Singing basics: breathing and voice

Sound starts with breath

Many people who find singing hard are squeezing the sound out with their throat. The vocal folds are small muscles and membranes that vibrate as air passes through them; when there is not enough air, the muscles around the throat take over, and you tire quickly or go hoarse. Good voice production starts with laying the sound on top of a smooth, steady flow of air. So the first stage of singing practice is not high notes or technique, but learning to breathe in comfortably and let the air out evenly. Once that clicks, you can sing the same song with far less fatigue.

Getting a feel for belly breathing

So-called belly breathing does not mean breathing with your stomach. It means that as the diaphragm moves down and air comes in, your belly, sides and lower back widen naturally. Lifting your shoulders and chest to take a big breath tenses the area around your throat and actually tightens the sound. To start, lie on the floor with a hand on your belly and breathe slowly; it is easier to feel this way. Lying down makes it hard to use your shoulders, so your body's natural breathing shows through. Once you are used to it, try breathing the same way standing up.

• Lie down with a hand on your belly and check it rises as you breathe in
• Stand in front of a mirror and check your shoulders do not lift
• Breathe in quietly through the nose and out slowly through the mouth

Letting air out slowly and evenly

Just as important as breathing in is the ability to spend the breath evenly. The easiest exercise is to breathe in and then let the air out through your teeth as a thin, steady "sss". Concentrate on keeping the same thickness to the very end, rather than bursting out strongly and fading fast. Timing it shows the improvement over a few days, which keeps you motivated. Do not squeeze out the last bit just to add seconds.

Warming up body and voice

Just as you warm up before exercise, a few minutes of loosening up before singing puts less strain on your voice. Gently roll your shoulders and neck to release tension, then start with low, comfortable sounds and widen the range bit by bit. The key is not to go straight for your highest or loudest notes.

• Slowly roll your shoulders and neck to loosen stiff muscles
• Hum with your lips lightly closed
• Do lip trills, letting your lips flutter as you make sound
• Glide smoothly from low notes to high ones, like a siren

Do not force the high notes

When a high note will not come, the most common mistake is tightening the throat and shouting to push it up. It might seem to reach the note for now, but strain builds up and the sound becomes rough. As the pitch rises, check that your jaw, tongue and neck are not tensing, and practise reaching high notes quietly at first. Your comfortable range widens gradually with steady practice; it is not something to force in a day. If a song sits too high, singing it in a lower key is a perfectly good option.

Everyday habits that protect your voice

The vocal folds vibrate best when moist, so drinking water little and often is the foundation. If the room is dry, keeping the humidity reasonable also helps. On days when you sing a lot, talk less and let your voice rest. Shouting or talking at length in noisy places, and forced whispering, also strain the voice. When you are short on sleep or unwell, your voice tires easily too, so do not push your practice.

Record and listen

What you hear while singing includes vibration carried through the bones of your skull, so it differs from what other people hear. That is why your recorded voice sounds strange — it is perfectly normal. Recording a song you have practised on your phone and listening back shows objectively where the pitch drops, where you run out of breath and where the timing drags. Do not try to fix everything at once; each time you listen, choose just one thing to work on in the next session.

When to rest and see a doctor

If your throat stings or hurts after singing, stop practising for the day and rest your voice. Pushing through pain does nothing for your progress. If hoarseness lasts more than two weeks, your voice suddenly gives out, or speaking hurts every time, it is a good idea to see an ear, nose and throat doctor. This article is general practice guidance and does not replace a medical diagnosis.