Lesson 2 The Diaphragm and Intercostal Muscles

Edward L. Johnson discusses the use of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles in singing. For more info, check out www.thebelcantotechnique.com

[@Stoitism]

100% the best lesson about the diaphragm I've ever seen. Especially the part demonstrating the distinction between the stomach muscles and the diaphragm. This is gold.

[@bourbakis]

Yup, starting at 5:00. Most others have taught it wrong.

[@ChrisTondreau]

The diaphragm is maintained in the downward position as much as possible while singing. Lamperti said "sing as if continuing to maintain air in the lungs" and "sing as if continuing to take in breath." (Loosely quoting)

[@maxguo5803]

where can we buy the audio lessons that he mentioned in the videos please?

[@icollided]

It's crazy how the English language has decayed over the past few decades. This guy sounds like a super genius compared to most people today, but back when this video was recorded, most people had this level of vocabulary.

[@SAZIZMUSIC]

I can't not thank you enough for this. This is a priceless lesson!! Thank you soooo much for uploading this.

[@astrogal3427]

the girl looks so bored LOLL

[@newnostalgiasculpturesdame4270]

Maybe confused, she may be a country music type singer.

[@juliedalessandrosing]

Chris, do you know if there is any such thing as a certification in this bel canto or in what Mr. Johnson teaches? As in, a voice teaching certification in this technique?

[@Itschrismaz]

this was great

[@cumhuribili33]

Thank you very much for sharing this great video

[@zuraiashvili8106]

Wonderful lesson Sir, very informative and high quality information. I have one question: when you mention that solar plexus area muscles have to work, how do you mean work? do we push it out, do we tighten it or how do we make it work? thank you very much

[@TotalSinging]

You flex them to create thoracic pressure - which in turn creates pressure on the lungs so that air is expelled from them. Take in a breath and do a prolonged "ssss" sound. Not lightly, with a good deal of force - you will feel these core muscles flex and create pressure to expel air. THAT is what intercostal diaphragmatic support will feel like when done correctly - though in actual singing the core muscles will not feel that pressurized since the air is escaping with much less resistance.

[@ClaralizMora]

Great video! Clears up many confusions.

[@carolm.ferreira3699]

Wow, so really amazing!!

[@s.ocurlschristieokosun9565]

You are tooooooo much sir! GOD bless you! I thank GOD for finding you on youtube.

[@ChrisTondreau]

Hey there! So glad you found it valuable. :-)

[@s.ocurlschristieokosun9565]

Yes i did! i even shared it on facebook and twitter. Thanks you soooooo much!

[@aconteaconte9000]

+Chris Tondreau you was sent from God 💯 the time just gets to the point

[@vivamariachi]

Thank you for sharing this!!

[@yeshuadvargas5552]

Is she falling asleep? 😂

[@monalizalorenzo3662]

Very well explained ❤️

[@davegrier523]

Are you kidding? The diaphragm has jack to do with singing or breathing.

[@ChrisTondreau]

That’s absurd. The diaphragm has nothing to do with breathing? Can you explain to me, then, how the lungs fill with air, then? And given that every explanation you will ever find for how breathing works involves the diaphragm, and given that breathing is the root of singing, then the diaphragm has *everything* to do with singing.

[@davegrier523]

@@ChrisTondreauThe diaphragm has zero to do with singing. Like it has zero to do with breathing. You breath with your lungs. All these so called teachers going on about random body parts and no mention of the voice or its components. Like its a big mystery. Chest and falsetto. Work the registers independently until they work together freely. Singing is a secondary function of the breathing and swallowing apparatus'. Work the muscles. Thats it! No magic or mask or diaphragm or ribs involved. Thats all a crock perpetuated by people who may be able to sing but don't really know why so pass on gobbledygook to the unsuspecting.

[@ChrisTondreau]

dave grier That is kind of like saying that you drive nails with a hammer and your arm has nothing to do with it. What do you think moves the hammer? The hammer doesn’t just pick itself up and drive nails. Try this. It is only 45 seconds long but it shows the role of the diaphragm in breathing. Yes, you breathe using your lungs, but the lungs don’t just work by themselves. Left entirely to their own devices, they would just sit there in your chest with a minimal amount of air in them, unable to take air in or to expel it. The diaphragm does that. The lungs are the hammer. The diaphragm is the arm. kzbin.info/www/bejne/faOwdH-YnZVmaK8

[@ChrisTondreau]

Here is an activity I do with my grade five students when we learn about the respiratory system. You only need to watch the first 10 seconds or so of the video. It shows a model of how the respiratory system works. Obviously, the pink balloons are the lungs. You can’t breathe with just the lungs themselves. The model, left to it’s own devices, would just sit there. However, the orange balloon is the diaphragm. When it is activated and drawn downward, we see the lungs fill up with air. When it is returned to its resting position, we see the lungs deflate. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKCwd3SDprifp5Y

[@davegrier523]

@@ChrisTondreau Lets agree to disagree here Chris. The bottom line is I am so very happy to have found a singing coach who follows Cornelius Reid. In 18 months I have made improvements unseen in four years of different coaches who focused on just what you are talking about. Have a good day.