Quote Of The Day
My dark sound could be heard across a room clearer than somebody with a reedy sound. It had more projection. My sound always seemed to fill a room.
Saxaphone players, like singers, rely heavily on good diaphragm support to play their instrument with good pitch, projection, and tone. The relationship between breathing properly and engaging diaphragm support is like the relationship between hammer and nail – one doesn’t work without the other. Hopefully you have read my previous blog on how to take a proper singer’s breath. The air that you are taking in with the singer’s breath is the fuel for your diaphragm support. Manipulating your diaphragm to pull towards your backbone in varying degrees is like the gas pedal. If you are singing a rockstar/diva note where you need big power and projection, you need to take in a substantial breath (remember, air in/tummy out), pull your diaphragm in quickly and purposefully towards your backbone (like hitting the gas pedal to go up a big hill), which will project the note out with power and good pitch. Frustration can often occur if a singer is not connected to their diaphragm support. Below is an exercise to help you, the singer, become connected to that diaphragm support unleashing amazing power when needed. Remember also, notes will need diaphragm support to kick in from your mid-range up. Experiment with how much support each note needs in order to sing it accurately. Every note in your range will need a different degree of diaphragm support, which translates into the size of “pull” or “pulse” towards your backbone.
Diaphragm Exercise 1- Motor Boat Lips
To see if you are connected to your diaphragm, take in a big breath as if sucking in air through a tube, remembering the direction of the singer’s breath. Once you have a full tank of air, try to pull your diaphragm muscle back gently passing air through relaxed, closed, lips making them vibrate to create a “motor boat” sound. If you have trouble at first, try using short bursts of air by pulsing your diaphragm quickly towards your backbone. If you can make the motor boat sound, you are connecting with your diaphragm support: just be sure to stop if you feel dizzy. If you can’t make the sound initially, don’t get frustrated: it will come in time.
Until next time… Breathe and Happy Singing!
Angela
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