Singers and teachers are always talking about alignment and yet there is a lot of misinformation about what good alignment actually is. How often has a choir director told the choir to stand up straight and half the choir sticks out their chest and throws their shoulders back. If it creates tension, it is not good alignment. In reality, proper alignment is absolutely paramount to good singing. But what does it look like?
In reality, proper alignment takes time, a lot of input from various professionals, body mapping (read my blog post on body mapping), and discipline. However, I would like to offer a simple list of alignment points on the body that you can check off in your head at any time of day.
Checklist for alignment (ie. these should all be aligned):
1.) Ears
2.) shoulders
3.) Iliac crest
4.) Back of the knees
5.) Ankles
In this aligned position, your body should be tension free and you should be balanced over the middle of your feet.