Fundamentals of Singing - Inhalation

Sunday, September 10, 2017 by Jeffrey Tarr | Inhalation

Inhalation - The act of taking in a breath. 

It is important to present the two modes of breathing separately because it is impossible to support your singing without a good inhalation.  Inhalation results from the negative pressure in the lungs caused by contraction of the diaphragm, which causes it to move downwards and to expand the chest cavity. The resulting flow of air into the lungs restores a pressure equal to that of the atmosphere.  It is important to note that the breath originates with the diaphragm, NOT the mouth or nose.  

Inhalation must be: silent, deep, and wide.  Silent breathing is fundamental to good singing.  Noisy inhalation causes tension and dryness in the throat as well as it just sounds bad.  Deep breathing starts with the diaphragm, the muscle located under your lungs.  The diaphragm moves downward and pushes the viscera (contents of the belly) down to make way for the lungs to expand.  Wide breathing is initiated by the intercostal muscles in the rib cage.  These muscles move outward from the lungs to make room for the lungs to expand horizontally.  Avoid raising shoulders as you inhale.

Fundamentals of Singing - Posture

Sunday, September 3, 2017 by Jeffrey Tarr | Posture

Posture - the position in which someone holds their body when standing or sitting.

I like to build posture from the feet up.  I like to think of myself as a tree growing up from the ground with a sense of strength and stillness.

Feet:  Keep feet the hips’ width apart.  

Knees: Keep your knees slightly bent to allow the diaphragm to descend and good circulation.

Abdomen: Relaxed - this is where singers differ from dancers in posture - Do NOT tuck your abdomen in.

Shoulders: Pull your shoulder blades back and down to lift your breastbone.

Arms: Relaxed - they are just "wet noodles" - allow them to dangle without tension or unnecessary movements. 

Neck: Hold your head high and straight without tilting it forward or to the side. Your ears should be in line with the middle of your shoulders.  Attempt to elongate the back of the neck to assume a noble posture.

The body at all times should remain relaxed; avoid rigidity as this causes tension in your sound.

Fundamentals of Singing

Friday, September 1, 2017 by Jeffrey Tarr | Technique

Greetings, Students!

During our first few lessons, I like to spend a few minutes discussing what I consider the fundamentals of singing.  These are aspects of singing which are universal for singing and include: posture, inhalation, breath support, and resonance/articulation.  I spend time explaining my own concepts on these aspects of singing so that we can have a common language in our journey of discovering how your voice functions.  This work may seem tedious at first, but I assure you that adherence to these techniques will make you a better singer.