Take a Deep Breath - Teaching the Inhalation for Singing

Take a Deep Breath:I agree with Meribeth Dayme (née Bunch) when
Teaching the Inhalation for Singing More Effectivelyshe states that referring to the inhalation as
– Releasing Abdominal Tension‘abdominal breathing’ is less misleading than
According to Gillyanne Kayes ‘…when youthe term ‘diaphragmatic breathing’. While the
breathe in, you will feel that your lower abdomendiaphragm is acknowledged as being the most
moves out as a result of the diaphragm pullingimportant muscle of inspiration the release of the
down…’1 This is true, but does assume thatlower abdominal muscles is vital for maximum
the student already breathes efficiently and correctly.functioning of the former.
It also assumes that the singer has a goodDuring the past few months of my research I have
awareness of the detrimental effect abdominalcollected several phrases evoking images that have
tension has on the inhalation. One of the mainhelped facilitate ‘abdominal breathing’. They
breathing challenges I have encountered in the studioare as follows:
is that students find the concept of letting the lower1. ‘Bellyful of breath’
abdomen go into neutral difficult, hence the2. ‘Pregnant with breath’
diaphragm does not depress fully and subsequently3. ‘Imagine a hole in the abdomen through which
the lungs do not fill to capacity. The following arebreath enters’
several methods and ideas proposed by both me and4. ‘Balloon filling the abdomen’ (student
my students for helping to release abdominal tension.contribution)
1. Inhaling against a wall5. ‘Sea rolling in and out’ (student
A Kinaesthetic Approachcontribution on inhalation and exhalation)
A student can gain insight into the deep breathThe use of imagery has proven very effective for
required for singing through observing the mechanismmost students and I would not hesitate to develop
when they are lying down. In this position the bodythis method further. I have been very interested to
naturally resorts to effective breathing. However Ihear students’ own creative ideas. If an image is
have found that not all students are comfortablepersonal it is likely to be effective.
with being asked to lie down on my studio floor4. SPLAT! (Singers Please Loosen Abdominal Tension)
during a lesson, albeit with a cushion to support theirThe Recoil Breath
head and a throw to preserve their clothes.A Physical Approach
Occasionally students have back and knee problemsGillyanne Kayes talks about her own study of
and such a suggestion is simply inappropriate. As abreathing, being advised by one instructor that
teacher I do feel that breathing needs to be‘…the secret of breathing in was to breathe
introduced within the first few weeks of lessons, yetout.’3 My understanding of this quote is that if a
a trusting relationship may not have developedsinger has an insight into what their abdominal
sufficiently to permit what could be a vulnerablemuscles are meant to do during the exhalation, they
situation for the student.will learn what these muscles are not meant to do
As an alternative I have found that getting a studentduring the inhalation, i.e. contract. Janice Chapman is
to check their breathing mechanism while leaningalso an advocate of SPLAT!, incorporating it in her
against a wall very effective. The student allows the‘Primal Sound’ technique.
wall to support them, turning their head to the sideSPLAT! involves exhaling at any given moment, a
so that their cheek is flat against the surface. Armsspecial preceding inhalation not being required. The
are relaxed at their sides. I then ask them to leversinger draws their abdomen in towards their spine,
themselves from this position by releasing thepushing any lingering scraps of air out of their lungs.
abdominals and allowing the diaphragm to depress,At the point when the exhalation has reached its limit
lungs to fill, rib-cage to expand and epigastrium tothe body will reflexively release the abdominal
move forward. If the studentmuscles, allowing the diaphragm to depress and lungs
‘chest-breathes’ there is no leverage andto fill to their capacity, i.e. the recoil. As with the wall
this, due to the lack of release of the abdominalleaning exercise I demonstrated SPLAT! in the first
muscles, is immediately apparent to them.instance and students subsequently practiced it under
I have found this to be an effective method becausemy supervision. The exercise was attempted in a
the student is already upright and experiencing thestanding position.
deep breath. One of the difficulties with breath workSPLAT! had a diverse response. Some students
on the floor is getting the student to maintain thegrasped it well and others found it frustrating and
deep breathing they have so readily discovered whenstrenuous. Over a period of several weeks it was
they return to a standing position.clear that not everybody was releasing their
This technique has been effective for about 75% ofabdominal muscles as a result of this work. In asking
my students thus far. Effectiveness has beenstudents for feedback I found that this was due to
evaluated by how quickly and independently thethe power of old holding habits or simply a lack of
student comprehends what is required and why i.e.clarity about the mechanics of the exercise*.
the technique’s place within singing. One of the*The exercise revealed that a number of students
positive aspects of this exercise is that is allowshad previously assumed the abdominal muscles were
students to self-evaluate immediately.contracted during inhalation and relaxed during
2. Abdomen as an Elastic Band –Visualisationexhalation. I attempted to remedy this
A Visual and/or Aural Approachmisunderstanding with the following phrase:
Students’ reactions to my explanations of‘In=Out’ and ‘Out=In’
breathing anatomy vary widely, ranging from eyesSimplified from:
glazing over to keen interest. I have had to ask‘Inhalation = Abdominals Out
myself the question: just how much anatomicalExhalation = Abdominals In’
information do students usefully need to know andI have noticed recently that when students get
how can I accommodate these different levels ofconfused during SPLAT! they start to repeat this
interest within different learning styles?phrase to themselves before re-attempting the
One of the less orthodox responses to my surveyexercise. It does appear to help them focus their
was that of a student who is a hypnotist byefforts.
