Breath Exercises
Choose the exercise that aligns with your PRODUCTIVE BREATH CONTROL GOAL
These exercises and the goals they are associated with are listed in order from beginner to advanced. Take your time when working towards more advanced scales. The skills you will gain from each goal will serve the next one. You may not be successful if you jump right into more advanced scales.
INHALE
Increase Capacity
1) Stand or sit with your back against a wall. With every breath, flatten and align your spine with the wall to the best of your ability (this does not have to be – nor is it possible for it to be – perfect) Inhale through the nose. Exhale through the nose.
2) Start rolling your spine off the wall, starting with the neck, as if moving slowly into a forward fold. Roll one vertebra at a time. Move slowly and continue to breathe into the wall.
3) There will come a point when you can no longer move fluidly, like a 'chunk' of your back moves at once. Stop here. Continue to breathe into this part of your back.
4) Inhale. Exhale and see if you can get 1cm further into your forward fold. Do this 3 times.
5) Roll back up slowly, continuing to breathe. Once you are upright again, take 3 more balanced breaths. Does your inhale feel more substantial than it did before the exercise?
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, Continue to focus on substantial inhalations. Feel the movement and muscles in your core!
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you feel you can inhale confidnectly during exercises and song work.
INHALE
Reduce Tension
1) Grab a string, a belt or a rope and keep it at hand. Stand or sit comfortably. Inhale and exhale through the nose.
2) If you feel tension in your legs, hips, back or face during an inhale, release and relax with the exhale. On the next inhale, take in less breath. Only take in as much air on each inhalation as you can without feeling tension. Determine a level of inhalation that is comfortable and relaxed. Take 3 of these easy breaths.
3) Take your string, belt or rope and wrap it around your core, at the bottom of your sternum. On your next easy inhale, pause at the peak of your breath, just before you release. Make a note, a notch or marking on the string/belt/rope to track the circumference of your core.
4) Next time you do your vocal practice, do this again! See if you can inhale easily with a core circumference that is just 1mm bigger, still with ease and comfort in the body. If you can do more, great! If not, no worries! Every little bit counts!
APPLY YOUR GOAL.: As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, continue to focus on relaxed and easy inhalations. Only inhale to a point of comfort. Never force it.
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you feel at ease in your body during exercises and song work.
INHALE
Balance
1) Stand or sit comfortably. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose.
2) Put your hand on your chest. Can you feel movement with each inhale here? Put your hand on your belly. Can you feel movement with each inhale here?
3) Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Can you feel movement through your full core with each inhale
4) Take 10 balanced breaths, with your hands on your upper and lower core, before you begin to sing. Making sure to feel movement in the ribcage and the abdomen.
APPLY YOUR GOAL.: As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, continue to focus on creating movement in both your thoracic (ribcage) and abdominal (belly) cavities.
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you can confidently balance your breath (create movement in the full core with each inhale) during exercise and song work.
ONSET
Reduce Tension
In this exercise, you are going to sing on a repeated 'ho' sound. You can sing on any pitch that is comfortable for you OR you can sing into a straw and make this an SOVT exercise.
1) Inhale through the nose
2) Sing (on your pitch of choice) a quick and legato (smooth and connected) "ho ho ho". (Like Santa Clause!)
3) Repeat this 10 times before moving on to exercise or song work.
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, Continue to focus on beginning each vocalized moment with a bit of extra flow to soften any onset that may be too hard.
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you feel easy and relaxed vocalization when you begin to sing during exercises and song work.
ONSET
Gain
Control
In this exercise, you are going to sing on a repeated 'beep' sound. You can sing on any pitch that is comfortable for you OR you can sing into a straw and make this an SOVT exercise.
1) Inhale through the nose
2) Sing (on your pitch of choice) a quick and staccato (short and detached) "beep beep beep". (Like a car horn!)
3) Repeat this 10 times before moving on to exercise or song work.
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, continue to focus on beginning each vocalized moment with a bit of extra pressure to harden any onset that may be too soft.
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you feel direct and clear vocalization when you begin to sing during exercises and song work.
RELEASE
Flow
Control
In this exercise, you are going to sing on a sustained 'Bah' sound. You can sing on any pitch that is comfortable for you! If you have difficulty controlling your breath while singing, do this exercise into a straw and make this an SOVT exercise.
1) Inhale through the nose
2) Sing (on your pitch of choice) a sustained "Bah" for as long as you are comfortable! The sound should be clear and direct – as opposed to breathy or whispered.
