Whole body support and tensegrity

Breath support for singing and speaking (or for playing any instrument for that matter) is a highly discussed (argued...) topic. Ask 10 different voice professionals and you will probably get 10 different answers. Belly breathing, back breathing, push out, push in, squeeze your glutes together as if you were trying to hold a coin down there...I have heard it all!

Tensegrity is a principle that we talk about in the Timani Method which is borrowed from architecture. Buckminster Fuller described an architectural structure that incorporates both tension and compression. This is what gives the geodesic dome its quality of stability without the straight lines of compression that a normal frame building structure would need. The term "tensegrity" or tensional integrity describes a self-supporting support from within. Another simple example of tensional integrity is a balloon where the equal and oppositional pressure of the air inside and the rubber outside gives it stability.

So how does this work in the body and why am I just hearing about this now? Well, for one thing, learning this ability to use full-body support takes a little training and some knowledge about how bone, muscle, and connective tissue can work together to provide a stable and flexible environment for you to do your best speaking, singing, or instrument practice.

If we were to think about the body as it resembles two kinds of structures, the frame house and the geodesic dome, we can see that a kind of breathing support that relies primarily on localised support activity (push out, push in, etc) tends to break or interrupt the continuity of the body's most efficient way of channeling energy and sound. Without needing to think about or coordinate all of the many different facets of support, our way of producing sound becomes more efficient and as a result we are able to tell a better story, and that really is the point.

So, the goal is whole-body support through an increased sense of tensegrity. Now what? The most direct way that I have found of finding this kind of support is through the exercises provided by the Timani Method. We have all had those moments of clarity and inspiration while working on our voices. I have had them, too, but it was through this method that I was able to make those moments of clarity consistent and something that I could repeat easily with a little focus and concentration. Timani teachers are available online or in most cities. I am a certified Timani teacher, and it has become a major improvement in my own singing and teaching.