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Everything below the larynx and, arguably, to the soles of our feet, contributes to the creation of power for voice use. The muscles of the torso that surround and support the lungs, however, are the primary breathing muscles. Although these large torso muscles impact the amount of air pressure that meets the vocal folds (e.g. "subglottic pressure"), the vocal folds manage the airflow (e.g. "glottal resistance"). As Johan Sundberg says: “An increase in subglottic pressure leads to an increase in the airflow. However, this is true only if a third factor is kept constant, namely, the so-called glottal resistance, which is the resistance against airflow through the glottis (Johan Sundberg, The Science of Singing. 1987, pg 38.)
In the complicated reality of the voice, our resonator actually influences the vocal folds through acoustic back pressure, creating a scenario where the acoustic elements of the voice have direct impact on breath support too (see Acoustic Registration). The muscles of the power source influence the vocal folds’ ability to manage airflow. When we alter our thinking about the breathing muscles from managers to influencers, new opportunities arise in relationship to how voice use feels in our bodies. |
For the singing instrument, the breathing
mechanism is the power source, equal to the arm when playing a stringed or percussion instrument. To read more about the concept of "Appoggio" breathing, visit our "Appoggio" page. |
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Since the breathing process involves the largest muscles used in phonation, it often gets significant attention in voice training. Anyone who has studied for more than a few years has encountered a number of approaches to breathing which might include use of a weight belt, pressing against walls, bending over, “pushing from the diaphragm”, squeezing abdominal muscles, pushing out and away from the belly, holding ribs out, etc.
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The body tends to know what it needs to do to breathe. In fact, a large part of breathing happens superfluous of voluntary muscle engagement. The lungs operate in relationship to the air around us, creating pressure vacuums that move air in and out.
The pressure created by these vacuums is known as pleural pressure. 
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For the muscles that activate during breathing, the singer’s primary goal is to center themselves and become aware of the muscular activity. When voice users coordinate their breathing muscles, they tend to say that they don’t feel much at all, or that their breath feels easy. Of equal interest, when vocal folds more efficiently manage airflow, voice users tend to report feelings of "breath support." Far from a passive approach to breathing, training the muscles to engage optimally requires the joint practice of strengthening and centering.
Muscles of inspiration
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When breath enters our bodies, the optimal muscular interaction includes:
Contraction of the diaphragm (lowering and flattening): as the diaphragm contracts, pleural pressure (the pressure surrounding the lungs) drops, thereby creating a vacuum, into which air from outside of the body rushes to fill. Note that air isn’t “taken”, it simply responds to the decrease in pressure, and fills the space. Contraction of the external intercostals (between the ribs): this allows for the ribs to expand up and out, making more room for air to fill the lungs. Contraction of abdominal muscles: during inspiration, this feels like an expansion of the abdomen, and aids in optimizing the diaphragm, spinal stability, and posture. There are many different sensations that can be associated with the abdominal muscles during breathing including tightness (pulling in), pressure (pushing out), pinpointed, jabbing sensation (when leaning back), deflated back, muffin bulge (when leaning forward), etc. For an optimum centered breath, the sensations will range from an awareness of expansion to an opening, freeing sensation. Often, attention to other parts of the body help to free respiration muscles to achieve their task with efficiency. 
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Engaging the diaphragm represents an involuntary muscular activity, though the diaphragm itself is made up of voluntary muscle fibers. That means it can neither be felt or directly controlled, but that we can create conditions that guide its engagement.
The diaphragm separates the entire chest cavity from the entire abdominal cavity.
The intercostals are muscles in between the ribs that help the ribs expand during inhalation. The lungs cannot move on their own without the ribs.
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muscles of expirationThese muscles are engaged over time, as the breath exits the body, and become more engaged as the vacuum around the lungs diminishes, and needs increased muscular activity to maintain steady airflow.
