Warm-up Vocal Techniques

Exercises to Protect the Voice and Increase Vocal Power

Apr 13, 2009 Catherine Owen

Undertaking warm-up exercises prior to singing will assist any singer to improve vocal range and reduce the likelihood of vocal strain or injury.

Prior to undertaking any form of exercise, warming up is key. When singing, the vocal cords can be strained if one does not properly warm up the voice. Doing a few simple warm ups will increase tonal range and alleviate vocal strain without damaging the delicate nodes in the throat. These exercises only take about ten minutes and will vastly enhance the sound of one's voice. They will also one ensure greater longevity as a singer.

Singers who don't warm up suffer from a range of conditions. These can include hoarseness or a gravelly voice to recurrent laryngitis and polyps on the larynx. Warming up is especially crucial if one is performing regularly as when on tour.

Stretching Before Singing

To sing well, one must be relaxed. Make sure that tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulders and back is diminished. Drop the neck back and open the mouth, letting tightness flow away. Do shoulder rolls. Tilt the head slowly from side to side as if there is a marble in your skull. Yawn several times. Breathe deeply according to appropriate breathing techniques.

The Lip Roll

Exaggerated humming is one of the most effective ways to warm up the vocal cords. To accomplish this, place hands on cheeks, pressing in a little to touch the teeth. Purse lips up and emit a long, brrrr sound like a horse. Try to sustain this sound for two minutes. The lips should vibrate and the mouth and throat thereby relax. Don't push too hard but aim for a steady release of sound.

One can also hum a scale, moving from the lowest to the highest note and back again.

Creating Sounds

Vocalizing certain letters of the alphabet also enables the voice to warm up. The M sound is particularly helpful. To increase the focus and depth of one's voice, repeat "Ma,me, mo, mu, may", working through the five different vowel sounds in combination with the letter M. One should feel the nasal cavity and upper lip vibrating. Try these sounds across the scale.

Closed vowels like O are easier to sing than open vowels such as A. Start with the easiest mode of vocalizing and move up to more challenging options.

Scales and Vibrato

Singing through the scales, starting low and ending high, at the end of one's warmup, is also a good way to keep the voice in shape. This is a time when the technique of vibrato can be practiced too. Keep the larynx open and relaxed. Make a vowel sound such as eee or aaa. At the end of the note, allow pitch to fluctuate rapidly but naturally by maintaining deep breathing and keeping the tongue out of the way.

Other Options

At the end of practicing these exercises, one can add other techniques to keep the warm-up interesting. These can include singing through a range of numbers, pronouncing difficult words or, most enjoyable, reciting tongue-twisters such as "The sixth shiek's sixth sheep's sick." These exercises limber up the tongue to improve the flexibility and versatility of one's vocal abilities.

The copyright of the article Warm-up Vocal Techniques in Musical Instruments is owned by Catherine Owen. Permission to republish Warm-up Vocal Techniques in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Warm Up to Improve Vocal Quality