3) Repeat this 10 times before moving on to exercise or song work. Focus on the sensation in the body of a balanced inhale and a controlled release! You may feel the contraction in the core muscles as you sing and/or you may see expansion in the core! This may take time to control. Take note each time you practice if you feel the sound of your sustained "Mah" was more or less breathy (or flowy) than the time before!
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, continue to focus on maintaining a clear tone while singing. Add a bit of pressure to help manage any excess of flow.
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you feel you can control direct and clear vocalization when you exercise and during song work.
RELEASE
Pressure Control
In this exercise, you are going to sing on a sustained 'Mah' sound. You can sing on any pitch that is comfortable for you! If you have difficulty controlling your breath while singing, do this exercise into a straw and make this an SOVT exercise.
1) Inhale through the nose
2) Sing (on your pitch of choice) a sustained "Mah" for as long as you are comfortable! The sound should be relaxed and easy – as opposed to forced or strained
3) Repeat this 10 times before moving on to exercise or song work. Focus on the sensation in the body of a balanced inhale and a controlled release! You may feel the contraction in the core muscles as you sing and/or you may see expansion in the core! Don't let your strength turn into tension. Avoid tightness in the shoulders, back face and clavicle! This may take time to control. Take note each time you practice if you feel the sound of your sustained "Mah" was more or less breathy (or flowy) than the time before!
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, continue to focus on maintaining ease while singing. Add a bit of flow to help manage any excess of pressure.
ATTAIN YOUR GOAL! This goal will be attained when you feel you can control direct and clear vocalization when you exercise and during song work.
RELEASE
Flow Versatility
In this exercise, you are going to shift between low and high flow at various points in your range. (more on range and registration in section 2. You can also try this as a SOVT exercise and sing into a straw!
1) In your chest voice, sing (on your pitch of choice) a low flow sustained "Mah" for as long as you are comfortable! The sound should be clear.
2) Sing the same sustained pitch again with high flow on a "Ha" sound. The sound should be breathy.
3) In your head voice, sing (on your pitch of choice) a low flow sustained "Mah" for as long as you are comfortable! The sound should be clear.
4) Sing the same sustained pitch again with high flow on a "Ha" sound. The sound should be breathy.
5) Repeat these steps 10 times moving on to exercise or song work
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, play and experiment with flow! Get creative!
GOAL ATTAINED! This goal will be attained when you feel you can control low flow – direct and clear vocalization – and high flow – breathy and/or whispered – throughout your full usable range!
RELEASE
Pressure Versatility
In this exercise, you are going to shift between low and high pressure at various points in your range. (more on range and registration in section 2. You can also try this as a SOVT exercise and sing into a straw!
1) In your chest voice, sing (on your pitch of choice) a low pressure sustained "Mah" for as long as you are comfortable! The sound should be quiet and gentle.
2) Sing the same sustained pitch again with high pressure on a "Bah" sound. The sound should be loud(er) and more powerful.
3) In your head voice, sing (on your pitch of choice) a low pressure sustained "Mah" for as long as you are comfortable! The sound quiet and gentle (but still clear!)
4) Sing the same sustained pitch again with high flow on a "Bah" sound. The sound should be loud(er) and more powerful.
5) Repeat these steps 10 times moving on to exercise or song work
APPLY YOUR GOAL. As you continue on to your vocal exercises and song work, play and experiment with
pressure! Get creative!
GOAL ATTAINED! This goal will be attained when you feel you can control low pressure – quiet and gentle – and high pressure – loud and powerful – throughout your full usable range!
UPKEEP
Maintenance
Congratulation! You've got great control over your breath! You're comfortable with a balanced inhale, your onset is also balanced but can be made to be softer or harder as needed, and your breath control during release – or singing – is versatile and can create a myriad of gorgeous sound qualities from breathy to clear, whispered to belted or gentle to powerful!
Keep up the good work! You include any breath control exercise in your vocal practice! Cycle through the exercises associated with all of the productive breath control goals, do the 75/25 breath from the Pre-Requisite section of this book, include a SOVT straw exercise OR any breath control exercise you enjoy!
As you continue through your vocal practice, try to maintain a moderate flow and pressure approach to exercises. This will help to engage the respiratory muscles without over-or under using them. Be creative and have fun with breath during your song work! Explore the options that great breath control can offer your tone, your style and your expression!