Contraction of internal intercostals (between the ribs): this allows for the rib cage to decrease in size. Contraction of abdominal muscles: this further increases muscular pressure on the lungs. Contraction of oblique muscles: these muscles connect to the lower part of the rib cage, and pull the ribs downward and compress the abdominal compartment. When singers are aware of these muscles, and invited to notice steady muscular involvement, they tend to find that the muscles increase resistance as needed. Intentional or strenuous engagement of the abdominal and oblique muscles tends to create too much breath pressure for the vocal folds to manage efficiently. Note that the diaphragm plays no active role in expiration. |
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Over the course of a singer’s breath, Ingo Titze has charted three phases (Titze, Principals of Voice Production pg. 72).
During the first phase, the pleural pressure (surrounding the lungs) is the primary actor in expiration. During the second phase, as pleural pressure decreases, muscular pressure increases, and during the third phase, muscular pressure predominates. If a singer finds themselves in a situation where they feel like they are “pushing” in order to keep air flowing, they are probably in need of a new breath. |
body centering and awareness
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People tend toward habituated seating and standing postures that are off center.
We often create more muscle tension by trying to enforce postural language like “stand tall”, “push shoulders back”, “raise the breast bone”, etc. These habituations will feel centered, because it’s what people know, but, once they discover a sensation of centering that relies on the fewest muscles needed to remain upright, they will notice a distinct difference. The larger muscles of the body keep us from falling over. If we are centered, they rest, if we are not centered, they engage to keep us from falling. This includes the muscles of the back, abdomen, torso, neck, thighs, hips, tongue, jaw and more. Imagine that all of those muscles are focused on keeping the body upright. How well do you think they will accomplish the secondary task of supporting sustained airflow to create sound? 
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Guiding voice users to center their bodies and bringing them toward awareness of the muscles used in breathing creates a healthy template for a singer’s breath. The first time we work through the sequence below, we pause between each exercise to ask for verbal feedback from the singers, and offer suggestions if they are experiencing tension. After they know the system, we check in periodically, always building on their awareness, eventually beginning with step #5.
Note that this exercise involves the very active conscious mind. As such, it has value when creating or changing habits, but can be released as the voice user develops repeated skill with the habit. 1) To begin, have singers touch their intercostal muscles and breath in, noticing if their ribcage expands. Do this with the oblique muscles, and the abdomen as well. 2) Have them touch all three muscle groups (left thumb on intercostal, pinky on oblique, right hand palm on abdomen) and breathe a 4/4/4 breath (in for four counts, suspend the breath for four counts, and release the breath for four counts), noticing how those muscle groups respond, and if any other muscles tightened in the process (e.g. shoulders). 3) Have them do #2 and lean backward, then again and lean forward, noticing each time which muscles in their body engage, and how it impacts their sense of breath. Have them try to find center, with the least tension. 4) Using the 4/4/4 breath, have them touch their strap muscles, the base of their tongue, and their jaw, and notice if there is tension. 5) Explore a series of body movements (shoulder rolls, neck stretches, arm stretches, forward bend, etc.) while using the 4/4/4 breath while noticing the body and centering. |
Finding one’s center is a life-long experience, changes regularly, and is one that most vocal lessons and ensemble rehearsals have limited time for. However, if more time is available, we work through a number of other exercises to further allow for voice users to explore how their muscles have habituated to their current body habits.
Connecting breath to phrase
One of the hardest parts of voice use is maintaining consistent breath pressure over the course of a phrase. Titze’s lung pressure diagram above shows the trade off between the pleural and muscular pressure over time. Asking a voice user to feel this exchange is like asking them to pick up a toothpick with their hair. Alerting the centered body to the desired goal, however, tends to do the trick. Here are a few exercises that we’ve found helpful. They all have to do with visualizing the length of a phrase and asking the body to have enough air to sing the whole of it.
Connecting breath to phrase
One of the hardest parts of voice use is maintaining consistent breath pressure over the course of a phrase. Titze’s lung pressure diagram above shows the trade off between the pleural and muscular pressure over time. Asking a voice user to feel this exchange is like asking them to pick up a toothpick with their hair. Alerting the centered body to the desired goal, however, tends to do the trick. Here are a few exercises that we’ve found helpful. They all have to do with visualizing the length of a phrase and asking the body to have enough air to sing the whole of it.
