Breath of Life

Breath of Life

When God breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of the newly formed creature, made in His own likeness, that lifeless form began to live! Life is dependent upon breathing. Likewise, a good healthy life is dependent upon proper breathing. Very few people really know how to breath properly. When was the last time you truly took a deep breath? Do you even know how?

Breathing Examples

This week I was giving two new students, in their teens, voice lessons. As I normally do, we begin the first lesson with good posture and breathing deep, utilizing the diaphragm. I ask them to stand tall and take a deep breath. As 95% of my new students do, they each inhaled with their chest and shoulders heaving upwards. Instead of breathing deep, they had taken a very high, shallow breath, without achieving very much oxygen. It took about 15 minutes of demonstrations, visuals, and exercises before either began to comprehend true deep breathing. It only takes a few years to develop bad habits of shallow breathing that affects a persons health for the rest of their life.

You see, the dome shaped diaphragm located within the chest cavity, was designed by God, to expand downward, below the chest cavity. As a result, this allows the lungs to expand to fill the void created by the downward movement of the diaphragm filling them with life refreshing oxygen.

My challenge to them was to master the correct method of breathing, that I teach in “Singing Made Simple”. This must be achieved by daily practice, doing the routines that I teach until it becomes the natural, healthy lifestyle of breathing for the rest of their life.

Not only does good health need proper diaphragmatic breathing, but good breathing is foundational to good singing. Every aspect of singing, good pitch, projection, sustaining and phrasing, all need the support of a strong, healthy diaphragm.

Breathing Practice

Don’t just assume you are breathing correctly.

• Stand in front of a mirror and take a deep breath.
• Watch to see, if like those boys I worked with this week, your shoulders and chest heave upward. If so, you are breathing very poorly.
• Take a big breath of air and exhale slowly, holding back the air, allowing only a small, instant flow of air to release. If you are unable to control the steady release of air for more than 30 seconds, you have a weak diaphragm.

Singing made Simple is not just a course to improve your singing, and I promise it will, but will also help develop a healthier you! A more energetic you!