Most people who are even peripherally involved in singing have heard the term breath support (or support) and figured out that breath is a key component in the vocal art. In fact, breath is actually the power source of the instrument that is the human voice. This power source is one of three components found in every musical instrument. The other two components are the vibrator and the resonator, which I will discuss later. If the breath is not used well, the instrument will not produce its best sound. The key to using the breath well is engaging proper support.

Support can be understood in many different ways and each person needs to find a way of understanding and articulating support that allows them to maximize the artistry and beauty of their own instrument. In other words, one size definitely does not fit all. For me personally as an artist, it took a fair amount of research and exploration to find an understanding that finally allowed me to develop some consistency in breath and support. This is still a work in progress.

Breath control is so important for singing that James Terry Lawson said that "Singing built upon a foundation of good breath control is like 'a house built upon a rock'". The truth is that breath control is sometimes not the best term to use, but the action it describes is imperative. Breath and support are inextricably linked in singing. In this first blog series I will go through the components of good technique for both breath and support.

Breath support is the foundation of singing and that brings us to Part 2 of this particular series, which is the foundation of breath support. That foundation is posture.