Group singing and mindfulness are two powerful practices for personal wellbeing, but few people explore their potential when approached as a duo. What does mindfulness actually mean in practice, and how can it enhance the experience of singing?
Anna sits in a mindful pose during a Wicked Wellbeing Workshop
Mindfulness brings your awareness into the present moment. The breath and physical sensations are often the focal points, breaking the cycle of worries, distractions, or unhelpful thought patterns.
Singing similarly relies on presence, physical engagement, and the breath. Combining the two brings greater focus, physical ease, and an enhanced experience of the voice.
Using simple mindfulness techniques allows singers to step away from daily distractions, connect with their bodies, and achieve a richer quality of sound.
Here are five simple ways to bring the benefits of mindfulness to your singing practice:
1. Mindful Breathing Meets Breathing for Singing
Simply being aware of the sensation of breathing is the first step towards mindfulness. For singers, taking control of the breath - deepening, lengthening, and observing it - calms the mind and prepares the respiratory system for vocal production.
In both mindfulness and singing, we aim to be fully aware of what our body is doing, maintaining a strong yet relaxed posture while feeling the breath move through us.
Try This: Stand tall with the crown of your head reaching towards the ceiling and your body loose. Exhale smoothly for four counts. Allow a fresh breath to drop low into your belly, then exhale again for four counts. Repeat several times, increasing the length of the exhalation if comfortable. Keep your attention entirely on the physical sensation of breathing. Experience the breath rather than just thinking about it.
2. Cultivating Concentration and Presence
Singing requires a high level of engagement. Without focus, it is easy to lose pitch, stumble over lyrics, or ignore dynamics and tone. Staying present improves both concentration and the overall quality of your singing.
Try This: Focus on your breath as it flows in and out, staying aware at every stage: the start, the middle, and the end of each cycle. Whenever an unrelated thought enters your mind, gently unhook from it and bring your focus back to your breathing without judgement. Noticing that your mind has wandered is the first step to bringing it back to the present. Practicing this focus for just a minute leaves internal criticism at the door and helps you experience the joy of making music without interruption.
3. Reconnecting Mind and Body
Busy routines often leave us feeling 'stuck in our heads', spending long hours sitting at desks or looking at screens. Becoming more aware of our physical selves has a dramatic impact on both vocal release and mental wellbeing.
Try This: Stand up and gently shake out your limbs one by one. Spend a little extra time loosening areas that hold tension from daily tasks, such as your wrists, neck, and shoulders. Gently patting down your arms, torso, and legs with your hands is another simple way to wake up physical awareness and re-establish a connection with your body before singing.
4. Using a Body Scan to Release Vocal Tension
Stress patterns easily creep into posture and body alignment. Excess physical tension is a major hindrance to the vocal folds and breath support, so a quick body scan combats physical tightness while developing body awareness for greater vocal power, stability, and control.
Try This: Stand in a neutral position. Starting at your feet, slowly sweep your awareness upward through your body. Survey for physical sensations, heat, tension, or relaxation in your legs, torso, arms, shoulders, neck, and head. Simply noticing an area of tightness is often enough to begin releasing surface stress, allowing you to sing safely, calmly, and with renewed focus.
5. Musical Meditation
Mindfulness is not just about focusing on the breath, it is about staying curious in the present moment. Notice the way your mouth shapes a vowel, how your shoulders drop to allow a deeper breath, or how a musical phrase impacts your emotions.
Try This: Look for fresh details in the music you are singing. Notice the acoustic resonance in your body, the sensation of your vocal cords vibrating, or the surrounding harmonies in a group setting. Instead of checking your phone between songs or exercises, take a breath and check in with your posture. Even with a piece you have sung for years, aim to discover a subtle detail you have never noticed before.
Commit to bringing mindfulness into your singing sessions and you will likely feel less fatigued, more grounded, and more joyful. When you catch your mind wandering, simply bring your awareness back to your breath, your body, or the music itself.
Experience the Benefits of Mindful Singing
Looking to reduce stress, improve your breath control, and boost your overall wellbeing?
Join our Singing for Better Breathing programme at Starling Arts. Our guided sessions blend evidence-based breathing techniques with the joy of group music-making in a supportive, relaxed environment.