rib cage collapses upon exhalation. Appoggio attempts to avoid this collapse by retaining the elevated inspiratory posture of the rib cage and the sternum - the long flat bone located in the centre of the thorax (chest), which connects to the rib bones via cartilage, forming the rib cage with them. The technique slows down the rising of the diaphragm, which aids in breath management. Learning to gain control over the muscles of the side abdominal wall offers true breath support.

Appoggio involves raising the sternum before inhalation, making all conscious breathing efforts with the internal and external obliques and transverse abdominis, then keeping the sternum up and not allowing the chest to recoil when replenishing the air supply. (This is sometimes called 'sideways inhalation'.) One method of achieving this ideal elevated sternum posture involves raising both arms above the head - the sternum naturally rises when the arms are in this position - suspending, but not holding, the breath with the inspiration muscle system, then lowering the arms while exhaling slowing without lowering the sternum. Assuming the Garcia position, with the palms facing outward and placed one on top of the other on the sacrum - not the small of the back, which could cause the back to 'sway' and become overly arched - while vocalizing can also encourage an opening of chest wall with a raised sternum.

If applied appropriately, simulating the posture of breath retention can minimize subglottic pressure. At inspiration, subglottic pressure is at its lowest level and lung volume is at its highest. The lowering of the diaphragm and the widening of the lower ribs causes the dimensions of the thoracic cavity to increase in both length and width. Due to its incredible elasticity, the entire respiratory tree stretches downward with the descent of the diaphragm, allowing for greater lung capacity, as the lower lobes of the lungs are now able to be filled. (Pushing upward with the abdominal wall and forcing the diaphram upward compresses the lungs and decreases their capacity.) Staying in the position of initial inhalation gives the singer the sensation of 'singing on the gesture of inhalation' - we do not inhale as we sing, but we are merely making the gesture, or retaining the same posture - rather than on that of exhalation, which retards breath exit, and in turn retards the return to atmospheric pressure and minimizes mounting subglottic air pressure.

In singing, (as well as in the Italian language itself), the term 'appoggio' has both a passive component and an active connotation, and may vary with different technical approaches. For some singers, breath flow pressure becomes a self-sustaining system whereby the singer feels the breath pressure in the body as an influence of stability. The diaphragm remains relaxed and is acted upon rather than being active. Others, however, might say that they consciously push down against the pressure of the breath. In that way, they are actively trying to find something to 'lean on', to use as a support. (I find that many of my students initially experience the latter sensation, in which they are more aware of the sense of pressure in their abdominal, side and back muscles, and then gradually begin to find the technique easier, more natural and more beneficial over time as their muscles become stronger and better coordinated with what is happening in their larynxes.)

Inhalation should be accompanied by a sense of expansion or 'fullness' in the epigastric area, as well as a sense of expansion of the lower ribs. This rib expansion is caused by the contraction of the external intercostal muscles, and should be felt during any substantial inhales. In addition to expansion at the base of the ribs, it can be felt at the front and sides of the torso, between the tenth rib and the crest of the iliac (upper surface of the hipbone) and in the back at the eleventh and twelfth ribs. The wider the rib opening and the longer this expansion can be maintained, the greater the downward hydrostatic pressure and the greater the pull against the elevation of the diaphragm. Lateral abdominal expansion will eventually equal or even exceed the expansion of the front part of the abdomen when the appoggio system is developed and applied. Consequently, this rib expansion is the effect that is typically most noticeable to the singer.

At the height of inhalation, when the singer is breathing deeply and the lower torso is expanded laterally, dorsally and frontally, he or she will likely also feel a sense of 'suspension', in which it feels as though the voice is sitting or resting on something, or a feeling of 'buoyancy'. When he or she begins to sing, this same feeling should be maintained for as long as is comfortable, with the sternum still elevated, the epigastric area still comfortably 'full' and the lower ribs expanded. (It is this position that prevents the diaphragm from rising upward too quickly.) The abdominal muscles should be relaxed, and the singer will find the necessary exhalation will occur without the singer having to be overly concerned about the action of the muscles in the abdominal area. As he or she arrives at about the last third of the exhaling breath, the epigastric area will naturally move slightly inward, but he or she should attempt to keep the lower ribs in as outward a position as possible, without thrusting the muscles outward or downward. This is a learned response that will help retard the ascent of the diaphragm or avoid its early rise.

This lower rib expansion and the epigastric 'fullness' which, in turn, create the feeling of inspiration suspension, is "appoggio".

