How to use your diaphragm?

How do I use my diaphragm?

• I cant take this anymore!I had singing lessons for 3 years I stopped and now I cant use my diaphragm! I sing as flat as paper. My choir teacher is teaching us notes, how NOT to sing in a falsetto, breathing, and stuff but mostly I feel embarrassed because my voice does not sound like a true female alto should be! How can I overcome this?

• Answer:

  "Using your diaphragm" is literally a term that makes no sense. The diaphragm is not really a muscle, but it's more like a flap of skin or something that separates the upper gut from the lower gut, therefore, you can't use it. I know that anatomy lesson stinks, but bear with me! :) A good exercise you can use that I did when I started voice lessons was to get the heaviest book in your house. Lie down on your back on the floor, and place the book on top of your belly. When you breathe in, the book should go up. When you breathe out, the book should go back down. You can even practice singing in this position to get the feel of what it's like to breathe this way. But using your "diaphragm" will definitely give your voice a much fuller sound and this exercise will definitely help you get the feel for that and eventually habitually breathe this way all the time when you sing.