What Singing With Support Actually Means
“Sing from your diaphragm!”, “Engage your diaphragm!” Girl, it’s 2025… why are vocal coaches still saying this when it has been proven over and over again that it’s physically impossible to do so…?
I get it - we’re all just trying to find ways to help singers sing with more support so that they can experience more freedom and a more full and effortless sound. But I do believe that in order to really get the most out of the voice, it’s good to know what’s actually physically happening when you’re singing.
So if you’ve ever been told to “support more” when you’re singing and you’re feeling confused about that that actually means and how to translate that into your voice, this one’s for you!
Please Don’t Squeeze
Before we look at what support actually means, let’s quickly look at what it is not, just to make sure we’re all on the same page.
Singing with support does not mean engaging your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is an involuntary muscle (like the heart), meaning you can’t control it. In addition to that it’s also engaged when you inhale and relaxed when you exhale - we sing on our exhalation, right?
Singing with support also does not mean squeezing your abs really tightly. You will most likely feel some engagement in your abs, but it shouldn’t be a squeezing feeling. That squeeze that lead to a lot of tension and too much vocal fold closer making your sound really pressy and feel like it’s stuck in your throat.
In general, squeezing anything isn’t support, yet that’s exactly what most singers do when being told to “support more”. And I don’t blame them - I used to do the exact same thing! But now you know better ;) So let’s look at what support actually means.
The Role Of Air
Instead of squeezing, think of support as flow. You’re using the right amount of air for the note you’re singing - not too much and not too little. Imagine your sound sitting on top of your air (the air is the vehicle to get the sound out of you). If there’s not enough air then the sound is struggling to come out and it can feel like it’s stuck inside of you. If there’s too much, it gets super hard to control the vehicle and you might lose control.
This means that you can definitely over breathe! So please don’t just inhale as much air as you possibly can, as this can lead to a lot of tension and actually make you run out of breath more quickly. Just inhale as needed and focus on flow - a consistent stream of air when you’re exhaling.
The Air Hockey Table Analogy
Think about an air hockey table - if the table is off, the puck won’t move very far, even if you hit it really hard. That’s because there’s too much friction between the puck and the table. But when the table is on, the puck floats effortlessly because there's a steady stream of air coming up from below. It’s not being shoved across the surface—it’s gliding, lifted by invisible support.
That’s exactly how your voice should work. When your breath is consistent and well-managed, your sound rides on top of it—smooth, easy, and free. If the air stops, the puck (and your voice) crashes. So instead of muscling your way through a phrase, aim to float your sound like that air hockey puck. Support underneath. Effortless glide on top.
Try This: Controlled Exhales
Want to feel what functional control is like?
Try this simple exercise:
Inhale deeply, but naturally—not forced
Exhale on a soft “S” for 12 even counts (then 16, 20, etc as it gets easier!)
Keep posture steady—no collapsing or pushing
This helps you train breath control, not just capacity. Think of it as budgeting your air rather than dumping it all at once.
This builds vocal stamina, steadiness, and helps retrain your instinct to push.
But Is The Air Coming Through…?
Usually when we talk about breath support we stop at releasing the breath - which happens below your vocal folds, in your abs and lungs. But I do quickly want to touch on the role of the vocal folds when it comes to air (because as you now know, support just means releasing a steady flow or air). Your vocal folds are basically the stop lights for your vehicle (the air). If they are closed really firmly, then the lights are on red and air can’t pass through - the door is closed. If they are vibrating as intended or completely open, then the light is green and the air can pass, allowing your vocal folds to create an effortless sound.
Basically what this means is be sure that your vocal folds aren’t squeezing together too much! And on the other hand, that they are not too open either, because when too much air passes through, you can sound really breathy. If your sound is getting squeezed and not enough air is passing through, practice breathy singing. If your singing is breathy and you just can’t get your fold folds to close more firmly, squeeze your abs (yes, really!). I know I just said that you should never feel like you’re squeezing anything… But because of the Val Salva Maneuver, squeezing your abs can actually help getting your vocal folds to close more firmly so that that there isn’t additional air leaking through. Your abs and vocal folds are connected - when you lift something really heavy, your abs squeeze and your vocal folds close firmly to create a lot of internal pressure, helping you preform a strenuous task.
Final Thoughts
Support is all about using your air in a way that serves you.
If you’ve been:
Gasping for air
Squeezing for high notes
Feeling tired after every set
…you’re probably not using your air in a way that’s serving you.
Try controlled exhale drills. Experiment with letting the sound ride on your air. And most importantly, give yourself permission to stop overdoing.
The best singers make it look easy—because, when it’s working, it is.
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