Exercises for breathiness and vocal confidence?

[Kitcae]

I'm teaching a few voice lessons in a undergraduate music education class and am working with a female student who is breathy and lacks confidence in her singing. What exercises or tips do you have to improve her confidence and help with breathiness? She plays french horn and has good breath support but doesn't think she is a good singer.

[MDEW]

Does she have a quiet breathy speaking voice also?

Have you heard her when she is complaining about something?

Most people use a voice that has stronger vocal closure when complaining. They get a little louder and use better support and have a more confident sound because "You KNOW what you do NOT like and want your opinion heard".

Some teachers may use the analogy of "Singing to the Back of the room". Basically you would be using the voice you use to call to someone across the street.

Also the typical New York tough guy voice(accent) will help with cord closure. "EH, Wadda ya doin'  I'm tryin' to work heah..." or it will at least help teach how to stop the breathiness...

 

[Kitcae]

Thank you so much for your advice! She has a quiet voice in general. We did some exercises to help her open her throat and that seemed to help. Interesting idea about the complaining!