When it comes to singing, setting up the voice correctly is just as important as the vocal technique itself. Think of your body as the instrument, and posture is the foundation. If the foundation isn’t solid, everything else is going to be off. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned singer, posture impacts how you breathe, how you project, and even how easily you can access higher notes. Simply put: the right posture can either release your vocal potential or hold you back.
In a first lesson, I always emphasise getting these basics right before we even begin to make sound. By setting up your voice and body properly, you’re creating the ideal conditions to get the most out of your practice sessions and achieve your singing goals faster.
How to Set Up Your Voice for Optimal Singing:
1. Stand (or Sit) Tall and Aligned
Ideally, you should practise singing while standing, as it helps maintain better posture and breath support. However, if you're sitting, just make sure your posture is aligned. Avoid slouching or leaning forward. You should imagine there’s a string pulling gently from the top of your head, elongating your spine.
Neck Alignment: Ensure that your neck isn’t tilting forward or down. Gently move your neck back so that your head sits comfortably on top of your spine, creating a straight line from your ears down to your shoulders. A quick tip: use a mirror and aim to keep your gaze level or slightly upwards, focusing on something just above eye level. This helps keep your vocal tract open and clear, giving your laryngeal muscles more room to work efficiently.
Avoid Curves in the Spine: Be mindful that your spine is straight—no arching or slumping. Many students, in an effort to engage their breath, tend to push their stomachs out incorrectly while curving their back, which compromises their balance. A solid, balanced posture means a strong, stable centre of gravity — key for confident singing.
2. Breathe Deeply, Breathe Low
Now, let’s talk about the breath. When you inhale, focus on breathing low into your diaphragm. While we can only breathe through the lungs, working on activating the diaphragm allows the ribcage to expand fully. This creates the sensation that you're "sitting on top" of your breath, which is essential for control and power.
Here’s an exercise: Exhale completely, so your abdominal muscles engage and tighten. This helps empty your lungs fully. Then, as you inhale, feel your diaphragm dropping and your ribs expanding outwards. This low, controlled breath gives you the foundation for sustained, balanced vocal production.
3. Shoulders Down, Not Up!
A common mistake singers make is raising their shoulders when they breathe in, thinking that will help expand the chest. But this actually causes tension in your neck and constricts your vocal tract.
Instead, try this: imagine you’re holding a pair of dumbbells in each hand. Feel the weight pulling your arms slightly downward, creating a sense of gravity that helps keep your shoulders relaxed and steady. This grounded sensation helps keep your ribcage and diaphragm working efficiently.
Don’t Overdo It: You don’t need to overexaggerate this movement! The goal is subtle relaxation—don’t force your shoulders down too hard, just enough to avoid any unnecessary lift. A relaxed upper body allows your breath and voice to flow with ease, while keeping your neck and throat free from tension.
Why Does it Matter?
When you set up your body and breath support correctly, you give yourself the best chance to sing with ease, range, and power. Practising these posture tips regularly helps create a solid foundation that supports your vocal technique as you move forward in your singing journey.
Remember: your voice is an extension of your body, and how you “set it up” before you sing is the first step toward creating sound that’s effortless and beautiful. So before you dive into practising your vocal exercises or your songs, take a moment to check your posture.
The body is only half the story. The other half lies in how we set up the breath for sound with the jaw, the soft palate, the larynx, and the tongue—those subtle, yet crucial elements that shape the sound. But more on that later!
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