HOW MUCH EMPHASIS SHOULD WE PLACE ON BREATH MANAGEMENT?

I think sometimes we lack balance in our pedagogical and training focus, especially when it comes to teaching and learning about breath management. In this video, I talk about my views on this topic, and why I believe that balance is important.
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[@cwehden]

Nice video, I tend to neglect airflow a little most likely because it came more naturally to me than other skills, I should make some more videos about it though because you make some good points here that I hadn't considered.

[@singwisevocals]

Thank you. It's nice to see you popping over here, Carl!

[@ParisblueCos]

Great video, Karyn. I wholeheartedly agree! CCM singers particularly often do not need to focus on breathing. In fact, sometimes too much breath support can be counterproductive to the CCM vocalist.

[@singwisevocals]

Yes! It's that whole 'support more' fallacy. I find that, with my CCM students, the major problem with their breath is that they're following the advice of those who have told them that they need to drive the breath forcefully 'from the diaphragm.'

[@ParisblueCos]

Which, in turn, overrides the system.

[@singwisevocals]

Indeed!

[@KTSings_]

After watching your 7 videos on Breath Support for Singing, I was relieved when I listening to your message in this video, as I was getting overwhelmed. I sing because I love to express myself through my voice, and I do want to always be improving, but I couldn't help but feel that there was too much for me to be thinking about and trying to "do" when I'd rather just be thinking about sharing the thoughts and feelings of the piece I'm singing. Having a coach who can be balanced and flexible, with a keen eye on what techniques will support that particular singer is a rare find. I look forward to viewing more of your videos.

[@MustacheVerra]

Thanks for the video.

[@singwisevocals]

You're most welcome.

[@Timliu92]

Awesome video Karyn! As someone who has switched from choral singing to pop singing not long ago, I highly agree with you that contemporary pop does not require as much emphasis on breath support as classical does. Not only it can potentially cause one to feel and sound rigid, but the tone produced might be inappropriate for the style as well! I am not saying that breath support is not important (and I use some of my classical training to sing high notes above my break as a baritone) because it is a fundamental, but you get my point - it is not to be super emphasized in pop singing :)

[@singwisevocals]

I do find that many pop and rock singers support intuitively, and due to the shortness of the average CCM vocal phrase, their breath management strategies work adequately. However, I've also worked with many CCM singers whose current breath management strategies are leading to some unhealthy vocal behaviour. In particular, I find that the directive 'support from the diaphragm' - which is code for distending the abdomen as far as possible during inhalation, then forcefully thrusting the abdominal wall inward and upward to generate the tone - is the most damaging because it often leads to pressed phonation, which can be injurious. If these same singers had never heard of 'supporting from the diaphragm' or been told to 'support more,' they probably would have naturally and intuitively found a better, healthier means of generating and controlling their subglottal pressures.

[@debbiewheeler4066]

Very refreshing view on breath support. . . . it's been quite an issue for me. Thanks, Karen!

[@singwisevocals]

Thank you. And let me know if I can help in any way.

[@JohnProph]

wow, both "panacea" and "laissez faire" in one vid. Thats impressive! Yes, I agree, no need to find some 'camp' to camp out in. Rather, learn various approaches so that you can sing anything. A lot of styles dont require a ton of support. So people who sing and teach those styles will say "support is overrated". others styles DO require a lot of support and sub-glottal pressure etc so they say the opposite.

[@singwisevocals]

Yes, I agree. Let's not pitch our tents. I don't think, though, that it's always a matter of needing 'a lot' of support versus needing 'less/little' support. The 'right amount' of support and 'kind' of support (strategy/coordination) are critical for all styles, and yet singers of all styles can have difficulties finding a healthy and effective balance for their artistic needs. I work mainly with CCM singers, and the major issue that I see with regards to the breath is over supporting because they've been instructed (prior to meeting me) to support 'a lot' and support 'from the diaphragm' (a.k.a. distend the abdomen as much as possible when inhaling, then thrust it back in to initiate the tone) or else their singing won't be impressive. It will be 'unsupported.' Ah! The dreaded 'unsupported' word, like a giant, scarlet U hanging around their necks. That breath management strategy, however, tends to lead to unhealthy responses all the way up the vocal tract (e.g., pressed phonation, inessential tensions, abnormal posturing of the various components of the vocal tract, etc.). That's why teachers need to be so careful about the directives that they give to their students and viewers. Any good concept can be taken too far. A flexible, dynamic breath management strategy that can adjust according to style, pitch, register, dynamics, and length of phrase is desirable, but the singer needs to always find balance and coordination in all tasks. That's the challenge.

[@JohnProph]

I think part of the online problem is that 99.9% of advice is aimed at total beginners. So basically you CANT really give them nuanced advice because it would go way over their heads. Thats why all the cookie cutter advice appears a million times over. Lets face it, people want to think there is some easy answer or "tip" to make them way better in 3 minutes. They dont want to hear something like "a flexible, dynamic breath management strategy" lol....they'd rather buy into "support (or whatever) is the golden key". As a side note, this is why some channels really grow faster....they cater to the least common denominator with the sort of dumbed down, one size fits all advice. Your vids are more nuanced and deeper so a lot of it is going to sail over the "quick tip" crowd. Keep it coming though, we need some substance out here to compete with all the drama and noise

[@o.t.f.onetouchfitness4859]

Breathing is a large, complicated and confusing topic indeed like you've said. Perfect breath control has always been my biggest challenge, unable to smoothly sing high notes and sustain longer phrases, frequent lost of voice and pains round my neck. I don't know if all this issues are related to breathing problems. Your help will be highly appreciated for your videos has made me to rapidly improved in some of the difficulties I had.

[@singwisevocals]

I'm so glad to hear that! I'll do my best to help in whatever capacity I can.

[@o.t.f.onetouchfitness4859]

singwisevocals..... So grateful to see how priceless you care about our voices and dreams, I can't wait. Mercis d'avance

[@kyliehuettel1614]

When I sing "ah" and hold it out, an overtone is usually produced, so is due to poor breath management? Closed throat? Please explain

[@singwisevocals]

I'm not sure. It may not be that you're doing anything wrong at all. It may simply mean that one of your formants just so happens to be tuned to the same frequency as that harmonic, giving it an acoustic 'boost' so that you hear it more distinctly. If it sounds inharmonic, then that's another story.