Ep.51: How to Improve Your Singing? Better Breath Control!
Ep.51: How to Improve Your Singing? Better Breath Control!
This video is how to improve your singing with better breath control.
In our previous episode I talked about how to improve your singing by balancing the voice.
One part of singing that can get out of balance is the breath or air you use for singing.
Inside this video, I’ll discuss vocal problems poor breath control causes and how you can get better air control to balance your voice and improve your singing.
When we have problems singing, there’s a cause. Something isn’t working in an ideal way.
Air or breath control is the cause of several singing problems.
How to Improve Your Singing? Control Air Blow and Air Flow
When you sing, air from your lungs travels to your vocal cords. Your vocal cords resist the air and create sound waves which travel to your mouth where words are formed and sent out on a melody.
When we sing we blow air out of our lungs to our vocal cords. The air blow sends a steady air flow to our vocal cords. Air blow sends air flow.
Imagine an electric Air Blow Fan inside us. When we turn it on, it sends an Air Flow to our vocal cords. If I adjust the Air Blow Fan to extreme high, the powerful force of the Air Flow will cause problems for my vocal cords. Imagine my lips are vocal cords. [Demo]
Conversely, if I adjust the Air Blow Fan to wimpy low, the weak Air Flow will also cause problems for the vocal cords. [Demo]
In both examples the Air Blow and Flow are out of balance.
Here are ways Air Blow and the resulting Air Flow can be out of balance.
- Too Much Air Blow
Possible effects are:
- The vocal cords are blown apart
- You have a Breathy sound
- The vocal cords over tighten
- You get extraneous muscle tension
- Your larynx is pushed higher
- Your pitches may be sharp or flat
- Too Little Air Blow
Possible effects are:
- The vocal cords, starved of air, stop and go inconsistently
- And sound waves generated by the vocal cords lack intensity and are too soft
- There’s a lack of presence in the voice
How to Balance Air Blow and Air Flow
It’s simpler than you think.
You can balance the air blow and the resulting air flow by finding the right adjustment in your imaginary internal fan.
If your problem is too much air blow, don’t push so much air. Turn down the air blow. One way to do this is reduce the loudness, which reduces the air blow. [Demo]
If your problem is too little air blow, send more air to your vocal cords. Turn up your air blow fan.
It’s possible you are singing too softly. Gradually increasing loudness will increase the air blow. [Demo]
Air Blow and the resulting Air Flow is something you have control of as a singer. Your first step is recognizing when you’re out of balance. Then you can make the adjustment to bring balance back by controlling your air.
Blasting too much air is sometimes a problem with singers whose vocal type is Pulled Chest-High Larynx.
Do you know your vocal type? I’m not referring to whether you are a soprano, alto, tenor or bass. You vocal type is what you tend to do when you sing.
Visit PowerToSing.com and take the vocal test, which I call the PowerTest. Take the quiz and discover your vocal type. Then go to the Knowledge Center and watch the videos about your vocal type.
Download the free exercises for your vocal type. They’re designed to help you balance your voice so you can make rapid progress with your singing.
I’m Chuck Gilmore with Power To Sing. You can sing higher, with beauty, confidence and power. I’ll see you inside the next video.