Miranda 1

Vocal Pedagogy I
Sergio Anders Miranda
Dr. Grace St. Pierre
02.19.2010

Breathing: the inner side of singing

According to Barbara Conable, singers need to be aware of how their bodies are
structured in order to understand the structures and movement of breathing. Since
singing is all about breathing and freedom, it is of great importance that we learn how to
use our whole bodies as a support for our voices. Because our singing structures are
supported by our bony architecture... it is crucial to acquire some knowledge about how
our skeleton is structured, balanced around our spine. 1 As a result, it would be possible to
achieve mastery on the three conditions on which singers breathing depend: freedom
from tension throughout the body, a lively, on-going body awareness, and an accurate
Body Map of the structures and movement of breathing, which can be applied to any
vocal technique. 2
To understand how our body works regarding to breathing, we first need to learn
about our nose, since the air comes first trough our nasal passages, by inhalation. So, for
nose we will consider not only the exterior area which can be touched since it is on our
face, but also the interior part of the nasal structure, which would take us all the way
back to the pharynx.3
There we will find the pharynx muscles that together with the tongue bound the
pharyngeal space, which is part of our digestive system, and it is located between the
mouth and esophagus. Saying so, it is important to remember that pharynx muscles are
active with regard to food and drink. If the muscles of pharynx are thought as inhaling
muscles, one will be tempt to tight them, provoking a constriction in the pharyngeal

