chord compression, and intonation

Hello Camille,  I been trying to work on staying relaxed while singing while keeping relaxed stomach muscles and a low breath.  I listen to the piano three times before jumping in a lesson.  Sometimes I even shut my eyes to just listen to the tones.  It seems like if I master the breathing aspect the rest will come which leads me to the question, if I want to maximixe my singing ability should I just stay on chest voice and chord compression  lessons until low breath and no stomach muscles become an automatic response?  

Hi, Kyle! It might be a good idea to stay in your comfortable range (which is probably chest voice) while you get used to breathing low. However, your belly should be relaxed on the inhale and engaged on the exhale!

Oh. Ok.  Thanks.  So stop doing the other exercises and focus on chest voice?  

It's entirely up to you, though I'd recommend exploring your head voice as well. Typically the order we follow is: chest voice, head voice, then mix. 

Oh ok.  I will take your information and run with it!  Thanks Camille

Great - let me know how it goes!

Ok. Thanks I will.  I been stretching out the warm-up for pitch accuracy and telling myself disengage my stomach muscles to I think I'm on the right track because I now just have to tell myself to fill the stomach with air so its coming.  No-song work just yet but maybe papa roach.  My stomach muscles are very tight no-maybe I work out too much?  I would think that would help though no?  

Good question! I'd make sure you're also stretching the muscles you strengthen, so they can both contract and release. We need our abdominal muscles to relax/stretch on the inhale and gently engage on the exhale when we sing.