Rashida B. answered 04/15/20
Seasoned Voice Teacher specializing in singers of all levels
Hi there,
The process for increasing your breath support for singing a long note or different tones when singing a long note is quite simple.
- Make sure that you are standing up tall with your feet shoulder width apart, shoulders directly over your hips and your neck and head are relaxed and loose. You will also need to be sure that your chest and shoulders are relaxed as well. Maintaining your alignment is essential from proper breathing technique.
- Then inhale steadily until you feel that your lungs have fully expanded and you can no longer take in any more air. Note: there shouldn't be any additional tension or tightening of the abdominal muscles or shoulders while you inhale. Added tension will cause the ribcage to tighten which won't allow the lungs to fully expand and will not allow the air to flow freely from your mouth. You should feel as if you are a balloon that has just been inflated and you are about to release the air slowly from your mouth. Hold the air in place by keeping your mouth closed for just a moment.
- When you exhale, you should allow the air to flow slowly from your lips on a "hissing" sound. There will already be a natural buoyancy or resistance within your mid section, so you don't need to push your air out or tighten your muscles. As the air is being released, make sure that maintain your alignment and keep your chest lifted as not to cause the air to rush out or "force" the air out faster than necessary.
- Count to yourself to see how long you can exhale without feeling any tightening of your abdominal muscles or tightening of your ribcage. Continue this process until you are able to do it consistently and easily.
For further instruction with proper singing technique feel free to visit my profile and request a lesson. I'd be happy to help you along your musical journey!