You’ve been singing for years and you’re still not sure what warm ups are? The truth is, most people don’t know how to do vocal warm ups because they never had any lessons on the topic. If you want to start with an easy exercise that will only take about two minutes of your day, this article will show you how!
There are many ways to warm up your voice, but this is the one I recommend for beginners because it doesn’t require any previous knowledge. If you feel like doing something else instead of what’s shown in the article, that’s fine too! You can do anything as long as you’re not straining your vocal cords. Remember: everyone has a different voice, so make sure you never force anything.
However, if it’s your first time doing warm ups and you don’t know where to start (like I once did), this article will help! You’ll learn how much effort is good for your voice in order not to damage it while still getting the desired result: better singing!
Stretches
One of the best ways to start a vocal warm up is by doing some simple stretches. This will help increase your range and prevent any tension from building up in your neck and throat. Make sure you do these stretches slowly and with control, or you might injure yourself.
Here are a few basic stretches for beginners:
– Chest stretch: starting from the same position as you would for a push up, lean forward and drop your chest to the floor. Push yourself back up and repeat.
– Neck stretch: look straight ahead and slightly bend your head down towards your shoulder (like an owl). Now move it slowly towards one side of your body until you feel a slight stretch and hold it for a few seconds before repeating on the other side.
– Shoulder stretch: raise your right arm straight up in the air and use your left hand to pull it towards your chest until you feel a light stretch. Hold for a few seconds then switch arms.
After doing these stretches, you should feel more relaxed and your voice will be ready to sing!
Mouth position
After you’ve done your stretches, it’s time for the fun part. You’ll warm up by singing different vowel sounds in a variety of positions with different amounts of resonance (or how open/closed your mouth is). The purpose of these exercises is to find where your voice sounds the best.
Don’t be surprised if you notice a difference in your voice from one exercise to another! Everyone’s vocal cords are different, which means that they’re going to resonate better with some vowel sounds over others. You’ll probably find yourself making more mistakes when doing these exercises too (for example: singing off-key or humming instead of using your voice). Don’t worry, this is completely normal so long as you didn’t push yourself too far.
Try to do these exercises in front of a mirror if possible so that you can see the difference between how open/closed your mouth should be for each vowel sound. The goal here is not perfection but awareness because every singer has a different style.
A few examples of vowel sounds to practice with:
– Ah as in father (this is the first sound you’ll be using for singing) – try humming, repeating “ah” on your throat and finally singing it. Don’t forget to use your head voice! You can also mix these up by going from a low to high pitch.
– Oh as in dough – try the same exercises as with “ah” but use a higher pitch this time.
– Ee as in see – start by making the sound of “ee” and then move on to humming it and lastly singing it. Again, mix these up by going from low to high pitches.
– Oh as in go – start by making the sound of “oh” and then move on to humming it and lastly singing it. Again, mix these up by going from low to high pitches.
Humming
Humming is a great way to start warming up your voice. It’s low in pitch and easy to do, so it’s good for beginners. Start by humming the tune of “Happy Birthday.”
Breathing
Breathing warm-ups are a great way to keep your airways open while doing other warm-up exercises. Start by taking deep breaths until you feel the back of your ribs expand with each breath. Then, try breathing out more slowly. This will help your body relax.
Humming + Breathing
Try humming while you take deep breaths. The low humming will help open up your vocal cords, and the deep breathing will help you get enough air for singing. This is a great warm-up combo for beginners.
Singing
The best way to warm up your voice is to actually sing! Start by singing easy songs that are in a comfortable range for you. After you sing a few songs, try singing some scales to work out your vocal cords and strengthen your voice.
Pitched Tongue Trills
The pitched tongue trill is a great warm-up exercise for singers who are about to sing in the lower part of their voice or at any range above it.
Here are the steps for pitched tongue trills:
– Place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth.
– Keep the tip of your tongue there and use your top lip to vibrate it.
– You should feel the vibration in your nose and cheeks.
Big Yawns
Okay, we’re almost done but before you go, I want to teach you a little trick that will help relax your vocal cords. This is something called yawning and it’s one of the best ways to loosen up your voice.
Start by pretending to yawn (you can even open your mouth really wide) for about 30 seconds. You should feel your vocal cords start to loosen up and this will make it easier for you to sing.
After yawning, I want you to do something called singing the “Big Yawn.” This is where you take a deep breath in and then let out a really big yawn (as if you were trying to scare someone). Hold on to that yawn for about four seconds and then release it.
Conclusion
Believe me when I say you’ll feel like a rockstar once you get this right! Just make sure that you don’t overdo it, especially if you’re a beginner. Remember to always take care of your voice and never force anything. Practice these exercises daily for about 15-20 minutes and you’ll see an improvement in your vocal range and quality in no time!
Do this three times in a row and you’ll definitely feel more relaxed (and maybe even a little bit tired). I know yawning isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but trust me, it’s worth it!
Hints:
– Remember not too overdo it!
– Keep the voice relaxed at all times. It should never be forced or strained, but rather used lightly and smoothly (like a feather). This is how you avoid hurting yourself while singing.
– Use a mirror to see the difference between how open/closed your mouth should be for each vowel sound.
– Practice these exercises every day for about 15-20 minutes to see an improvement in your vocal range and quality.
Last Updated on September 26, 2022 by Cool Rad Weird