New breathing technique I thought I'd share.....

[teenagebambam]

I teach singing, so I'm always talking about breath and trying to find new ways for students to understand it.

Went to a masterclass by Deborah Birnbaum (if you've seen the documentary "Audition", about the Met Young Artist Competition, she's in it) and she has something she uses that I feel free to share, since she is quite open about the fact that she hasn't published on it and probably won't for a while!

Anyway, her technique is based on, of all things, the Land's End swimwear catalogue. They apparently have a diagram of different body-shapes, and her technique involves "breathing to your shape". So, for instance, if you have wide shoulders and narrow hips, you're a triangle, and you would visualize breathing out against your shoulders (your widest point).

Narrow shoulders and wide hips would breath "out" at your hips, and so on.

I'm a square, so I can breath any old way I want to!

I've tried this with a few students and it seems to not only give them a deeper breath, but also more "grounding" when they're performing!

[FirstLight]

1. very cool indeed :)

I will play with this today and report back ;)

thanks SO much for sharing :hug:

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Oh, neat. Thanks!

[woodsprite]

3. Good info! Thanks for posting.

I sing (church choir, weddings, a chorale group) and the area that's always been an issue for me is breath control. I think the best breath control I've ever had was when I was pregnant. (I know. Not supposed to happen like that) I'll try the suggestion (I'm a wide hipped/narrow shoulder person). I know that I've lost some opportunities for solo work in the Chorale because of my lack of control. I'll have to make a note for our next rehearsal.

Thanks again!

[teenagebambam]

5. Doesn't surprise me

about feeling more control when you're pregnant....the little nipper gave you something to "push" against!

[I Have A Dream]

4. Thank you, tabb!

This is very useful information.

[Kookaburra]

6. Very interesting, so what if you're hour-glass shaped

Upper and lower body are of equal width, and a narrow waist. Do I breathe from both the upper and lower? Or is that the same as being rectangular?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

7. Thanks!

I took singing lessons for a couple of years and learned breath control and projection....found out I'm a mezzo. I love singing secular stuff in foreign languages.

But that is good advice. I'm one of those square shouldered big-ribbed girls who can set it on BLAST!!! :D