One of the most important aspects of singing is breathing properly. In addition to helping you sing long notes out loud, this helps maintain sound quality. Certain breathing techniques make the vocal cords pressure-free so you can produce a quality sound. To learn how to breathe when you sing, learn how to breathe and how to maintain your posture so you can sing well. Also, learn how to protect your vocal cords from damage and overuse.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Learning Breathing Techniques
Step 1. Breathe using your diaphragm
When singing, make sure you breathe deeply using your diaphragm or abdominal muscles. This way, you don't keep too much air in your throat which makes the sound strain. Perform the following steps to ensure that you are breathing using your diaphragm.
- Stand straight while holding the outside of the waist (between the pelvis and the lowest ribs). Then, inhale deeply until your fingers move away from each other.
- Alternatively, lie on your back on the floor and take deep breaths until your stomach muscles expand, but your chest doesn't expand as well.
- The steps above will help you figure out what it's like to breathe using your diaphragm.
Step 2. Perform combination breathing
As you sing, try to inhale through your nose and mouth. If you breathe in only through your nose, take in less air into your lungs. Similarly, if you inhale only through your mouth. Airflow can dry out the vocal cords, causing them to become tense and adversely affect the quality of the sound produced.
Practice breathing in through your mouth and nose as you sing
Step 3. Adjust the exhale
Another important aspect of singing and breathing is exhaling slowly and evenly. This will help you keep your voice steady, even when you sing. In order to regulate your breath, take a deep breath using your diaphragm and then exhale while making a long "ssss" sound for about 10 seconds.
Practice this breathing technique regularly by exhaling while making a consistent "sss" sound
Method 2 of 3: Maintaining Posture While Singing
Step 1. Stand with your knees slightly bent
Posture is very important because it helps you breathe properly while singing so that your vocal cords are free from tension. Spread your feet shoulder width apart while slightly bending your knees. Never lock your knees while singing.
Step 2. Puff out your chest
In order to sing with proper posture, slightly puff out your chest and contract your abdominal muscles. Activating your core is one way to ensure that you're breathing through your diaphragm. This step is useful for protecting the vocal cords.
Step 3. Keep your head up
When singing, the position of the chin should be parallel to the floor. This step loosens the vocal cords so you can sing with clear articulation.
Step 4. Relax your shoulders
To sing well, make sure you breathe while relaxing your shoulders. This method ensures that you are breathing deeply using your diaphragm and not breathing in short bursts. Don't shrug your shoulders as you inhale. Instead, lower your shoulders and let them relax.
Step 5. Relax your neck, lower jaw, and facial muscles
When singing, do not tighten the muscles around the neck so that the vocal cords become tense or under pressure. This condition makes it difficult for you to sing and makes your voice sound less relaxed.
Method 3 of 3: Protecting the Vocal Cord from Damage
Step 1. Warm up your voice before singing
So that the vocal cords do not experience tension, make it a habit to practice warming up your voice before singing. In addition, this step is useful for preparing the vocal cords and diaphragm to produce the desired sound when singing.
Before singing, warm up your voice by humming or flexing your tongue
Step 2. Let the vocal cords rest
The vocal cords will experience tension if used excessively. Don't talk a lot in a very noisy environment. Do not sing when you have a cold because the sound is not pleasant to hear. Set aside time to rest and restore your vocal cords.
Step 3. Drink water
Another way to protect the vocal cords is to drink plenty of water, which is 6-8 glasses (1½-2 liters) a day. This step is useful for hydrating the vocal cords. A dry throat makes the voice sound unrelieved and can damage the vocal cords.
Step 4. Don't smoke
Smoking causes irreversible damage to the lungs and vocal cords. Cigarette smoke makes the vocal cords dry and irritated, causing them to swell. If you continue to smoke, your voice will sound hoarse and hoarse.
Step 5. Exercise regularly
Aerobic exercise, such as swimming, running, or cycling is beneficial to increase lung capacity and clear the airways. This way, you can sing comfortably, improve your voice quality, and customize your sound production as you wish. To achieve maximum results, make it a habit to exercise at least 30 minutes a day 4-5 times a week.
Tips
- As you exhale, imagine that there is a candle burning in front of you and the flame must be extinguished by blowing.
- Set aside time to strengthen your breathing with regular exercise.
