5 Breathing Exercises - from Easy to Super Challenging!

Summary

In this instructional video, Victoria emphasizes the importance of proper breath control in singing, debunking the myth that it requires a lot of air. She introduces five exercises designed to teach singers how to take in only the necessary amount of air and manage it efficiently. Victoria, with 32 years of teaching and 44 years of studying voice, simplifies serious vocal techniques and encourages viewers to practice these exercises to build strength, stamina, and confidence, ultimately leading to more enjoyable singing experiences.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Singing efficiently requires proper breath management, not just a large volume of air.
• 💨 Learning to 'budget' the escape of air, or breath support, is crucial for vocal technique.
• 📚 Victoria emphasizes the importance of studying her playlist on breathing and breath support for more details.
• 🔍 If your voice sounds breathy, it might be due to air leakage and not closing of the vocal folds, which Victoria also covers in her videos.
• 🗣️ Speaking and singing one beat requires minimal air intake, demonstrating the efficiency needed in breath control.
• 🌀 The 'catch breath' technique is introduced as a way to take in air automatically without overexertion.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Exercises are provided to practice taking in only the necessary amount of air and using it effectively throughout a phrase.
• 🚫 Avoid the temptation to cheat by taking deeper breaths than needed, which can lead to exhaustion.
• 🎶 The exercises are designed to help singers learn to sing through an entire scale on a single breath, building breath control.
• 🏁 The goal is to finish an exercise comfortably, without depleting all breath, simulating the end of a singing phrase.
• 👩‍🏫 Victoria offers a comprehensive vocal exercise program, 'Victoria's Victorious Vocal Exercise Program', for further breath management training.
• 🌟 Breath management builds strength and stamina, leading to more enjoyable and powerful singing performances.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Victoria's vocal tips video?

The main focus of the video is to teach singers how to use air efficiently while singing, emphasizing the importance of proper inhalation and breath support.

Why is it not necessary to take in a lot of air when singing?

Taking in a lot of air is not necessary because singing requires proper breath support and efficient use of the air you have, rather than the quantity of air inhaled.

What are some common issues that singers face when they inhale incorrectly?

Incorrect inhalation can lead to tiredness and weakness, and it may also cause the voice to become breathy due to air leakage and incomplete closure of the vocal folds.

How many exercises does Victoria introduce in the video to help singers learn to use air efficiently?

Victoria introduces five exercises designed to help singers understand and practice efficient air usage while singing.

What is the purpose of the first exercise in the video?

The first exercise aims to demonstrate that singing one beat requires hardly any air, and to practice taking in air easily without excessive shoulder movement or chest bobbing.

What is the 'catch breath' mentioned in the script, and why is it important?

The 'catch breath' refers to the quick, automatic inhalation that singers should use between phrases. It is important because it allows for continuous singing without the need for large, labored breaths.

How should singers approach the exercises in the video to maximize their learning?

Singers should approach the exercises by not cheating on the breaths, maintaining moderate volume, and ensuring they complete the exercises without feeling depleted at the end of a phrase.

What is the significance of repeating the scale in one breath during the exercises?

Repeating the scale in one breath helps singers practice budgeting their air and ensures they are not taking in more air than necessary for the task.

What does Victoria suggest for singers who struggle with breathy singing?

Victoria suggests that singers who struggle with breathy singing should study her playlist on breathing and breath support, and also watch videos specifically addressing breathy singing.

What is the 'Victoria's Victorious vocal exercise program' mentioned at the end of the video?

The 'Victoria's Victorious vocal exercise program' is an audio exercise training program that Victoria recommends for singers to build and train their voices, including sections on breath management and solutions for breathy singing.

What advice does Victoria give regarding the control of the escape of air during singing?

Victoria advises that singers should not control the escape of air by squeezing their breath at the vocal folds, but instead should rely on their support muscles in the front, sides, and back for breath support.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Efficient Breathing for Singing

In this paragraph, Victoria emphasizes that singing does not require a large amount of air, but rather the proper use of it. She introduces five exercises designed to teach singers how to take in only the necessary amount of air for each phrase and manage it effectively. Victoria, with 32 years of teaching and 44 years of studying voice, offers vocal techniques that are both simple and fun. She advises viewers to study her playlist on breathing and breath support if they experience breathiness during singing. The exercises are designed to be done with ease, without excessive shoulder movement or chest bobbing, and to help singers develop automatic inhalation and breath management.

