Kate's Voice

I had been singing and  teaching voice for quite awhile when I had an important realization; I have learned a lot about living by learning a lot about breathing.  Frankly, breathing is essential for living.  It is natural and reflexive.  It should be easy, but when the physical demands of singing are added to this natural process, problems may arise.  Now, isn’t that just like Life itself?   One day things are going along smoothly, and the next day, some demands are made upon us that suddenly engage us in the complexities of balancing, controlling and analyzing what once seemed so simple and natural.  I decided that if I wrote down some rules for better breathing, I might have some tools I could use in life, too. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Remember to breathe.
2. Take good care of your body.  It is your instrument.
3. Gradually increase your capacity to breathe by challenging your “limits.”
4. It takes work to make your breathing feel natural.
5. Breathe ahead.
6. Breathe into each phrase and keep the breath flowing with energy.
7. The beginning is often the hardest part.  The secret of a good beginning is to breathe into it.
8. The cut-off, or final word, takes breath, too.  Keep the air flowing even after the sound stops.
9. Always give yourself time to breathe even when there’s not much time to breathe.
10. Talent, practice and skill are very important.   But if breathing is a problem, it’s a lot harder to demonstrate talent and skill.

Related articles:

Breathing: The Seductive Key to Unlocking Your Vocal Variety on Six Minutes

Are Presentation Skills Like Riding a Bicycle? on Kathy Rieffenstein’s Blog

Yoga Breath Blog