1. Lander University Voice Class I Dr. Chuck Neufeld

2. What Is Good Singing Posture?

3. Alert Balanced Buoyant Erect Expansive Flexible Free-to-move Happy Loose Poised Vibrant Good Singing Posture Is

4. How does good posture operate? Feet Legs Hips Abdomen Back Chest Shoulders Arms and Hands Head Seated Posture

5. How does good posture operate? Feet Legs Hips Abdomen Back Chest Shoulders Arms and Hands Head Seated Posture

6. Feet Shoulder width apart Weight evenly distributed One foot slightly ahead Plant feet like tree roots

7. Legs Flexible Able to move at all times Not fully relaxed Vertical line from heels to trunk to head Knees slightly bent

8. Hips Not “cocked” to one side Tuck buttocks under and forward (as if straightening lower back)

9. How does good posture operate? Feet Legs Hips Abdomen Back Chest Shoulders Arms and Hands Head Seated Posture

10. Abdomen Lower Abdomen Held in comfortably, gently Not released all the way (pregnant look) Upper Abdomen Free to move at all times Not pulled in or out too strongly

11. Back Lift and stretch the spine upward (tall spine) As broad and wide as possible Think of straightening the small of the back

12. Chest Comfortably high Stable (little rise and fall) Comfortably high (use Garcia position) Not forced up--let thoughts hold it up

13. How does good posture operate? Feet Legs Hips Abdomen Back Chest Shoulders Arms and Hands Head Seated Posture

14. Shoulders Rolled back and dropped gently Stable during breathing/singing Stability leads to comfortably high chest Not forced down or tight Released from tension

15. Arms and Hands Arms hang freely Hands are extensions of arms Hands calm Hands in front of body is OK (but without tension) Touching piano, music stand, or lectern is OK (but must look natural) Support music with palm of hand (or get a famous “black folder”) No fidgeting, clenching, twitching, feeling clothes, or tension in hands!

16. How does good posture operate? Feet Legs Hips Abdomen Back Chest Shoulders Arms and Hands Head Seated Posture

17. Head In line and centered with body (from any viewpoint) On top of stretched, tall spine Eyes level Chin only slightly tucked in Stretch back of neck upward Avoid raising chin

18. How does good posture operate? Feet Legs Hips Abdomen Back Chest Shoulders Arms and Hands Head Seated Posture

19. Trunk and head in line (as in standing) Hips well back into chair Hips above knees Foot position same as standing

20. Always Remember How Good Posture Operates

21. Lander University Voice Class I Dr. Chuck Neufeld