Bottom of the Breath

Module 1	Welcome!
Unit 1	Welcome!
Module 2	Lesson One - How Your Voice is Produced. First release movements.
Unit 1	Lesson One Introduction
Unit 2	Optimum Tempo
Unit 3	Voice Mechanics
Unit 4	Home Position
Unit 5	Stance
Unit 6	Home Position Exercise
Unit 7	Lesson One Summary
Unit 8	Cheeks
Module 3	Lesson One Vocal Workouts
Unit 1	Vocal Workout - Home Position
Unit 2	Vocal Workout 1
Unit 3	Home Position
Module 4	Lesson Two - Breathing Basics
Unit 1	Breathing Basics – Lecture
Unit 2	The Breathing Cycle
Unit 3	How to Inhale and Exhale
Unit 4	Breath Control
Unit 5	Top of the Breath
Unit 6	Comfortable Full
Unit 7	Stillness at the Top of the Breath
Unit 8	How to maintain an open throat at the top of the breath
Unit 9	Breathing in the Mask
Unit 10	Basic Breathing Techniques
Unit 11	Breathing Basics Summary Exercise
Unit 12	Summary Breathing Basics
Unit 13	Breathing Basics Exercises
Module 5	Lesson Three - How to Find Your Real Voice
Unit 1	Lesson Three Lecture
Unit 2	Initiating the Tone
Unit 3	Inside Voice
Unit 4	Inside Voice Pitch Line
Unit 5	Tuning the Vocal Instrument
Unit 6	Sustain pitch: 110hz, 220hz, 440hz
Unit 7	Lesson Three Summary
Unit 8	Lesson Three Exercises
Unit 9	Vocalise Top of the Breath
Module 6	Lesson Four - Jaw, Face and the Middle Voice
Unit 1	The Middle Voice Range
Unit 2	Facial Mask Workout
Unit 3	Siren Exercise
Unit 4	Vocalise Sustained A
Unit 5	Nose and Sinuses
Unit 6	Jaw
Unit 7	Head Placement
Unit 8	Mid Head to Chest Relationship
Module 7	Lesson Five - The Soft Palate
Unit 1	Lesson Five
Unit 2	Warm-up exercise for breathing and soft palate
Unit 3	Opposing Motion
Module 8	Lesson Six - Opening the Posture
Unit 1	How to Open the Posture
Module 9	Full Body Breathing
Unit 1	Full Body Breathing
Module 10	Extra Vocal Exercises
Unit 1	Vocal Exercises

The bottom of the breath powers the inhale. In this unit we will discover the moment at the end of the exhale where, instead of thinking, "Out of breath", you learn to direct the powerful force of the vacuum to your advantage.

Bottom of the Breath
Comfortably Empty
Stillness at the Bottom of the Breath
The Vacuum - the power for the inhale

Bottom of the Breath Demonstration (20:32)

00:00 - 2:17 Explanation
2:17 - 7:20 - Warm-up
7:20 - 10:10 - Explanation and Demonstration of Bottom of the Breath
10:14 - Still your breath at around 50%.
11:20 - Vacuum and 50%
15:00 - 16:40 - Bottom of the Breath and Vacuum
17:00 - How we close our throats at the bottom of the breath
18:03 - 19:45 - Still the breath at the bottom of the breath.

The bottom of your breathing cycle is as important as the top.

The sensations at the bottom of the breath, that feeling of being out of air, is a powerful sensation that you will now use to your benefit.

Instead of panicking with the thought, “I’m out of breath," you will use specific techniques to gain trust in the power that is coiled at the bottom of the your breath.

At the bottom of the breath we:

1.Release tension from the previous phrase.

2. Prepare for the inhale.

3. Determine the size of breath we will need.

4. Engage movements to open the vocal core for the next phrase.

Hidden locks at the Bottom of the Breath

Neck, head back and chest

The ease at the end of the exhale, (bottom of the breath), determines the quality of the inhale.

When you are at ease, with all locks open at the bottom of the breath, there are no obstructions from tense muscles, and the air can be quickly drawn into the proper spaces.

We tend to lose focus at the bottom of the breathing cycle, as it is not as obvious as the top of the breath. And, like the top of the breath, it passes by so quickly that don't even consider its role in the breathing process.

Yet, at the bottom of the breath we find small movements that unlock the neck, chest and back so that your upper body can further expand to increase your breathing capacity.

