7 DAYS OF 7 DIMENSIONS

DAY 2: BREATHING

THE SECOND DIMENSION

Day 2 introduced us to the second vocal dimension! Here is a summary of what Richard and Gabriel discussed during the lesson, along with anatomical diagrams and downloadable MP3s for vocalizing.

 

What is Breathing? Breathing refers to the management of air through the use of the muscles surrounding the lungs.

Improving breathing is important because it will help you:

  • Gain more dynamic control over volume throughout your range
  • Achieve a variety of tones including intentionally imbalanced textures
  • Sing longer notes and melodic phrases on stage

ANATOMY OF BREATHING

The coordination of breathing is dependent on the functionality of both the inhalation and exhalation processes.

INHALATION MUSCLES

  • Diaphragm – Dome-shaped muscle, located directly under your lungs and above your abdominal cavity, that flexes downwards to draw air into the body
  • External Intercostals – Muscles situated between the ribs that expand the lungs outwards to assist with the inhalation process

EXHALATION MUSCLES

  • Abdominals – A group of muscles used to stabilize the body and work against the diaphragm to release an intentional amount of air pressure during phonation
  • Internal Intercostals – Muscles situated between the ribs that work against the external intercostal muscles to relax and compress the lungs during the exhalation process

How Does the Diaphragm Work? The diaphragm is often referred to as a singer’s primary muscle in the actuation phase. However, the diaphragm’s main function is to draw air inwards (inhalation phase), pulling down on the lungs as it contracts. Its secondary function is to assist in the outgoing air (exhalation phase) through a controlled release of tension.

VOCAL EXERCISE

Let’s explore the featured exercise from Day 2 with Gabriel. First, it’s important to take a moment to recognize the components of an exercise to help improve your practice and get better results.

Formant: Ee  |  Feature: H  |  Pattern: 1-1111-1111-1111  |  Volume: Quiet  |  Tempo: Fast  |  Variable: Tongue Forward

Time to practice! Play the MP3 below to vocalize the exercise from Day 2. While vocalizing, be sure to monitor how efficient your airflow is by maintaining consistent “H” sounds throughout the exercise.

S1_1111_1111_1111__Q_140
S1_1111_1111_1111__Q_140

CUSTOMIZE

Adapting exercises to address your current skills is crucial for continuous growth! If you found the exercise too easy or too challenging, it’s best to modify the exercise to get the most out of your practice:

  • Make it easier: Change the H feature to an S. Using the tip of the tongue to help regulate the airflow will demonstrate how little pressure is needed to do the exercise when re-introducing the H.
  • Make it harder: Change the E formant to an A (creating a “HA” sound). A fully open formant removes back pressure above the folds, making it more challenging to manage Breathing. The open, resonant space will also target the dimensions of Strength, Range, and Tone.

WHAT'S NEXT

Tomorrow, we will check out the dimension of Intonation and learn how to develop a stronger sense of pitch and harmony. Check back every day and get an exclusive offer on Day 7. You’re not going to want to miss it!!

 

Keep Singing,
Richard

Day 1

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7