At first, it may seem as though you are not getting enough air, especially if you are accustomed to hyperextending the support muscles then thrusting them upward and inward as you sing, but you will soon find that your air supply is indeed sufficient to complete your singing tasks, even long phrases, because the diaphragm is rising slowly and pacing the exit of the air to make it last for the duration of the tasks. You will get stronger and more adept at controlling and maintaining this lower rib action.

Acquiring the appoggio breathing technique gives the singer a longer, more reliable air supply (because the exiting air is pragmatically paced in order to meet the requirements of extended phrases, regardless of tessitura or dynamic level), greater stability of tone (because tone is affected enormously by the steadiness of a singer's breath stream), easier execution of large intervals, improved agility, including greater clarity, accuracy and speed while singing technically challenging passages, and better breath management when singing very softly or quietly. Appoggio ensures that there is neither excessive airflow, (because most of the exiting breath is turned into tone by the efficiently vibrating larynx), nor too much resistance by the vocal folds to the exiting air (la lotta vocale).

BREATH SUPPORT DURING PREGNANCY

Depending on how a woman is 'carrying', pregnancy may affect how a female singer supports her voice, both in speech and in singing. In fact, pregnancy may present the only legitimate 'excuse' for reverting to thoracic (chest) or upper dorsal breathing because the size of the womb and unborn baby may make it difficult, if not impossible, to allow for free movement of the diaphragm and abdomen, especially if the woman is 'carrying high' and the fundus (top) of her uterus is placing pressure on and crowding the diaphragm and stomach. (A woman who is 'carrying low', on the other hand, may find that she is able to continue employing the same breath management techniques throughout her pregnancy.)

Additionally, the rectus abdominus (main abdominal muscle) typically separates later in pregnancy to allow for more room for the growing baby, which may create support challenges, especially post-partum. Also, the hormones of pregnancy may cause severe breathlessness as well as swelling of the capillaries of the vocal folds, which may pose more problems with supporting the tone.

For more information about the unique challenges that pregnant singers face, as well as practical advice for dealing with those challenges, please read Singing While Pregnant.

HOW TO DEVELOP BETTER BREATH MANAGEMENT SKILLS

I caution students of voice to not be in a hurry to increase the lengths of phrases or sustained notes, and I encourage them to take a more gradual approach to developing superior breath management skills. I prefer that students build their strength gradually by systematically increasing the difficulty of vocal exercises (e.g., increasing the duration of sung phrases, scales, and sustained notes, incrementally lengthening their lessons, decreasing the amount of breaks or pauses taken between or during excercises, etc.)

Although exercises intended to directly strengthen the muscles of breathing can be, and possibly ought to be, assigned to individual students who need some extra help finding coordination or synchronization between their 'motors' (the breath management system) and their 'vibrators' (their larynxes), these exercises should always be taught in context. The student should be offered a reason for the assigned exercise, and an explanation for why or how it is relevant to singing. These exercises should never involve unnatural use of the support muscles, or use of them in ways that will not benefit the student's breath management (e.g., the singer should be able to 'translate' the actions of the support muscles during these exercises into actions of these same muscle groups during singing, or directly apply them to their breathing during singing).

Below are a few basic breathing exercises that you can try on your own, as well as some general advice. With these suggested exercises, I am not attempting to take the place of a 'live and in person' vocal teacher who can provide you with knowledge, feedback and expert guidance. A good vocal instructor will help a student become aware of his or her breath, and learn how to use it and how to get the most out of it. I am merely offering some tips for starting out toward applying natural and augmented breathing technique to your singing and speaking. I also have included a list of exercises that are commonly assigned by teachers or suggested on Internet forums but that are not helpful or safe ones.

I am not a strong advocate of exercises and breathing techniques that force the singer to do any action that is unnatural, or that violate the natural functioning of the body, and certainly not any that might cause muscular strain or place excessive force on the vocal folds during phonation.

At some point during his or her training, a singer will hopefully discover an effective balance between effort and ease, and will find employing enhanced breathing techniques to require little effort once mastery of the skills has been achieved.

More advice on how to improve breathing for singing can be found in Tips For Practicing Singing: A Practical Guide To Vocal Development.

