Finding Calm, Mindful Ways to Release Tension While Singing.
Are you holding TENSION and feeling STRESSED when you sing?
Singing is very physical. If our bodies are holding unnecessary tension, the pathway for your authentic voice to shine will become blocked. This can leave you feeling tired or hoarse and can affect the clarity of your vocal tone.
Part of learning new singing methods is to become aware of the tension in your body and use techniques to release unnecessary exertions so you can enjoy singing with freedom.
FOUR TIPS TO RELEASE VOCAL TENSION.
TIP # 1: CHECK YOUR ALIGNMENT Singers often hold a lot of tension in their neck and shoulders. Is your neck poking forward or your chin rising as you sing? This is often referred to as a turkey neck. Start by bringing your ear to your shoulder, then your chin to your chest, and breath three times slowly in and out.
TIP # 2 MINDFULNESS
One of the best ways to eliminate tension is to start to communicate with your body and listen to it. Take a moment. Breathe in and out. Close your eyes and focus your attention on your breath. Focus on inhaling and exhaling. If you start thinking of anything other than your breath, take a moment to relax and bring your thoughts back to your breath. Focus until you no longer are distracted by your thoughts.
TIP # 3 JAW TENSION RELEASE
Tension held in the jaw is one of the more common tension spots for singers. Try holding a pencil between your teeth while you sing without biting down on the pencil!
TIP # 4 TONGUE TENSION RELEASE EXERCISE
If you’ve been singing for a while you may have developed some compensatory techniques while trying to stabilize your larynx. Tongue tension often arrives when something else isn’t working properly. When your body can’t sing one way, it will find another way. The ability to compensate is part of what keeps us alive. Compensations aren’t bad, but in the long run, they aren’t likely to allow you to sing at your best and healthiest level. One great way to release tongue tension is to occupy those compensatory muscles. Stand in a relaxed, feet forward, hip-distance apart stance with good alignment Lick the front and back of your teeth with your tongue, with your mouth closed, and while doing this hum a scale of 123454321 in a middle range pitch. Add to this by making a circular motion with your tailbone at the same time.
SINGING CAN BE DONE AS A MINDFULNESS PRACTISE.
When focussing on releasing all tensions your singing will become grounded and you will experience the sensations of present moments without judgment or interpretation. Singing with calm, mindful ways involves isolating and strengthening the correct muscles while releasing and freeing the locked and harmful techniques that are preventing you from having a clear and healthy tone.
CONTACT ME for helping you work to release the compensatory muscles of tension and find your free and healthy voice.