05:01

💪 Building Breath Control and Stamina

The second paragraph continues the theme of breath management with a series of exercises that increase in difficulty, aiming to build breath control and stamina. Victoria introduces a bonus exercise that involves repeating a scale four times on one breath, with a catch breath after the second repetition. She stresses the importance of not controlling the escape of air by squeezing at the vocal folds, but rather using the support muscles for breath support. The exercises are meant to challenge singers to budget their air effectively, ensuring they do not collapse at the end of a phrase. Victoria concludes by recommending her audio exercise training program, 'Victoria's Victorious Vocal Exercise Program,' which includes sections on breath management and solutions for breathy singing, and encourages singers to continue working on their breathing for more power and stamina.

Keywords

💡Air

In the context of singing, 'air' refers to the breath support necessary for vocalization. The script emphasizes that it does not require a large volume of air to sing but rather the efficient use of the breath taken in. An example from the script is when the instructor says, 'it does not take a lot of air to sing,' highlighting the importance of proper breath management for singing.

💡Breath Support

Breath support is the technique of using the breath efficiently to support the voice during singing. It is a fundamental concept in the script, where the instructor explains that controlling the escape of air is crucial for vocal performance. The script provides exercises to practice breath support, such as singing a scale with minimal breath intake.

💡Inhalation

Inhalation is the act of taking in air, which is a critical step in preparing to sing. The script stresses the importance of proper inhalation, suggesting that the type of inhalation is as important as the amount of air taken in. The instructor mentions 'the proper type of inhalation' as a prerequisite for effective singing.

💡Budgeting Air

'Budgeting air' is a concept introduced in the script to describe the management of breath during singing. It means taking in only as much air as needed for a phrase and using it wisely throughout the song. The script uses exercises like counting and singing on one breath to demonstrate how to budget air effectively.

💡Vocal Folds

Vocal folds, also known as vocal cords, are the two bands of muscle tissue in the larynx that vibrate to produce sound. The script mentions that if a singer's voice is 'breathy,' it could indicate that the vocal folds are not closing properly, leading to air leakage.

💡Breathy Singing

Breathy singing is a vocal technique where the singer allows more air to escape during vocalization, creating a soft, airy sound. The script acknowledges this technique and mentions that the instructor includes videos on breathy singing, indicating it as a valid singing style.

💡Catch Breath

A 'catch breath' is a quick, shallow intake of air, often used in between phrases or during fast-paced singing. The script uses the term to describe the type of breaths taken during the exercises, emphasizing the need for quick and efficient breathing.

💡Exercises

The script presents several vocal exercises designed to train singers to use air efficiently. These exercises include counting and singing scales on minimal breath, which are meant to build vocal strength and stamina. The exercises are integral to the video's theme of teaching proper breath management.

💡Vocal Technique

Vocal technique encompasses the methods and skills used to produce and control the voice in singing. The script discusses various techniques, such as breath support and breathy singing, as part of the instructor's 32 years of teaching voice and 44 years of studying voice.

💡Vocal Range

Vocal range refers to the span of pitches that a singer can comfortably sing. The script encourages singers to perform the exercises within their own vocal range, acknowledging that different voice types have different capabilities.

💡Breath Management

Breath management is the overarching concept of controlling the intake and release of breath during singing. The script repeatedly emphasizes the importance of breath management for building strength and stamina in singing, as well as for improving vocal performance.

Highlights

It does not take a lot of air to sing, but proper inhalation and breath support are crucial.

Overworking to take in air can lead to tiredness and weakness.

Five special exercises are introduced to teach efficient use of air while singing.

The importance of taking in only as much air as needed for each phrase.

Learning to budget air intake for singing to avoid breathiness and vocal fold issues.

A quick lesson on catching breath between beats without taking in too much air.

Demonstration of singing a scale with minimal air intake for each beat.

Exercise one involves singing a scale with catch breaths, promoting natural breathing.

Exercise two challenges singers to sing a scale in one breath without cheating.

The necessity of not depleting breath completely at the end of a phrase for vocal health.

Exercise three increases difficulty by repeating the scale twice in one breath.

The role of support muscles in controlling the escape of air, not the breath itself.

A bonus exercise that involves singing the scale four times with a catch breath in the middle.

The significance of breath management in building strength and stamina for singers.

Victoria's Victorious vocal exercise program is recommended for breath management and technique.

The importance of exercises over songs in building vocal confidence and technique.

Victoria's wisdom emphasizes efficient breath control for powerful and stamina singing.

