Training and Tips
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Breathing Excercises You Can Do At Home

The pillars of good singing are proper breathing, relaxation, good diction and expressiveness.

Proper breathing is done with an open throat. When you inhale, keep the shoulders down and let the abdomen expand. Relaxation is important in the whole body, but especially in the neck, throat, jaw and tongue. Diction can be improved by awareness of how vowels and consonants are formed. Expressiveness comes from keeping the breath going, and from singing the words with meaning, as if you were talking to someone.

For proper breathing:
Sit on a straight chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lean forward until your elbows are resting comfortably on your knees. Your abdomen may be in contact with your legs in this posture. Now breathe, and observe your breathing. Your abdomen should be expanding with each inhalation, and contracting with each exhalation. This is the best type of breath for singing, as it allows for maximum expansion of the lungs, and maximum relaxation of the breathing mechanism. When you are clear about how this feels, stand up, and observe your breathing. Is your abdomen still moving with each breath? I like to use this exercise right before a concert, because it also relaxes my mind.

For an open throat:
Yawn. Do you feel a stretch in the back of your throat? Now yawn again, inhaling at the same time, and then say or sing "ah". Keep your throat in the open stretched yawn position as you say or sing the "ah". Try this on high notes and low notes, and see how it feels throughout your range. You may find that some notes sound very good this way, and others don't sound right. Try doing it with only the first half of a yawn. Experiment, and see what feels good to you.

 

 

 

Staff
Sis. Virginia Roberts
Minister of Music & Arts
Bro. Dewayne Sweet
Lead Instrumentalist, Director of Media

 

Calendar Dates
(See Announcements & Calendar for additional dates and details.

Oct 2009
10/13 Music Council
10/11 Mass Sings for Church Anniversary
10/12 Mass Sings for Revival
Nov 2009
11/10 Music Council
Dec 2009
12/12 Coat Giveaway
12/15 Music Council
12/20 Christmas Program
   

Sunday Schedule

Oct 2009
4th Adult Choir
11th Mass Choir
18th Male Chorus
25th Youth Choir / Children's Choir
Nov 2009
1st Mass Choir
8th LIVE Choir
15th Male Chorus
22nd Youth Choir / Children's Choir
29th Women's Chorus
Dec 2009
6th Mass Choir
13th LIVE Choir
20th Mass Choir
27th Youth Choir / Children's Choir
   

 

 
             
EBC Music & Arts Ministry