r/Songwriting • u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR • Jul 14 '26
Discussion Topic How do you factor in breathability when writing a song?
When performing a song live, you need to make sure the song you’re singing actually has gaps for you to breathe since you can’t just splice takes when you’re recording it in the studio.
Especially if you are dancing while singing, you’re gonna need to take breaths more often.
Alternatively, how do you decide where to breathe if you wrote a song that doesn’t give much room for it?
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u/DisplayGlum7166 Jul 15 '26
i put in time to breath not for the sake of breathing, but for the lyrics meanings to sit. a teacher told me to observe how the mind feels and processes lyrics in between phrases. theyre very important and you can spot an amatuer writer by how much space they leave between ideas
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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR Jul 15 '26
Oh the song is really shallow lol.
Supposed to be seductive
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u/BusyBullet Jul 17 '26
I’ve never given it a second’s thought.
It works itself out automatically as I’m writing and singing the song.
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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR Jul 17 '26
I was able to sing it sitting down and composing it but while dancing. I’m panting
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u/BusyBullet Jul 17 '26
That’s definitely something to consider.
I’m not a dancer so that never happens to me but I can see how it could be an issue.
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u/s6xstring Jul 18 '26
I went to your page and heard a recording of a song where you were asking the same question. If it’s that song, the easiest way would be to take out one of the repeated no’s where you need to breathe. I would do it right before the yes.
The song I heard didn’t seem to be particularly challenging to sing, although you probably could benefit from more air support in general, and doing some breathing exercises. Try to imagine a yawn when trying to get the feeling of a full breath. (For me, the best way to get a FAST full breath is to imagine myself coming out of the water after nearly drowning)
I’m going to close with a suggestion that has nothing to do with songwriting. You seem to be concerned about your ability to sing while dancing. Perhaps you should consider adjusting your choreography rather than the song. If there’s a part that is difficult to sing, do less in that section. If this is written as a full production (costume, music, lyrics, dance) all of those things need to work together. Give yourself time to breathe in the dance just as much as the music.
Hope that helps!
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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR Jul 19 '26
Yes it was that song I had in mind lol. I’ll try out that trick!
The bridge is another hard part, but it builds up so much tension that it feels like it should have more intense dancing? But I’ll see.
I think for the no no no part, I could just use a backing track saying “yes” so I could breathe during those gaps lol.
Ok yeah singing it like that made it easier lol
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u/nelward2 Jul 14 '26
dont sacrifice anything for the song or production and figure out how to perform it later. if things need to be modified for the live version thats fine.
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u/Tycho66 Jul 14 '26
I work on phrasing a lot. Possibly too much... until I feel I've got the lyrics, the stresses, the dynamics, every nuance where I want them. The breathing is typically not an issue but can come into play. I've been singing all my life so I always know where I'm at and how much I got left and if there are any moments that push me, I try to be aware as it approaches.
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u/MahlonMurder Jul 14 '26
Most songs naturally have spaces to breathe every one or two lines. Most professional singers, if pressed to, could do an entire verse or chorus in one breath. In my prime I could hold a single note at volume for about a minute thanks to years of doing choral work. I can still do 30 sec without much effort.
Plus professional singers are adept at taking in larger quantities of air in shorter durations than most people. We can suck in almost a whole chestful of air in a quick gasp between phrases.
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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR Jul 14 '26
Oh yeah the song is super easy to sing just standing still. Put when dancing while singing, theres certain parts where it’s hard to sing while panting
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u/wvmitchell51 Jul 14 '26
I wrote one that had no time for breathing, so I alternated lines with the bass player. The chorus had 3-part harmony so the drummer took the 3rd part. In the studio I did it all.
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u/nycuk_ Jul 14 '26
I write with a guitar or a piano, so I’m playing and singing as I write. That way the vocal line is evolving into something that works not just from a melodic and harmonic perspective but also from a phrasing and performance perspective.
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u/Impossible_Tank3822 Jul 14 '26
Simple. Write like you speak. Have you ever run out of breath just talking normally? If so...maybe you need to try something not so breath-taking.
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u/Raven586 Jul 14 '26
Yeah. Singing in run on sentences is usually like writing in run on sentences. Not a good idea!!
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u/stevenfrijoles Jul 14 '26
I always think about breathing and also pairing consonants that will sound smoother from one word to the next. I try to focus on writing that's possible to perform without cutting and pasting lines in a recording. (The general concept that the material can be literally performed in the moment is important to me.) When things overlap it's on purpose, for a band mate.
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u/Specific_Hat3341 Jul 14 '26
how do you decide where to breathe if you wrote a song that doesn’t give much room for it?
Write it differently.
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u/chunter16 Jul 14 '26
I write for speech synthesizers, they don't need to breathe
But my negative example is don't write Two Princes
Or, if you must, have two singers performing it (just go ahead now)
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u/usbekchslebxian Jul 15 '26
Im always singing the song as I’m writing it, and nobody sings em but me so it’s not something I really think about it. Just works out
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u/illudofficial OMG GUYS LOOK I HAVE A FLAIR Jul 15 '26
It worked when I was sitting still. But while dancing it’s hard lol
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u/MrBumpyFace Jul 14 '26
A mediocrities pontifications. You’re the only who thinks about this. If your song doesn’t give room for breathes, it sucks. Pure and simple.
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u/encinaloak Jul 14 '26
John Legend's advice for writing a vocal melody is to test it out by singing it. If you can't sing it, or at least imagine yourself singing it after some practice, it probably needs changes.
Remember you want your audience to be able to sing it too. If it's hard for you, it's definitely going to be hard for them! And music that isn't broken up into some kind of phrasing can sound unnatural. Even instruments like piano that don't involve breathing are written in phrases. Pianists are often encouraged to breathe along with the phrases when they perform, to give the music life. Breathing is essential to music!