Transcripts

I'm gonna say something that may

surprise you it does not take a lot of

air to sing but more importantly it's

how you use your air to sink but some of

you are working so hard tanking up and

all that does is makes you tired and

weak so we're going to do five exercises

that I just made up special for this

video you will realize that you only

take in as much air as you need for the

phrase and you learn how to budget it

welcome back to another edition of

Victoria's Victoria's vocal tips 32

years of teaching voice 44 years of

studying voice all different styles my

students have ranged from Ultra

beginners all the way through advanced

touring professionals voice teachers

choral directors and competition winners

I always give you serious vocal

technique made simple and fun let's get

the facts down first it does not take a

lot of air to sing but you must take the

proper type of inhalation and you must

learn how to budget The Escape of air

also known as breath support now we

don't have time to get into all of the

details today so make sure that you

study my playlist on breathing and

breath support and if your voice is

breathy meaning you're leaking air your

vocal folds aren't closing I include

videos on breathy singing as well okay

let's have some fun how much air does it

take to speak one beat like this one

let's do it one how much air did that

take hardly anything right let's sing it

one again one hardly any air right now

let's count to five and take a breath

between each beat like this one two

three four five now don't cheat don't go

one two three no breathe between each

beat or between each number let's do it

one two three four five there's your

quick lesson in the catch breath you see

you don't have time to tank up and you

know take this big labored breath no

that breath has to come in and out

automatically and how much breath does

it take to sing One Beat hardly anything

right let's sing it like this one two

three four five here we go one two three

four five you can do the hand movement

just showing the air coming in and out

in and out in and out so we've Now set

ourselves up for exercise one which is

one two three four five four three two

one I want the set of moderate volume

and this should feel easy here we go one

two three four five four three two one

now notice my breasts were coming in

easily you didn't see a lot of shoulder

action you didn't see the chest bobbing

up and down exercise two it's the same

as exercise one but then we're going to

repeat the whole scale all in one breath

like this one two three four five four

three two one two three four five four

three two one now once again don't cheat

or else you're not gonna get anything

out of this so don't just go one two

three no you gotta take those short

little catch breaths and then sustain

through the whole scale on one breath

again one two three four five four three

two one two three four five four three

two one now don't cheat and speed up so

don't go one two three four five four

three no at the end of the exercise you

should be comfortably at the end of your

breath remember we never sing and

collapse or be totally depleted at the

end of a phrase so what are we doing

here we're working taking on the

automatic inhalation the catch breath

budgeting the air through the end of the

exercise now exercise three is going to

be more challenging we're going to

repeat exercise one with those catch

breaths and then we're going to do the

full scale two times all on one breath

if possible like this

one two three four five four three two

one two three four five four three two

one two three four five four three two

one moderate volume here we go one two

three four five four three two one two

three four five four three two one two

three four five four three two one

Higher voices can do this up here don't

forget one two three

three two one two three

two one

Etc bonus exercise we're going to do

exercise one taking the breaths in

between each beat and then we're going

to repeat the scale this time four times

but after the second time you're going

to take a catch breath so it'll be like

this

one two three four five four three two

one two three four five four three two

one two three four five four three two

one two three four five four three two

one two three four five four three two

one now I think that that's pretty

challenging and it makes you budget your

air otherwise you're gonna be collapsed

at the end and remember we don't control

The Escape of air by squeezing our

breath at the vocal folds instead

remember our support muscles front sides

and back breath support okay here we go

this is the last time low voices can be

down here High voices can be up there

and then you can do it in your own range

later here we go one two three four five

four three two one two two three four

five four three two one two three four

five four three two one two three four

five four three two one two three four

five four three two one it's a good

challenge now if you were able to do

those exercises at that speed then you

probably have enough air for most of

your songs

exercises are what will build and train

your voice and build confidence not your

song So if you still haven't gotten my

audio exercise training program

Victoria's Victorious vocal exercise

program I recommend you do so right away

we have a section on breath management

and another section on solutions for

breathy singing as well as all different

types of technique vocal colors vocal

textures for different voice types and

it's a program that will last you for a

very long time and besides that super

affordable and I do group classes with

members so see the link and sign up

below it is now time for Victoria's

wisdom

singing does not take a lot of air if

you inhale correctly and you control the

Escape of air efficiently breath

management will build strength and

stamina I hope you have enjoyed another

edition of Victoria's Victorious vocal

tips don't forget to subscribe tell your

friends leave me some comments leave me

some thumbs up don't forget to follow me

on social media and keep working on your

breathing and breath support for more

power and stamina and you will have a

lot more fun at the same time I look

forward to seeing everyone again very

soon

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