MANAGING
ALL MY AIR (continued from November, 2004 article)
So now you have all the air that you need! You are at
maximum capacity and are ready to use that air to produce
the most beautiful, fully supported, freely produced
tone possible. The trick is to stay out of the way and
let your body do what it is fully capable of doing.
Remember you are an air-using machine not an air-storage
machine. You have to use your air to be able to get
more air, and you'll always have as much as you need.
The Diaphragm
First, you'll employ the diaphragm and then specific
abdominal muscles to move the air up and out to produce
the tone that you want to hear. The diaphragm is that
magical muscular membrane that voice teachers and vocal
coaches discuss so often. The diaphragm is shaped like
a double bowl and lies under the lungs, attached to
the ribcage. The job of the diaphragm is to push the
viscera out of the way to increase the space for the
lungs to expand to hold more air. When the diaphragm
is at work it pushes down. When the diaphragm receives
the message to relax it goes back into the double bowl
shape, thus pushing on the bottom of the lungs and lifting
air out.
Singers trust so much in what they "feel"
when they sing, and I believe that is appropriate. However,
the diaphragm has no nerve endings, therefore singers
really don't feel the diaphragm at work. As a singer,
you feel the results of the movement of the diaphragm.
When you inhale, the diaphragm pushes down and you feel
the mid section of the body expand. If you pant like
a puppy and feel the upper abdomen move, that's as close
as you can come to feeling the diaphragm at work. How
do you know that the diaphragm is working? If air is
moving out of your body without movement of any abdominal
muscles then your diaphragm is working or rather relaxing.
This is the first part of managing the air leaving
the body. Let the diaphragm relax as far as it can and
lift out as much air as it can. Then engage the abdominal
muscles and lift out the rest of the air. Which abdominal
muscles should you use? Let's examine the abdominal
muscle groups to understand.
The Muscles
Imagine the muscles that you used to deliver a baby
or use to lift a piece of heavy furniture. Those bearing
down muscles are not used in singing. Imagine the muscles
you tighten to zip a pair of jeans that are too tight.
Can you feel that wall you have made of your abdominal
muscles? You don't use those muscles in singing. Finally,
the muscles that are used to expel things from the body,
yes the muscles that you use to regurgitate, are the
muscles you use to sing. It is a strange analogy but
a true one. Those muscles move in slightly and also
move upward. They never reach an over extended tightening,
and they never lock in place. Those abdominal muscles
are flexible and not rigid.
Excercises
Here is an exercise to train the diaphragm and abs to
work together in the order that you choose:
1. Take in air till you are comfortably full of then
hiss it out to the count of 10. Allow the diaphragm
only to work first. Let the abdomen remain relaxed until
the count of 8 then engage the abdominal muscles on
8 - 9 - 10.
2. Increase the count to 15. Inhale then hiss out the
air to the count of 15 allowing the diaphragm to work
first (how do you know it's working?). If air is traveling
upward and your abdominal muscles are not engaged then
the diaphragm is working.
3. Choose a pitch at mid range, take in air then sing
oo for the count of 15. Allow the diaphragm to work
alone until 13 -14 -15, engage abdominal muscles on
13.
4. Pick a line of a song that you are working on -
perhaps one that has been difficult for you to get through
on one breath. Then fill with breath till you are comfortably
full, initiate sound, and let the diaphragm work till
the last three words of the phrase. On the last three
words ,activelyengage the abdominal muscles.
Can you see how this accomplishes several things at
one time? First, the air is flowing freely, it is moving
constantly in or out. The air is never static. There
is no reason to hold your breath or lock in your air.
Second, the phrase endings would automatically be lifted.
I don't know one single director who would be disappointed
in that outcome!
Still Don’t Have Enough Air?
If you still are running out of air, chances are you
are getting in the way of the aerobic connection between
the diaphragm and vocal bands. It doesn't take a lot
of air to sustain a well-resonated sound; it takes constant
and consistent airflow. Don't push air at the cords;
don't pressurize your sound with muscle. Let the air
flow and use the diaphragm and abdominal muscles to
regulate the flow.
Another thing that destroys airflow is the over-articulation
of consonants. It really doesn't take extra air to articulate,
but we seem to think we need to overdo, or work too
hard at making the consonant sounds. Do you over articulate
or waste too much air on consonants? Here’s an
interesting study for you to do. Place the back of your
hand very close to your mouth as you sing a phrase that
is so demanding that you run out of air. The idea behind
this exercise is to monitor the flow of the air on this
sensitive part of your hand. Do the plosive consonants
use more air than necessary? Where do you feel the most
air escaping? Sing your phrase again with this new awareness
and see if you manage your air better. Concentrate on
not losing so much air on the consonants. This sensation
is truly brought home when you stand too close to a
microphone and hear those consonants cause a "pop".
Don't let your sung consonants explode.
Conclusion
Air is illusive, you can't see air but you can feel
it. You can especially feel air when you are running
out of it. One of the best management skills I could
suggest for you is to breathe before you need air. Make
a plan that allows you to have air when it is needed
whether that is for a hard interval, a high note or
the end of the phrase. Take a comfortably full breath,
use all of it and breathe again. There is nothing gained
by trying to save air. Trying to save air will cause
you to run out of air. Use it or lose it, but keep that
air moving freely through your instrument!!
By:
Darlene Rogers
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