Breath Right for Speaking!

Respiration in the simplest terms is breathing. Respiration is a physical and chemical process in which we supply our cells and tissues with oxygen. Both singing and speaking require an outgoing airstream capable of activating vocal cord vibration. As you are listening or reading this right now, you’re inhaling and exhaling on average of 16 breaths per minute. When you begin to speak, your exhalation is prolonged. You may speak short sentences with frequent breaths or long utterances and rarely come up for air at all. Most of us vary the amount of respirations and the length of them.

Many people use only a fraction of their lung capacity by taking shallow breaths. This is the inefficient pattern called clavicular breathing. It is easy to spot. Often times, the shoulders are hunched over and you can visibly observe someone who is speaking with this kind of support because the shoulders and chest lift on inhalations. Visible neck tension may also be present and the voice may sound raspy.

If you think you are breathing improperly, you may need to learn diaphragmatic breath support. It brings the air to the lowest and largest part of the lungs and uses the diaphragm muscle. Diaphragmatic breath support does produce a quicker, more efficient inhalation and provides good support for the voice. The good news about this type of breathing is that it is visible and easy to monitor and create. It is essential for strong voices and superior vocal quality.