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.