profession. This lady recorded a visualisation exercise,Conclusion
coming up with the image of the abdomen as aMy research demonstrated just how vital it is to
brightly coloured elastic band which released andfathom a student’s personality and learning style
expanded with the inhalation. I played this guidedwhen teaching technique. Having several tools
visualisation to a cross-section of students and theavailable is necessary and this requires a teacher to
response was encouraging. Most found it immediatelybe open-minded while simultaneously grounded in
useful, helping them to clearly imagine the abdominalfacts of anatomy and physiology. I am pleased to
muscles’ activity. Several were very interested income away with alternatives to my original teaching
the idea and stated that they would like tomethod of demonstration and use of anatomical
experiment further with it. One student who haddrawings, a more intellectual approach. I won’t
long-term difficulty getting away from shallowfully abandon this but nor will it be my default
breathing habits deepened her inhalation within onemethod in the future. Though traditional and
lesson of listening to this visualisation.time-tested, I was never entirely comfortable placing
Only one student found it categorically unhelpful andmy hands on my students. It is timely to have more
preferred to visualise conventional anatomy whenoptions that enable students to clearly practice and
inhaling, unsurprising as this student normallyself-evaluate abdominal release.
approaches tasks intellectually.Opposition to abdominal release came in several
The guided meditation was an antithesis to thinkingforms. Unsurprisingly many of my students were
conventionally about anatomy in that it used theuncomfortable with having to release their lower
imagination and was concerned with the essentials. Iabdominal muscles. The learned response is to hold
was interested to note just how many studentsthese muscles tight and all of the above exercises
related well to this. The recording was not a definitivefocus on the necessity to ‘reduce the holding
guide, but a starting point for students to use theirpatterns in the abdominal wall’4. One student told
own imaginations in visualising the abdominal release.me that the release was in direct opposition to
3. Using Imagerymaintaining the ‘central core’ required for
A Visual ApproachPilates, another activity she engaged in. Several
I suggested that several artist-singers in my groupdancers had the same concern. I was alarmed that
class create an image of how they understood theso many students interpreted releasing the abs as an
inhalation, in particular bearing in mind the release ofinstruction for the whole body to slouch. It was vital
the abdominals. The ‘spec’ I provided wasto pause and address posture during the work.
that the image could be figurative or abstract andSeveral students consistently contradicted my
use any media. I also participated in this exercise.research, those who engage in shallow breathing
The following week the selected students presentedwithout their capacity and control being compromised
their works, which turned out to be figurative and- and apparently without the usual resultant tension
concerned with the breathing mechanism in general.on the larynx. I am still considering how I need to go
Given the interconnectedness of inhalation andabout advocating the benefits of abdominal breathing
exhalation this was understandable. Both drawingsto these students, so my research continues.
acknowledged the need for abdominal breathing. TheAs with any investigation there are as many
images showed an appreciation of colour andquestions raised as are answered. Svend Smith’s
movement which provided information about these‘Accent Method’ merits more research as
students’ learning styles, i.e. visual anddoes Janice Chapman’s work with ‘Primal
kinaesthetic. Interestingly, both drawings revealed aSound’ which interestingly combines deep,
misunderstanding about the breath creating headreflexive breathing with emotion. There are many
resonance.other studies of technique that are not singing
My own contribution was more abstract and basedrelated such as breathing for yoga, re-birthing, Chi
on how I visualise the experience of a deepGung and athletic activities, to name a few. I feel
inhalation.that it would be useful to have a working knowledge
The group proceeded to practice the inhalation whileof these, if not to apply directly to singing then for
looking at each of the three images. Several of thethe purpose of achieving a rounded understanding of
group connected well to the latter image with onethe power of the breath in different situations. In
student stating that it was ‘…simple and hadshort, there are many worthwhile and interesting
movement and energy’. The two figurativeavenues that can be followed for developing a
images were well received as interesting drawings,thorough pedagogy for breathing.
but less effective as stimulators of abdominalBibliography:
breathing.Kayes, G (2004) Singing and the Actor (Routledge)
Encouraging students to do drawings of the inhalationDayme, M (1997) Dynamics of the Singing Voice
was very useful as the resulting work showed(Springer Wien)
strengths and weaknesses in their comprehension.Chapman, J (2006) Singing and Teaching Singing:
However, in distilling a method from images I wouldA Holistic Approach to Classical Voice (Plural
need to experiment further and ‘…choosePublishing)
them carefully and appropriately for each pupil’2,Harris, P (2006) Improve Your Teaching! (Faber
using my discretion regarding students’Music)
personalities and learning styles. This would suggestFootnotes/ Indices
the need for having worked with the student for1 Kayes, Gillyanne (2004) Singing and the Actor
some time.(Routledge)
Further Use of Imagery2 Harris, P (2006) Improve Your Teaching!