Breath support is a main focus of most vocal training methods. I think most singers over-do it. The voice needs balance between the flow of air and the resistance of air by the vocal folds. This balance can only be achieved by allowing the breath to be regulated automatically by the body while maintaining a relaxed speech-level posture. The breathing mechanism doesn’t need large amounts of specialized breathing exercises in order to function properly for singing.
Breath support happens automatically. If you dig your thumbs into your waist muscles at the same level as your navel and cough, you will notice that your abdominal muscles support the cough. Now keep your thumbs there and call out emotionally “Hey!!” as if you were trying to get some one’s attention who is about to accidentally step in a puddle. You will feel the natural support that your voice already calls for when using the voice.
So “more support” is not what is actually needed by most singers. What is needed is the maintenance of a speech level posture. In fact asking a singer to give support to a sound is like asking the fuel gauge to move toward full without putting fuel in the car. Support is the natural product of balanced vocal production. Asking a singer to monitor their support can occasionally be of some value however, because when support is not being felt, they realise that they have fallen off of their speech level and must reestablish their posture.
More tomorrow!
Guy
This blog is not owned or operated by Speech-Level-Singing International, it is owned and operated privately by Guy Babusek. The views expressed herein are strictly his own.