BEFORE getting into how to do it , a small question and answer exercise, to understand better the point of view I am coming from:

Is breathing important to singing?
Yes.

Is breathing the only thing that matters on singing?
No.

If I train my breathing, will I be an awesome singer right away?
No.

If I don’t train my breathing, does it means that I wont be able to sing great?
That depends on what you are defining as *great*. And depends on the style. But most likely, you wont perform as well as you could.

Can I train my breathing apart from voicing?
Yes.

Can I improve my singing just by doing breathing exercises?
No.

Is support important to singing?
Yes.

Is support the only thing that is important on singing?
No.

Can I sing healthily without properly supporting?
No.

Is there only one way to properly support?
No.

Is the way to support all kinds of singing the same?
No.

What is support?
Proper airflow and pressure for the phonation being produced.

So Is supporting pushing down?
No.

So is supporting pushing to the sides?
No.

So is supporting inhaling the sound?
No.

So is supporting holding back the air?
No.

Is support a sensation of expanding the back?
No.

Is support a sensation of expanding my belly?
No.

Is support a sensation of pressure inside?
No.

Why are those things mentioned often?
Those things may produce the result intended, of regulating the airflow, but they are NOT the result.

Can I train support apart from phonation?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.

So why do singers do exercises for support without voicing?
You can work on the coordination of breathing, but support itself can not happen without phonation. If there is no sound being produced, there is no adequate flow to happen.

Can my larynx regulate the flow instead?
YES.

So why bothering?
If it’s doing two tasks at the same time will lead to forcing.

But, but, I was told my problem is not breathing!
Check the previous answers, it’s not exclusive, and by far not the only aspect to work.

But babies produce loud high-pitched sounds without training!
Yes, they are also one of the most annoying things to listen to.

But aren’t they supporting?
Yes.

If babies can support naturally why can’t I?
You are not a baby. And hopefully you are not crying. This is about singing.

So what is the difference from adults to babies?
The babies larynx still did not come down, and their cry is a reflexive response.

So in a situation of reflexive response, do I support properly?
Most likely, yes.

Why not use that?
Reflexes do not happen at will, takes a situation of stress, or excitement. So its unreliable.

So its useless?
No, it can be used to learn the coordination, one of the best possible references actually.

So I hope you understood this is not about a magical solution. With that in mind, we will begin on the next part to talk about the coordination itself.