Building Breath Control for Steadier Singing

I have found that most people don’t pay much attention to the breathing when they first start learning to sing. The note is the thing to focus on, and the breathing is secondary. The truth is that breathing should be the first thing that you think about. Breathing is what creates your tone and maintains your tone. It’s what helps you to hold a note for a long time without wavering or faltering.

To learn how to control your breathing, you have to learn how to breath properly. I want you to stand up right now and take a deep breath in through your nose. Feel your stomach and diaphragm expand as you fill your lungs with air. Don’t breathe from your chest, but breathe from your diaphragm. Now, breathe out slowly through your mouth. As you breathe out, make an “ssss” sound with your mouth, like a snake hissing. This will help you to slow down your breathing and breathe more naturally.

When you’re singing, you don’t want to take huge breaths of air, but rather moderate breaths of air. This will help you to control your tone and hold your notes steady. If you take huge breaths of air, you’ll find that your tone will waver and falter. You’ll also find that your throat will tense up and it will be hard to sing.

Here’s a good exercise to do every day to help improve your breathing: take a short daily practice session to practice your breathing. Start by just breathing deeply in and out through your nose. Then, start hissing like a snake as you breathe out. Move on to humming. Hum a note and focus on your breathing. Try to breathe steadily and slowly, just like you were doing when you were hissing. Move on to an Ah. Sing an Ah and focus on your breathing. Try to breathe steadily and slowly, just like you were doing when you were humming. Finally, sing a song that you know really well, but focus on your breathing. Try to sing the song without taking huge breaths of air, and focus on holding your notes steady.

When you start focusing on your breathing, I think you’ll be surprised at how much your tone will improve. Take a tape recorder and tape yourself singing, and then listen back to the tape. Focus on your breathing and how it affects your tone. You’ll be able to hear whether or not you’re breathing properly.