Comfortably Empty

The average, low level of breath volume at the end of the exhale is called, “Comfortable Empty”.

Comfortably Empty is a distinct sensation

“Comfortable,” is a term only you can determine, but it is a very clear sensation within your vocal core.

Comfortable Empty’ is an important mark in your breathing process. It is an easy level of low volume where you can easily dis-entangle old habits and insert new ones.

Exercise #1 - Comfortably Empty

Establish a comfortable breathing cycle and volume of breath.
Find 50% volume, the mid-point of your breathing cycle.
Make 50% your temporary "Comfortable Full".
Circle your breath in and out 50% to 35% air volume.
Observe the volume of air at the bottom of the breath. Don’t alter the size of the air cycle, just take a mental note of how much air you have at the end of your exhale.
Slowly find a consistent level of low air volume that feels 'comfortable' to you without feeling out of breath.
Name that easy, low volume, “Comfortable Empty”

Notice that the vocal release points remain in their rested positions at “Comfortable Empty”.

Stillness at the Bottom of the Breath

The moment of no breath movement, at the end of the exhale, before the air current reverses direction into the inhale is called, “Stillness at the Bottom of the Breath”.

This moment of stillness has, most likely, gone undetected before this time, but it as important a part of the breath cycle as the inhale and exhale.

When you practice stillness at the bottom of the breath you can:

Unlock hidden entanglements that don't appear at other parts of the breathing cycle.
Become comfortable with the vacuum sensation.
Place breathing and voice techniques into motion.

Remain MINDFUL

The importance of, "Stillness at the Bottom of the Breath" cannot be overstated.

The still space at the bottom of the breath allows the body to recover, release the old movements and create space for the inhale. You will learn to increase the duration of stillness at the bottom of the breath where, in the future, you will add important breathing and vocal movements.

Exercise #2 - Stillness at the Bottom of the Breath

There is a point of no moment between the exhale and inhale at the bottom of the breath.

Your secret super power, is to remain mindful of what happens in your breath and vocal core at the very bottom of the breath.

Here, you will also check to see if your larynx and tongue remain at rest.

Preparation

Once all points of your vocal core are at rest, proceed to exercise.

Exercise

Establish a comfortable breathing cycle and volume of breath.
Slowly adjust your air volume down to circle from 35% full volume to Comfortable Empty.
Slow this new size of breathing cycle and explore the end of the exhale and the moment where your air current moves from and exhale to an inhale.
Circle the bottom 5% of air in and out without gradually inhaling. Try to maintain the same consistent level of air at bottom of the breath.
When you feel comfortable at the bottom of the breath, slow the in and out breathing motion until you can completely still the air without engaging the larynx.

The Vacuum

Slowly exhale your breath until you are completely out of breath.

This sensation of no breath, of need to inhale is called the, "Vacuum."

We learn to direct the inhale from this place at the bottom of the breath.

Instead of avoiding the sensation of the vacuum, of feeling, "Out of breath," we learn to use that feeling to empower and direct the inhale.

Remain AWARE during your exhale!

In order to gain full use of the vacuum, you must remain aware during the exhale and PLAN for the vacuum.

Otherwise, you will immediately follow your instinct to inhale, and your golden opportunity is lost until the next inhale.

We isolate the "Still Point" at the bottom of the breath, to explore this invisible place,

Exercise #3 - Discover the Vacuum

Establish a comfortable circle of breath.
Still at the top of the breath with larynx open.
Place a mental note here: "PAY ATTENTION to the BOTTOM OF THE BREATH."
As you exhale, prepare to still your breath at the bottom of the breath.
Still your breath at "Comfortable Empty".
When you feel urge to inhale, check your home position. ESPECIALLY the tongue. BEFORE YOU INHALE you inhale, all points of vocal core must be in home position.

Before you inhale:
All points of the vocal core must be in the Home Position

Unit Goals:

Student can identify and still the breath at "Comfortable Empty" without tension in the vocal core or closing the larynx.
Student can retain home position at Comfortable Empty.
Student can identify the sensation of the vacuum.

Vocabulary

BOTTOM OF THE BREATH - The end of the exhale.
COMFORTABLE/COMFORTABLY EMPTY - A consistent volume of air at the end of the exhale.
VACUUM - The sensation of feeling out of breath at the end of the exhale. The point of extreme power and thrust for the inhale.

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