Breath Support

 I want to speak to you about breath support.  When I was a young singer the word “support” was something I could not get my mind or body around!  There are many ways to discuss support so let’s try and simplify it for todays discussion.  What we’re trying to achieve in support is to manage the flow or pressure of air from our lungs through our vocal folds…not too much and not too little is very important!  Far too often we see singers use what I call their “valves” to manage or hold back air pressure that is built up in your lungs after you take a deep straw breath.  We can think of our lips, tongue, jaw, larynx as valves that open or close.   Let’s say you’ve mastered keeping your jaw down and relaxed, low laryngeal position, high and lifted soft palate in other words, everything is open and relaxed as it should be for great singing.   What is going to hold back the pressure of air in your lungs if you don’t “tighten” one of our “valves”???   Hopefully your’ well built support system!   Try this.  Take a hard backed book and put one end against a wall and the other end in your lower abs-below your belly button!  Then Breath in deeply allowing your breath to be down and out.  Your body should move backward from the wall.  Exhale on “S” and don’t let your body fall into the book!