1
Conable, Barbara. The Structures and Movement of Breathing, A Primer for Choirs
and Choruses. GIA Publications, Inc., Chicago: 2000, p.15.
2
Ibid. p.13.
3
Ibid. p.16
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space. Since air does not need to be swallowed, there is no need of activating the
pharynx muscles during singing.
On the same way, esophagus and trachea cannot be misunderstood as being the
same. The esophagus is located behind the trachea and belongs to the digestive system.
On the other hand, the trachea is an air tube through which air flows in and out of the
lungs.4
We know the mouth serves as part of our digestive system as well as a way of
bringing air into our bodies. Therefore it is necessary a better understanding of it. For
mouth we will consider the roof of the mouth above (palate), the muscular floor of the
mouth below, the muscular facial cheeks at the sides, and the tongue within. The mouth
must be mapped as a not fixed space among things, because it will suffer alterations
throughout the singing process, forming vowels and consonants to communicate the text.5
The tongue, which is secured at its base just above the larynx and hyoid bone,
needs to receive a special attention. We need to learn about its length and how deep it
goes into the throat, as well as its breadth in the throat and in the mouth. For instance, it is
worthy to know that fully a third of the tongues length is vertical in an adult. By
mapping the tongue, one would be able to freer it. As a result, it would be moved with
freedom while singing.6
Since we are talking about freedom, lets talk about our jaw. How many jaws do
we have? The answer is only one. But how many jaws do singers seem to have?
Sometimes as many as can be produced in order to manipulate singing. Therefore, a map
of the jaw is mandatory for good singers. First of all, the jaw is located at the base of the
temples. It is an appendage to the skull, a separate anatomic unit, and it moves in
relation to the skull by virtue of our temporo-mandibular joints (TMJs). TMJs are
precisely located in front of our ears. Keeping the matter simpler, the jaw only can be
moved in one direction, which is downward. It is a local movement at the TMJs, which
does not need to involve the head or neck.7
4
Ibid. .24
5
Ibid. p.17
6
Ibid. p. 18
7
Ibid. p.19
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Following, lets point out the muscles of the face, which major contribution to
singing is on the shape of facial expressions, although some of them also take part in
shaping of vowels and articulation of consonants. However, we must notice that they are
totally free and independent from the muscles of the mouth and throat. Moreover, the
cheek muscles do not have any association with the soft palate, so it is not necessary to
use one to raise the other. Furthermore, the facial muscles have nothing to do with
singing higher or lower. Therefore, they should not be overused creating unnecessary
tensions, which would only interfere with the vocal apparatus, interrupting the free vocal
emission.8
Interestingly, our lips are very important facial muscles, and they play a very
important role on the articulation of consonants. However, for lips we must consider our
movement lips, which extend from cheek to cheek and from the base of the nose to the
base of gums, and not only our lipstick lips. 9
Certainly, the most known muscle among singers is the diaphragm, a horizontal
structure which dome high in our ribs, dividing the thoracic cavity above from the
abdominal and pelvic below.10 This muscle has a very particular and important movement
on the breathing process. On inhalation, the diaphragms dome goes downward and the
thorax diameter expands. By contrast, on exhalation the contrary occurs.11
On its way down, this powerful muscle will push the abdominal and pelvic
viscera, which will also push the pelvic floor.12 This pressure is equally distributed on the
front and back of our abdominal wall. It is important to observe that breathing is a
process that comes from top to bottom, and not the other way around. As Conable says,
the freer and more buoyant singing is on the inside of the pelvis, the more likely it is that
there will be a sensation of release or spreading or dropping throughout the gluteal
system, exterior to the pelvis, on exhalation.13
Our singing structure lies along the entire length of the wearing-bearing spine.
8
Ibid. p.20
9
Ibid. p.22
10
Ibid.. p.31
11
Ibid. p.32
12
Ibid. p.33
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For this reason, singers should be aware of the spines natural movement, which makes it
lengths during exhalation and gathers on inhalation. It does not mean that we need to
stand up straight while singing neither to slouch while inhaling. We simply need to learn
how to let the spine elongate while vocalizing. 14
Last but not least, singers need to understand the relationship between the head
15
and the spine. Our heads balance on our top vertebra, called atlas. Our heads are not
fixed as many people think they are. They also have their own movement, which is
described as being a slight movement toward the spine as the spine gathers and a slight
movement away from the spine as the spine lengths.16 Moreover, the muscles
responsible for this movement are the superficial muscles of the neck. They are
controlled by the brain, which means that singers should not try to control with muscle
fibers what they should be controlling with neurons.17 Furthermore, the deep muscles of
the neck need also to be understood since they are especially important for singing,
because freedom on singing is directed related to freedom in neck muscles. 18
Based on Alexanders principles, Conable states that habituated tensing of the
muscles of the neck results in a predictable and inevitable tensing of the whole body.
Release out of the tensing in the whole must begin with release in the muscles in the
19
neck. In other words, tension in the neck disturbs the relationship between the bones
in our skeleton. As a result, the skeletal system loses its effectiveness in distributing
20
weight, which causes a whole misalignment of our bodies.
It is important to detect that in a free movement, the body will always follow the

13
Ibid. p.36
14
ibid, p.41
15
Ibid, p.42
16
Ibid. p.43
17
Ibid.p.44
18
Ibid. p. 45
19
Conable, Barbara and William. How to Learn the Alexander Technique. A Manual
for Students. 3rd ed. rev. and enlarged. Andover Press, Columbus, Ohio: 1995, pg. 2.
20
Ibid. p. 4
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head, since the head leads and the spine follows in sequence.21 But this free movement
only occurs if the body is aligned properly. For instance, for corporal alignment one
should perceive that once the head leads, each vertebra must follow it, in sequence. This
vertebral movement must be equally distributed among the joints of the spine, which will
cause the spine to length.22
Finally, by understanding the structures and movement of breathing, singers
will be able to use their bodies properly. As a result, they will involve their whole self
into singing, discovering a freer and more beautiful sound. They will conquer artistry.

References:

Conable, Barbara. The Structures and Movement of Breathing, A Primer for Choirs
and Choruses. GIA Publications, Inc. Chicago: 2000.
_________, Barbara and William Conable. How to Learn the Alexander Technique. A
Manual for Students. 3rd ed. Rev. and enlarged. Andover Press, Columbus,
Ohio: 1995.

21
Ibid. p. 7
22
Ibid. p. 14