BUILD A STRONG CORE

Strengthening the abdominal muscles and back muscles outside of and before vocal training can be beneficial for a singer. If the muscles that support the breathing mechanism are well toned, the singer will likely find fewer problems with support later on. Pilates style workouts that target and strengthen the core of the body are great for singers. (Note: For post-partum women, these types of exercises are contraindicated because they can worsen the separation between the main abdominal muscle - the rectus abdominus - that typically occurs during pregnancy, leaving the muscles stretched and more lax. For female singers with this issue, other exercises ought to be used to rebuild abdominal and back strength.)

Having strong muscles, however, doesn't automatically translate to coordinated breathing and singing. The types of muscle contractions that are required during typical abdominal exercises or workouts don't precisely mirror the actions of those same muscles during breathing and singing. (For example, in no other activity is the upward rise of the diaphragm delayed and the last part of the breath cycle intentionally drawn out through maintenance of the initial inspiratory posture.) However, having strong core muscles places the singer in the position of being strong enough to learn how to use the muscles to support the tone. If they aren't strong enough, then they may struggle more to try to learn to use them in a new or demanding way. You won't be able to do so with much success. (If you have ever been placed in a position where your abdominal and back muscles have lost their strength - for example, after pregnancy, C-sections or other abominal surgery, extended lack of use due to illness, etc. - you would be very aware of the difference between how singing is sufficiently supported by strong muscles and how it is insufficiently supported by weak muscles.) Strengthen the muscles of the body first, then learn how to use them in specific ways later.

In well supported singing, there is a complex balance between relaxation and antagonism between the various muscle groups that support the breath. Breathing for singing does require relaxation. Singers cannot support their voices well while there is excess tension in their bodies, or if they are attempting to force their breath out in unnatural ways. However, it is impossible to completely relax the torso during inhalation (so that the diaphragm can descend). Muscles are involved and are doing work, so there is some muscular contraction, especially in the back. However, there is a sense of 'lack of tension' that should accompany well coordinated breathing. You shouldn't feel the muscles straining to expand or contract. If you are strong and coordinated enough, you might be aware that they are working, but that work will be easy - like lifting something very light. Building muscular strength makes the work of breathing and supporting the singing tone easier. If you are weak, you will have to work much harder to produce the same results, if you can, but will tire more easily.

In maintaining appoggio, the muscles must have a tremendous amount of control to prevent the premature rising of the diaphragm and to keep the air stream steady and consistent. Weak muscles will sometimes spasm or shake when being worked hard, and this means that the diaphragm will rise at an inconsistent rate and air flowing from the lungs will also be unsteady, leading to an unsteady tone and irregular vibrancy rate.

MAINTAIN STRONG AND HEALTHY LUNGS

It is also beneficial for the singer to achieve good cardiovascular health. A strong heart ensures that the body is well oxygenated, and healthy lungs enable the singer to breathe clearly and to maximize lung capacity.

Of course, anything that is potentially damaging to heart and lung health or affects their ability to function optimally, such as smoking or exposure to second hand smoke, ought to be avoided.

BREATHING EXERCISES

Using Hands and Mirrors For Feedback: A first exercise to help assess whether or not you are breathing properly involves spreading both hands as if you were wearing mittens (i.e., fingers together but thumbs spread), then placing the fingers over the upper abdomen just below where the ribs meet (pointing forward and toward the centre of the body) and positioning the thumbs (pointing backward) on the lower ribs. This is just below where the diaphragm is located. Breathe in and out deeply and very slowly while making a little 'wind' noise, and feel your hands moving in and out with each breath. Maintain relaxation.

Making a little audible breathing noise - not whistling - is sometimes a helpful source of secondary feedback for some students because it allows them to hear their breath and to increase their awareness of it as it enters and leaves their bodies. Then, they can connect it to the actions that they are feeling in their abdomens, lower ribs and backs. It also tends to encourage deeper, less inhibited breathing. Always ensure, though, that you are not making a sighing noise or gesture (e.g., raising the shoulders and expanding then collapsing the rib cage), as this will cause tensions and will not produce good relationships between the body and the larynx.

You should feel the expansion of the epigastric region - the area between the bottom of the sternum and the navel and extending outward to the lower part of the ribs on each side - as you inhale. (I've heard some teachers describe this sensation or state as "fat and full".) Lower rib movement may be very subtle and a little difficult to detect at first. If your hands aren't moving noticeably in and out, you likely aren't using your support muscles correctly, or you are not inhaling as deeply and fully as you should be.

