Workout - Bottom of the Breath

Warm up and Review:

  • Home Position and breathing
  • Review
  • Bearing down and pressing
  • Bottom of the breath
  • Comfortable Empty
  • 3% Circle
  • Still at the comfortable empty
  • Still and drop/release
  • Direct the inhale

Please see Vocabulary below for often used terms in this workout:

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Workout without Vocalise

End of the Phrase = Bottom of the Breath

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The end of your exhale, the bottom of the breath cycle, is a critical place to unlock tension and access the natural urge to inhale.


Remain mindful at the bottom of the breath. This is the sensation at the end of a long phrase. Instead of gulping for air and pulling the vocal instrument out of alignment, we learn learn to use the sensations at the bottom of the breath to direct us where to draw breath. 

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Warm up, Breathing and Review

< 17:06

Review the skills we learned for the top of the breath so we can apply them to the bottom of the breath.

Bottom of the Breath

17:08 - 22:25

To find a comfortable level of empty, find 50% volume, then circle 50% - 30%. You become comfortable as you contain a specific amount of air. Release tension before you breathe.

Stillness at the Bottom of the Breath

22:25 - 29:01

  • Find 50% and 30% air volume and make a breathing cycle.
  • 30% volume will be our working comfortably empty volume where you can briefly 'still' the motion of the breath.
  • Circle 3 to 5% in and out with home position at rest.
  • Larynx remains unengaged. 
  • Bring your air movement to a still point without pressing the larynx.
  • Don't gradually inflate. Remain at a constant level of under-pressure and only move 3 to 5% of the air.
  • If you feel out of breath, part your lips and breathe freely. Re-oxygenate, and take whatever time you need and return to the exercise.

The Vacuum

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Plan the Inhale

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Vocalise - One Pitch Sustain

  • Inhale to Comfortable Full
  • Check for Home position
  • Circle 3% of your breath in and out if you are unsure if your throat is open or closed.
  • Still and drop/release
  • Initiate and sustain a small, easy tone on the the inside voice, without pressing or bearing down.
  • Bottom of the Breath = end of the tone
  • Check for Home tension.
  • Inhale to Comfortable full

Vocabulary

  • BREATHE FREELY - Non-coached breathing at a comfortable size and pace for the student.
  • BEARING DOWN ON THE BREATH - To press downward on the air pressure at the end of the exhale or phrase.
  • COMFORTABLE EMPTY - A low, comfortable level of breath at the end of the exhale. A place you can easily sustain a still point without closing the points of the vocal core.
  • DISENTANGLE - To unwind, untie, unnecessary connection between parts of the vocal core.
  • ENTANGLEMENT - An unnecessary connection between parts of the vocal core. Smooth motion between the points of the vocal core enable you to maintain a constant rate of air flow to fuel an even vocal tone.
  • OPTIMUM TEMPO - The speed at which you can accurately perform the required action without clenching the points of the vocal core.
  • STILL POINT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BREATH - A moment of no motion between the exhale and the inhale where all points of the vocal core remain at rest.
  • VACUUM - The place below comfortable empty where you feel the instinctive urge to draw breath. The power for the inhale.
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