VOICE / LESSON 01
Nasal and Mouth Breathing for Singers
Students often ask me how they should breathe when singing. Breath is fundamental to producing a steady voice, so it is worth paying attention to how you take air in.
First, consider the sequence involved in making a sound.
Breathing → vocal-fold vibration → resonance → articulation → the voice we hear
Breathing supplies the airflow that starts this process. Without a comfortable, reliable breath, singing becomes more difficult.
When you inhale, should you use your mouth or your nose?
Starting point: try breathing through your nose.
More precisely, nasal breathing can be your starting point, with mouth breathing added when you need a quicker or larger intake of air. Coordinating both can take practice, so beginners may find it easier to explore them separately.
Why might nasal inhalation help?
Breathing through the nose
The nasal passages help filter, warm, and humidify incoming air.
Breathing through the mouth
Mouth breathing can let you take in air quickly during a short pause, although it provides less warming and humidification.
Comfortable vocal-fold function depends in part on adequate hydration. Nasal breathing can help condition incoming air, but the best choice during singing depends on the phrase, tempo, and amount of air needed. For many relaxed passages, nasal inhalation may be sufficient; for brief gaps, mouth inhalation is often practical.
Summary
Practice a gentle nasal inhalation when there is time. For longer phrases or short breaths between lyrics, add mouth inhalation as needed, without tensing your neck or shoulders.
If you are a beginner, start by noticing your breath rather than trying to enforce one rigid method. In the next lesson we will compare chest-dominant and diaphragm-led breathing.