We often emphasize the importance of proper breathing techniques for singers of all levels and genres.
Strong breath control and support are essential for hitting those high notes, sustaining long phrases, and projecting your voice with power and clarity.
Today, we’ll share ten powerful breathing exercises for singers that can help elevate your vocal abilities.
The Fundamentals
Before diving into the exercises, let’s quickly review some breathing basics that every singer should understand:
- Diaphragmatic Breathing: Refers to breathing deeply into your diaphragm (the muscle below your lungs) rather than shallowly into your chest. Engaging your diaphragm allows you to take fuller breaths and access your maximum lung capacity.
- Breath Control: Being able to moderate the speed and force of your inhales and exhales is crucial for singing. Properly controlling your breath allows you to shape notes, phrases, and dynamics precisely as you want them.
- Breath Support: Providing a steady stream of air from your diaphragm as you sing gives your voice resonance, volume, and endurance. Maintaining this support throughout a phrase is demanding but essential.
With those key concepts in mind, let’s explore some excellent breathing drills. We recommend practicing these exercises daily as part of your vocal warm-up routine.
While this article focuses on breathing exercises specifically for singers, it’s worth noting the many overall health benefits of these practices.
For a deeper look into how breathing exercises can improve respiratory health, reduce stress, increase oxygen intake and more, check out PharmEasy
10 Top Breathing Exercises for Singers
Breathing Exercise: 1. Deep Breathing Belly Raises
One of the most basic yet essential breathing exercises for singers. Learning to breathe fully into the diaphragm and distinguish belly expansion from chest raising is critical.
This straightforward routine develops awareness of proper diaphragmatic breathing patterns. The main benefits are increased lung capacity and reduced tension in the breathing muscles.
- Lie on your back and place one hand on your belly, one on your chest
- Inhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly rise as you fill your diaphragm with air
- Exhale slowly through your nose, feeling your belly fall
- Keep repeating, ensuring only your belly moves (not your chest)
Breathing Exercise: 2. Diaphragmatic Breathing with Arm Raises
This exercise actively links the breath intake to a physicalized motion of raising the arms overhead.
Pairing the breath with movement helps ingrain the feeling of your diaphragmatic expansion. Key benefits include reinforcing a full 360-degree breath and boosting awareness of your breathing process.
- Stand up straight, arms relaxed at your sides
- Inhale deeply into your diaphragm, feeling your belly expand outward
- As you inhale, slowly raise your arms out to your sides until they’re overhead
- Exhale fully, bringing your arms back down in a controlled motion
Breathing Exercise: 3. Ujjayi “Ocean” Breath
Also known as the “victorious breath” in yoga practice, this exercise combines diaphragmatic breathing with gentle throat constriction.
Creating this soft “ocean” hissing sound requires slow and steady exhalation. Ujjayi breath is great for building breath management skills and easing vocal tension.
- Inhale through your nose normally
- As you exhale, constrict your throat slightly to create an “ocean” hissing sound
- Maintain this steady stream of air as you exhale fully
- Helps build breath awareness and control
Breathing Exercise: 4. OM Breathing and Humming
Moving from simply being aware of your breath to actually producing sound and resonance. The low, sustained hum of “OM” marries your exhaled breath with gentle vocal vibration.
This feeling of breath flowing into a resonating sound is invaluable for singers. Key benefits are improved breath support and coordination.
- Inhale fully into your diaphragm
- As you exhale, hum “OM” in a steady pitch, feeling it resonate
- Aim for a smooth, sustained exhale on the hummed OM
- Connects breath, vibration, and vocal tone
Breathing Exercise: 5. Square Breathing
A rhythmic breathing pattern involving inhales, exhales, and pauses in a continuous “square” cycle, also known as the Farinelli breathing exercise.
The structured routine helps induce a sense of clarity and control over your breathing. Key benefits include calming the mind and developing an even quality of your breath stream.
- Inhale slowly through your nose to a count of 4
- Hold your breath for a 4-count
- Exhale fully to a 4-count
- Hold the exhale for 4-counts
- Repeat this square pattern, focusing on controlled breathing
Breathing Exercise: 6. Alternate Nostril Breathing
An ancient yogic breathing exercise meant to create balance and clarity in your breath flow.
