interesting debate...Breathing for singing vs. breathing for speaking

When I am working with clients and begin with vocal function education and specifically how we breathe for singing, I very often get a puzzled look from the receiving party.  "Isn't breathing for singing the SAME as breathing for speaking?", well yes and no. Breathing for singing and breathing for speaking are related but involve different techniques and control of airflow. Here are the key differences between the two:

Control and Support:

• Singing: When singing, you typically need more control and support over your breath. This is because you need to sustain notes for longer durations, sing with varying dynamics, and control pitch accurately. Singers often use abdominal-diaphragmatic breathing, where the abdominal muscles move outward and the diaphragm contracts downward to draw in more air. This provides a steady and controlled airflow for singing.
• Speaking: In speaking, the breath is often more casual and spontaneous. While there is still abdominal-diaphragmatic involvement, it's not as pronounced as in singing. Speaking generally requires less control over breath because the phrases are shorter, and you don't need to sustain pitch or dynamics to the same extent as in singing.

Volume and Intensity:

• Singing: Singers need to project their voices, sing at varying volumes, and often sing loudly to reach the audience in large performance spaces. Breath coordination plays a crucial role in modulating volume and intensity.
• Speaking: In regular conversation, you don't need to project your voice to the same extent as in singing. Speaking is typically at a lower volume, and you may not need to control your breath as precisely.

Pitch Control:

• Singing: Singers use breath control to sustain and manipulate pitch. Changing pitch and transitioning between notes smoothly requires precise control of airflow, which is not as crucial in speaking.
• Speaking: While intonation plays a role in speech, it's generally less controlled and less varied compared to singing.

Phrasing and Articulation:

• Singing: Singers need to shape and articulate words and phrases while maintaining a steady airflow. This requires careful breath control to ensure smooth transitions between notes and words.
• Speaking: In speaking, you might pause more frequently, and articulation is often more relaxed. Breath coordination is used more for rhythm and pacing than for articulation.

Breath Management:

• Singing: Singers often learn specific techniques for breath coordination, such as taking controlled breaths at strategic points within a song, using "breath marks" in sheet music, and learning how to control the release of air to create specific vocal effects.
• Speaking: In speaking, breath coordination is generally less structured. It's more about ensuring you have enough air to complete your sentences without running out of breath.

Singing and speaking both rely on breath coordination and abdominal diaphragmatic breathing, but the level of control, intensity, and articulation required differs significantly between the two. Singing demands more precise breath coordination to sustain notes, project the voice, and control pitch, while speaking is typically more relaxed and spontaneous in terms of breath usage.

Note: When talking about "speaking", I am referring to typical speaking voice use during a normal day, NOT musical theater, acting, oratorical speaking.