Vocal Warm-ups

Many people have misconceptions about warm-ups. Some think they only consist of a couple of "mi-mi-mis" or running through a song or two. First of all, it is most important to know that there are various kinds of warm-ups. Here are the 5 I personally use:

1. Stretches - these are physical warm-ups that relieve tension to prepare your body to be relaxed enough to allow your voice it's best opportunity of having a good quality of sound. They may include head rolls, shoulder rolls, stretching out the intercostal muscles as well as other stretches for any muscles that might be distracting from paying 100% attention to vocal technique.

2. Rhythmic - these are warm-ups that can help particularly when the singer is practicing difficult rhythms in any specific piece. Rhythmic warm-ups can be vocal, but they can also be done with hands, feet or any rhythmic instrument.

3. Melodic - these are vocal warm-ups with different pitches and syllables to warm up your vocal chords and surrounding tissues as well as your oral cavity. Melodic warm-ups also help your hearing to "warm up." They can also be used as rhythmic warm-ups if different rhythms are used in addition to the different pitches and syllables. Because these warm-ups can include so much and do so much at the same time, they are the most popular and many time the ONLY warm-up used by many teachers.

4. Harmonic - these warm-ups are generally used for vocal groups who need to warm-up their hearing in order to have tight harmonies as they sing. They are also useful for solo singers in order to sing more confidently against background harmonies. Basically, they are very similar in style to the melodic warm-ups except that each person sings a different pitch, rhythm, and sometimes syllable.

5. Breathing - these are exercises specifically designed to allow the singer to intake more air as well as use their breath more efficiently. Breathing warm-ups can be combined with some melodic and rhythmic warm-ups as well. In my experience, this is one of the least used warm-ups, but one of the most helpful to a variety of students.

Students who are serious about singing and really want to better certain aspects of their voice, must use warm-ups before any practice or performance session. Also, remember your WATER - keep yourself well hydrated while practicing or performing. Warm-ups might not show any difference after a few uses, but over time, the more you warm-up, the more you will be able to do vocally. I have had students who over a 6-month period, increased their range by up to 5 whole steps just by focusing on their warm-ups. I have also had students who complained of pain after singing a few songs, but once they put their warm-ups in place, they cured their pains and were able to sing hours without any injury. Most of my students really noticed the difference that breathing warm-ups especially make a difference to them. And in many cases, the breathing warm-ups can help immediately.

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