Step 4: Sing Long

Practice your breath control with these exercises.  Remember to breathe deep into your diaphragm and control the exhalation of the air using your core muscles.

You may need to take a ‘snatch’ breath in some of these activities. Remember that this is not a shallow breath that is not high in the chest; it is deeply rooted, similar to the type of breath you may take on being surprised by how something wonderful was!

Slow vowels: try and sing these with an even resonance at every pitch.

Variation: slow down this exercise by singing without the backing track, challenging yourself to sing longer.

T’adoro: control the crescendo (gradually getting louder) when you sing each phrase.

Variation: slow down this exercise by singing without the backing track, challenging yourself to sing longer.

Maria: control the diminuendo (gradually getting softer) when you sing each phrase. Start loudly and feel yourself ‘drink’ the sound in as you get quieter.

Variation: slow down this exercise by singing without the backing track, challenging yourself to sing longer.

Count 1 to 30: count evenly, articulately and without getting faster. At first, you may need to take a ‘snatch’ breath somewhere in the middle of the exercise, but eventually you will be able to manage your airflow, vocal chord co-ordination and vocal resonance to complete it in one breath.

Variation: sing the exercise even slower for a further breathing challenge, or sing it much faster and practise your articulation further.