On Thu, 02 Jan 2003 15:12:37 -0000 "westernactor
<matthewmurray@m...>" wrote:
How I wish there were only ONE right
> way in singing instead of there being about 40,000, but that's neither here
nor there.
> But, well, I still want to sing. And I think
> I've pretty much learned that there is never, ever going to be any hope of
that.
>
> But if I can't have that, I at least want to be
> able to breathe correctly.
If not for singing, then for something like public speaking
If anyone has any suggestions on breathing
> exercises I might be able to follow so that I
> can get the muscles and everything coordinated properly as to use air
properly for...
> well, for whatever... I'd appreciate it.
>
> One thing: Please don't tell me to go to a
> singing teacher.
Teaching someone how to breathe for singing by writing words on this computer
is asking the impossible. I'm sorry your experiences with voice teachers have
not been helpful to you in meeting your goals, but neither of us can change
reality.
However, that said, here are a couple of things that I personally have found
helpful in learning the feeling of the right way to breathe while singing, and
I'll tell you what they are below.
Of course, you must realize that breathing, while incredibly important (we
couldn't live without it!), is only part of the equation. The coordinations
for singing (or speaking) are so complex, that no human being can manage them
by thinking about them all individually. That's why teachers help by giving
the student feedback, and thinking of ways to help the student learn and
manage the proper coordinations. For example, to say a particular work in a
particular manner, you only think about the word and how you want to say it,
and it comes out. You don't think, "I put my lips this way, and work these
breathing muscles, and shape the inside of my mouth this way." That's
impossible. So you can see why describing in words on a computer screen all
the coordinations necessary that you can use to change the way you sing now to
some other way of singing is equally impossible!
And perhaps you can understand why there are as many ways of helping someone
sing better as there are people in this world. Because each teacher and each
student are unique. Perhaps the solution for you, should you find funds to
study with a teacher again, is to expect less of the teacher and more of
yourself in not expecting a few magic words or a magic method. The one thing
that's certain is if a teacher ever says, "Mine is the only way to teach
singing. No one else's way is correct," the teacher is deceiving you or
him/herself.
Now to some breathing ideas. The first is to sing while lying flat on your
back. Feel the way your body wants to breathe while you sing, and try to
focus on how that way is different from the way you breathe to sing standing
up. Record yourself singing both ways to see if you hear a difference, and if
you like the lying-down way better. If so, see if you can apply the
lying-down feeling to your standing up singing. This is FAR easier to write
than it is to do.
The other idea is to stand in your normal singing posture and breathe out all
your breath, very slowly, through pursed lips, as if through a straw. When
the breath is all out, allow yourself to breathe in by just letting the breath
rush in. Feel how everything in your abdomen area releases when you do this.
Then sing some notes. Record yourself singing normally, and then singing
after taking in your breath this way. If you hear a positive difference, try
to apply this feeling to taking in your breath for singing under normal
circumstances.
Good luck!
Peggy
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
|
|  |
