4. Respiration

Inthe teaching of breathing for Ringing the teacher is confronted with two problems: 1. where to breath, and 2. what to do with the breath after it is inhaled.

Inhalation:   Where to Breathe'

Although the action of the diaphragm, the most important muscle of in­halation, is said to be involuntary, the extent of its movement can be increased voluntarily. This can be accomplished indirectly by increasing the size of the thoracic cavity, as explained later. This increase in the size of the cavity is immediately filled by a greater expansion of the lungs, resulting in a larger intake of breath.34

The thorax or chest cage is shaped like a truncated cone, with its apex just below the larynx, and its base at the bottom of the floating ribs. The diaphragm forms the floor of the thoracic cavity and at the same time the ceiling of the abdominal cavity. The greatest expansion of the thoracic cavity is possible at its base, due to the nature of the floating ribs and the muscula­ture of the abdominal wall.

The place of greatest expansion is below the breast bone and above the waistline. Its general location can be determined if one pants as after running. The midsection comes out on inhalation and goes in on exhalation. By slowing down the panting, and by taking longer, deeper breaths, one can observe the expansion below the breastbone. This is called "diaphragmatic breathing." The length of the thoracic cavity is increased by the downward excursion of the diaphragm, which pushes the abdominal contents downward and forward. The lungs expand immediately with the increase in the size of the thoracic cavity.

Further increase in capacity can be achieved by intercostal or rib action. By pressing in the floating ribs on the front and sides and exhaling forcibly, and then inhaling deeply, allowing the ribs to expand upward and outward, intercostal or rib breathing can be established. When this is combined with diaphragmatic or high abdominal breathing, the dimensions of the thorax are increased in three dimensions,-length, width and depth. Deep breathing of this type allows for greater freedom in the upper part of the body, thereby preventing constriction in the mechanism of the vocal tract.

Breathing through the mouth instead of through the nose is advocated for three reasons: 1. More breath can be inhaled quickly; 2. Such breath­ing tends to establish a high palate and a low flat tongue position necessary for open-throated singing; and 3. with the mouth open, the singer is ready to sing.

Intercostal high-abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing may be called the normal type of breathing for singing; that is, the way a singer should breath on inhalation to establish deep breathing. Any other type of breathing, such as clavicular, back or low abdominal breathing, is limited in its efficiency for physiological reasons.   Clavicular or collar-bone breathing allows for practically no expansion of the thoracic cavity, which would make possible greater lung expansion and as a result greater breath capacity. Low abdom­inal breathing is limited in its efficiency because low abdominal expansion does not make for greater lung expansion. This is due to the fact that the diaphragm, the most important muscle of inhalation, is limited in its descent to approximately an inch at the most, before the central tendon of the dia­phragm acts as a fulcrum against the abdominal contents to raise the lower ribs upward and outward. Back breathing is limited in its efficiency because of the structure of the rib cage, the back of the ribs losing most of the curva­ture which is present in the front of the rib cage. Suggestions to push out the back ribs, to breathe below the waistline, are all highly subjective. As distractions their use maybe justified to take the attention of the singer away from too much local effort, or too much emphasis on part of the breathing mechanism.

Exhalation;   What to do with the Breath

Just as the most efficient type of breathing on inhalation lies below the breastbone and above the waist line, so the most efficient type of exhalation for singing centers in the same region. The abdominal and intercostal muscles, which are relaxed on inhalation, contract on exhalation to estab­lish the abdominal press.35 This results in a forceful exhalation of the breath necessary for intensity of tone and for support of high singing. The air drawn into the lungs as a result of a vacuum created by the action of the muscles of inhalation in enlarging the thoracic cavity is forced out by the muscles of exhalation.

It is significant that the diaphragm is not listed as a muscle of exhala­tion. Any suggestion that the diaphragm is a muscle of exhalation, or that it controls the exhalation of breath, is from a physiological standpoint untrue.

On inhalation it is possible to breathe as babies breathe, abdominally, on both inhalation and exhalation. It is also possible to breathe, as most females breathe, intercostally. In either case the diaphragm is involved on inhalation, and the abdominal muscles on exhalation.

Breath Support

The most important factor necessary to forceful singing, for child, adolescent, or adult, both male and female, is the abdominal press. This is an upward pressure caused by a contraction of the abdominal muscles which forces the abdominal contents back and upward along with the diaphragm into their normal positions, at the same time reducing the size of the thoracic cavity. Decrease in the size of this cavity increases the potential pressure flow of the breath. In singing or speech the vocal cord acts as a valve to turn this pressure of the breath into voice. The greater the resistance of the vocal cords the stronger must be the pressure flow of the breath upwards.

If the vocal cords are closed completely, the abdominal pressure is felt mainly upon the pelvic regions. This effect can be observed in micturation, defecation and parturition.38

Breath support maybe defined as a variable pressure flow of the breath. Pressure is reflected below the breastbone in the triangle formed by the ribs by the physical act of clearing the throat, grunting, crying, or calling. The muscular wall contracts and bulges as a result. When this type of pressure is established and maintained, and when it is correlated with articulation, the mid-section should be allowed to return slowly to its normal position. In other words there should be a delay in the return of the ribs, abdominal contents, and the diaphragm to their normal positions, as the breath is used. This is necessary for a flexible control of breath support.

The pressure flow of the breath not only vibrates the vocal cords, but assists in their approximation when correlated with articulation. Pulling in the mid-section tends to release the vocal cord approximation as does re­leasing the pressure, or releasing the vowel tension. When the contraction of the abdominal muscles or the abdominal press is too strong, the vocal cords will become rigid and will shut off the flow of the breath completely and thereby prevent phonation. The proper application of this type of breath support is a variable, depending on the pressure needed to support different degrees of loudness and different ranges of the voice. Its control is de­pendent on how it is released at the level of the vocal cords. Since the vocal cords cannot be controlled directly, and since they are below the level of consciousness, they must be controlled indirectly through the enunciation of the vowel sounds. This control, in the final analysis, becomes a psycho­logical control through a singing diction, and should be judged acoustically.

Figure 1 - Where to Breathe
Figure 2 - Three way increase in length, depth and width

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