Breathing is fundamental for voice – you cannot produce voice without it.
If you do not have sufficient breath support, you may begin to tense parts of your vocal tract to compensate for this (e.g. muscles in your neck or muscles which control the vocal cords). Therefore, it is vital that you explore your breath support before moving on to any of the other exercises.
Breathing exercises can also help you to relax your whole body and release any extra tension which may affect how you are using your voice.
Activity to explore your breathing:
1. Rest one hand on your upper chest, and one hand on your stomach.
2. Take a long, slow breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on filling your lungs from the bottom – you should feel your stomach/ribcage rise as you breathe in, and then fall as you breathe out. Use these deep breaths to reduce any tension in you might be holding in your upper body.
3. Repeat 3-5 times, or until you feel confident with this type of breathing.
Note
If you feel dizzy or light-headed at any time, stop and return to normal breathing.
Some people find their breathing can be affected by stress or feeling tense. You may get into a pattern of breathing from the top of your lungs, not fully expanding your lungs.
Please note that if you are ‘binding’ this can also affect your breathing, so be mindful of this as you work through these activities.
How did this feel?
This activity should help you to be more aware of your breathing and help you to tune into when you might not be breathing effectively.
Did it feel strange to breathe in through your nose, rather than your mouth? Was it easier? What helped you to breathe more deeply? Did you notice any change in the tension in your body after doing this activity?
