What is inside the voice?

Studying the voice is an interpersonal experience like nothing else. A tangible instrument such as the piano or viola has specific notes and details are given by instructors on where to place your fingers on the strings, or what key to play. The voice is an abstract instrument that requires focus and concentration. The human instrument is complicated and amazing in many ways. Teaching this abstract art has been rewarding and challenging at times. Finding your inner self through the voice is a discovery of a lifetime.

Vocal study involves a lot of breathing and relaxing, some funny noise making, and lots of muscle work. We use our instruments to make beautiful music, but in order for that music to come out, some require a little extra help. Many times students come to me saying they are “tone deaf” or can’t sing at all. They are usually wrong about this as tone deafness is typically associated with some type of hearing loss. Most people without a hearing deficiency are able to hear the difference in pitches, thus are able to learn to sing. Many singing “errors” are caused by nerves, tightening of the muscles, and lack of breath control. I typically tell my “tone-deaf” students that there is hope for them in the world of song. If we can climb over the hurdle of anxiety, we can reach a place that not only benefits our voice as it sounds but also benefits our confidence and overall acceptance of self. This can be applied to all areas of life: work, school, and even social.

Learning to breathe is so important to singers. We often take in shallow breaths as a result of daily life and normal stresses. We often do not allow our belly to “fill up with air” and rather breathe into our chest, giving us little air and little flow of breath to get us through the phrasing. Each lesson starts with a five minute breathing warm up/ cool down so we can focus our minds on how the breath takes us where we need to go.

When students vocalize and learn to associate their breath with their phrases, they improve their tone, stay on pitch, and are more expressive in their delivery. Each and every one of us would benefit from a five minute breathing and mindfulness exercise each day. How difficult is it to breathe every day? We do it by nature, but how often do we actually pay attention to our breathing? I challenge you to breathe for five minutes every day this week. Focus on filling your belly up with air, and gradually allow that air to seep out. We call this “Filling up the balloon” in singing studies. When the air comes out the balloon deflates, and when you breath in the balloon inflates. The balloon remember is in your tummy! Well, that’s what we say. We are actually allowing our diaphragm to expand, thus creating a vacuum to suck in the air, then again to push it out. Our “balloon” is simply our abdomen going in and out with the bringing in and expelling of air.

Breathing can be applied to vocalizing immediately with students. We bring our vocal chord vibration in , and the breath is still taught as we learn to shape our sound with the breath supporting us underneath. Students who sing are more in touch with their environments, and have a deeper understanding of life through the expressive art of song. Having control of our breath will also be applied to the rest of life. We all need a moment of desensitizing. The voice ties us into our senses and allows us to feel, relax, and just be. The discoveries involved in breathing, vocalizing with relaxation, and even the imagery we teach in vocal studies are all tools to use in your daily life. Music is freedom, and the voice is the way to discover your inner self, and let it free!