In a message dated 1/27/2002 10:41:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, drama_diva_au@y... writes:
> Anyone else got any breathing exercises/ideas they just couldn't sing > without? >
yes michelle,
unless i have to manage some unusually long phrase (and yes, i mean singing in the classical fashion), 'normal' breathing is what i use. there are several advantages to this. for one thing, as it is normal, i already know how to do it and don't have to waste energy (mental and physical) worrying about it.
i would describe normal breathing as the following: when we talk, we begin talking on whatever air is in our lungs. as we talk, we use air, creating a vacuum. when we stop talking and relax, we stop the process that is creating that vacuum and, nature, by virtue of eliminating that vacuum, inhales for us. i have found that this process is quicker than any of the approaches that attempt to 'manually override' the process of breathing in hopes of making it more efficient. i am not alone in my thinking on this. carlo bergonzi, piero cappuccilli and daniel ferro (i think) all believe in this type of breathing. jerome hines discussed the approach, along with quite a few others, in his book 'the four voices of man'.
one other benefit to this type of breathing; as it is the breathing of everyday life, there is a calming effect when performing (or, at least, it doesn't contribute to the general panic).
mike
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