However, do not try to force expansion of the abdominal wall. Downward and outward thrusting of the abdominal wall actuates tensions in the lower trunk, generating sphincteral action also at the level of the larynx, resulting in pressed phonation. It also causes the ribs to move inward and the sternum to fall, and reduces contact of the abdominal musculature with the eleventh and twelfth ribs in the low dorsal area. These actions diminish lung volume and contribute to the rate of rising subglottic pressure. Let the movement be natural and comfortable.

From time to time, you may see singers placing a hand on their upper abdomens while they are performing. When this happens, the singer has likely realized that he or she isn't using his or her breath correctly and is now using the hand on the diaphragm area to serve as a reminder or a physical cue to return his or her focus to that area of the body. Sometimes, it is helpful for new singers to keep their hands in this spot during lessons or performances until breathing correctly becomes second nature to them - until they do it consistently

This exercise is done most effectively in front of a mirror because the visual feedback is particularly helpful. Your chest and shoulders should not rise as you breathe. Although there may be some subtle movement as a result of the lungs filling up and expanding, there should be minimal chest displacement and the rib cage should not collapse between breaths. Breathe deeply, and feel the muscles in your back and abdomen 'supporting' the diaphragm's movements. Watch for any tension that might be building up in your jaw, neck or chest.

Breathing can also be monitored from a supine position. A singer can lie down on his or her back and watch or feel with the hands the natural movements of the abdominal wall during inhalation and expiration. (As I caution below, though, placing an object such as a book on the abdomen to help watch for movement is not advisable.)

If you are breathing properly during these exercises and if you are truly making everything connect for the first time, you should feel your intercostal muscles - the muscles that wrap around your rib cage, between the ribs themselves - working hard, and they will feel a little tired, just like your other muscles do when they are being used a lot, used in new ways or are being given a good workout. (This is not to be confused with 'intercostal breathing', which is widely believed to be less efficient in terms of breath management.) You won't feel them working hard during normal speech and activity because your body doesn't require as much air to accomplish these tasks, so they don't need to expand and contract as quickly, fully or for as long as they do when you are singing. Eventually, they will get stronger, and it will become easier and more natural to breathe correctly while singing. The stronger that these muscles (as well as the other muscles involved in breathing) become, the better 'supported' your breath will be, assuming that you are able to achieve synchronization between these support muscles and your larynx, and the more efficient you will become at using your breath during singing.

Silent Breath Renewals: In time, silent breathing should be practiced, as silent breath renewals are required during singing tasks. Nose breathing is a good solution for singers who are noisy breathers or who are unable to breath low enough into the body due to a poorly prepared vocal tract. Breathing through the nose slows down the pace at which the singer is able to fill up his or her lungs to capacity, which allows the singer to maintain the gesture of inhalation over a longer period of time. Since during nose breathing the larynx and the body of the tongue lower slightly, and the zygomatic muscles elevate the fascia of the cheek region, thus raising the velum, relaxation of the vocal tract is induced. In other words, this slower inhalation ideally positions the vocal tract, the larynx and the musculature of the abdominal wall. (See Breath Pacing, below.)

'Breathing Out the Voice': In order to better understand the connection between the breath and the voice, it is sometimes helpful to exhale while vocalizing or phonating. Inhale, feeling the movement of the upper abdomen and lower ribs, and then exhale while saying, 'Ahhh'. (This sound should have a duration of two to three seconds.) Towards the end of the exhale, switch to just breath (no 'Ah') and feel the air whoosh out of your body. Breathe out your voice. Feel how the body supports the breath and the action of the diaphragm whether or not there is sound being made at the laryngeal level. Feel how the entire exercise happens on one continuous stream of breath.

Farinelli Maneuver (and a Variation): A breathing exercise that moves the student toward appoggio technique involves learning to keep the diaphragm (and belly and lower ribs) distended throughout the breath cycle, as though the singer is still inhaling during exhalation. (This centuries old concept expressed by great teachers of the past such as Giovanni Battista Lamperti, is sometimes paraphrased 'singing on the gesture of inhalation'.) Gaining better control over the muscles and diaphragm can help to slow down the rate at which you use up your air, which is ideal for situations in which notes, especially high notes, must be sustained for several measures, or during coloratura or lengthy vocal passages.

