Athena Vale
Singing is an athletic activity that involves toning and strengthening muscles, and developing stamina. The muscles used in singing are unconscious, and you improve just through practice. However, it is important to learn how not to fatigue or damage those muscles. The largest and strongest muscle in the body, the diaphragm, is key to singing. It is assisted by the movement of the intercostal muscles, which are located between the ribs. The epigastrium, where the abdominal muscles and diaphragm meet, is also important for breath support. The pulling-together of vocal cords is controlled by two sets of muscles: the Thyroid muscle group, which controls the Chest Voice (low notes), and the Cricoarytenoid muscle group, which controls the Head Voice (high notes).
Characteristics of Singing Muscles
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle Memory | Can be developed through practice |
| Muscle Groups | Thyroid (Chest Voice), Cricoarytenoid (Head Voice) |
| Muscle Control | Requires awareness of breathing and muscle movement |
| Muscle Strength | Developed through exercises and practice |
| Muscle Conditioning | Aerobics, flexibility training, and cardio can help |
| Muscle Tension | Avoid throat tension, aim for relaxed sighing sensation |
| Muscle Support | Epigastrium provides breath support, assisted by intercostals |
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What You'll Learn
The importance of breathing and breath support
Breathing and breath support are fundamental to singing because they provide the necessary airflow to create sound. When you breathe in, the diaphragm muscle in your abdomen descends, creating a vacuum in the lungs that air rushes in to fill. This is assisted by the external intercostal muscles, which expand your ribcage outward. When you begin to sing and exhale, the internal intercostals help to return your ribcage to its starting position, while the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward, helping to regulate the airflow.
The epigastrium, where the abdominal muscles and diaphragm meet, is particularly important for breath support. Engaging this area creates a consistent airflow that supports the sound of your voice. By focusing on the epigastrium, you can avoid adding stress and tension to your throat and the small muscles in your vocal mechanism, such as the vocal folds and larynx.
Developing an acute awareness of your breathing process and how to control it is essential for good singing. This includes understanding the mechanics of breathing, such as the role of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, and practicing breathing exercises to improve your airflow and support. While it may feel challenging at first, with continued practice, controlling your breath while singing will become second nature.
Additionally, cardio fitness and exercise can be beneficial for improving your breathing and overall singing ability. Activities like running or biking can get your lungs breathing and your heart pumping, enhancing your lung capacity and stamina. However, it is important not to overdo it, as excess exercise can create tension in your core, which can be detrimental to singing.
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Understanding the epigastrium and diaphragm
The diaphragm is a dome-like sheet of muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. It is the largest and strongest muscle in the body and is essential for breathing and singing. When inhaling, the diaphragm contracts and flattens, and when exhaling, it rises and domes back into the chest cavity.
To sing efficiently, it is important to take low breaths, using the external intercostals (the muscles between the ribs) to help the rib cage expand and stay expanded. This keeps the diaphragm in a low position, making it easier to regulate airflow and not expel all the air at once. This is what people mean when they say "sing from your diaphragm" instead of "sing from your throat".
To locate your diaphragm, stand up straight and use your hands to find the bottom of your rib cage. To breathe into your diaphragm, inhale deeply, pushing your stomach out as far as possible while keeping the rest of your body still. Then, exhale and pull your stomach back in, ensuring your shoulders don't move. Your chest, shoulders, and face muscles should remain loose, not tight or clenched.
There are several exercises to help with diaphragm breathing. One is to lie on your back, placing one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Slowly inhale, feeling your belly rise, and once your chest starts to rise, begin exhaling. Another exercise is to stand or sit up straight, with your hands on your knees, and gradually breathe in until you feel the air expanding in your stomach. Hold your breath for a count of ten, then exhale as you gradually breathe in again.
While it is important to understand the diaphragm's role in singing, it is also crucial to develop overall muscle coordination and control. This can be achieved through regular practice, warm-up exercises, and guidance from a professional voice teacher.
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Vocal cord control
The sound of your voice is produced by the vibration of the vocal folds, which are two bands of smooth muscle tissue that are positioned opposite each other in the larynx. The pitch is created by the vocal cords pulling together to a particular pitch opening, which produces a certain pitch frequency. The pulling-together is controlled by two sets of muscles: the Thyroid muscle group, which controls the Chest Voice (low notes), and the Cricoarytenoid muscle group, which controls the Head Voice (high notes).
The Thyroid group is located at the front of your throat, and the Cricoarytenoids at the back. The more taut the vocal cords, the smaller the pitch opening, the faster the pitch frequency, and the higher the notes. To sing well, you need to be conscious of these different muscles and how to position them. This can be achieved through regular practice, which will make it second nature.
One way to practice is to make the 'huh' sound, as if you were about to lift something heavy or hold your breath. Notice how your throat blocks and you feel a build-up of pressure in your chest and throat. This is what you should avoid when singing. Now sigh, as though totally relaxed, and you should feel no pressure. Good singing should be somewhere between these two sensations, never tense or tight, but with a little more control over the breath flow than with a sigh.
