Voice Pedagogy for the 21st Century A Comparison of Breath Management Strategies in Classical and Nonclassical Singers: Part 1 I -- new findings may affect our peda- Elastic Recoil gogical approach to various singing The dimensions of the lungs styles. and the rib cage are greatly influ- Before we discuss the new find- enced by elastic recoil. To under- ings, we must have an understand- stand elastic recoil, it is helpful to ing of the mechanics of the breath- think in the action of a spring. For ing system and the forces that create instance, once a spring is stretched the pressures necessary to generate and then released, it will quickly the vocal sound. recoil back to its original position. Likewise, when it is squeezed, it Mechanics of Breath will again recoil, but this time in the Management opposite direction by expanding to Three ftrces are at work on the its original position. The rib cage Thomas F cleveland breathing system at all times. These and lungs operate in a similar way forces are: to this springlike action. Once the rib cage and lungs are expanded, INTRODUCTION: 1. Gravity, 2. Elastic recoil of the breathing sys- they will recoil to their at-rest posi- Experience has shown us that tem (lungs and ribcage), and tion, and when they are "contract- classical and nonclassical singers 3. Muscle action. ed," they will expand back to their use different breath management stra- resting point. This resting point is tegies during singing. Although these The following is an examina- called the resting expiratory level, or strategies can be observed in the chest tion of the action of the three forces. the REL, and the contracting and and abdominal wall movement of expanding forces, which are entire- singers, it has been difficult to quan- Gravity ly passive, are exhalatory at lung tify the movements and discern Gravity is an important force volumes above REL, and inhalatory their importance to the management in breathing. The downward pull it at volumes below the REL. At the of breath in singing. Recently, sever- exerts on the body depends on the REL, the forces are neither inspira- al new studies have given us addi- posture of the singer. For instance, it tory nor expiratory, but are at rest tional insight regarding breath man- exerts a different influence on the and equal. agement in singing. Thomasson and rib cage of a singer who is lying It may be instructive to the Sundherg (1997) examined the breath- down from that exerted on a singer singer to experience the REL from ing dynamics of classically trained who is sitting or standing. Because both the expanded and contracted singers, and Hoit, Jenks, Watson, we live under constant gravitational rib cage positions. To experience and Cleveland (1996) considered the pull, we have little notice of its the REL from the expanded rib cage breathing habits of country singers. effect, but, in the standing position, position, take a deep breath and "let The purpose of the present article is gravity would, theoretically, be it go." Once you "let it go," the rib to examine the results of these re- antagonistic to inhalation and assist cage will relax, automatically, to the cent studies and determine how the with exhalation. resting position, and the volume of J.4 ( ?-i../J 11 47 S4, N0. S. wig N..4 4 ( Thomas F. Cleveland breath will be expelled to a position effort and the direction of that effort muscles of exhalation, contract an- approximating the REL. Note, as depends on the influence of elastic tagonistically to the diaphragm. you exhale, that the rib cage tends to recoil and gravity, as well as the task With this familiarity with the collapse rather quickly at first, but requirements. For instance, because mechanics of the breathing system, slows down as you continue to ex- the recoil forces are very strong when we need to see what research is dis- hale. This is because the force of ex- one takes a full breath, inhalatory covering about the operation of the halation is much greater at a point of muscle effort can be used to counter- breath management system during the full breath, where the "spring" act the strong recoil forces and release different singing styles. In the next is stretched the most, but gets weak- the breath more gradually, if desired. issue, we will look at several para- er as you exhale. As you approach Once the breath is used and the rib meters of breath management and REL, the recoil slows even more. cage is less expanded, the inhalatory see how they differ in classical and To discover the REL from the muscle forces may be unnecessary country singers. In addition, we will contracted position, exhale as much and exhalatoiy forces must he recruit- consider the ramifications of these air as possible from your lungs and ed to continue the coordination for breath management strategies on then "let go." Because