Inhale deeply and quickly, then suspend (but do not 'hold') that breath while keeping the abdomen and lower ribs in the 'outward' position of inhalation for three seconds. Increase this to four then five seconds once you are stronger and have better control. Exhale slowly, allowing the abdominal wall to return to its resting, inward position by the end of the exhale. Once you have mastered keeping your diaphragm low while suspending your breath, attempt to keep it in the same position while exhaling very slowly. Making the muscles that support breathing work harder like this can increase stamina and strength, allowing you better regulation and use of your airflow. (This is a simpler variation on the Farinelli exercise outlined below because the inhalation phase of the breath cycle is quicker.)

When this exercise becomes easier, begin developing control over all aspects of the breath cycle and increasing the length of time that you are able to maintain the initial position of inhalation. First, slowly pace quiet inhalation over four seconds. Remain in the inspiratory position for a count of four seconds, neither inhaling nor exhaling nor holding your breath, which incites laryngeal and abdominal tensions, and will produce overly firm glottal closure and impede flow phonation during singing. Finally, quietly and evenly exhale for a count of four seconds, gradually and slowly allowing the diaphragm to rise and return to it's 'resting' position only near the end of the breath cycle. Gradually increase the time spent in each of these three steps until a count of ten - thirty seconds in total - is comfortable. (This exercise is known as the Farinelli Maneuver or Farinelli Exercise.)

Regularly repeat this process a number of times every day. (It can easily and inconspicuously be practiced in the car, on the bus, while sitting at a work desk or in a classroom, etc..) Be careful not to push air out at the end of the breath cycle, especially in an effort to dispose of the 'old' air and quickly replenish the lungs with 'fresh' air. Put differently, be careful not allow yourself to get to the point where you feel as though you are completely out of air and must gasp for air. Breath renewals should be relaxed, quiet and well paced.

Breath Pacing: Breath pacing is a practice that singers must perfect during singing tasks if they hope to be able to regulate their air efficiently. In breath pacing, the singer learns to match the amount of air taken in during breath renewals to the amount of air required for the given vocal task and also avoid unsteady breathing throughout the breath cycle, from inhalation to the expelling of air during phonation, by taking in air at regular intervals. This means that, in time, the singer will learn to not 'gasp for air' during quick breath renewals, 'tank up' or hold the breath in advance of the next phrase, or use up more air than is necessary for the given vocal task. Breathy onsets will also be improved.

Rhythmic breath pacing exercises should be tried in a comfortable range. For example, at a moderate tempo, sing onset measures of quarter notes, taking a silent breath (a quarter note of rest) either through the mouth or through the nose after each note. Each measure or two of quarter notes can be concluded with a brief sustained note. With notes being so short in duration and breath renewals happening so frequently, the singer must be careful not to inhale too deeply, or else he or she might begin to feel lightheaded or hyperventilate.

The tempo of the exercise and the duration of the individual notes can be altered, and pacing can be shortened or lengthened to correspond to the the intervals of rest between phrases. In time, the singer learns to inhale more appropriate levels of air for the phrase that will follow and learns to take breaths at more regular intervals while singing. The goal is to achieve control and steadiness over the breath cycle and a sense of calm and relaxation in how the singer approaches preparation for singing a phrase.

Application: Once you are breathing with the correct mechanism, discover how your breath is connected to your voice - how it fuels it - by applying it to your singing.

Sing a single line of a simple song, paying special attention to all aspects of your breathing. Inhale silently and only take in enough air to comfortably complete the phrase and support the tone without feeling as though you are running out of breath at the end. Then sing two lines of the song in succession, being sure to pace your breathing and to match your air levels to the phrases. Do not rapidly push out the breath, and do not hold back the breath energy. Keep your breathing steady and controlled. As you build your technical skills, gradually increase the level of difficulty of the songs that you sing. Practice pacing your breathing.

BREATHING EXERCISES TO AVOID

Exercise One: One exercise that some instructors have their students try involves lying down and placing a thick book on their chests. The premise is that lying on the floor encourages relaxation and allows the body to be still enough for motion in the diaphragmatic region to be more readily seen, and the book makes the movement of the diaphragm more pronounced. The students receive feedback about the correctness or incorrectness of their breathing by watching the movement of the book. If the book moves up and down, then the singer is breathing thoracicly - from his or her chest - rather than diaphragmatically. (Remember that all of the body's movement while breathing should be seen in the soft, abdominal area.)

This exercise, while not likely to be harmful, encourages the use of weight or resistance that is unnatural. It is highly unlikely that a singer will ever be placed in the uncomfortable position of having to sing while a weight is stationed on his or her chest. Also, a singer seldom, if ever, finds himself or herself lying down during singing tasks. It is better, instead, to develop the connection and coordination in ways that mimick real life or normal singing situations.

