When I first started lessons, my breathing was backwards. I would breath by pulling my stomach muscles in and hold that position until the vocal line was completed. Because I was in my late 20’s and strong as an ox, this inefficient breathing method didn’t kill me! For a long period I would use the teacher’s breathing technique and my own in almost alternate breaths, which messed up my emission considerably. Once I finally gave into the proper technique, all kinds of good things happened, easier high notes and abundant breath capacity, even for long vocal lines previously impossible.

The teaching masters of the 17 th and 18th century would insist on years of scales before allowing students to sing songs. This was done to instill a strong foundation before allowing bad habits to creep into the technique. No teacher can get away with this in the modern age where immediate results are expected. ( I suspect you would agree!) So many promising voices are ruined by singing inappropriate songs or operatic arias because the voice is not on the tracks and crashes are inevitable. There were arias I attempted which seemed like climbing Mt. Everest with my nose and mouth plugged and an anvil on my stomach. My teacher put those aside until my technique improved. Like a miracle, when I tried those arias 2 years later the trouble spots had disappeared. Brute force may allow a singer to get through inappropriate music, but that’s a disaster in the long run. Musclurer singing will only work until the muscles wear out in a short time.

Your students are extremely fortunate to have a teacher who understands the vocal mechanism and stresses a natural UNCONTRIVED production.

Many times I recall my teacher’s admonition when I was blaring beyond my natural volume level: Ron, NEVER SING LOUDER THAN BEAUTIFUL!
Great advice for every singer, whether in popular or classic idiom.