Breath pattern changes when we talk, sing, or do slow breathing exercises by modification of the movement of the rib cage and abdomen since the respiratory system has many other essential functions of the body. Controlling breath patterns actively affects the efficacy of the respiratory system, which is necessary for classical singers, to optimize their vocal performance. Experienced professionals from the singing field optimize their breath control and tonality by using abdominal muscle activation that raises the intra –abdominal pressure, expanding the rib cage, which increases the length and pressure-generating capacity of the ribcage.
However, several attempts to find stereotypical patterns of respiratory kinematics in classical singers are somewhat inconclusive and unclear the difference in the breathing patterns of classical singers from the untrained ones. As per the National Association of Teachers of Singing, focusing on abdominal breathing is one of the most effective ways of teaching breath support for performance enhancement. Our abdominal muscles are highly active when we speak or sing. It has been found from visual inspection during classical singing performances, the singers contract their abdominal muscles at the peak of their performance that, producing pre-phonatory inward movement of the abdomen, leading them to better breath control. A case study by Sauro Salomoni, Wolbert van den Hoorn, and Paul Hodges for journals.plos.org reveals the characterization of breathing patterns and their objectives in classical singers.
