Understanding Breath

In this lesson, we break down the anatomy behind healthy, sustainable breathing for singers and introduce a simple exercise that helps you build the right habits.

You’ll learn how your lungs actually work—how bronchi, bronchioles, and hundreds of millions of alveoli fill with air—and why you can choose where that air goes. Most people take “speaking breaths” that inflate the top of the lungs, lift the shoulders, and create tension. Instead, singers need to breathe low, keeping the shoulders still and letting the stomach move outward.

We also clarify what people mean when they say “sing from your diaphragm.” The diaphragm handles inhaling, but the power for singing comes from the muscles that control your exhale—your core and intercostals. Engaging those muscles builds stability, range, and stamina.

You’ll also get a practical breathing exercise to help retrain these muscles: a deep, low breath with relaxed shoulders and intentional focus on filling the bottom of the lungs. Repeating this as a warm-up helps your body learn the new pattern and strengthens the support system that keeps your voice consistent across services.

This session sets the foundation for stronger, healthier singing by teaching you how to breathe the right way.