THE SUPPORTED SINGING VOICE

BREATH MANAGEMENT IN SINGING

When the body is at rest, the normal inspiration-expiration cycle is brief,
about 4 seconds. The inspiratory portion generally takes 1 second, or
slightly more; the expiratory portion occupies the remainder. When dealing
with the aerodynamic events of breathing, in either speaking or singing, it is
important to recognize that, unless restricted in some fashion, air will flow
from a region of higher pressure to one of lower pressure. GRAYS ANATOMY
(1980, p.551) states:
In inspiration the intrapleural and the intrapulmonary pressure fall below
atmosphere. At the end of inspiration the intrapulmonary pressure is equal
to the atmospheric. During inspiration the air which flows into the lung is not
evenly distributed. Regional differences occur in both the ventilation and
blow flow. The ventilation is greater in the lower than in the upper lobes of
the lung. This accords with the fact that the movement of the upper chest in
quiet respiration is inconspicuous, whereas that of the lower chest is
greater, affecting principally the transverse diameter. These regional
differences may also be related to the varying elasticity of different parts of
the lungs and the dimensions of the air passages leading to them
(For a schematic representation of the mechanism of breathing, see Figure
2.1; for a description of the structure and mechanics of the breath
apparatus, see Appendix II)
In deep inspiration, as in preparation for singing, the diaphragm and the
thoracic and abdominal muscles increase their activity. Phonation and
Physical effort modify the pace of the breath cycle. In singing, phrase upon
phrase will occur in which the breath cycle is drastically prolonged,
especially in its expiratory phase. To accomplish skillful control of breath
management for singing, special coordination of the phase of the breath
cycle (inhalation, onset, phrase duration, release) must be learned.
IMAGEM
Figure 2.1 Front view of the major structures of the pulmonary system. A
small section of the doubled-walled pleural lining is cut away from the right
lung. The left lung is sliced obliquely to reveal the lower airways, a small
segment of which is shown greatly magnified.
SUBGLOTIC PRESSURE AND GLOTTAL ACTIVITY
In a summary of a frequently encountered viewpoint on air pressure below
the vocal folds, Ladefoged (1962a, p.248) creates the following analogy:
The four factors affecting the pressure of the air below the vocal cords may
be considered by an analogy with a pair of bellow which has (1) a
mechanism to pull the handles apart, corresponding to the inspiratory

activity of the diaphragm and the external intercostals; (2) an opposing

mechanism which will pull the handles together, corresponding to the
expiratory activity of the internal intercostals and other muscles; (3) a
variable orifice, corresponding to variations in the constrictions at the
glottis, and in the vocal tract; and (4) a spring between the handles,
corresponding to the relaxation pressure, which will exert a considerable
force on the handles when they have been pulled wide part, with continually
increasing force, as soon as the belows have been closed beyond their
normal unsqueezed position (which corresponds to the position of the lungs
at the end of a normal expiration).
Ladefogeds bellows analogy is equally applicable to a description of the
regulation of subglottic pressure and airflow rate in singing. However, the
breath cycle in singing is almost always of longer duration than in speech.
Following deep inspiration for the requirements of singing, the expiratory
portion of the breath cycle s retarded through an acquired coordination of
the muscles of the torso and the larynx. Agostoni (1970, pp. 105-106)
details glottal response to subglottic pressure in the phonatory contest:
The breathing patterns during phonation consists of rapid inspirations and
prolonged expirations. During the expiration the vocal cords are drawn
together by the adductor muscles: the subglottic pressure pushes them
apart, while their elastic recoil and the decrease of the lateral pressure due
to the increase of kinetic pressure (Bernoulli principle) close them again,
thus generating a periodic flow. This producing longitudinal vibrations of the
air above the glottis at the frequency of the fundamental tone of the voice
To produce a tone of constant loudness and pitch the subglottic pressure
must increase, while the vocal cord tension must decrease in order to keep
pitch constant. Phonation requires therefore a fine coordination between the
laryngeal and the chest wall muscles
The Bernoulli principle mentioned in the quotation holds that when a gas or
a liquid is in motion, less than normal pressure is exerted on the surrounding
environment. During the vibratory cycle, the vocal folds draw closer to each
other, thereby narrowing the air the vocal folds draw closer to each other,
thereby narrowing the air passage sufficiently, so that the Bernoulli principle
draws them together, if breath is flowing. Vennard (1967, p. 40) likens the
trachea and larynx to an atomizer, to illustrate the suction force that results
from the reduction in pressure caused by the flow of air or water. Although
the arytenoids may be closing at a nearly constant rate, the vocal folds pull
apart after the suction of the air brings them toward each other again.
This principle is of major importance in understanding the mechanics of
phonation. In exhalation, the velocity of the air system increases as it
passes through the constriction of he glottal chink, and the vocal folds are
sucked toward each other. The release of air results in a sudden decrease in
pressure, and the elasticity of the vocal-fold tissue, plus the Bernoulli

effect, causes the vocal folds to snap back again into an adducted posture.
(Zemlin, 1981, p.185).
Technical skill in singing is largely dependent on the singers ability to
achieve consistently that fine coordination of airflow and phonation the
vocal contest which is determined by cooperation among the muscles of
the larynx and the chest wall, and diaphragmatic contraction, a dynamic
balancing between subglottic pressure and vocal-fold resistance. Von Leden
(1968, p. 56) mentions that fundamental investigations at different
laryngeal research institutions support the contention that laryngeal
efficiency is based mainly upon an interplay between two physical forces, a
fine balance singing, thoracic, diaphragmatic, and abdominal aspects of
respiration must be coordinated (dynamic muscle equilibrium ) without
exaggerated activity in any one of the three areas. How strange to ignore
breath management if one is a teacher of singing!