12-count breath and 8-count pulse
The next step is to engage the body more fully to build awareness of muscular engagement. Have them breathe in over 12 counts, and then pulse (on [ʒ], [s], [h], etc.) for 8 counts, engaging their abdomen as fully as possible on the pulses. Increase the intake to 16, 20, etc. counts. Although a voice user’s breath doesn’t involve this kind of aggressive muscle contraction, this exercise helps singers connect to their bodies and breath mechanism. As breathing habits develop, this more conscious approach can be altered by using jumping jacks, which will engage less conscious breath mechanism engagement, and free the conscious mind from perceived control.
The next step is to engage the body more fully to build awareness of muscular engagement. Have them breathe in over 12 counts, and then pulse (on [ʒ], [s], [h], etc.) for 8 counts, engaging their abdomen as fully as possible on the pulses. Increase the intake to 16, 20, etc. counts. Although a voice user’s breath doesn’t involve this kind of aggressive muscle contraction, this exercise helps singers connect to their bodies and breath mechanism. As breathing habits develop, this more conscious approach can be altered by using jumping jacks, which will engage less conscious breath mechanism engagement, and free the conscious mind from perceived control.
The dropping arm
Raise your arm above your head. Over the course of the phrase, slowly lower the arm in an arc such that at the end of the phrase, the arm is even with your legs. Choose the arm-lowering tempo before you begin, and try not to speed up or slow down. If the phrase ends and your arm is not flush with your leg, try again with a different tempo.
Raise your arm above your head. Over the course of the phrase, slowly lower the arm in an arc such that at the end of the phrase, the arm is even with your legs. Choose the arm-lowering tempo before you begin, and try not to speed up or slow down. If the phrase ends and your arm is not flush with your leg, try again with a different tempo.
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The mental image
Look at the phrase on the page or sing/speak it in your head. Conceptualize the phrase as a spatial mental image such that you can “see” the whole phrase in front of you as you sing/speak. Maintain awareness of the whole phrase the entire time you are singing/speaking. |
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Walking the Line
Line up on one side of the room and choose a spot on each wall that is slightly higher than their eye level. Walk back and forth across the room, paying attention that the bottom of your torso (which starts below the hips) rests over the front, moving foot. Once you have a general conception of that sensation (and its impact on your body awareness, especially your neck and head), walk across the room singing/speaking the phrase. Prior to beginning, ask your body the simple directive “please take me to the opposite wall”. If the room isn’t long enough for the full phrase, turn around and head the other way. |
The torso begins below the hips, the waist is a creation of the fashion industry.
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What We Avoid
We tend to avoid the idea of “taking” a breath, or “holding” breath, or “pushing”, “pulling”, or otherwise consciously attempting to make the body do anything. These kinds of words reinforce the idea of “work” that is a trick of consciousness, and can lead to excessive amounts of breath pressure and physical discomfort. We proceed from the belief that if you can feel your abdomen engaging forcefully, you’re probably overburdening the vocal folds.
The most efficient breath feels freeing.
The Diaphragm and Diaphragm Mythology
The diaphragm is a unique muscle. It dissects the entire body in the center, is one of only
two muscles that does not mirror itself, and it connects to the spine at our center. Some traditional language dealing with the diaphragm and its role in breathing, have developed in ways that can be misleading to how people relate to their bodies.
The concept of “breathing from the diaphragm” creates a misunderstanding of that muscle, as it suggests that the diaphragm is both active during expiration and that the voice user can feel the diaphragm and has direct control over it, neither of which is the case. During contraction the diaphragm levels out, creating space for the lungs to expand. As the lungs get smaller during expiration, the diaphragm releases, creating an upward dome shape by the end of the expiration cycle. Contraction of the muscle happens during inspiration wherein the diaphragm lowers and flattens. This cannot be directly felt or directly controlled by the conscious mind. Yet, actions that we take can influence how the diaphragm engages. Abdominal muscle contraction, and contraction of intercostal muscles (in between the ribs) can alter how the diaphragm functions. If other muscles contract and require the diaphragm to adjust its primary purpose, the diaphragm can not expand fully, thereby creating lower breath capacity.
