I made the image here myself and I'm not a graphic designer, but this is the order of operations for a singer. Essentially, all seven of these things happen simultaneously every time you sing, but there is a specific order of importance. If you do not communicate effectively, it has no negative effect on your breathing for example. If your posture is terrible, it will negatively effect your breathing, phonation, resonance, articulation, and communication. So the pyramid collapses above any layer that crumbles, but nothing below the crumbled layer is effected.
For this reason, the most efficient way to learn singing is by beginning at the bottom of the pyramid and working upward. Unfortunately, many of the most interesting and fun things to work on and the ideas with the most dramatic effect on sound are at the top of the pyramid. Here is a quick rundown of what each layer is.
Thinking: At a basic level, this is matching pitch and audiation. As you progress this layer also includes creating your ideal sound mentally and knowing your body.
Posture: This layer is initially easy as its just learning how to sit and stand comfortably, but it also includes relaxing unnecessary muscles throughout your body.
Breathing: Mostly just inhaling, suspending, and support. In short, its any activity you do beneath your neck when singing.
Phonation: This is any activity done by your vocal folds or in some cases your false folds. This can be thick closure, fry screaming, rasp, breathy singing, etc.
Resonance: Easily narrowed down to controlling the color/timbre of your voice. This includes ideas like head voice, chest voice, singing in the mask, and any shapes you make on the inside of your mouth that amplify frequencies. Resonance focuses on vowels over consonants.
Articulation: This is any activity done with your lips, jaw, and tongue for the purposes of shaping sound into specific consonants.
Communication: The most important yet least impactful on ability to sing is how well a singer expresses the text, emotion, or expression of a song. This includes performance technique, dynamic, acting, etc.
If you need help working on any of these ideas, please reach out and I can teach you! Click here to sign up for singing lessons.