Music Minute Monday: Ensuring That You Have Enough Breath
Breathing is something that we are born knowing how to do. However, when you become a musician, it transforms into something you have to learn to control in order to produce the best results!
You’ve heard us talk about diaphragm breathing & “deep belly breathing,” this article is to help you create a system to ensure that you’re getting enough breath, at the right time!
The best way to turn your breathing into a system is by breaking down a song, phrase by phrase. Figure out where the breaks are, and make a note to yourself to breathe there. If there’s a big note coming up, mark down a breath right before, to ensure it’s placed correctly and in tune! If there’s a long phrase coming up, mark a big breath to ensure you can get through it!
You can “mark” your breath with anything from a check mark, to a comma, to an apostrophe, or just a dash. Whatever makes sense to you, do that – however, make sure it’s consistent, so you can remember what your own notes mean.
It’s also important to note that using a pencil when you do this is key, so that you can make changes, as needed! As your vocal endurance improves, you might not need as many breaths, or you may need to move it to help you attack a different part of the phrase. Once you nail down the perfect system for breathing, learn the song that way, and then it will be second nature to you!
Doing this on a consistent basis will provide a systematic way of learning new material and, therefore, developing a more efficient instrument. Learn more by watching the video below!