How Do You Breathe From You Diaphragm?

Question

HELP! I never really knew this, but I don't breathe correctly when I sing, and when I sing a high note, it sounds all forced out! Please tell me how to breathe properly with my diaphragm!

Answer 1

First, who told you that you don't breathe correctly? If it is a teacher, start with them. They will be able to watch you and encourage you.
Now, for what I've learned through my own struggle...
Breathing isn't just an in-out thing--it's an all around thing, i.e., not only your stomach but your back will expand if you're really breathing for all you're worth. Sound weird? Yeah, especially at first. But it helps to visualize expanding your abdomen in a full circle.
Another visual that has been helpful for me is to think of breathing all the way to my feet--filling up my legs and abdomen with air. Singing is, after all, a full-body experience that should engage more than just the throat and chest.
Try laying down while you're singing. I had a group of highschool girls try this; all of them were breathing from the chest-up rather than from the diaphragm down. At first they found it really difficult to sing from the floor, but after several minutes they got used to it. When they stood back up, the difference was immediately noticeable.
There are some who would advocate taking yoga, Pilates, or martial arts to help with your breathing. While I've never taken these, I was a dancer for many years and I did notice a considerable difference in my breathing after I stopped taking classes. Consider it as a possibility, anyway.
Sometimes putting a hand on your stomach to feel it move when you breath in is helpful.

It is important to realize that your diaphragm should not only move when you breathe in, but when you breathe out. Try taking a deep breath into your stomach and then pulsing the breath out on quarter notes while hissing ("hss-sss-sss-sss," etc.) With each pulse, you should feel your stomach contracting.

I guess an ironic thing to remember is that shallow breathing wears out your voice, and deep breathing wears out your stomach! If you've never sung correctly, your stomach will probably hurt the first few times you try these things. That's okay. Don't push too hard; you'll just get frustrated with yourself. If you love to sing, however, learning to breathe will make it just that much more enjoyable.

Answer 2

Stand up as tall as you can. Put your arms above your head. Take as deep a breath as you can. No inhale some more. Now inhale even more.

Do you feel like you are going to pop?

OK, I want you to soon let the air in your lungs out very slowly.

But before you do, get a good sense of how your ribs and body feel when you are totally full of air. Got that rib cage feeling? Because your lungs are so inflated, the ribs have conformed to an almost barrel shape. A great way to train your lungs and muscle to expand air capacity and feel this experience is to jog a mile or two (or 5) every couple of days.

Now, as you let the air out, press in with your stomach muscles. Don't let your rib cage move. Keep that rib cage still - keep it shaped like a barrel. Having trouble getting all the air out? Pretend it is toxic car exhaust and you will die if you don't get it all out. Use those stomach muscles to push from underneath the belly button up into and beneath your ribs. Can you feel how your stomach has become concave underneath your barrel-shaped ribs? The diaphragm is responsible for that. If your tense your rib muscles so they don't move, then try to inhale/exhale with you nose & mouth closed, you will feel your diaphragm bounce up & down, which is how it is supposed to work.

Practice breathing very deeply like this for 10 minutes. Then sing some of your favorite songs using this technique and by taking the deepest breaths possible. Try to get to where you can sing continuously without breathing for 30-60 seconds.

You might also try counting aloud to 180 on 2 breaths of air. If you can do this, you have learned to breath with your diaphragm and will be a technically efficient vocalist.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Sit in a chair with your legs together and bend over at the waist, resting your head in your lap. Now take a deep breath and observe how your back and stomach expand. This is how it's supposed to be when breathing sitting up straight. Breathe into your GUT. Practice breathing deep into your gut 3 minutes every day while standing: breathe in 2, 3, 4 - HOLD 2, 3, 4 and breathe out 2, 3, 4 -- then up to 8 and then 16. Your control while singing will improve as you do this.

Answer 4

Isn't it great to find out we do not breathe correctly. I find relaxing my shoulder than my body helps in easier breathing. If you breath relaxed you should be breathing from your diaphragm. I put my hand right below the v in my ribcage and flex my abs like I am about to be punched then I can feel my diaphragm. I then screw around time I feel it expand on the inhale and the opposite of expand on the exhale.

Answer 5

Check out "The Breathing Gym" by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan. These guys are two of the best Tuba players in the world, and their techniques work for all musicians.

Another helpful resource is the "Alexander Technique" as it applies to musicians. These will assist you in getting the fullest breath possible every time you are performing. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 6

The easiest way to put it without a huge explanation, is to let your stomach expand, and not your chest. You might have to mentally think..."I want the air to go to my stomach!" As dorky as that is...it helps. And now...how to use that air...When you want to hit a high note...punch the air out with your Ab's and just go for it...Using the diaphragm to breath will help your voice, tone quality, and get those high notes out! Good luck!

Answer 7

Lift UP from under your ribs, and loosen your neck if its tensed. So lift up and try to, when you breathe, not have your chest move and move your stomach only. Also, lift something heavy when singing a note, but not something TOO heavy. Just like a really big dictionary or something. Lift it over your head and belt it out! Hehe.

Answer 8

Lie down on the floor with a couple of books under your head. Put a book on your abdominal area and watch it as you breathe. It will go up and down with your breath.

Answer 9

try to lie doen on your back, put your hands on your stomach and make sure your stomach is going up and down. Up when you inhale, down when you exhale. then , stand up and try it again. Please make sure that your body is relaxed, as in face muscles, shoulders and bend your knees slightly.