Is this true about practicing singing?

Question:

Is this true about practicing singing?

I will start my lessons after the Holidays so my teacher told me to practice until then, but I don't know how. I search questions on how to do this and I found this answer:

"One good way is to play a note on the piano, and sing it for as long as you can. Use the same note over and over again (start with a note like the middle C, which is neither high nor too low) for at least a week, before you go on to the next one. Yes, it's VERY boring, and sounds so simple, but you'll notice that you never quite seem to keep the same note in one go - your voice will sound like the ocean - waves all around! This will help train your vocal chords AND your ears, which also play a very important part in your singing."

Will this really help? I tried doing this for about twenty minutes and I fly off pitch when I hold the note.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: What you're talking about is "long tones". It's an expercise used by wind instrumentalists and singers to improve muscle and breath control.

It's not a bad technique. In fact, I use it with all of my students as a warm up exercise. However, if you don't alredy have a good technique and you don't already know how to breathe, you're just reinforcing your bad habits. And, as you pointed out, it is SOOOO boring to do nothing but long tones.

Plus, if you're a man (or a teen who's voice has already changed) starting at middle C is a terrible mistake. Start at the F directy below. Even women shouldn't start at the C since it's in chest voice and you usually want to focus long tones on head voice as they are harder to control.

Here's my suggestion. Practice breathing and getting those muscles ready for your lessons.

1. Lie on your back. Put your hand on your stomach. Breathe. Your breath should cause the stomach to rise on the inhale and your stomach should flatten on the exhale. Once you have that mastered, start deliberately forcing the air out with your stomach muscles. Think about pulling in your stomach muscles so that you're pushing the air out. Practice contracting and relaxing your stomach muscles without forcing out the air.

2. Now that you have those stomach muscles supporting the breath, sing those "long tones" as you push out the air. Pick a note that is very comfortable (you know what's comfortable) and sing it on "Ahhhhhh" as you push the air out. It should sound a little breathy - it's what you want right now. If it feels tight or your throat hurts, stop everything and wait for your lessons.

3. Now stand up, keep a hand on your stomach so you are monitoring your breath, and sing a simple song. You know the ones - the ones you sang in elementary school. "Row, Row, Row your boat", "Down in the Valley", "My Country Tis of Thee", etc. The range is narrow so you won't have to worry too much about technique. Sing the songs at a moderate volume. Focus on using the stomach muscles. If you find you can't sing and use the stomach mucles at the same time (out when you breath in, in when you breathe out) like down again.

While this isn't very exciting, it also isn't quite as boring and you're not at much risk of hurting your voice or picking up bad habits.

Don't worry too much about the diaphragm at this point. It's a flat muscles tucked under the bottom of your rib cage that controls the air that comes in and out. You use it every day, every time you breathe. So just focus on controling your regular breathing and learn to breath with the stomach muscles providing your support.

To make sure you're not breathing incorrectly, look at yourself in a mirror. If your shoulders are going up when you breathe in, you're doing it incorrectly. Lie down again and keep trying.

Good Luck!!!