Another exercise is to put one hand on your lower belly, just below the belly button. Breathe all the way out while pulling in your stomach. When you can't breathe out any further, tense your stomach muscles for a second, then release them, and feel your throat open up.
To sing with proper cord effort, the vocal cords should be pulled together, engaged, and creating a clear, full sound with some tone. This is opposed to just hearing breath pushing through. Cord Effort is what you want to use when singing in your Chest Voice, to ensure your vocal cords are engaging properly and healthily. The more you get the cords together, so they can vibrate against one another, the more you are strengthening these muscles in the right way.
When singing in your Chest Voice, you want to think about singing with proper cord effort and addressing any bottoming-out notes. For Chest Voice, think about your voice being at Mouth Level.
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The role of the larynx and vocal folds
The larynx, or voice box, houses the vocal folds, also known as the vocal cords. The vocal folds are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx, from back to front. The outer edges of the vocal folds are attached to the muscles in the larynx, while the inner edges form an opening called the rima glottidis. The vocal folds are the key to creating sounds through vocalization.
The larynx and vocal folds are integral to the voice mechanism, which is composed of three subsystems, each with specific roles in voice production. The voice box and vocal folds comprise the vibratory system of the voice mechanism. The vocal folds include three distinct layers that work together to promote vocal fold vibration: the covering/mucosa, the vocal ligament, and the deep lamina propria. The covering/mucosa is a loose structure that is key to vocal fold vibration during sound production. The vocal ligament, composed of the thyroarytenoid muscle, helps close the glottis and regulate tension in the vocal fold during speaking and/or singing. The thyroarytenoid muscle is also referred to as the vocalis muscle, which tightens the front part of the ligament near the thyroid cartilage. The deep lamina propria contains collagen fibres that are stronger and more rigid than the superficial lamina propria.
The larynx and vocal folds play a crucial role in producing different pitches and volumes. The fundamental frequency of the sound generated by the larynx, which determines the perceived pitch of a person's voice, is influenced by the length, size, and tension of the vocal folds. The voice box adjusts vocal fold tension to vary pitch and volume. The vocal folds move like windshield wipers, and their length and thickness affect the vocal pitch. Longer and thicker vocal folds, typically found in adult males, result in lower-pitched voices, while shorter and thinner vocal folds produce higher-pitched voices.
The larynx and vocal folds can also be influenced by hormonal changes, impacting the voice. For example, singers are advised not to perform during their pre-menstrual period due to a potential drop in voice quality. Additionally, the anatomy of the larynx and vocal folds can be subtly altered by prolonged use, differentiating the larynxes of singers from non-singers. In trained singers, the structures above the vocal fold, such as the false vocal folds, are retracted to the side, allowing for a wider appearance of the true vocal folds.
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Muscle memory and conditioning
The act of singing involves toning and strengthening muscles and developing the stamina to use them without causing fatigue or damage. The diaphragm muscle in your abdomen is the largest and strongest muscle in the body and is used for breathing. There are also other "costal" muscles that are involved in taking a deep breath and controlling how your air is expelled while singing or speaking. The many small muscles in your larynx and throughout your mouth and sinuses can be trained to produce the effects of speaking and singing.
The Thyroid muscle group controls your Chest Voice (low notes), and the Cricoarytenoid muscle group controls your Head Voice (high notes). The Head Voice eludes most people and is usually the register that needs the most work. The Cricoarytenoid muscles are naturally more underdeveloped than the Thyroid muscle group because we don't spend as much time speaking in the Head Voice.
To improve your singing voice, you need to be aware of these specific muscles and how to control them. This can be achieved through vocal exercises and by practicing singing scales every day. It is also beneficial to get your lungs breathing and heart pumping through exercise, such as running or biking.
Muscle memory is created by repeating an action or motor task (muscle coordination) over and over again, until it is moved from the short-term memory area to the long-term memory area of the brain. Once a muscle coordination is in long-term storage, it becomes almost automatic and requires very little thought or effort. This is why regular practice is key to maintaining good muscle memory.
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Frequently asked questions
The diaphragm muscle in your abdomen is the largest and strongest muscle used in singing. It is what enables you to breathe in and out with your lungs. There are also other costal muscles that are involved in taking a deep breath and controlling how your air is expelled while singing or speaking. Then there are the many small muscles in your larynx and throughout your mouth and sinuses that you learn to control in minute amounts to produce all the effects of speaking and singing.
If you find it difficult to relax your throat when you sing, you may have too much air in your lungs, causing your vocal folds to press tightly together. This leads to throat tension. To avoid this, try making a 'huh' sound as if you were about to lift something heavy, and notice how your throat blocks. Then, sigh as if totally relaxed, and you should notice this pressure is gone. Good singing should be somewhere between these two sensations.
To train your muscles for singing, it is recommended to take regular lessons from a good professional voice teacher. They can give you valuable feedback on correcting bad habits and building good ones. You can also do a set of warm-up singing exercises every day to keep your voice in its best condition. Additionally, massaging the neck muscles with a small vibrator has been shown to have good results in counteracting tension for singers.
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