Regularly alternating your inhales and exhales between nostrils is thought to have a cleansing effect. This focused technique builds concentration and breath awareness.
- Use your thumb to close off one nostril
- Inhale through the open nostril
- Close that nostril with your ring finger and open the other
- Exhale out of the newly opened nostril
- Alternate sides, breathing slowly and evenly
Breathing Exercise: 7. Panting Breaths
A more vigorous exercise where you’ll rapidly pant like a dog. The quick inhales followed by slow, steady exhales helps increase your breath capacity.
It’s an intense drill that requires strong diaphragmatic engagement to manage the airflow. Key benefits are developing breath stamina and control.
- Inhale with short pants like a dog, filling your diaphragm quickly
- Exhale slowly in one steady stream
- Helps build breath stamina and muscle control
Breathing Exercise: 8. Straw Breathing
As the name implies, you’ll be inhaling through pursed lips as if sipping through a straw. This focused intake promotes a smooth, even air stream into your body.
Feeling that steady flow filling your lower abdomen engages your core breathing muscles. Straw breathing is excellent for singers to experience consistent, supported airflow.
- Inhale through pursed lips as if sipping through a straw
- Feel the air filling your lower abdomen
- Exhale slowly, maintaining control
- Focuses on smooth, supported airflow
Breathing Exercise: 9. Counting Exhales
A deceptively simple exercise where you’ll inhale fully, then exhale while counting out loud on a single breath.
By striving to reach higher numbers, you’ll be training yourself to manage your exhaled breath over extended phrases. The sustained exhalation while counting numbers improves breath capacity and phrasing.
- Inhale fully, then exhale slowly
- As you exhale, count out loud with an even tone
- See how high you can count on one breath
- Develops breath management over phrases
Breathing Exercise: 10. Lip Trills
A favorite vocal warm-up for many singers is lip trills, which involve exhaling while allowing your lips to flutter and trill gently.
Keep it simple with sustained trills, or try moving through your range. This marries breath flow and sound in a low-tension way. Lip trills ease facial tension while warming up the resonance.
- Inhale, keeping your tongue raised
- Exhale while trilling your lips, making a “brrr” sound
- Try moving through your vocal range
- Warms up your breath flow and face muscles
Breathe Life Into Your Voice
We cannot overstate the importance of diaphragmatic breathing for vocals. By practicing these exercises regularly, you’ll notice improvements in tone quality, pitch control, phrasing abilities, and overall singing stamina.
So, keep exploring which of these breathing drills resonate most for you. Consistency is vital – make them a habitual part of your vocal routine.
With discipline and the proper breathing approach, you’ll breathe new life into your singing in no time.
You can learn more from our ridiculously detailed guide on how to sing
FAQ
How can I improve my breathing when singing?
Practice diaphragmatic breathing exercises regularly. Focus on fully engaging your diaphragm muscle when inhaling and exhaling to maximize breath capacity and control.
How do singers sing without losing their breath?
Singers maintain consistent breath support from their diaphragms throughout phrases. They practice breathing exercises to build stamina and learn to manage their airflow efficiently.
Why am I struggling to breathe when singing?
Common reasons include shallow breathing, muscle tension, lack of breath support/control, and insufficient lung capacity from lack of training.
Can singing improve lungs?
Yes, singing is an excellent way to exercise, strengthen the lungs, and improve airflow when practiced properly with good breath management techniques.
How do singers train their lungs?
Singers do breath control exercises like panting, counting exhales, lip trills, and techniques focused on diaphragmatic breathing to build lung strength and capacity.
Do singers do breathing exercises?
Yes, all singers do some form of breathing exercises and warm-ups as a core part of their training to develop breath support, control, and stamina.
How can I strengthen my diaphragm for singing?
Do exercises that force you to breathe deeply into your diaphragm, such as belly raises, reverse breathing, and breath holds/suspensions, to engage that muscle.
What is the best type of breathing for effective singing?
Engaging full diaphragmatic breathing that fills the lungs and maintains consistent abdominal breath support and control.
How can I improve my breath control singing?
Practice breathing exercises focused on breath management, like straw breathing, counting exhales, and controlled suspensions. Also, work on proper posture.
