Phrasing refers to the breaths or 'stops' in between notes. Natural phrasing will include 'stops' after all periods, commas, semicolons, or colons. Additional phrasing may be necessary for the singer to take catch breaths or to achieve a certain style. It's an excellent idea for singers to sit down with sheet music in hand and mark their phrasing before they begin to sing. This helps prevent unexpected losses of breath and awkward phrasing that draws attention to itself. If an artist chooses to change the phrasing of the song, timing of melodies, articulation and dynamics may be affected. See also phrase.