Preview Lesson #1 -
Breathing And Mouth Position
John has designed a course that takes you through the basics of voice control and progresses to advanced techniques like mic control and stage presence. His system helps you perfect technique while maintaining your own unique style and character. He encourages you to use the techniques from the lessons to practice songs that appeal to you and match your style.
1) First, lets look at your breathing and mouth position!
Singing can be a beautifully simple activity, as long as everything is working properly. In this video we’re going to keep it simple and talk about two things that you need to know to get started with singing:
- Breathe in, stomach out
- Keep your mouth open and relaxed
2) So, Let's recap what we've learnt!
Breathe In, Stomach Out
Your diaphragm is a sheet like muscle that controls air. Good singing requires that you actively control air from the diaphragm by practicing Breathe In Stomach Out:
- As you inhale, feel your stomach expand and move out
- As you exhale or sing, feel your stomach contract and move in
Keep your mouth open and relaxed
There are many small muscles that control your singing. Tension in the mouth and the surrounding muscles can interfere with the good muscles that we use to sing well. By keeping your mouth open and relaxed, you can find a more powerful singing voice. As a rule of thumb, keep your mouth open by spacing your teeth.
- One fingers width for "ee" (as in feet) and "oo" (as in boot)
- Slightly more for "eh" (as in let) and "oh" (as in no)
- Twi fingers width for "ah" (as in father) and "a" (as in cat)
Finally... make sure to keep practicing!
Practice Time: 7 days, 15 minutes a day
Before you start, choose a song and record yourself singing.
This will be referred to as song 1.
Your song should be:
- Well within your vocal range
- One that you enjoy singing
- One that suits your own style
You’ll want to have something to look back on later once you’ve practiced for a week to see your progress. As you begin to practice this week, avoid long strenuous singing sessions that may stress your vocal cords. Short, regular practice will maximize your progress.
To practice, sing these vowels along with Scale 1 and then Scale 2 below.
- Ah (as in father)
- Eh (as in let)
- Ee (as in feet)
- Oh (as in no)
- Oo (as in boot)
Follow these principles as you practice:
- Practice breathe in, stomach out
- Keep your mouth open and relaxed
- Avoid pushing your voice to sing loud on the higher notes
- If your voice feels tired or scratchy, stop and rest
- Do your best to blend chest voice and head voice
