The short answer: Nasal breathing helps filter, warm and humidify air during quiet rest. When you sing, a quick breath through your mouth—or naturally through both nose and mouth—may be more practical. Choose the comfortable inhale that gives you enough time and air for the next phrase.
Expert source: This article is adapted from a School of Roar guest masterclass with opera singer and breathing educator Barbara Tanze, hosted by Beth and Tom. It is an editorial adaptation, not a verbatim transcript or individual medical advice.
You may have heard that nasal breathing is the “right” way to breathe. Does that mean singers should inhale through the nose before every phrase?
Not necessarily. In her Beth Roars masterclass, Barbara Tanze made an important distinction between breathing quietly at rest and breathing to prepare for singing.
What Barbara said about singing breaths
In School of Roar’s guest masterclass, Barbara distinguished resting nasal breathing from the quick replenishing breaths that speaking and singing require. She asked singers to favour efficiency over a rigid rule.
Why nasal breathing matters at rest
Your nose helps filter, warm and humidify the air you inhale. When you are sitting, reading or listening, nasal breathing can be a comfortable, efficient option—assuming your nasal passages are clear.
Mouth breathing has a role too. If your nose is blocked, for instance, breathing through your mouth is the sensible way to get the air you need. Breathing should remain functional, not become a competition to follow a rule.
Singing is not the same as resting
When you sing, your breath has a second job beyond ordinary breathing: it helps produce sound and shape musical phrases.
Sometimes you have only a fraction of a second between lines. A mouth inhale may be quicker and more practical than trying to draw all the air through your nose. Barbara also discussed how natural speech and singing breaths may involve airflow through both the nose and mouth.
The takeaway is not that singers must consciously master a special nose-and-mouth technique. It is that the body can organise an efficient breath without you micromanaging the route the air takes.
Let the music guide your inhale
Picture two situations. You are singing a tender lyric into a sensitive microphone, and the next phrase begins gently. A noisy, oversized breath might become part of the recording in a way you do not want.
Now picture an intense dramatic moment where the character is shocked or desperate. An audible inhale might actually strengthen the storytelling.
In both cases, what matters is whether you can take the breath you need without unnecessary tension around your neck, jaw and shoulders.
Try a phrase-to-phrase test
Choose a verse with a short gap between lines. First, sing it with a quiet nasal inhale where there is enough time. Next, try an easy mouth inhale. Finally, sing it naturally without pre-selecting either route.
Pay attention to timing, comfort and whether the breath supports the sound you want. Avoid forcing a nasal inhale if you are congested or short of air.
The useful rule is flexibility
Nasal breathing can be a good default during quiet rest. Singing, however, asks for speed, expression and adaptability. Give yourself permission to use the breath that serves the phrase instead of chasing a universal rule.
Questions singers often ask
Is mouth breathing wrong for singers?
No. Mouth inhalation is often useful between short musical phrases, especially when there is little time. Persistent mouth breathing at rest or during sleep is a separate health question if it concerns you.
Can you inhale through your nose and mouth at the same time?
Air can pass through both routes during a natural inhale. Barbara discussed this in the context of speaking and singing, while stressing that you do not have to consciously train a special combined-breath technique.
Keep learning with School of Roar
Try both breathing options in the same lyric and listen to the difference. For more guided ways to connect vocal technique with expression, discover School of Roar, Beth Roars’ online singing community.