Several authors have discussed observable instances where the diaphragm contracted during expiration. In his 1987 The Science of The Singing Voice, Sundberg is a little more upbeat about application of diaphragmatic contractions during expiration (page 31-32 and 91-92). Thomas Hixon, in Respiratory Function In Singing (2006), however, strikes a more sober note. After discussing examples of these kinds of events, he cautions that "The discussion above does not suggest a major role for the diaphragm in extended steady singing. Bouhys et al. (1996) were able to change this and engage the diaphragm by using a special technique to lower the pressure at the airway opening (mouth and nose). . .Thus, although the diaphragm did not usually contribute significantly to braking action, it could be made to do so under special mechanical conditions" (Respiratory Function In Singing. Redington Brown, Inc., 2006, page 86-87).
Link here to find Arend Boughuys et al. study entitled "Kinetic Aspects of Singing" in the Journal of Applied Physiology (1996).
We tend to avoid the idea of “taking” a breath, or “holding” breath, or “pushing”, “pulling”, or otherwise consciously attempting to make the body do anything. These kinds of words reinforce the idea of “work” that is a trick of consciousness, and can lead to excessive amounts of breath pressure and physical discomfort. We proceed from the belief that if you can feel your abdomen engaging forcefully, you’re probably overburdening the vocal folds.
The most efficient breath feels freeing.
The Diaphragm and Diaphragm Mythology
The diaphragm is a unique muscle. It dissects the entire body in the center, is one of only
two muscles that does not mirror itself, and it connects to the spine at our center. Some traditional language dealing with the diaphragm and its role in breathing, have developed in ways that can be misleading to how people relate to their bodies.
The concept of “breathing from the diaphragm” creates a misunderstanding of that muscle, as it suggests that the diaphragm is both active during expiration and that the voice user can feel the diaphragm and has direct control over it, neither of which is the case. During contraction the diaphragm levels out, creating space for the lungs to expand. As the lungs get smaller during expiration, the diaphragm releases, creating an upward dome shape by the end of the expiration cycle. Contraction of the muscle happens during inspiration wherein the diaphragm lowers and flattens. This cannot be directly felt or directly controlled by the conscious mind. Yet, actions that we take can influence how the diaphragm engages. Abdominal muscle contraction, and contraction of intercostal muscles (in between the ribs) can alter how the diaphragm functions. If other muscles contract and require the diaphragm to adjust its primary purpose, the diaphragm can not expand fully, thereby creating lower breath capacity.
Several authors have discussed observable instances where the diaphragm contracted during expiration. In his 1987 The Science of The Singing Voice, Sundberg is a little more upbeat about application of diaphragmatic contractions during expiration (page 31-32 and 91-92). Thomas Hixon, in Respiratory Function In Singing (2006), however, strikes a more sober note. After discussing examples of these kinds of events, he cautions that "The discussion above does not suggest a major role for the diaphragm in extended steady singing. Bouhys et al. (1996) were able to change this and engage the diaphragm by using a special technique to lower the pressure at the airway opening (mouth and nose). . .Thus, although the diaphragm did not usually contribute significantly to braking action, it could be made to do so under special mechanical conditions" (Respiratory Function In Singing. Redington Brown, Inc., 2006, page 86-87).
Link here to find Arend Boughuys et al. study entitled "Kinetic Aspects of Singing" in the Journal of Applied Physiology (1996).
"3D illustration X-ray transparent lungs" photo courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
"3D illustration respiratory system" photo courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Disclaimer: We have tried to give credit to all of the images that we've used that are not our own, or believe them to be in public domain.
If you see something that is yours that you feel is being used without proper permission, please let us know and we will gladly credit you or remove it. Thanks for your help!
"3D illustration respiratory system" photo courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Disclaimer: We have tried to give credit to all of the images that we've used that are not our own, or believe them to be in public domain.
If you see something that is yours that you feel is being used without proper permission, please let us know and we will gladly credit you or remove it. Thanks for your help!
