Ask Dr. LJ: Singing.

[saxikath]

So, I'm doing this solo with a bell piece that we're playing in late February. And wow, am I out of practice. The piece is slow, with looooong breath lines. (At least long for me.) Breath line was never my strongest suit, even when I was in better vocal condition, and now -- ouch.

So the question is, for you singers out there: what exercises do you recommend for working on breath line?

In related news, there is a distinct shortage of me-accessible musical theater this spring. Foo. Princess Ida is still an option, though I'm not all that wild about Blanche and can't imagine they'd actually cast me as Psyche. But I want to sing somewhere! (Brigadoon isn't happening in Belmont after all.)

(And yes, I went swimming again yesterday. And am going again tonight. I'm a quarter of the way across the Hellespont at its widest. Rawr!)

Comments

[saxikath]

I do do crawl; it's the only stroke I ever had any real facility with. (I can sort of do backstroke, but never got the coordination down for breaststroke, and butterfly is too much at the moment!) So I'll try the every-other-stroke thing -- good idea.

[cnoocy]

When we did Evita in college, our lead spent spring break rehearsing her songs while treading water, but that may not be feasible in a busy pool.

[kayre]

Great-- first try skipping a stroke occasionally. Then try one length, after you're warmed up; back to breathing every stroke for a while, then another length of skipping a stroke, etc. You'll have breath support like never before! :)