Sighing is a fairly common tool in voice training. Let’s look at why that’s the case, and how it can help you.
What’s in a sigh?
A sigh is an audible exhale, with or without voice, that expresses a feeling (like relief or weariness). So at the very least, sighing connects you to your breath and our feelings, and gives you a moment of practice toward expressing feelings with free breath.
Voiced or unvoiced sighs
Let me explain what I meant when I said a sigh could be made with or without voice. “Voicing” refers to the sound made when the vocal cords vibrate. If you put your fingers on your larynx (Adam’s apple for those who have one) and say “ahhhh!!”, you will feel a little vibration. That’s the feeling of your vocal folds opening and closing (i. e., voicing).
Now keep your fingers there and just exhale like you’re annoyed, but without voice. No vibration! You can still hear the air escape, but no actual voice. the air escape is audible because of a constriction in the throat, like a wind tunnel.
What does this have to do with voice?
One of the goals of voice work, especially for performers and professional speakers, is the ability to express your thoughts and feelings through your voice.
Breath is intimately linked to both emotions (think about how your breath acts if you cry, or try not to cry) and voice (there is no voice without breath, as we are a wind instrument).
The goal is for your voice (driven by breath) to be connected to your feelings, and for you to be able to express those feelings via the breath and sound.
A sigh, therefore, is wonderful practice for this!
So go ahead and sigh!
Next time your social circumstances permit, let that sigh out! Practice letting out a nice big breath when you feel relief, or aggravation, or anything at all. Add some sound to it and you have a proper voice exercise!
If you’d like individual guidance around connecting to breath and expression, reach out for a session.
