Home GENERAL SINGING - Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy Forum

Using the least amount of air

Hey,

I'm doing volume 1, but I feel like I haven't got everything out of it. Ken mentions using the least amount of air, but my 'natural habit' is to use a ton of air and I know you can undo this to hold your breath but I don't know what it feels like.
I can hold my breath for while doing the scales for a short amount of time and then at 1/ 3 of the scale I go back at using a ton of air, but I'm using support?

I find this confusing, because I'm also never sure how much pressure we should apply on our diaphragm. So, I take my belly breath, I hold my stomach out and when I ascend the scale, I push down likeI need to push out a poop :P then I hold that presure and when I go higher (E4 or higher) I apply even more pressure than the sqeeuzing poop feeling.

So, am I doing it correct? And what can I improve?

Cheers :)

Comments

  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380

    Yes, you are basically getting the idea.

    For now, just try to avoid blasting out the air.  Hold back just a bit.  You say you're using a ton of air.  Don't.  Make sure you've got good cord closure.

    Regarding how much pressure to apply to your diaphragm, you apply a downward pressure on the diaphragm, which actually holds the air back.  You aren't applying pressure to blast out more, you're applying pressure to hold air back.  The more you push down on your guts, the less air is applied to your vocal cords.

    In Volume 3 you get more specific instruction on how to cut back the air.  Keep paying attention to the instructions Ken gives in Volume 1.

    When you get to Volume 3 you can follow the instructions for that part of the course as directed.

     

    All the best!

     

    Bob

  • JohnnyzDJohnnyzD Volume 1 Posts: 19
    Thanks @highmtn , always the right man to get advice from! I'll play a bit with your advice and see if it solves my problem :)
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380
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