the rib cage is appropriate breath flow. voice pedagogy. contracted, the rib cage will now More complicated tasks create spring back in the opposite direction different requirements on the system. and expand, automatically, to the For example, if a high pitch with REFERENCES REL, drawing in air while it ex- loudness is required immediately pands. Again, note that the force to after a full breath, exhalatorv mus- Hoit, Jeanette, Christ Jenks, Watson, expand the rib cage is greater at the cle effort may be combined with the Peter. and Cleveland, Thomas. "Respira- point of full contraction, but slows passive forces of elastic recoil and tory Function During Speaking and as you approach REL. It is impor- gravity to create the amount of breath Singing in Professional Country Journal Voice. 10: 1 (1996): tant to remember that these forces pressure necessary to produce the Singers." of 39-49. are described under the condition of desired sound. It is easy to see that normal posture. A twisted torso or different conditions, that is, changes Thomasson, Monica, and Sundbcrg, otherwise malalignment of the spine in pitch and/or loudness, require al- Johan. "Lung Volume Levels in Classical can impede the expansion/contrac- terations in the degree and/or direc- Singing." Speech Transmission Laborato- tion capacity of the breathing sys- tion of muscle action. Add to these ,:ij-Quarterlg Progress and Status Report. tem, so, as mentioned before, pos- conditions the passive variation of 1 (1997): 37-50. ture can have tremendous impact on elastic recoil, body postures, and the recoil forces of the breathing gravitational pull, and the singer has system. much to coordinate in the singing Thomas F Cleveland is Associate Profes- sor of Otolai:ijngologg in the Voice Center, It is interesting to know that, process. School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Univerdtg, on average, the REL occurs at ap- Techniques of breath manage- Nashville, TN, where he teaches voice, con- proximately forty percent of the full ment vary among singers, even those ducts research, and is involved in team breathing capacity. However, the lo- who are trained in the same singing management and care of the professional cation of the REL can vary up to thir- style. For example, research indicates voice. He also serves as visiting Associate ty percent depending on the singer. that some singers employ the dia- Professor of Voice and Voice Pedagogy at phragm when they sing and others Westminster Choir Colleqe in Princeton, New Jersey. Muscle do not. For those who use the dia- Muscle action gives us the abil- phragm, which is a muscle of inhala- Before joining the Voice Center team in 1991, Dr. Cleveland was Associate Profes- ity to control the forces of gravity tion, in contraction expands the sor of Vocal Pedagogy and Voice Perfor dimensions of the lower rib cage and and elastic recoil, and decrease or -mance in the School of Music and Clinical increase the lung pressures neces- thereby increases the overall lung Associate Professor of Otolaryngology in sary to generate and maintain the volume capacity. On the other hand, the School of Medicine at the University of desired sound. The degree of muscle the abdominal muscles, which are Southern California in Los Angeles. 48 Jo(.M4 Voice Pedagogy for the 21st Century L),: Cleveland has lectured and qi ren mus- ter classes in Europe, England, France, Sweden, Portugal, Australia, and the United States. He contributes a regular cot- umn to the Journal of Singing and is the A SINGER'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAN author of voice research that has been pub- ART SONG: 1870-1980 lished in theJournal of the Acoustical So- Victoria Etnier Villamil, Foreword by Thomas Hampson ciety of America and the Journal of 1993 480 pp. 0-8108-2774- $52.00 Voice. He is a member of the Editorial A Singer's Guide is unique in providing a biography for each entrant and a l-rnc] Board of the journal of Voice, as well as y is particularl member of the National Association of essay on that composer's song style and output, information that useful in cases of lesser-known musicians. A Singer's Guide is an extremely Teachers of Singing. thoroughly researched and well written research tool, a useful and practical Di: Cleveland holds the EM. degree fiom handbook prepared by a singer for singers. "—THE NATS JOURNAL the Universit,y of Mississippi, and the "unique and invaluable—an island of care and culture in a Philistine occwi. M.M. and Ph.!). from the University of Obviously every vocal teacher (not to say vocal student) should have a copy. Southern California, where he studied with and every music library in the land." —Ned Rorem William Vennard, Gwendolyn Koldofkit, illarnil 's remarkable book should he a really useful mid - ,nid a cii r,' (luLl and William Eddy.