Exercise Two: To exaggerate the movement of the diaphragm, some misguided teachers have their students place a heavy book on their stomachs instead of their chests. The students breathe in and out deeply and watch the up and down movement of the book to ensure that the movement during breathing is originating from the diaphragm. If the book doesn't move up and down with the students' breathing, then the students are either breathing from the chest instead of the diaphragm or are not breathing deeply enough.

However, I especially do not recommend this variation on the exercise, as it risks placing strain on the support muscles, especially in singers and new students who have not yet developed good strength and control of these muscles. Furthermore, with an object putting excess and unnatural weight on the part of the abdomen that should be freely expanding during breathing, students are inclined to expand the hypogastric (pelvic and lower abdominal) area instead of the epigastric area or the chest and will attempt to use other muscle groups to force the abdomen to move, which means that they aren't learning to breathe properly. It is better to develop these muscles gently and gradually, and I feel that it is neither necessary nor safe to use artificial forms of resistance, such as books, to strengthen the breath support muscles.

Exercise Three: Another exercise that is thought to strengthen the muscles that support breathing - see Anatomy of the Voice for more information on which muscle groups aid in breath management - and help the singer make the larynx-lower body connection involves exhaling with rapid, forceful breaths. The singer is supposed to inhale deeply and quickly, taking in as much air as he or she can, as quickly as he or she can, and then push the air out of the lungs in three staccato (short and quick) breaths, using the third breath to rapidly expel as much of the remaining air as possible. (Think of an imaginary fist delivering three consecutive imaginary punches to the stomach, 'knocking' a third of the 'wind' out of you with each blow to the gut.) Oftentimes, at the end of the breath, the student is asked to suck the stomach inward at the spot where the ribs come together in the front, or pretend as though he or she is drawing the stomach back toward the spine. The student should see and feel the upper abdomen move inwards and upwards dramatically with each quick exhale, and pause between each of them. The student is encouraged to watch that he or she is not simply creating the illusion of forceful exhalation by making noises solely with the mouth rather than using the diaphragmatic muscles to vigourously push the air out, which creates the sound. In other words, the staccato breaths should be originating from the brief, rapid and forceful pushes of the diaphragmatic and partnering muscles.

The inherent problems with this exercise are that it does not mimick what happens during singing tasks because a singer does not exhale in several quick fits and starts and that it does not train the singer to maintain the initial inspiratory position - to 'sing on the gesture of inhalation'. Instead, it encourages a rapid, forceful and irregularly paced rising of the diaphragm, which is not beneficial to the singer in the long run for many reasons. Rapid breath expulsion has no relationship to controlled breath management because it does not train the singer to pace airflow for the tasks of the literature to be sung. While this exercise might help to strengthen the support muscles because of the rapid contractions required - just like those used in abdominal 'crunches' and other core strengthening exercises - a singer should never breathe with this much force, rapidity and unevenness during phonation (singing or speech) as it will place too much air pressure on the vocal folds and lead to pushing and vocal injury. It will also negatively impact endurance and vibrancy (e.g., vibrato rate).

Exercise Four: One exercise commonly taught by those who teach singing techniques for the theatre employs a Lamaze style of rhythmic breathing that is sometimes taught during childbirth classes. Lamaze was developed to allow labouring women to maximize the control that they have over their breathing and to get into rhythmic patterns that would ensure that they would not hold their breath during contractions or pushing, (thus allowing both mother and baby to maintain good oxygen levels), and to distract them and help them manage their pain. Unfortunately, this 'panting' mimicks neither the natural breath cycle nor the augmented breathing patterns associated with well-supported singing, and it can easily lead to lightheadness and hyperventilation. It does not assist the singer in breath pacing.

The notion that there must be consciously induced breath emmission over the vocal folds in order to produce a singing tone is false, and leads to the development and teaching of exercises like those described above that cause a student to believe that if the muscles of the abdomen are not moving inward and upward energetically and noticeably during phonation, the tone is not well supported. Distension of the abdomen and lower ribs upon inhalation may be minimal (especially when the phrase is shorter, requiring less breath) and the inward and upward movement of the diaphragm and abdomen subtle during well-supported singing.

Also, rigidity of the support mechanism and tension often ensue whenever a singer attempts to control the breath process directly at either the abdomen or the larynx. Even strong muscles need to be able to move freely - to be flexible - so that stiffness does not interfere with the sound's freedom.