Ian wrote:
> It's entirely possible/probable that you're doing the
> usual mad fixation with breathing exercises, rather
> than learning to sing!!
This sounds like a dead-on observation. I have a fairly extensive
background in neuro-muscular anatomy, so I read some of the commonly
discussed writings on breathing (like, uhm, Vennard, Appleman, and R.
Miller) when I began singing and started trying to work with their concepts.
That self-education backfired. My in-depth knowledge of anatomy has been
more a liability than asset, I have come to believe. It is hard for me NOT
to try to control a muscle when I know so well where it is, how it function,
what makes it contract and relax. As a current instructor says, the goal
for me is to learn to be a happy, happy Stooopid singer. Actually, the
reason I stated in my original post that I know I use correct muscles was
because I didn't want responses telling me what muscles to use or giving me
detailed technical descriptions-that route hasn't worked for me. What I
need is the opposite-tips on how to forget about it, and get back to that
relaxed state of "nothingness" on every breath.
> I'm a bit concerned about pausing/holding your air in,
> this will lead to tenseness.
I promise I don't try to pause and hold the air in!! Maybe I should
clarify-when I said "my teacher also describes it
as trying to pause/hold the breath & breath in at the same time", I did not
mean that my teacher says I SHOULD BE TRYING to pause and hold air in. I
meant that he says it looks like I am trying to hold in a last bit of air in
while simoutaneously trying to take in the "next breath", which is creating
tension and inability to get a good "next breath". And I do feel that the
tension-though it feels fairly isolated in the stomach and rib intercostal
muscles.
>>Try, and
> it's really hard to do believe me. Try and do
> absolutely nothing!!! Look at the music and sing.
Happy Happy Stooopid singer :)
Seriously, got any tips on how to do nothing as relates? It is very
challenging for a person as cerebral as myself.
>I'll bet you produce a
> better sound when you don't do all that breathing
> stuff. Obviously, air is needed to power the instrument, but
> your body will supply you with the correct amount if
> you get your larynx working right first. Not the other
> way round.
I'm glad to hear you say this. I have a teacher who feels the same way. He
doesn't talk much about mechanics of breathing for that reason. We haven't
focused specifically on this problem and how to fix it, as he feels if he
works out the other things, the breath will work. He says we breath in our
sleep-that breathing is something the body instinctively knows how to do,
and the body will instinctively learn to deliver what I need for singing if
I stay out of it's way. I threw this question out to the list to see if
there were other thoughts that I should be doing more than I am. All I have
done specifically to address the breathing issue is to write rests in the
music to give myself more time to breath until my breath management works
itself out. Does this sound reasonable to you?
> I hope this may be of some use to you.
Actually, it has been. It has given me some confirmation on what I thought
the problem was, and on the path I am taking in dealing with it (mostly to
try and be a Happy, happy stooopid singer!!) I look forward to seeing if
anyone else has similar/contrary views!
Thanks so much for your feedback!
Sandra
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