5 Breathing tips to improve your vocal tone

Often times I think people overthink what they need to do to improve their vocal tone- it really starts at base level of breath! Below I’ve listed a few tips to get you going:

1. Diaphragmatic breathing: This technique involves breathing deeply from the diaphragm, rather than shallowly from the chest. To practice diaphragmatic breathing, lie on your back with your hand on your stomach. Inhale deeply through your nose, feeling your stomach rise as you fill your lungs with air. Exhale slowly through your mouth, feeling your stomach fall as you release the air. Practice this technique regularly to strengthen your breath support and improve your vocal tone.

2. Breath control exercises: Work on exercises that focus on controlling the flow of air while singing. For example, practice singing a sustained note on a single breath, gradually increasing the length of time you can hold the note. This will help you develop the stamina and control needed to sustain long phrases and improve your vocal tone.

3. Lip trills: Not a surprise for anyone that knows me, I am a huge lip trill fan due to the way it balances the airflow while loosening all the little muscles around the vocal folds. Lip trills are a great warm-up exercise that can help improve breath control and support. Start by blowing air through your lips to create a buzzing sound, then introduce pitch by singing a simple scale while maintaining the lip trill. This exercise can help you focus on controlling your breath while singing and improve your vocal tone. LIP TRILLS HERE

4. Straw phonation or cup bubbles: Singing through a straw can help improve breath support and vocal tone by creating resistance that forces you to engage your diaphragm and support muscles. Place a straw in a glass of water and sing through it, focusing on maintaining a steady flow of air and a consistent tone. This exercise can help improve your breath control and support while singing but you can also try it by simply blowing the bubbles on the edge of your cup without the straw and release jaw tension in the process.

5. Yoga breathing techniques: Practicing yoga breathing techniques, such as pranayama, can help improve your overall breath control and support. Techniques like ujjayi breathing (or "ocean breath") can help you deepen your breath, improve your lung capacity, and enhance your vocal tone. Incorporate yoga breathing exercises into your daily routine to improve your breath control and support while singing.