Voices Northwest is an a cappella chorus of talented, fun women, committed to personal growth & camaraderie.

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Education Get your copy today! Just released... Sing, Baby, Sing! Edition 3 Vocal Rx - A First Aid Kit For The Voice Vocal skill exercises for: The recovering voice Other recordings: Sing, Baby, Sing! Edition 2 Developing Vocal Skills Vocal skill exercises for: Breath management Range Flexibility Agility

Sing, Baby, Sing! Edition 1 Blue Ribbon Vocal Warm-ups Warm-up exercises for: Breath management Low Range Mid Range High Range Click here to download an order form.

BREATH So you are having trouble connecting with your diaphragm and supporting a sustained phrase. You've been told all your life to pull in your tummy and so when the vocal warm-up or expression in the current song calls for a nice relaxed breath, you panic. Not only are you out of breath now but your body has taken on a tension level that seems to be feeding on itself. What to do… Outside of rehearsal and in a few quiet moments we all covet, take time to TEACH yourself to breathe for singing. This is just like any other athletic process. (Yep! This IS a sport and you thought it was art. HA! It's both.) 1. Free from tight clothing, lie on your bed or a mat on the floor. Put one hand on your abdomen below your ribcage. Inhale slowly through the nose to a count of six. As you inhale, you should feel your abdomen being pushed out by your diaphragm. 2. Blocking both nostrils with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand, hold your breath and continue a slow count for as long as comfortably possible. (A count of twelve is a good start; increase the count as you advance your skill level.) 3. Remove your thumb from ONE nostril only and exhale slowly to a count of six. Your abdomen will be automatically pulled down and in. 4. Repeat 5-6 times. Remember that the diaphragm pushes the abdomen out when inhaling and pulls it in when you exhale. Because your lungs are triangles with their bases at the bottom of your chest cavity this makes it uneconomical to lift the entire ribcage or you shoulders in order to take a deep breath. Heaving of the ribcage or the shoulders causes tension in the vocal cords AND the body which destroys vocal resonance. Lying on your back to do this exercise makes you let go of those tensions and just BREATHE. Ahhhhhhhhh…