Increase Your Lung Capacity for Singing
One of the hardest, and most important, things to grasp when you first learn to sing is the importance of breathing correctly. This will improve your singing greatly and allow you to improve musical performance.
Steps
- Breathe in normally. When people breathe in the ribcage pulls the lungs upward and outwards. This causes the shoulders to rise and the diaphragm to contract and flatten.
- Now you know what happens when you inhale you can start to correct it for singing.
- The first point is that your shoulders should not rise. Instead your stomach should enlarge as you inhale. Don't be afraid of looking bloated as anyone singing properly won't look stick thin.
- When breathing in for singing the ribcage should move up only a minimal amount but should move out as far as possible. This will begin to increase your lung capacity. The more you sing the longer you will be able to sing using one breath, and sustained notes will become easier and longer.
- The best way to understand this is to place your hands on the ribs of a singer (always ask first) as they breathe in. This should show you how the system is changed.
- The diaphragm can now be used to sustain and push notes.
- Practice makes perfect! Now you know what to do repeat until you no longer have to think about it!
- Practice singing with your mouth wide open. Pronounce each word clearly.
Tips
- Practice breathing before you begin warm ups.
- Greater lung capacity means more breath. Improve you singing by carrying longer, and more musical, phrases.
- Standing correctly will improve posture and increase lung capacity.
- Always stand up straight and pull your shoulders back
- As well as easier breathing during singing, it's easier in exercise.
Related Articles
- Be Known for Your Singing
- Prepare and Relax Vocal Chords Prior to and During Singing
- Prepare Your Voice for Recording
- Sing High Tenor
- Breathe Properly for Singing
